The Forrest City times., 1894-03-23
SCHOOL DISCIPLINE.
Read before the Teachers Institute at Forrest
 City Ark, by Miss Gray Taylor,


 the most important problems that teachers have to solve.
 Order in the schooroom Is not discipline A school may be conducted with perfect order, and yet the discipline may be all wrong. There comes before my mental vision now a school in which once taught. It had, perhaps, better order than any other with which 1 was ever associated. yet the discipline was most disastrous; for the true basis of discipline is the forma- ton of character, and here the motive power was fear. Asa consequence, though the pupils never dared be openly rebel lious, they became sly and intriguing. Many of them did not hesitate to resort to any subterfuge to hide fault or misde- meanor, and were never so happy as when engaged in some little underhanded scheme to annoy the principal. There was a total lack of that sympathy between teacher and pupils, without which no school is q success. The tempers of the children were sour and their characters perverted.
 The great study of the teacher should be to help the pupils to live right. Reasons for right living should be presented to the intellect. As right and wrong depend upon something far higher than the rules of any school, the pupils must be encour- aged by both precept and example to cul- tiyate the good that Is within them and to eradicate the bad.
 As environment has much Influence upou character, the surroundings Of the pupils should be made as pleasant as possible. The schoolroom should be an attractive place. Care should be taken to see that it is clean and wholesome. Pretty cur tains or shades should be hung at the win dows, good furniture supplied, and if pos sible pictures and flowers should adorn the rooms.
 As music is a most potent factor in ele- vating and refining character, every school room should be supplied with musical instrument, and, for the same reason, every child should be taught the elements of music. Consequently this study should be included in the public school curricu- lum. Every child has an intuitive love for the musical, for child nature is in harmo- ny with all that is good and beautiful. And it follows that the school which does the most singing will do the least crying.
 With all the helpful factors possible, the school will yet be failure ifthe teacher possess not some virtues within himself. First of all. he should be not only inoffen- sively moral, but must be aggressvely so. The teacher is the model for the pupils. No lectures on morality can have 0ne-tenth the influence over the pupil as that which may be exerted by strictly moral life on the part of the teacher. Indeed, for an immoral teacher to preach morality Is worse than useless, for the sincere, honest nature of child detests above all things the hypocrisy of it's elders. Therefore, for a teacher who is addicted to the fashiona- ble vices, to set himself up as a model for innocent childhood, is but to Incur the con- tempt of his own pupils.
 As the teacher is so will the child be. If the teacher speak in loud querulOus tone, or given to fits of unreasonable pas sion. so will the pupils. lf, on the other hand, the teacher be gentle, polite. refined, the children will imbibe these qualities by association.
 Above all things, then, let the teacher govern himself. remembering that ''He that conQuereth his own spirit is greater than he that taketh & city"
 Teach the children self government, not through fear, but through love of we'll doing.
 As their wills are to be reformed, and not broken, punishment should be as light as possible Great discrimination is neces- sary in the infiiction of punishment. The punishment should suit the temperament of the child. and not the offense. Nothing is so pernIcious as the old idea of treating all children alike. AS well might physi- elan indulge in the absurd practice of giv- ing all his patients the same treatment. Each separate child must be treated ac- cording to his disposition, and that treat ment which is most conducive to healthy. happy tone of mind and heart should be given. The nerves of children are easily excited, therefore they should live life of peace until their characters are formed. A punishment that seems to older people as but trifle. is to child ofttimes cause of great sorrow. Therefore, the teacher should he careful not to wound the feel ings of children, and should be ready al- ways to apologize for any injustice.
 As idleness begets sin, the pupil should be given work enough to keep him busy. Strive to get the child interested in his work, for when his interest is reused it will not be hard to hold his attention.
 As have said before, genuine disclp- line is not the result of force. There must be bond of sympathy and confidence be- tween the pupil and the teacher. The teacher must be impelled by frmness, Kindness, good will, sympathy and hearty generosity. The sympathetic nature of the child will respond. There and there only, can the teacher hope to press on- ward in the great work of eleYating, refin- ing and ennobing the precious charges en- trusted to his care In this great work there Is no factor so potent as the power of love-loye for humanity in general and love for each individual child. Every child. be he ever so stupid or SC vicious, has within him capabilities for goodness and usefulness, and it is the teachers ,rilorro to hnIn hin, lnrn.a fhnsa na rNa-