Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-11-01
.Coaxing, Not
Discipline
Needed
Teacher Must Not
Be Too Firm With
Restless Boys.
BY ANGELO PATRI.

This class of boys is difficult, Mis-.
Shine. They're just at the age wher
they can't control themselves anc
resent outside control. They'll hav'
to be handled carefully. What dc
you think about taking them? ]
could give them to Miss Caroline
but she is rather tired after strug.
Cling with the last group. I'd like
to rest her up little this term"
II am perfectly willing to take
them. I'm a disciplinarian If In
anything. I've never had a class
that couldn't conquer"
well, I'm not certain that they
need conquering. I think they neeo
coaxing along. They're a restless
lot. full Of play, but they're not de-
flant or disorderly. I don't mean tc
say they are bad boys, you know. ]
hope you can get along with them
The principals hesitancy deter.
mined Miss Shines decision. She
could and she would govern tina,
class. In that spirit she took them
over. She was a good teacher. con
scientious. ambitious for the success
Of her pupils. She would show the
principal and these children what
good work really was,
Miss Shine set the stage for dis
cipline. The room was busted, the
books and the maps and the pencils
and pads were all set precisely
Everything shone except the teach
er's face. That was set like an iron
mask. She uttered no sound when
the class filed in. Each looked ex-
pectantly at the new teacher, got no
sign Of response, and passed to his
seat. After an hour Of silent
strained work the reaction set in
Somebody coughed. That cough
went round the room and back
again. Miss Shine knew the hour
had struck.
The next boy who coughs l!
going to wish he hadn't" she said
sternly. The whole set, with one
hoarse voice, coughed loudly, vio-
lently, repeatedly. When the attack
seemed to be passing, somebody over
In the far corner began again. was
strengthened by recruits, and once
more the welkin rang with hoarse
whoops and grunts and cacklings.
Miss Shine opened the windows
and gave orders for setting-up drill
The class went into action and did
very we'll. The strain had been re-
lieved for that time anyway. Geo.
graphy lesson was announced. The
class was ordered to take books, find
answers to five questions written on
the board and write them carefully
After 20 minutes Of this, and the
prospect Of many more ahead some
body giggled. Round and round the
giggle went until it broke into laugh.
ter. Somehow or other the teacher
managed to get through the morn.
ing. This class will stay in this
afternoon and learn how to behave, ;
said the teacher as she dismissed
them.
After school, at the end Of 9
dreadful day, Miss Shine ordered
the class to stand, and remain stand.
ing until she gave them the mex
order. They stood for Is minute.
in silence, and then one lad sa,
down on the floor. So did tn.
others. An anxious mother peeket
inside the door, saw the class on tn
floor and went for the principal.
Poor teacher! Poor children
Force won't do in the place o.
understanding. The leadership O.
the teacher starts when she get.
the children to want to do what
she wants then9 to do. Until then
nothing will happen. Teachers dea
with minds, not bodies.
eoopV51ght. 1850