The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-17
TEACHERS TRIALS
WHAT A GREEN SUBSTITUTE w
DERGOEs IN AN UNRULY SCHOOL.
Impish Pupils Quickly Discover nm
inexperienced Hand at the Helm
and Behave Accordingly.

| fore in my life.
The morning was cold. I walked briskly
up the street toward the schoolhouse where
fourth grade has been left without a
mistress, my chin held as high in the air
as it would go, and my heart sinking, sink
ing. sinking. was mentally rehearsing my
entry. That chin a part of it. had
| an idea that 1t expressed confidence, reso-
| luton, indomitable will and innumerable
other qualities. whose sum total is the pow
er to discipline school. But. alas, I could
not make it express the experience which I
had not had.
| Two or three urchins came trudging down
| the street, their hands in their trousers
| pockets, the collars of their jackets turned
| UP around their ears. They looked at me.
| you the substitute%'
| Yes"
| They wheeled and marched back in the
| direction whence they had come and took
no further notice of me-
| Its cold enough to snow soon. Then you
| poys VIII have good time, won't your
and 1. willy thinking that by showing them
what sympathizer with boys sports 1 was
what kindred spirit, indeed-I might win
| their favor.
| YEP said they, without budging their
chins one inch out of their collars. I gave
| it up.
|
| shiver I felt the thirty pairs of eyes turn
| upon me. and each letter of their unspoken
verdict dropped like icy water down my
| back-"A greenhorn.''
One of the other teachers was in charge.
dainty little body, scarcely more than a
| schooiglrl. She introduced me to the class
| pointed to some work on the board and left
me-
| During her presence the school SAT with
| hands den1urely folded on the desks. The
instant the door closed behind her-pande-
Now: wish to give you the best idea I
t thin,, Oh those e. three awful days, but as
| tnlnk ABOUT them 1t is all confused night
| mare. have a dull memory of a Continued
ouzz, and rattle and general misdemeanor
while every now and then some special Of
the programme of this article is as lawless
as as, the school it describes. for I have thrown
"reminiscences as they occur to me-
L see the room-gaunt. cheerless, unat-
| tractive; two or three boys roam around it
at will, l sternly address one of them
| VIII you go back TO your seat?' No
attention paid to my command.
| viii you go back to your seat?" Still
d the boy goes sweetly. wilifuIiy on his wan
win you go, back to your seat?' my
voice growing sharper at each repetition
He turns around in surprise. you
Yes. and you knew it. Go to your
"Oh, COO me. Thought YOU ,peakin' that
9TH boy. Derisive laughter from the
schoolo Why'n you make him go seat.
'In attend to that other boy. You go to
Were i my seat? Fgit."
| TAKE the second seat in the first row."
drops in. "Tni' it? ''''N
Take the seat told you to-
| He slowly hoists himself from the fourth
seat and rops TITO the third. .Thi it?'
Take the seat / told you to-
Demurs, excuses, alterations and at last
succeed in accomplishing my END.
FUN FOR THE SCHOOL
| Now, all this was capital fun for the rest
Of the school They hooted and applaudea.
as IL 1t were a comic dialogue .rranged for
their especial benefit-he. the leading funny
| man; the defenseless butt { f his Jokes
Very good advice had been given me by
an experienced teacher
when you tell g boy to do a thing make
| him do it. Stick to him until he does IT.
no matter if it takes an hour"
[ followed this precept faithfully. But,
alas! alas! i was but one person, the I'M
son. could stick to but one boy at a time.
Meanwhile, what might not the other
turn to boy No. and work at him un-
| til he is in place. Then mine eye esp:es
Nc. in desk in the back of the. room.
time to learn the names of the wicked.
Notoriety is tieeter than reputation) .AI-
fred Burbadge, what are you doing back
" ..so,, 60 my ruler: Make i'm gi' me-
bs same o Jour ruler Go to
where, il IS scarcely needfal to tell P'H the
minute after my back is turned.
This matter Of keeping the pupils in
the substitute knows neither names nor
proper places. Nor can she tell whether
os the cha Is telling the thah when
some other cause as a reason for chang
ing his seat. Here Is large field for i'm
part of the teacher. View the following
Those on the side of the room next the
stove would raise the cry. Teacher, it's
hot here ne Can't l. / move over to the other
Permission granted.
rs shorty ca1d afterward would hear Teacher,
Batt title orr and and shsattiecoek oSe back and
forth they so, until at last in desperation
I refuse permission to, all. resolved that
freeze and scorch alike This IS the sh ra
suit: The innocent stay in their places
they please, with or without permission,
and pass scathless.
new modes of annoying me. One ne b bow had
a oothache-,genuine; I believe. Eight or
that their owners were bent toretber like
jack-knives with pain.
One boy accidentally spilled ink on his
| hand. Could he go wash it? Yes. Four
| palms. Gould they go wash them? No.
| Well then, they could not write. because
they would soil their papers. Yes, they
| would write, papers soiled or not soiled
| Here came in the stickins-to process, with
| it's usual results / will not state who was
| victorious.
| A chance blot called to mind TIL. diver
| tisement of finging ink on the papers of
their neighbors. Fights .ensued, and cries
| OF Teacher. make that boy stop.i'
Once, driven wild with the noise, 1 said
| with voice and face so stern that even
| that school awed for the moment II
| will have this room quiet. / wish this room
! quiet that you might hear a pin DROP
The room was, still. One boy. held up a
| pin. Thinking he would probably drop il
| anyway / said, Yes, you may drop it as
| soon you think this room quiet enough
Oh. fatal words The idea caught fire.
Pins. pens, pencils rulers, anything, every
thing they could lay their hands on were
suspended in air and dropped upon the
| floor.
Goodbye. brief spell of quietl
| A THROWING MATCH
| Our school the ground floor
| Some boy in the street threw pebbles in
the open window. They We're gathered up
| and flung again toGther with spit-balls or
| anything else which ould serve as a mis-