Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-09-10


plaisancy. 1t Is only as they think
them over in mature years or as
they happen to repeat them TO their
elders that the real discourtesy Is
realized. 1t is characteristics OF
children not to retaliate against per-
sonal indignities. They may con-
eeive a dislike for the teacher who
has offended them and they may be
totally unable TO do good school
work for her as result and they
may be willing to take part In any
prank played against the offender.
but they seldom return an ill-bred
remark with an ill-bred remark or
personal dig with personal dig.
That is q characteristic of adults,
not of young persons. and because
there is no such retaliation some
school teachers go on year after
year Offering these indignities in
surprising manner.
Although every teacher must
recognize the class differences of
her charges. that this lad comes
from a home where courtesy is the
rule, and that one where only the
first steps toward good breeding
have been achieved. she herself
transgresscs the rule of breeding
when she casts any aspersions on
a pupils family or race.
Seeds of Hatred.
She is sewing sometimes deep
seeds of class hatred when she
makes open fun of the poor or care
- ..s.
Few children of school age are
really responsible for their clothes
or their toilet. They may be made
to feel the necessity for greater care
BY individual suggestions after
school hours. but only the extreme
lv discourteous teacher draws at
tention to these things In school
hours.
Many teachers quickly get into
the habit of omitting the little word
please" from their requests to their
school children. If IL has been de-
cided that it is worth while for the
telephone operators to expend tho
additional energy always to add a
munications then IL surely is worth
while for teachers to do as much.
Well Bred Naughtiness.
II is perfectly natural for some
types of children and young per-
sons TO shafe a little under the
restraints of the school room, and
as natural for them TO express this
chafine by the indulgence in pranks
that seem to the school children in
question highly diverting and natu-
rally seem either stupid or .inexcus-
able to the teacher who SO often
loses sight of the youthful point of
view. But there are some things
that school children do to irritate
their teachers that can be put down
to nothing in the world but hl
breeding. When they do these
things they reflect discredit on the
family to which they belong, they
proclaim themselves of poor stock
and likely to become very second
rate men and women.
Now no one in the world is so
eager to appear well born and well
bred as most high school girls.
They are the most likely to be too
easily guided by desire to be con-
sidered socially the equals of their
associates. And even the school
boy has feeling of family pride
that makes him resent any remark
that might be made against his
mother. father. sisters. or brothers,
or their way of doing things. Per-
haps IL they realized that some Of
the most irritating of their pranks
are Just the reflection of bad breed
ing they would be more willing to
refrain from them.
If Won have ever noticed IL, boys
and girls of really good breeding.
though they do not always take
their teachers seriously, avoid per-
sonalities. The boy out of his teens
has an instructive gallantry for
every woman that would make him
refrain from joining in any fun di-
rected toward her appearance, hab-
its or personality. Even boy Of
good family might help cut the bell
ropes or paint his class numerals on
the school door--but he would not
offer a personal indignity to a
teacher. especially a woman teacher.
Rejecting Unwholesome Living
Conditions.
Rowdyism in scnool hours is very
often an indication of unfavorable
living conditions at home. and the
boy and girl who wish to give a
favorable impression of their family
life refrain from this sort of thing.
The girl who has opportunities for
athletic exercise at home, who en-
Joys social life of an interesting sort,
who sleeps In a well-ventilated
room and eats as a well-bre per-
son should is not inclined to indulge
in wild display of animal spirits in
school hours that are more or less
inevitable with the girl who comes
from a home where there are no
social advantages, where she breaths
poor air and has few of the ad
vantages of good breeding.
The indulgence in. crushes on
other girls, with the consequent de-
sire to pass notes and candy to the
beloved one during school hours. is
another evidence of subnormal home
conditions and every teacher of ex-
perience knows that such tenden-
cies are most usually to be found
among girls who do not have good
ONE conditions.
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