Diary of a western schoolmaster

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
AT LOS ANGELES

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DIARY

OF A

Western schoolmaster

J K STABLETON

SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
CHARLESTON ILL

J H MILLER PDBLI8HEK

AIXS WORTH & COMPANY
378-388 Wabash Avenne
■;? V Chicago III

u-C 1906

COPTKIGHTKD

BY J. H. MILLER.

1900.

Becktold

Pbinting & Book Mfg. Co.,

St. Lodis, Mo.

a ^ \j £j

JEducatjon
Library

/037
B7I

CONTENTS

PAGE

IXTRODUCTIOX 5

Chapter I — Joe . 11

II — Tim 19

III — Clark 31

IV _ John 37

V — Tad 44

VI — Sam . 48

VII — Mark 59

VIII — Dick 65

IX — Chap 71

X — Will 78

XI — Harry 82

XII — Tom 86

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CONTENTS.

XIII — Henry 93

XIV — George 99

XV — Nira 103

XVI — Nate 109

XVII — Al and Walter 120

XVIII — Wash 126

XIX — Rex 131

XX — Carl and Some Other Boys . 133

■'•l^

INTRODUCTION

;' ^-2.1,1
For the past fifteen years most of my time has
been given to teaching in schools where I have had
to deal with many boys from twelve, to twenty years
of age, boys in the adolescent period of life. The
study of these boys has been full of interest to me ;
and while I have made no great discoveries, my
faith in boys has increased an hundredfold and my
respect and love for them has grown more and
more.

\ Not long ago I visited a school of bright young
^ people full to the brim, just as they should be,
with animal life and spirits ; but a glance told me
that for real educational work the school was a
failure. I was interested and at the close of the
session had a long talk with the teacher in charge.
It was an eighth and ninth grade room. How I
pitied those young people. The teacher told me

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V*

6 INTRODUCTION.

there was not a boy in the room ^ut ought to be
sent to the State Reform School. He knew all their
bad points, but had failed to discover their good
qualities. Again I pitied the young people. This
teacher (?) had been in charge of that school for
eight years, and all the time the boys had been
going to " the bad." The people said Mr. A.
was not much of a teacher, but such a good man
and his father-in-law was an influential man on the
board of education ; so Mr. A. held his position
year in and year out.

How many such persons are posing in our schools
to-day, who by their very goodness are blighting
the lives of the boys of the communities where they
are employed! Better far for the boys if these
persons could be pensioned outright and ' ' living ' '
teachers put into their places ; teachers that have
unbounded faith in boys ; teachers that have re-
ceived a baptism of modern educational spirit and
believe it their duty to study the boys and the girls
even more carefully than their arithmetical problems.

Then, too, I have seen that other teacher, a
college graduate, holds a high grade certificate,
keeps perfect order, is said to be a fine disciplin-
arian, but the boys never pass beyond her room.
Where is the trouble? No one blames her, she is
an excellent teacher, so say the people. The fact

INTRODUCTION. 7

is she neither understands nor appreciates boys.
She is too exacting. Boys are loose-jointed at this
age, mentally and physically. She thinks they \
ought to step with the same smoothness of move-
ment as girls ; they cannot do it, try they ever so
hard, and they do not know why. Their legs are
too long or something is wrong, and their hands are I
only inconvenient appendages. Yet they walk after
a manner and use their hands after a manner, too.
Their blackboard work looks more like the work of
" scrawlers " than ever before, and the teacher
wonders why they are so careless. Did she but
recognize the fact that these boys are entering a
new state mentally and physically, and that this un-
certainty of all they do is the uncertainty of their
new condition of life, instead of nagging them she
would smile and console herself with the thought
that soon, with a little patience on her part, they
would again become acquainted with themselves
and be able to do better than before.

The mechanical movement of this school is beau-
tiful to look at, but there is no soul in the work, no
longing oh the part of the teacher to be help-
ful to those that so much need an uplifting
friend ; no careful study of the life of each bo^"^,
mentally, physically, and socially, to be able to
reach the secret springs of action to call forth the

8 INTRODUCTION.

good ; but, on the other hand, the teacher is glad
when some real cause comes for a boy's dropping
out of school. I say real cause, for did not the
cause have semblance of reality she might lose her
position. But did you ever stop to consider how
very few are the real causes for boys leaving school
before they have received some good from the
higher grades ? This teacher does not cast a single
lasso of interest about the boys to bind them to
school, so they drift away.

With superintendents who are in close sympathy
with boys and are ardent students of boy life, and
the right kind of principals and of teachers in the
higher grades, our high schools would be full of
boys, and the girls, too, would still be there. It is
not a question of male or female teachers, but a
question as to who are such students of boy life as
to try to understand them in this evolutionary period
and to work in accord with the laws of their being.

This transitional period comes to all boys, but no
two are affected in exactly the same way. We
should not expect it. " Unity in variety "is the
law of nature as well in the physical and mental
development of boys as in the leaves and flowers of
the field. We may, to some extent, understand
" the unity," but " the variety " we must refer to
some probably unknown psycho-physiological cause,

INTRODUCTION. 9

and not mistake it for the inspirations of the devil.
After fifteen years of work with boys, I am con-
vinced that His Satanic Majesty has but little in-
fluence over them at this age, and that when he does
the teacher is too often his chief executive.
^That man or that woman who can look right into
a bo^'s heart and by a mere glance of the eye make
the boy feel that he or she is his friend, is a power.
I do not understand it all, but I do know that the
eye is a mighty instrument for good, probably be-
cause through it the soul of the teacher beams forth
in perfect sympathy with the soul of the boy ; the
boy trusts ; and the teacher trusts, directs, and with
a strong hand controls. Yet, while there are
teachers that seem intuitively to understand boys
at this age, there is really less intuition than at first
appears. These teachers are students of child-life,
hour by hour, day by day, — yes, year by year,
they are studying the boys. Ask one of them about
some boy and you will be surprised to learn that
the teacher knows him in his environments, knows
him in his inherited tendencies, knows him in the
peculiar workings of his mind.

No greater blessing can come to a boy at this
age when he does not understand himself than to
have a good, strong teacher who understands him,
in part, at least, and has faith in him for the

10 INTRODUCTION.

unknown quantity, and is willing, day by day,
patiently, firmly yet kindly, to lead him till he is
able to walk alone.

The following sketches are from my own experi-
ence, not one fictitious character among them. If
they fail to reveal the spirit that should character-
ize school work, they are not worth the telling.

J. K. Stableton.
Charleston, Illinois.

CHAPTER I

JOE

Some time ago while talking with a man of great
financial ability, a man who for a number of years
had been one of the leaders in every great financial
enterprise in his city, I was forcibly impressed by a
remark of his.

