The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-01-20
DISCIPLINE IN SCHOOLS.
The Results From Three Different Methods as Pursued by Teachers In the State of Nebraska

Hllliu ol every young leatlcl anu hioho
 an older one is the question of discipline
 It is the foundation upon which all the worth of the schoolroom is based. Vlsi'
 tors make it the criterion of success oi
 failure, and In engaging a teacher the
 first question of the School Board is
 Can she govern a school?
 What she accomplishes in her school
 is usually a representation of the teach
 CTS ideas on discipline, for the average
 teacher finds that she receives what
 ever she demands of her pupils. With
 her the question is not so much How
 shall obtain the order that l desire ?''
 as What is it right for me to expect
 of my children? Where does order real
 ly end and disorder begin? HOW am
 to distinguish between freedom and
 laWlessness? What are other schools
 and other teachers doing?"
 Tn the different schools visited in Ne
 braska at least three distinct standards
 of school management are found.
 First are those schools which aim to-
 ward what may be called military dis
 cipline. Tn these the work Is carried
 on as by some unseen machinery. Uni
 formity is the supreme law. During the opening exercises and seat recitation
 period the children sit erect In the mid
 dle of the seat with the hands clasped
 before them. The Separate rows stand
 out with perfect distinctness, and if a child happened to mar the effect by un-
 clasping his hands or sliding to one side of his seat, glance of word from the
 teacher is usually sufficient to bring him
 to position" again. Books, states, and pencils are taken from the desk accord ing to count as at "one" the pencil is taken; two" laid upon the desk; "one,
 slates are taken and replaced in the same manner the change being made between recitations.
 In calling a class upon the floor the teacher gives the signal for each change in position, as turn rise" and each step Is taken in perfect time. While on the floor the class stands In straight rows with eyes to the fore and hands l casped When child completes his seat work before the time is up he is to | fold his hands and wait till his mates are ready, so that all may be preparing 1 the new lesson at the same time. 1 There Is very little noise in school conducted on this plan, for all the child ren move as one. Individual acts are reduced to a minimum as tendency toward disorder. The military order Is not so common to-day as 1t has been, though several of the smaller towns, with a few of the larger ones in the lead, make it their standard.
 In marked contrast to this is the school where no restraint is placed upon the pupils Freedom is the one aim here and each pupil is allowed to study and recite his lesson in manner most pleas ing to himself. The class recitations are conducted in the most informal manner, the pupils talking to the teach CT and ofe another as freely as they choose It not infrequently that two, three, or half a dozen are talking at once, but that seems only to add to the general enthusiasm, and besides it Is a great saving of time.
 "If you are not used to the noise it may disturb you" remarked the teach CT of such a school. But I do not ob- ject to it SO long as the children are interested"
 Are they interested?" was asked of i the Superintendent.
 "very," was the reply. "The room was crowded, and it was thought best to send two of the boys to another | building, but they begged to be allowed | to stay, saying if necessary they would sit on the platform rather than leave the | teacher s
 A school conducted on this plan is not common, for the reason that few | teachers are capable of retaining the | respect of their pupils under such cir cumstances
 In Nebrask the two kinds of schools described are the exception rather than the rule, and the vast majority are aiming toward a happy medium be- tween the two extremes, A grade teacher, whose school Is a fair example of this plan, expressed the sentiment of many when she said "The theory which I put into practice in governing my school is simply common sense. I never ask my boys and girls to do a thing or to leave something else un- done. unless there is some better reason for it than the fact that it is practiced in other schools
 So long has the idea of uniformity been associated with that of order in the school that it sometimes takes a good deal of courage for teacher to stem the tide of public opinion and give the l1ulNluudl d tndlNt' III liiN iitNNl occupation Is the law of order and that which snserferes with it, either in the child or those near him, is dis order. Quiet is demanded because it Is possible for all things to be done quietly, and noise interferes with the work of others. The straight rows of children with hands clasped before them and heads thrown back at certain angle, ike the Indians paint and the Chinese feet, were beautiful simply be- cause fashion decreed them to be so. Now, teachers recognize the fact that SO long as a child sits in healthful, natural manner, heis not out l If order and is relieved from the nerv- JUS tension of a fixed position. "How do you have your pupils move l n passing to rectation?' was asked primary teacher in the southern part I If the State. "In many ways" was the reply. Sometimes I have them skip. This | ;ives them exercise and saves time, but |
 should consider it as unnatural for ! hem to skip every time. Sometimes hey enjoy the drill of marching. Oc- asionally l say, Walk slowly or Walk quickly and many times l allow hem to pass as each individual pass f s.'