White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1928-01-06

when came In? Proceed with that"
Il can'tw
"But only want to see you In your
usual routine"
81 was breaking the usual rou-
tine"
"From what observed as 1 entered,
I must say I'm glad it 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! VIII 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
81 have my own original way of
teaching-and II you're the conven-
tional school man, originality would
be highly offensive to you"
snow you make me very curious
Let's have sample of this origi-
nality!"
"You see, I hold that children should
be taught" she discoursed airily,
adopting somewhat the tone of 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
assimiate So L"
"Wait! 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 it out-that can't
say. The goal which l 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 aritl-
metic and grammar and spelling. You
can interest them in science, history,
geography Geography only when
taught entertainingly, as l teach it).
poetry, stories, plays"
sounds SO good, / think I'll come
to school to you! Do call up a geog-
raphy class"
81 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, twas al
ways weak! L"
No use-you couldn't explain away
such lunacy. Might as 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 Glass;"
he urged after a moment, in tone
which, though courteous, was COM
mand
"I'd 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-platform tone in her
effort to divert him from his yearning
to hear her teach geography sis to
have their imaginations reused. Be.
fore I 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 e. states"
"Forty-seven."
81 mean forty-seven, of kaws-
courrse-though strict accuracy in I'M
important details always did strike me
as rather fault than virtue in a
teacher, for a good teacher should
have a mind above insignificant
facts"
"Ten Of these United States is not an
insignificant fact exactly. I'm afraid
I must insist, Miss Schwenckton, upon
your calling a geography class. Ev-
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 to allow
you to examine the blackboard work
you'll find 1t quite creditable-" ;
"But this, Miss Schwenckton, is in
subordination Remember I'm your
superior officerv'
mo nm CnNrrNJrEn\