He said: "I have no education." "I gradu-
uated from our city high school, but my grades
were poor and I have not improved since." " I
don't know anything." I looked at him. Keen
financial sense, accurate judgment, wonderful
powers of concentration, and indomitable energy
were all his. I thought to myself : " You may not
Possess a literary or a scientific education, but you
are educated in no mean way ; by contact with peo-
ple and things you have gained an education that is

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12 DIARY OF A

no more one-sided than that possessed by many who
pose as scholars."

The man who has learned much and learned it
well, in the laboratory of real life, has an educa-
tion not to be despised. That business training
gives mental strength must be recognized in dealing
with those young persons who have been out of
school a year or two, regularly employed in busi-
ness of some kind, and who wish to enter school
again. The mental strength may not be in just the
same line that school develops ; possibly different
brain cells are brought into activity or the activity
may be of a very different kind from that induced
by school work.

I am more than half inclined to believe that we
are unfair when we make so much of manual train-
ing and laboratory work in school — and I think we
do not overestimate the value of these — when we
magnify that training and minify the training re-
ceived in the shop, the office, and the store, the lab-
oratories of business life.

If, as is now said, school is not a training /or life
but a training in life, we as teachers must more
generally recognize the fact that valuable mental
training may be acquired outside of the school
room, and when young people wish to re-enter
^chool, use common sense and place them where

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 13

they rightly belong. Too often they are sacrificed
to a false idea of ' ' keeping up the grade of the high
\ school." )/

( Joe was a messenger boy and general " roust-
about ' ' at the town depot ; delivered messages ;
took the mail bags in a hand cart to and from
the depot ; cleaned and filled the depot lamps ;
in cold weather kept the fires going ; in fact, did
all the odd jobs that in such places always fall to
the willing worker.

He was about fourteen years of age, and of
such size that the cart filled high with mail bags
almost hid him from view. His soot-begrimed
face was overshadowed by a full forehead across
which were two or three deep wrinkles that gave him
an old look. His brow was generally crowned with
a rimless crown, or acrownlessrim, owing to which
had been left him in his last encounter. His prom-
inent nose and cheek bones were more than off -set
by a pair of black eyes that lighted up his whole
countenance or snapped fire like flint if the occasion
demanded battle. He was so bright and quick
that the men about the depot were continually
pinching him, and punching him in the ribs, or in
some way tormenting him just to see him fight back. J
I always speak to boys, so when I met Joe at the
depot I spoke to him, and we were soon acquainted.

14 DIARY OF A

He had been out of school more than a year when I
first met him. All this time he had been employed
there and was considered by the agent in charge the
most capable and trustworthy boy ever in his serv-
ice. Joe's mother was a widow and it was neces-
sary at this time for him to help make his own
living.

One evening I was standing on the depot platform
when Joe came up to me and said : ' ' You are going
to have exercises at the high school to-morrow ; the
boys have been telling me about them." There
was a wistful look in his face as I replied: " Yes,
can't you come up and hear them? We would be
glad to have you visit us." " I'd like to hear
them, but I'm afraid I can't leave here," said he.

Then his eyes beamed forth as if he were think-
ing of the dearest scheme of his life, and looking
me full in the face he said : " O, but I'd like to go
to your school."

" And I'd like to have you in our school," I
replied.

" I can't go now, but maybe I can some day,"
continued he.

We talked a few moments longer, then I returned
home thinking what a pity it was that Joe could
not be in school.

This was in November. In January I was out

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 15

of town a few days, and when I returned home the
principal of the high school told me that Joe had
come to school the day before, and, instead of go-
ing to the seventh grade or the eighth to finish his
work there, had asked to be permitted to sit in the
high school until I should return, saying that he
believed I would let him enter the high school.
His class that he had dropped out of in the seventh
grade was now the first year class in the high
school doing ninth grade work.

The principal was somewhat amused at the boy
but permitted him to wait to talk with me about
his work. Joe made known his wish to me. I
asked him if he thought he could do the work.
" I'm sure I can; I've been trying it," said he.
" O, but I'll work if you will let me stay in here.'*

I looked at his intelligent face. I thought of his
business record at the depot, and of his ability to
work ; that he was strong physically and quick
mentally so that he would not be injured by a little
extra work. I told him that he might try it ; that
I, too, believed he could do the work ; that it all
depended on himself whether or not he remained in
the high school. There was no question in my mind
about his holding his place. I knew he could do it.

A few weeks after he had entered the class, one
of the boys made the remark at home that he did

L^

16 DIARY OF A

not think it fair that Joe had been permitted to go
into the same class he was in when he left school,
after being out more than a year. " Does he do
the work?" asked the boy's father. "Yes, he
does it as well as any one in the class," replied the
boy. " Then he is just where he should be," said
the father, who was not only a well educated man
in the school sense of the term, but also a man of

K &ie business ability.

^ I Joe completed the high school course and grad-
uated, one of the best scholars in his class. He is
to-day a prosperous young businessman. Had I
placed him in either the seventh grade or the eighth,
I fear he would have made life a burden to his
teacher, and, possibly, yes, I would better say
probably, would have dropped out of the school
again within a few months.

There are many boys who have been out of school
a year or two who would gladly avail themselves of
our high school privileges were it not for the fear of
being placed too far back in the grades to make up
work before being permitted to try the higher studies.
Some of these boys have been compelled by home
duties to leave school to work ; others, boylike,
have been seized with a passion for making money,
and, after two or three years of steady business,
realize their need of more thorough school training ;

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 17

yet only a few of these enter the high school. Most
of them that enter school again go to some priTate
school or academy, where they are given a chance
to try what they can do without basing everything
on the amount of school work they have already
done ; schools where their matarity of mind is taken
into ccmsideration ; schools where their ability to do
is reo(^nized whether it comes from training in
school, work-shop, office, or store.

Oar public high schools owe more to these young
people than they ordinarily give them; and we
superintendents and high school principals ought to
consider it a part of our business to become
acquainted with all such young persons in our midst
and to bring them into our schools. We need not
fear their lowering our standard of scholarship.

In many cases the parents of these boys are not
capable of counseling with them, and after they
are out of school a year or two they lose touch with
their teachers, so that when they begin to feel tiiat
they axe short in their preparation, they have no one
with whom to advise, and so drift on.

If, however, the high school principal or the
superintendent, comes into contact with these young
people, and shows an interest in them, he can easily
advise them of the possibilities the high school
brings within their reach.
2

18 DIARY OF A

Thus many of them can be given an uplift that
will place them in a world of new activities. But
this can only be where we follow a sensible plan in
adjusting them to their places in school, Ability
to do, and not " What grade work have you done,'*
must be their test for entrance to the high school.

