The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-09-04
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. SCHOOL MANNERS
o AND MANNERISMS. (
o Children are Quick to Note Tricks
o of Behavior in Their Teachers.

8 8 . 8 o o 8 9 8 8 90 8 o 8 o o o
A little girl, on almost her first day
at school, was finding so much Difficult
ty with the lesson assigned her that
child somewhat more proficient was
given the privilege of helping her.
After they had been working together
for some time the principal said to the
Soung pupil: Are you getting along
nicely?" "Oh, yes" was the reply,
Daisy Is just as cross as teacher"
In this mind, with seven years ex-
perience Of life and less than week
of school, being teacher and being
cross were virtually synonymous
terms.
Was she right? Would our sharp
tones, our exactions and reproofs
sound cross to ourselves II we heard
them given by a lawyer to his clients
or by a pastor to his parishiOners?
Our pupils, standing in much the same
relation, deserve no less courteous
treatment. Severe we are sometimes
obliged to be, and firm always we
ought to be, but If we have the self
control requisite for successful teach
ing our habitual manner is pleasant.
But some of US whom the most crit
ical pupils would not think of calling
cross have mannerisms that work us
no little harm. Perhaps it is because
our work calls TO rso much repetition
that we fall into mannerisms more
easily than people in other callings.
They are painfully common among
us, and far more detrimental. be-
lieve, than we realize.
fox {l1,,ct m tiOuo will oarVo tn
bring many to every readers mind:
A college professor of wide repu-
tation and superior talent loses in
power because he has the unfortunate
habit of rubbing the end of his nose
with the back Of his hand. In the
most fOrceful period Of his lecture. at
the most critical point In his demon
stration, this movement is made. and
with it there always comes to the class
the suggestion of uncouthness. not to
say vulgarity. Another professor
whose eyesight is defective loses much
of the respect that is her due by giving
a squirt that is little short of idiotic
as she takes her place In the recitation
room. A third professor has SO halt
ing and timid gait as he enters the
room as to inspire nothing so strongly
dS ldCk OIL confluence n CCi tShlu tCcSA-
er's satirical repetition Of a pupils
answer. II not exactly correct. intended
probably to show to the ear where the
error lies, has grown into an offensive
mannerism-one that pupils not only
dislike, but dread.
1t is perhaps straining point to
call moodiness mannerism. and yet
it is suggested in this connection. The
teacher who Is patient and pleasant
and reasonable today and Just the re-
verse tomorrow is the most unendur-
able. Scholars who are 80 fortunate
as to have parents and friends Of equa-
BILE dispositions are often at a loss to
understand teachers Of the moody Or
der. They soon learn to avoid them
as much as possible. The uncertainty
Of how a request or a question will be
met leads them to shrink from ventur-
ing either. Such a fault-for serious
fault ID surely is-a teacher 10 bound
to correct He has no right to appear
disagreeable because he feels SO.
A wise woman whom know Is con-