Evening star., 1936-10-21
Chickens Plentiful Local Markets This Time of the
Orders Are
IN eceS ary
In School
Detailed Reason for
Every Action Cannot
Be Given.
BY ANGELO PATRI.

bx ANOELO fAIhIs
"U1HAT Is the trouble, Douglass
w Why aren't you on line?"
'T don't feel like It,"
Don't be silly. Get on line"
I'm not going to take orders from
you," said Douglas to the FIRST grades
teacher. The class gasped, shocked
and awed by such mutiny. Miss Audrey
smiled at the rebel.
mo? All right. OF we 60 without
you. Mark time. march. Forward
march," and or went the class like
q company Of soldiers.
Douglas looked about the empty
room, felt the silence falling, bearing
down upon his masterful spirit. de-
cided that he was hungry and darted
out of the door and raced home to
his mother as fast as his legs could
carry him. As he entered the door
the telephone rang and Miss Audrey
asked. did Douglas reach home
safely?"
"Yes, he has just come. Why?"
"He refused to march out with his
line and when I got back to the
room he had gone. wanted to know
/ If he had reached home. Thank you" !"
And Miss Audrey hung up.
what did you do, Douglas? Run
| away from your teacher?"
II Just told her wouldn't take any
orders from her"
MY goodnessl What made you
say such a thing as that?"
"All the time she Just says, Stand
Sit March Whatever she likes.
Take readers Close books She
never says, Would you like to stand?
Would you like to read a Story?' Just
says, Read So Just told her. Why
| doesn't she explain, like, Now. chill
dren, 1t Is time to 60 home for lunch
so you can get something to eat?
Would you like to get your hats?' The
| way you do to me. just told her
I wouldn't take any more orders from
her"
Then I'm afraid you will have to
stay home. In school where there are
so children to do the same thing at
one time there must be orders. If
you were the only little boy, as you
are at home, the teacher would ex-
plain the reasons for doing things.
But in school you belong to the class,
you see. You move with the crowd.
That's why you get orders"
well. don't like it. But like
going to school"
1t took a lot of explaining" to set
Douglas right about this. He had
been trained to listen to reason. He
had not been trained to cooperate
with a group Of children. He ex-
pected to have q speech made every
time the teacher called for q change
in program. While the teacher ap-
preciated the situation, she had to
ignore his wishes and go. ahead. He
must fall in" or fall out"
Although it Is wise and right to
explain unusual requests. it is not pos
sible to explain many of the essential
demands made upon children of early
school age. Words do not explain
them. Only time and experience,
which gave them their place in the
| scheme Of things, can enlighten the
children. There are many times when
it is best to say Forward, march," and
start on the instant. Keep explana-
tions for the unusual breaks in rou-
tine.
Mr.. Patri has prepared a leafiet en-
titled "Self-Measuring Chart" which
teaches a child how to examine him
self and check up on his behavior
Send for it. addressing your request
to Mr.. Angelo Patri. Child Psychol-
ogy Department Of this paper. Inclose
self-addressed, stamped (3-cent)
envelope.
(Copyrisht. 1866