CHAPTER II

TIM

I remember first seeing Tim, a boy ten years of
age, just ready to shed his knee pants, a beautiful
boy to look at, and with a spring in his movement
that so attracted my attention that I turned around
to give him a second glance.

He was in the seventh grade, and from almost
the first day manifested an unruly disposition.
His idea seemed to be that no one should control
him. He had been elsewhere to school, and was
familiar with most of the mean little ways of annoy-
ing a teacher and disturbing the school. He began
by telling the boys that his teacher did not dare to
whip him ; that she would better not touch him,
and continued in this way until it became evident
that unless he showed a different spirit he could
not long be tolerated in the school. When he

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20 DIARY OF A

made a disturbance, if his teacher spoke to him, he
would fly into a violent passion, and become very
disagreeable to deal with.

I talked with his teacher about him and finally
decided that probably the best thing for him and all
concerned would be to give him a strapping.

His mother said, " I can do nothing with him at
home, if you can make anything out of him, do it,
and use your own judgment as to the means you
employ." I studied his case until I felt confident
that physical pain would have a very beneficial
effect on him.

A few days after I came to this conclusion, the
seventh and eighth grades were passed into the
high school room to spend an hour. As they were
returning to their respective rooms Tim created dis-
order in the ranks by interfering with those in front
of him. I at once stepped up to him and hurried
him into an office at the end of the hall. He
fought, tried to bite, screamed, threatened, and
dared me to punish him. His face was pale with
rage, and he seemed like one crazed with anger. I
held him until he had spent his force in fighting,
and then strapped him. That brought him to his
senses and he quieted down. We had no more
trouble with him for some time.

After this I was always careful to be as pieasant

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 21

with him as though we had had no trouble ; and he
was polite and gentlemanly toward me. Still his
old disposition was there, restrained only by fear of
another strapping. For two years we held him in
this way, once in a great while having to punish
him.

He was quick to learn, in fact, talented, but all
ordinary means failed to awaken the right spirit in
him, and the fear of bodily pain alone held him
back from being unbearable in school.

Out of school, he was rough, but very industri-
ous, always busy at something. This industry was
a good quality, yet his language and manners were
such that very few had much use for him. My only
hope for him was that by holding him in school, the
regular work of the school and the discipline would
in time establish in him better habits of living and
thinking.

Had we sent him away from school, or to the
state reformatory, no one would have found fault;
but I felt then as I feel now, that the public schools
are not only for those of regular Jiabits, but also to
help those that most need help.

Tim passed from the eighth to the ninth grade,
and was now under the care of another teacher, one
of the best I have ever known for most scholars, but
too s^Tnpathetic and tender for this boy. She was

22 DIARY OF A

sure when the term opened that she could so win
him that he would cease to be as he had been and
become a pleasure. I was not so confident but
said nothing to lessen her interest in him. Every-
thing went well for a time, but only for a time, then
he began to try her. She worked hard to get along
with him, and did more than teachers would ordi-
narily do to make him feel her interest in him, but
to no purpose.

One day, a few minutes before the noon nour,
she said she would like me to be near at noon as
Tim had remained out of the room over time and,
from his actions, he was doing so just to annoy her
and assert himself ; that she intended to detain him
a few minutes after school to finish the work he
was escaping by remaining out over time.

At noon she asked me to please come to her
room ; then, in the presence of the boy, she explained
the situation.

Tim stood at the blackboard in a violent passion,
a deathly pallor on his face, and, instead of writing
the work neatly on the board, was scraping and
marking just to give vent to his anger. I spoke to
him and requested him to place the work on the
board as directed.

He snarled and said that he would not do it;
that he was going home, and that no one could

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 23

make him do it. I stepped up to him, caught his
hands in mine, and holding him in front of me with
his back toward me, asked the janitor, who was
near, to open the office door and get me the strap,
Tim kicked at me, bit at me, and raved in words it
would be out of place to mention here.

I held him, as I had done on a former occasion,
until he had tired himself out raving and fighting,
then I applied the strap. I used it severely, but
not brutally. He became tired of it and said, " If
you will quit, I will do any thing you want." I
asked him if he could and would go to his room and
place the work on the board as his teacher had di-
rected him. He replied that he would do it ; and
he did it. This was the last conflict we had with
him.

The next year he was under the care of still
another teacher. I feared she would have trouble
with him, but she did not. His former teacher had
been too sympathetic with him, had appreciated his
good points, and had let him know it. He could
not stand this. He had not yet reached the stage
where it was safe to let him know that his good
qualities were appreciated. The teacher who now
had charge of him knew every good characteristic,
\\and also knew that he was too weak to be treated
with anything but rigid justice ; that no expression

24 DIARY OF A

of interest or sympathy could be given; that he
must be held strictly to his work. She had no
trouble with him, or nothing of a serious character.

One day, while at the black board, he placed a
piece of chalk on the floor and crushed it beneath
his feet. The teacher saw the act and quietly told
him to take an eraser and a piece of paper and clean
up the dirt he had made. He looked a moment, but
there was no uncertainty in the eye of the teacher,
so he obeyed. Without any one else's knowing
it, she detained him a moment at noon and told him
never to let such a thing occur again. This was
the only trouble that, in three years, came between
them. He became one of the most trusty boys in
the high school.

Up to this time it had seemed a question as to
how he might finally shape his course, but now we
had great hopes of him. Patrons of the school
often remarked that their children said Tim had
become one of the best boys of the school. All
knew what he had been, and in reply I could
truthfully say, " Yes, he is one of the best."

At the end of this year it was necessary for him
to stop out a year to work. He told me what he
was compelled to do, but said that he could not give
up the idea of some day finishing his high school
course. He was sorry to leave his class, and we

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 25

were sorry to have him leave. There was no dan-
ger now in letting him know he was appreciated ; it
did him good.

He went to his work, but he was not forgotten.
During the year, when his class was invited to my
home to spend an evening, Tim was remembered.
If anything of unusual interest was going on at tHe
school he was invited over for the afternoon. Often
he would come of his own accord to my home to
spend an evening. Thus the bond of sympathy was
strengthened and his interest in the school was
maintained.

The following September Tim waa in his place,
but with another class. He was so happy to get
into school again that he lost no time in lamenting
the fact that he was entering a class that was once
below him.

What a pleasure he was this year! His mind,
always bright and active, seemed more alert than
ever.

Now and then he could have a day or two of
work in an office, and he was always excused for
it. There was no danger of his losing an\i;hing ex-
cept the class instruction, and the work gave him
the means to keep himself neatly clad. He never
failed to prepare the lessons he missed, and was
ready to recite them whenever his teachers wished

26 DIARY OF A

to hear him. Often when he knew he could have
work, he would prepare his school lessons in ad-
vance, and at the close of school in the evening
would say that he would like to be excused the next
day as he had work, and that he had prepared the
advance lessons and would recite them before going
home if his teachers preferred.

