Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-01-10
OUT A FORM OF
STUDENT GOVERNMENT
Miss Charlotte Hunter, With EN-
bryo Teachers, Is Meeting With
Success at Miner School.

How far training in citizenship may
be extended successfully in public
schools is the subject of an experiment
which is being carried on at the Miner
Normal School under the direction OF
Miss Charlotte Hunter. who has charge
of the kindergarten training work car
ried on there. Both the embryo teach
ers under Miss Hunter and a group OF
children of the kindergarten are try
ing out a form of student government.
So far the plan has met with success.
though necessarily it cannot be carried
on extensively with the young chill
dren.
The government is ounde on "the
golden rule" the children being taught
to carry it out in practical, everyday
life in the school Just to show nov the
rule has been applied, the following ex-
ample may be taken:
"Billy"-that isn't his real name
was the worst child in the kindergar-
ten. He was, indeed, the terror of the
class. He would lie on the floor and
scream: then, by way of changing the
program a little. he would kick and
strike the other children. and. not be-
ing particularly afraid of the embryo
teachers or especially partial to them,
he would carry out the same program
. thcfh oiIc III 81 WIN
Light Comes to Little Billy.
One day. when Miss Hunter was not
in the room at the time, Billy" became
more or less unmanageable. The teach
er in charge took him to Miss Hunters
room and told him to sit there and
wait for her to return. When Miss
Hunter entered the room the young
ster-just fv years old-ran toward
her shouting that the teacher who had
brought him there had to apologize"
Miss Hunter explained that he was
the one who should apologize. BILLY"
ever. he expressed a desire to return
to the class.
oh. no." replied , Miss Hunter. Il
cannot let you go back and be treated
badly by those children. They would
kick and scratch you"
Billy protested they would not-that
they would have no right to treat him
so. Then the light shone:
IF you treat them that way they can
do you that way Also said Miss Hun
a different child, asked the pardon OF
the teacher who had treated him
badly and from that time on has been
one of the best youngsters in the class.
Deposed as Mayor, Acts Better.
Here is another example along slight
ly different lines. One boy was chosen
as mayor. Mayor and Judge are the
only two Offices in the kindergarten
government.
Up to the time of being chosen mayor
this boy had been fairly well behaved.
But his Office went to his head" so to
speak tsimilar effects have been noted in
the cases of some adults elected to Of
fce). He felt he had the right. with
his new Office, to behave pretty nearly
as he pleased. and proceeded to do so.
He had to be deposed. following which.
however, he has been a good citizen.
In the case of the young women who
are studying teaching the proposition
is different. Of course. They are grown
ups" and discipline is not C an
acute question. But they earn much
in civics and administration through
their work.
Student government was given its
trial following an address by Wilson
L. Gill. who has had charge of the
work in a number of communities and
who is advocating it for the Districts
schools.