The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1927-12-30

knew how men loved making speeches ;
loved the sound of their own voices
before an audlence.)
'"That's not what I'm here for" he
returned. II don't want to interrupt
your program-what were you doing
when.I came In? Proceed with that"
81 can't!"
but only want to see you in your
usual routine" m
FL was breaking the usual rou-
tine"
"From what observed as entered,
must say I'm glad 1t was only a
breaking of the usual routine! Now,
will you call class in-er-geogra-
ply, we'll say?"
you'd laugh at me-"
"But look here! Will you tell me
what you do here all day if you don't
teach?"
"Oh, do teach-of kaws-courrse
/ teach! But you see"-she suddenly
picked up courage and launched forth
II have my own original way Of
teaching-and If you're the conven-
tional school man, originality would
be highly offensive to YOU"
"Now you make me very curious
Let's have sample of this origi-
nality!"
: You see, hold that children should
be taught" she discoursed airiIy,
adopting somewhat the tone of a plat
form lecturer, "'what is for their i'm
mediate use and pleasure, rather than
for the future, for only so will they
grow. You don't grow by what you
store up. but by what you use and
assimilate. So I"
swat! Is this your own, or re-
cited from some textbook of modern
pedagogy?'
ENTIRELY my own that I've forged
out for myself-though others may
also have forged 1t out-that / can't
say. The goal which I set before my
pupils is not marks and grades, but
knowledge"
EXCELLENT knowledge of what,
for instance?"
"Of whatever interests them.
They're not much interested in arith-
metic and grammar and spelling. You
can interest them in science, history,
geography geography only when
taught entertainingly, as I teach it).
poetry, stories, plays"
Sounds so good, I think I'll come
to school to you! Do call up geog-
raphy Glass;"
Il don't know so much about geog-
raphy, really-do you know" she
smiled, until quite recently I thought
the North and South Of the Civil war
here in the United States were divided
by the Mississippi river! l."
She stopped short in dismay-now
she had given herself away! No
American on earth had ever supposed
such thing as that!
"My sense Of direction" she MUIR
INJURED with nervous laugh, "was al
ways weak! L"
No use-you couldn't explain away
such lunaey. Mightas we'll keep quiet
and let him draw what conclusions
he would.
He made no comment. He had given
her one swift, penetrating. glance; but
at her obviously painful embarrass-
ment had mercifully looked away.
"Kindly call up geography class"
he urged after a moment, in a tone
which, though courteous, was a COM
mand.
''Pd rather not, If you'll kindly ex-
cuse me. The one thing these chill
dren seem TO need" she said, revert
ing to her lecture-platfor tone in her
effort to divert him from his yearning
to hear her teach geography, sis to
have their imaginations reused. Be.
fore came they didn't know the COM
monest, most familiar stories-Cinder-
ella, Jack, the Giant Killer, Arabian
Nights. Imagine American children
so benighted! Those children knew
all the multiplication tables and all
the capitals Of the 81 states"
"Forty-seven."
II mean forty-seven, of kaws-
courrse-though strict accuracy in I'M
important details always did strike me
as rather fault than a virtue in a
teacher, for good teacher should
have a mind above insignificant
facts"
"Ten of these United States is not an
insignificant fact exactly. I'm afraid
must insist, Miss Schwenckton, upon
your calling a geography class. Ey.
erything you say makes me more and
more eager every minute to hear you
teach class in the geography OF the
United States"
I'm sorry not to oblige you, Mr.
Creighton. I'll be very glad 10 allow
you to examine the blackboard work
you'll find it quite creditable-"
"But this, Miss Schwenckton, is in
subordination! Remember I'm your
superior officer"