Thus a year passed without a break on Tim's
part, and no one now thought of his doing anything
but what was strictly right. His standing in the
high school was as good as the best, and outside of
school his conduct was no longer what it had been ;
he was a gentleman. At home his mother said he
was like a different boy, and his people were very
proud of him .

Thus he continued till within a year of graduat-
ting when the summer brought new eouditions.
The drouth blighted the crops, and the financial
stringency of the times made those who had not
other resources than their daily income from labor,
wonder how the demands of the coming year were
to be met. Tim's parents felt the problem was one
they needed to consider, and after talking and
planning as best they could, they could see no
other way than for Tim to drop out of school and
work. This seemed more than he could well stand.
He could not help it, but broke down and cried.

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 27

His mother cried too, then she said he should go to
school ; they would manage someway ; that come
what would he should finish his high school course
that year.

This last year he passed in a most satisfactory
manner and graduated in June, respected by his
teachers, fellow-classmates, and the people of the
community.

I knew his family and connections well. His
mother was an excellent woman, and at the time I
first became acquainted with the family was living
with her second husband, Tim's step-father. I
also knew his mother's father and brothers. Her
father was a man of more than ordinary intellectual
ability, but strongly passionate, and until late in
life had made use of intoxicants. His sons, Tim's
uncles, were much like their father. One of them,
when in a passion, was a desperate man ; as a result
of his wrong-doing he had served two terms in the
State penitentiary. Another had an almost equally
quick temper, but ordinarily was a kindhearted
man, yet a man whom it was not best to make
angry. That same tendency to fly into a passion
that at first was so noticeable in Tim was char-
acteristic of his uncles, and had interfered much
with their best interests in life.

Since Tim graduated he has been an industrious,

28 DIARY OF A

trustworthy young man, respected and honored by
all.

A little incident that occurred two years after he
graduated throws some light on his own views of
himself. It was nearing the close of the school
year and the high school alumni were preparing for
their annual meeting. The committee on program
had assigned Tim a place as one of the speakers.
As he had been teaching, the committee requested
that he would relate some of his experiences with
corporal punishment. He was witty, and the com-
mittee hoped to hear something funny ; but imme-
diately on receipt of the notice of his subject Tim
called at my home and asked me if I thought the
committee remembered what a time he himself had
had when I first came to superintend their school.
" For," said he, " you had to punish me as you did
to bring me to my senses, and it was a blessing to
me. You did the right thing, but I do not like
even to think how I was at that time, so I believe I
will ask for another subject that will recall nothing
but pleasant memories."

I had learned that in rare cases physical pain
\ \ would bring a boy to his senses when too angry to
stop to reason. I tried this on Tim and found it
true with him. After I made this discovery I con-
sidered his case in this way. He had probably in-

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 29

herited a tendency to fly into a passion and had
been permitted to do much as he pleased. His
street education had also been against him. He
had a fine intellect, possessed unusual jx)wer to
concentrate his mind, and was very industrious.
He was now at the critical period in life when he
was more apt to give way to anger than at any
other time. If by any means we could control the
objectionable features in him and at the same time
develop his intellect and cultivate his better nature,
his better self would gain the ascendency, he would
learn to govern his temper, and make a valuable
citizen. But, if left as he was, he would be ruled
by the play of passion and possibly become a worth-
less member of society. I asked myself the question
whether it were not better for me once in a while
to give him a severe strapping and thus make it
possible for him to be under the educating influence
of the school, rather than to send him out into the
street, or perhaps to the State reformatory.

I answered it thus : there might be, and doubt-
less was, something other than corporal punishment
that would bring about the desired result, but I had
not been able to find it, and it was my duty to ad-
minister that which I knew would be helpful to the
patient. This is the spirit in which I resorted to
corporal punishment.

30 DIARY OF A

From this short sketch of Tim and our work
with him you cannot easily see how much thought
was given to his ease. I studied him from every
possible standpoint. I have given you only a
faint conception of the facts as they actually were.

CHAPTER ni

CLARK

In the year 1885 I was elected principal of a de-
nominational school in one of the Western States.
In this position the management of the boys fell
largely to me.

j Among the boys that entered the fall term of 188-,
was Clark, about fifteen years of age, short, heavy-
set, with a round face, thick lips, a big mouth
easily set into a grin, large, dark brown eyes, a
heavy suit of jet black hair, and at first a rather
pert manner in his general make-up. While his
features were none too regular, a kind word or some
little attention brought a bright light into his eyes
and his whole face beamed in a happy smile. )

Clark was in the lower classes, so that it was some
time before I became much acquainted with him.
On Halloween night a number of the boys engaged

(31)

32 DIARY OF A

in some sport which it became necessary for me to
consider the following day ; and in straightening up
the affair, I had private talks with a number of
them. Clark was a visitor at my office. He came
to see me just after noon and was much excited and
very uneasy. I soon found he had done noth-
ing to which 1 could object. He cried as if his
heart would break, and said that if his uncle who
had sent him there should hear of his having been
up before me for disorderly conduct he would be
taken home. That evening, after I was through
with my work, I called at the house where Clark
was boarding and invited him to take a walk with
me.

As we walked along he told me the story of his
life. This was what I desired to know. His
father and mother had died within a few months of
each other, leaving three small boys. Clark, then
five years of age, was the oldest. There was but
little property, so the boys were left to the care of
relations. The youngest was taken by a grand-
mother to another State ; the two older ones fell to
an uncle, who gave them a home, or rather a place
to stay, but his manner toward them was such that
the younger had gone, they knew not where.
Clark feared his uncle very much, and said that if
he did wrong his uncle punished him severely ; if

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 33

he did right there was never an encouraging word.
This and much more he told me of himself, his
home, and his people. I have become acquainted
with his people since then, and know he told me
the truth.

While talking with him I was careful as to what
I said. I advised him to look at the other side.
Boys often get such notions into their heads when
the facts are exactly opposite ; then, too, a poor
home was better for him than no home at all, and
his uncle had manifested some interest in him or he
would not have given him the opportunity to attend
school.

He told me further that he and the principal of
the local school could Hot get along together ; and
as his uncle wished to be away from home for some
months he had sent him to us to be cared for.
Thus we talked together for an hour, of his home,
his people, his conduct at the home school, of what
was expected of him with us, of the friends he
would have in the teachers ; and when we parted, I
''knew I could help the boy to a better life, and his
happy manner told me he felt that I was his friend.

