The sun., 1902-03-09
LITTLE DARKIES FULL OF FUN
TRIALS or THE TEACHERS AT
4 NEGRO MISSION.
Ono VINO Conquered Her Cass by the
Power OF Music Another VINO Didn't
Nerves Tried In . kindergarten
A Class or vanishing Lads.

| NERVES Irteu IN hihuorBhrtos'
A Class OF vanishing Lads.
any one who attempts to teach small
street urchins In big city has her work
cut out for her. The teacher who under
takes the training Of small boys recruited
from tho ranks Of the negro gamins has
even more than her share Of work.
To be sure II she Is blessed with a
sense OF humor. she may also have
more than her share of amusement.
! but the wear and tear Of her strenuous life
| Is likely to fray the edges OF even stout
sense Of humor. In an uptown negro
mission teachers have como and gone,
and the Iise and fall OF each has been
marked by Intellectual efforts at exercising
| a little brief authority and by some par
tioularly inglorious Waterloo.
One or two OF the teachers have held
their own and won comparative submis-
sion and allegiance from the boys, but
even they had rocky roads to travel. There
Ia a story Of one slim pretty colored girl
| who had the nerve to undertake to secure
the control Of a particularly incorrigible
collection Of boys. and won out, in Orpheus
fashion, by musios conquering charm.
There Is one thing that even the most
aggressive darkey boy loves, and TINT
thing Is music. The more obstreperous
tho boys, the better they sing and the only
time when class hostilities are suspended
and the dove OF peace broods over the
classroom IL when music Is going on.
Now this young teacher has as sweet a
voice as any girl Of her race ever bad. and
that is saying a good deal. Moreover.
good teaching has added 70 the beauty
- har ali rr,th ia irnae
the case, detracting from its charm.
She knows the value Of her gift and,
though a capable teacher she made up her
mind that It was by force Of her music
that she would have 70 stand OF fall. so
as the boys were concerned. The young
imps turned up on her first morning ready
for mischief and determined to make
things interesting for the new teacher.
When they saw the slim young girl they
groaned derisively. They had hoped for
seemed ingloriously easy.
The superintendent of the school, listening
in the next room. sighed. In few moments
history would repeat itself She would
have to interfere and quell the riot as she
alone could.
The young teacher was not in the least
embarrassed by the rising disturbance.
She quietly arranged things on her table,
adjusted the window shades and opened
the cabinet organ.
The noise was rising to high tide. When
she had everything arranged 20 suit her,
the teacher turned to the boys and asked
for silence.
A chorus Of catcalls was the answer.
Pandemonum was let loose The girl
stood quite serenely facing the boys, and
smiling slightly. When there was pause
for breath, she said. without raising her
voice:
-Oh, very we'll, II you like It that way
I thought you might want me to sing for
you but don't care about doing it.
She sat down with an air of bland In
difference. The boys looked at each other.
They had expected rage. protestations or
tears.
Huh, think yeh can sing do yehi' jeered
one OF the leaders.
Il know | can sing said the teacher
calmly. playing with the ruler,
Powerful smart. 'Spose yeh think yer
q fine singerY"
well, sing very we'll
The serene self-confdence had its effect
on the boys. In addition 1t reused their
curiosity.
go on and sing. Let's hear yeh, Patti
they yelled.
no, IN not sing to you while you act
like hoodlums. You don't know good
music from bad, / wouldn't waste good
music on you"
She wasn't angry. She simply stated
the thing as fact.
The bows resented her words hotly.
Huh. don't, don't we' Yeh listen heah.-
One OF them started q campmeetlng
tune, the rest joined in. They did their
best, and they sang like angels rather than
imFRss, r.. teacher listened un,n they wer.
through She looked appreciatiys,
.Theahl' yelled the boys What dye
think Of thati-
1T was good admitted the girl. 1T
was first rate. Some OF you have fine
voices.
THAT big boy on the back seat has a
splendid voice, and the second boy from the
end on the second seat sings mighty wen.
She had picked out two OF the worst urchins
in the gang, and they swelled with conscious
well, kin yeh do better than that'-
scoffed the boys.
Yes, can do a good deal better than
that. You need lessons.
The boys gasped at the oonceit Of the
We'll, gwan show Us.
NO"
aYere 'fraid.'
NO, I'm just disgusted with you
The tone was becoming persuasive.
NO
Look heah. we'll be quiet
i don't trust you"
we will, suah, miss.'
She looked at them speculatively.
You'll promise not to make sound
until l stop singingS'
.Yaas'm."
well it's a bar gain
She went over TO the organ and sat down.
The boys rolled their eyes az each other.
They'd keep their word, but when she got
through they'd raise cain. That was thor
oushly understood.
The old organ wheezed and dropped
into Quavering melody. Then the teacher
began to sing. She had chosen an old plan
tation song.
After the fret note the wriggling urchins
settled down. When she finished the
superintendent Ia the next room had tears
IL her eyes
The singer went on with another plan
tation song, her voice lending itself to the
plaintive minor melody, bringing out all
its sweetness. all it's pathos. One could
have heard pin drop In the classroom.
Sh.a nN a.I hk4 old