He was with us three years ; he was not always
perfect in his conduct, but he was always true.
He was a jolly-hearted, high-spirited boy and some-
times made little ' ' breaks ; ' ' but his intentions
3

34 DIARY OF A

were always good. He trusted me implicitly and
made me his confidant in all things. I trusted him
also, and the bond of friendship between us became
very strong.

Once the woman with whom he boarded called to
tell me she could not keep him longer as he was too
disorderly, too loud, and she thought he ought to
be sent home. I listened patiently to what she
said and promised to talk with him.

I knew he was not intentionally disorderly, but
so full of life it was hard for him to keep himself
within bounds. He was in good health, very
strong physically, and of an impulsive, hilarious
make-up, and just at the age when he was least
able to control himself, and I did not wonder that
his noise was sometimes more than the woman could
silently endure.

I told him of the complaint, at the same time
explaining what I thought of his conduct, and re-
quested that in the future he take care to give vent
to his effervescing spirit out of doors, and not allow
his fun to disturb others in the same house. There
were no more complaints.

When I became acquainted with Clark's uncle, I
saw the secret of his trouble with the boy. The
uncle intended to do right by him, but was a man
born with a narrow, selfish soul, that could not well

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 35

take into his affections anyone beyond his own
family ; and while he gave Clark a place to stay and
looked after him quite closely, his heart was sealed
against the boy, and the boy was starving for love
and sympathy. Clark was impulsive and warm-
hearted, an affectionate boy that could scarcely
live without an intimate friend. The uncle failed
because he withheld the one thing the boy needed.

At the end of three years Clark dropped out of
school and went to one of our large cities to earn
his living. The little money left him had been used
in sending him to school and now he must try life
for himself. He had secured a position through a
friend, but knew no one in the city. I felt anxious
about him, and during the first six months I wrote
him regularly once a week. I knew he needed a
friend, and in return he told me all his little " ups
and downs " that mean so much to a lonely boy.
Then as he had become somewhat acquainted, I
wrote less often ; but to-day, after ten years have
passed, the letters still come and go. He is a pros-
perous young business man in that city and the
bond of friendship between us is as strong as ever.

Do not think I take the credit of Clark's doing
well to myself ; far from it. There was good in the
boy. I did my best for him at a time when he
needed a friend. Sympathy, firmness, and honest

36 DIARY OF A

dealing will do much to help a warm-hearted, im- .
pulsive boy, who can so easily go astray, across the
uncertain age to good, strong manhood.

It pays to study a boy, to know him as he does
not know himself. I admit it takes time ; but he
whose soul is imbued with the spirit of the Great
Teacher will find time for the work.

CHAPTER IV

JOHN

In September 188-, John entered our school,
a Western denominational school. He was fifteen
years of age, of medium height, a slender but well
formed body, rosy cheeks, a peculiar dark, almost
black eye, and jet black hair always nicely kept.
At first sight he was called a fine-looking boy, in
fact, rather handsome ; but to me there was some-
thing strange in his walk that seemed to indicate a
weak trait in his character. As he walked he car-
ried his head slightly forward ; this with a certain
vibration of the body gave me the impression of the
sinuous movement of a snake.

He seemed to enjoy school and did good work ;
was bright and quick at learning, gentlemanly and
attentive : his conduct was all that could be
desired.

(37)

38 DIARY OF A

Soon, however, I heard some of the boys remark
that John was the biggest liar in the school ; but it
was a number of weeks before anything came to me
by which I could judge for myself.

One morning about the eighth week of the term,
he failed to put in an appearance at his classes and
sent me word by one of the students that he had
mumps. I did not think he was sick and sent him
word to be at my office at the close of school in the
afternoon.

It happened that I was called away from my
office just before school closed that afternoon and
when I returned, the president informed me that
John had been in to see me and that he was badly
stiffened up with mumps.

I asked if he examined John to see if he really
had mumps.

He replied that he had made no examination but
took it for granted as the boy was well wrapped up
about the neck and face.

I was still of the opinion that he was playing off
so sent him word to call at my office before school
the next morning. He came, stiff-necked and a
big scarf coiled round and round his neck and
face. I unwrapped him, straightened up his head,
told him he was cured and that he could remain for
the morning work.

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 39

He was completely taken by surprise, not expect-
ing anything of the kind. I asked him why he had
done as he had ; what his object was. He replied
that he wanted to be out of school a few days and
took that plan. He looked me straight in the eye,
his eyes slightly squinting and said, " I lied about
it and don't know why."

I talked with him, not a long lecture, but a few
words to try to find something on which to work, to
make an impression ; but found nothing.

He never disagreed with anjrthing that was said
and was always sure that he would not do so again,
but the very next occasion he was as untruthful as
ever. Still he was kind-heailed, obliging, and
possessed many good qualities.

At Christmas we were tempted to send him home
to stay ; his class work was good but his word could
not be depended on and we had about given up
hope of correcting him in this respect; finally,
however, we decided to try him till the close of
the year. He came back and remained with us to
the close of the year in June.

As I knew him better and studied him more
closely, I found he never hesitated to tell an un-
truth even when discovery was certain. There was
something really pitiful about him in his untruthful-
ness, a helplessness that was hard to understand.

40 DAIRY OF A

When talking with the boys he was untruthful with-
out knowing it, but sometimes his words showed
considerable planning.

In the afternoon of Decoration day of that year,
I was just leaving the cemetery to go to a friend's
when one of the boys came to me to know if I had
seen John, saying that John had received a letter
to come home at once as his aunt Carrie was dead.
I asked the boy if he had seen the letter. He said
that he had or he would not believe it.

When I returned to the college, John met me at
some distance from the building,, the corners of his
mouth drawn down, his eyes full of tears, and told
me that his aunt Carrie was dead and handed me
the letter. I invited him into my office, then read
the letter. It was as follows : —

" Dear John, your aunt Carrie died in Washing-
ton last week ; will be buried here Thursday. Tell
Prof. Stableton to send you home on the first train.
" Your Uncle Charley."

After reading the letter I looked at John and told
him that he had written the letter. It was not his
handwriting, but I felt without question that it was
his own work. He rose to his feet, so indignant
that he could scarcely control himself, and asked
me if I thought he would be so little as to write that
letter.

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 41

I told him that I thought he wrote it, and in the
morning would send a telegram to his uncle and
prove that I was right. He said, " All right. Pro-
fessor, do it, and you will find I am telling you the
truth this time."

I requested him to call at my office early the next
morning to go with me to send the telegram.

The president said he thought I ought to send the
boy home at once.

I said "Never," that if his people would put
such a boy into my hands and then write him
instead of writing me, he could not go home, no
difference who was dead ; that I knew they would
write me, and that it must be the boy's own work.

The next morning John was on hand. I asked
him to bring the horse and buggy from the barn
and call me at the office window. In a few moments
he drove up and we started for town. As we were
driving along I inquired of him which one of the
men in the post office had given him the letter.

He told me, adding, "Professor, you will find
that I am telling the truth this time."

I almost wavered in my opinion and said that we
would go to the post office first. I left him in the
buggy, and went into the post office. No letter
had been given him. I returned to the buggy.

42 DIARY OF A

and as we started off I said, " John, where were
you when you Wrote that letter? "

He replied, " I was in my room."

" What made you do it? " I inquired.

He answered, " The Devil."

Then I said, " I think he did," and we drove
baelv to school.

He seemed greatly relieved and went right to
work. I did not punish him, — said but few more
words than I have given above. I had done all
that I could to help him, but to no avail, and knew
that no words of mine could make an impression on
him at that time.

As he had told a number of the students they
didn't cease until the end of the year to inquire of
him about the funeral. When the year closed, he
left us to return no more.

The next I heard of him he was in the state
reform school ; at the present time he is serving a
term in the state penitentiary.

These facts concerning his people I gathered ; his
mother was a cultured. Christian woman and her
people were of like character ; his father, a man of
moral worth, and of high standing in his commu-
nity, died when John was a small child. After his
father's death John fell to the care of his mother
and an uncle who give him his way in everything.

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 43

Even before his father's death he was a petted
child whose every whim was humored as he was
thought very bright. His father left him well
provided for financially.

While I do not think that I did him any good, I
did hold him in check for one year, and outwitted
him in almost every instance. This was all I was
capable of doing and it required no little tact. I
admit failure in his case. I have studied him very
closely and compared him with many others since
then and have one or two possible solutions that I
might offer but will not. I have given the facts as
I observed them.

CHAPTER V

TAD

1/^

I have always taught in co-educational schools
and know how great care must be exercised on the
part of the teacher, and how necessary a perfect
confidence between scholars and teacher is, in order
that there may be nothing but what is proper in the
daily mingling of the sexes at the age when the
sexual passions are developing.

That some boys and girls "fall in love," so to
speak, is just as natural as that children exposed
to the measles take the disease. The problem that
concerns the teacher is how to nurse them through
the sickness.

Whenever I see boys or girls physically developed

beyond their years, yet mentally backward, I feel

that they must be carefully guarded for a few

years until their minds catch up with their bodies.

(44)

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 45

Sometimes it happens, even where the mind develops
equally with the body, that the young people have
received a physical inheritance which makes them
extremely susceptible to the influence of the opposite
sex. With these two classes teachers need to keep
in touch. They are not evil in that they are so
easily affected by the opposite sex, but may easily
be led into wrong and must be protected.

If the teacher holds the full confidence of the
boys and fully comprehends the situation, they will
pass through the experience in safety ; the same is
true of the girls. I have never in all my teaching,
found a case of " falling in love " that any ordinary
so-called school discipline could cure.

Tad was almost seventeen years of age when he
entered our school, a denominational academy. He
was the son of a Methodist minister. His sister,
two years younger, entered school at the same time.
Tad had always been accustomed to the society of
young people so it was no new thing for him to
meet young girls and be in their company.

He was always ready with his work and was
pleasant though quiet in his manner. He had been
in school only a few weeks when I noticed that a
certain young girl seemed the center of attraction
to him ; but I thought it would be a thing of short
duration and probably not take his mind from his

46 DIARY OF A

work. I was mistaken ; to use Samantha Allen's
expression : ' ' Love had come to him and it was
going hard with him," so hard with him that he
was falling short in his work. I knew him too
well to say much to him, but waited. I felt sure a
change would come soon.

In the meantime his sister wrote home that Tad
was so interested in one of the girls that he could
not study. The father wrote Tad a severe letter
condemning him for letting the girl take his atten-
tion. This enraged Tad. He wrote his father a
sharp reply, then called at my office and told me all
that had occurred. He was deeply in earnest ;
said that his father had no right to send him such
a letter, that he loved the girl and intended to marry
her some day.

Now was my time. I asked him if he wanted to
marry her right away.

He said : " No ; but some day."

" Some day you will be of age, then no one can
hinder you from marrying her," said I, and added :
" For the past month you have been losing ground
on account of this affair ; it is time you quit worry-
ing and go to work ; you must fit yourseK to take
care of her when you do marry her." I told him
to love her all he wanted to but to be a man and
not a foolish boy.

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 47

This relieved him. He soon settled down to
work and before the end of the year he had ceased
to care for her and she no longer cared for him.

All this time we guarded them carefully that they
might not be placed in any uncertain relations, but
did nothing that they could interpret as an attempt
to break their friendship.

Had I bitterly opposed the boy or openly or
privately upbraided him, there would have been no
confidence between us, and under such conditions
I should not wish to be responsible for results.
While vigilance is necessary, no amount of vigi-
lance will make up for a want of confidence.

CHAPTER VI

SAM

Sam was thirteen years of age when his people
moved to our town and he presented himself for
admission to school. He was very large for his age,
with a well-formed body, good shapely head, light
brown hair, honest gray eyes, and a face set in a
continual grin. The grin was the weakest appear-
ing thing about him. As I became acquainted with
him, by talking with him, watching him, and con-
ferring with his teacher about him, I learned that
Sam was a boy with almost a man's body, but with
a child's intellect.

His father and mother, his older brother and

sister were excellent people. But within only a

few weeks after coming to town he had established a

reputation as the loudest boy on the streets, a wild,

(48)

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 49

" harum-scarem " tough, whooping and yelling
whenever opportunity presented itself. He thus
lost the respect of the community and was given a
standing in accord with his conduct. He was so
boisterous and loud at times on the streets that many
believed him half crazy.

At school the conditions were unfortunate alike
for Sam and his teacher. She had formerly been
one of the most successful teachers in the school
but this particular year she was in such poor health
that she was almost hysterical, and could stand but
little that grated on her nerves.

Sam's face was never free from a grin, and he
was restless and ill at ease. He never seemed to
study, yet made a fairly good showing in his work.
He was not wholly to blame, as he needed a steady-
nerved teacher, while his teacher needed rest. But
it was a case where the superintendent was power-
less to make a change before the end of the year.
There was no other room for the boy and the teacher
could not be removed.

Sometimes the teacher cried when talking of
Sam, he worried her so ; not so much by what he
did, but because his grinning face and restlessness
were a continual irritation to her. I advised her to
give him a seat in the part of the room where he
could be least seen, and to quit worrying about him.
4

50 DIARY OF A

But under the conditions his year in school was far
from satisfactory to me or to any one else.

When farm work began in the spring he told me
he had secured a job on a farm and was going to
work. I did not discourage him in it, but encour-
aged him to be ready for school again in September.
1 thought it best for him to work off some of his
physical energy, believing that in the coming year he
could make up all he would lose under existing cir-
cumstances ; for no one could doubt that the nerv-
ous state of the teacher affected him unfavorably
and that his peculiar condition was an irritation to
her.

In September he returned, larger, stronger than
ever, but still boyish. He made me think of a big
English mastiff pup, overgrown in everything ex-
cept his intellect, and always ready to play.

His teacher this year was a steady-nerved woman,
who came nearer understanding him. He did well
in his work for a few weeks and then began to lag.
The teacher labored hard , but no effort on her part
could keep up his mental activity. She became
discouraged with him and finally asked what she
could do or what else she should try. She said
that to make him do the work of the grade would
take more time than she gave to a dozen ordinary
pupils.

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 51

I said: " Let him alone if he does not bother
you ; let him do what he can when given only the
attention due him, if you can do it without his dis-
turbing you and the school." I said further that
he was developing so fast physically that he seemed
to have no vital force to furnish mental power, and
that when he quit growing his mental powers would
probably strengthen.

As he did not bother her or the school, she took
my advice. Of course he did only part of the
work of the grade.

Again, when the neighboring farmers wanted
help for the spring work he dropped out. I favored
it, thinking he needed something that would give
him freedom to stretch his rapidly-growing body.
However, I never let him think that I thought there
was any question about his returning in September.
I took quite an interest in him and he knew it.

That sunmier, whenever we met, we had a little
*' chat," and incidentally his attention was directed
to school.

When September came he began almost where he
had begun the year before, thus taking two years
for the grade. While he was still boyish and
" grinny," there was a marked mental development,
and he did fairly good work. Sometimes he was

52 DIARY OF A

very trying and had to be plainly reminded of his
place and work.

The farming fever caught him again a few weeks
before the close of the spring term. His people
were in very moderate circumstances financially, and
as I knew every dollar he earned went to the home,
I thought this in itself an education of great value
to such a boy.

Before he left I had a talk with him about his
school standing and explained how important it was
that he should not miss more than was necessary ;
that the next year he would be in the second year
class in the high school, and he would not like to
fall behind there. After we had considered his
school work and the necessity of his having a place
for the summer to earn money, I told him to come
to school every day that he did not have work ; that
I would rather have him in school one-half or one-
fourth of the remaining part of the term than to
have him miss all of it.

This pleased him. He went away feeling that he
was still a part of the school. This was just what
I wished. He was in school about one-fourth of
the remaining time, and when the term opened the
following year he was one of the first in his place.

Sam was now under the care of another teacher.
This teacher and I had talked over his case, and

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 53

decided that he was now capable of doing good,
heavy work, and that he must do it.

Sam knew the teacher was in sympathy with
him, yet at the same time he knew that she
would put up with no short work on his part.
He complained sometimes that she was hard on
him, but when asked if he wished to be allowed
to do as he pleased, and then take two years for
the work he was capable of doing in one, he
would put himself to the work with renewed in-
terest.

His teacher often said that had she a dozen
like Sam she could not teach. Not that he meant
to be ugly or disagreeable, but he was still so
grinny and restless that it drew on a teacher's
strength just to hold him day by day steadily to
work.

This year closed, and it was by far Sam's best
year's work. In mathematics, particularly, he
was showing much strength.

When Sam had been in the high school two
years he had tamed down on the streets, in fact,
was much changed, and the people remarked that
he was becoming a different boy. I never failed
to speak a good word for him, and felt safe in
predicting that he would come out right if given
time. I talked to him freelj'^ of his conduct out-

54 DIARY OF A

side of school, and he willingly listened to what
I said, though it was often only a short time
until he did something rude or rough ; but notwith-
standing this, he was gaining. Sometimes when I
spoke strongly in his favor some one would ask me
what I could see to give me faith in him. I did
not always try to explain, but said to give him time
and it would be seen that there was cause for my
faith.

One day his mother said to me that they had been
scolding him at home when he told them to ask me
about him, — that he knew I would not say he was
all bad. It pleased me to know that he realized
that I appreciated the good that was in him, for his
realization of this was a strong factor to help him
on to better things.

Two years more and he would leave the high
school; but a new trouble beset him. He " fell
deeply in love " with one of the high school girls.

We guai'ded them carefully at school and gave
no opportunity for their being together except in
the presence of a teacher. They began to meet
regularly on the way to school and to walk to school
together. This would not do, so I talked to them
privately, explained that it would cause unfavorable
remarks about the school, and asked that it be not
indulged in. I said for them to happen once in a

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 55

while to meet just as others did would be proper,
but the " happenings " must not come too often; it
would not do for people along the way to see them
regularly walking to school together. After this
there was no trouble. Once in a while they met
and came together, but not regularly as before.
They tried to do as I wished, although it required
effort for them not to " happen " along about the
same time.

It surprised me to see the amount of excellent
work which they did when I knew all the circum-
stances. At the girl's home was trouble ; her
parents forbade her having anything to do with
Sam. They talked and reasoned with her, threat-
ening to send her away.

She was not to be moved by such measures ; she
and Sam met of evenings, walked the streets, and
they were laying themselves open to unfavorable
comments. Sam thought her parents were unkind
and mean to her, and so did she.

One morning her parents talked so plainly to her
that when she started to school she left a note
which stated that she would not be treated so any
longer and was going to leave home.

The father found the note soon after she had
gone to school and went to the high school to see if
she were there. She was in her place. Sam was

56 DIARY OF A

there too. I was at one of the other buildings
when the father called. He asked to see the prin-
cipal, and informed her of the note and their
trouble with the girl at home.

When the principal told me what had occurred I
determined at once to see the father and try to
influence him to deal with the young people in a
different way. He was only driving them on, and
serious results might follow.

That evening I called to see the father. He was
glad to talk with ine, and said that he and his wife
were at a loss to know what to do next. I told
him I had been watching the young people very
closely and could see but one thing for him to do,
that was to quit opposing the boy and the girl and
treat them no longer as little children, but as young
people worthy of some consideration ; to look the
matter squarely in the face and make the best of
it ; that while the boy was not the one he would
choose as a companion for his daughter, he would
not be able to prevent their doing as they pleased ;
and it would be better for him to send the young
man word to come to their home the following even-
ing and to talk with him. I advised that he tell
him he could keep company with his daughter, but
that he must come to her home when he wished to
see her ; that he could go with her to church and

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 57

other public places ; then to ask them both to be
guarded about being on the street as they had been,
that in everything their conduct might be above re-
proach ; to talk plainly, yet kindly, to them. If he
did this, I believed the affair would die out ; but if
it did not, Sam was full of energy, and there was a
great deal more good in him than he was given
credit for, and the day might come when he himself
would not be ashamed to own Sam as his son-in-
law.

The father said I might be right and he would
act on my advice. I also agreed to have a talk
with Sam and tell him what had passed between
the girl's father and myself, and to advise him as
might seem best.

The following morning I had a long conversation
with Sam and gave him in detail all that we had
said. He smiled and looked a little ashamed. At
first I told him I wanted to talk with him about
something that he might think did not concern me,
but I believed that when I was through he would
not feel offended.

He understood me and said to go on, as anything
I had to say would be right. He was much pleased
at what I had done, and said that he had already
been invited to spend the evening at the girl's
home.

58 DIARY OF A

I counseled him to be a man in the affair, and if
he cared anything for the girl, and I knew he did,
not to do anything that would reflect on her or him-
self, either ; that the way they had been doing was
hurting both of them ; that above all things he must
lay aside all ill-feeling he might have against the
girl's parents. I explained why he should not
wonder that they were not much in his favor ; that
they knew how boisterous he had been, and like
many others, thought him worse than he was, and
that the parents' feelings were perfectly natural ;
that he must prove to them now that he was worthy
their respect.

He left my room smiling, feeling that I had cham-
pioned his cause better than he could have done it
himself.

And now, after several years have passed, no one
has any cause to regret the arrangements that were
thus made. They both remained in school two
years and graduated. Sam's last two years' work
was fine, and he was a good scholar when he grad-
uated. He is now a teacher. The sentiment in the
town has largely changed in his favor. He is rec-
ognized as an upright, honorable, energetic young

'-^

CHAPTER Vn

MARK

Mark had a thin, pale face, shoulders cramped in
upon a hollow chest, and a body and limbs whose
clothing never suggested the outline of a muscle ;
restless and inattentive, but not unusually duD.
He was childish, sometimes so childish that it
seemed to indicate mental weakness ; yet in his
studies he was only slightly behind those of his
own age (thirteen) and was doing fairly good work.
However, it required no little effort on the part of
his teacher to keep him from idling away his time.
He would, if permitted, spend hours playing with
nothing more than a string and a bit of paper ; not
interrupting those about him, but frittering away
the hours iu play so simple that it called forth no
activity of the mind.

His fourteenth year was but a repetition of his

(59)

60 DIARY or A

thirteenth, except that his childishness was more
noticeable. His physical condition was unchanged
and growth seemed almost checked. This year he
finished the work of the eighth grade. He was not
the poorest in the class neither was he one of the
best.

During his fifteenth year, he was less able to do
mental work and was more frail physically.

During his sixteenth year, he was very sluggish
mentally and physically, and as much a child as at
thirteen. He could not take all the regular studies
of his grade, so his work was lightened, but still he
could not do it well. He was very weak during
the spring term ; and so sluggish that he would
sometimes unconsciously fall asleep even while
trjdng to listen to a class explanation.

This unfortunate condition was not the result of
any personal habits, as he was carefully guarded in
this respect. He seemed to have come to a point
where it was a question whether or not his vitality
could carry him farther.

His father now decided to give him a year of
freedom from school or restraint of any kind, in
hope that he might gain physical and mental
strength. Mark spent the year just as he pleased,
visiting, hunting, reading, l3'ing around doing
nothing, with no aim, no ambition. An idle listless

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 61

year ; probably a profitable year to him for it
seemed he could do nothing but rest.

In the fall of his eighteenth year he again entered
school, but, while somewhat improved in health,
was not capable of doing a full year's work. The
first half of the following summer he did nothing ;
was without interest in anything.

"Past eighteen years of age," said his father,
' ' and a mere boyish boy ; he will never amount to
anything."

The father was not now so patient as formerly
with Mark, and upbraided him for his worthless-
ness. One day at this time, the father said to me :
" My wife and I have lost all patience with Mark
and to-day I told him he was nothing but a block-
head, and never would amount to anything. We
cannot understand why he is so worthless."

I counseled him to be careful or he might do his
boy great wrong ; that for some reason the physical
and mental development of the boy seemed arrested ;
that upbraiding him for what he could not help
might so discourage him as to ruin him forever ;
that what he most needed was sympathy, and an
expression of faith in him to help him to keep up a
cheerful frame of mind ; and that these should come
from his home friends ; that there was yet time for
the b03' to make a man.

62 DIAKY OF A

The father in reply could only express a hope
that I understood Mark better than he did and that
my faith in the final outcome would prove to be
well-founded.

Several weeks later, just a few days before the
opening of the annual session of the county teachers'
institute, Mark called on me to ask me what I
thought of his attending the county institute and in
the course of our conversation told me that he had
decided to teach a country school that fall. I was
pleased to see him planning to do something and
encouraged him to attend. He was present every
day, wide-a-wake, ready to catch every suggestion
that fell from the lips of the instructors, and very
happy in it all. I looked at him, no longer a boy.
The rounded muscles, the full chest, such as had
not seemed possible, and the bright eye ; the vigor-
ous thoughts of early manhood, told in no uncertain
language that he " had been born again," and was
a new person mentally and physically. " When I
became a man I put away childish things," was
literally verified in his case.

The father met me one day of the second week
of the institute and said that he wished to thank me
for so awakening his son. I laid no claim to the
" awakening " power. The boy was changed from
no effort of mine.

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 63

The faith that I had had in Mark was not born
of intuition but was the result of the observation
of a number of somewhat similar cases. Mark's
apparent development was completely arrested for
several years ; and then in a few weeks the wonder-
ful change was accomplished. Yesterday a boy,
Ao-day a man.

I have no explanation to give. Mark's and one
other case that I will relate, have suggested a
question : could their labored and long-delayed de-
velopment be due to inherited constitutional weak-
ness ? There were strong indications of tuberculosis
on the mother's side in the case of Mark. Could
it be that an inherited weakness made it hard for
the body to gather force to accomplish the great
change of puberty, and so caused the existing con-
ditions ?

I only ask the question. This much I do know :
teachers cannot too carefully deal with such young
people. The disappointment of parents too often
shuts off sympathy at home, and teachers, looking
upon them as weaklings physically and mentally,
hope only for them to drop out of school. Young
teachers, especially, look upon such cases as hope-
less objects on whom it is a waste to spend time.
We who are older and have observed and studied
these things have seen too many miracles wrought

64 DIARY OF A

by the new " psycho-physiological birth " to treat
in a slighting manner any of these that so much
need attention.

When Mark was twenty-five years of age, he
filled a responsible business position and was quite
a literary student, devoting a few hours each day
to a chosen line of study. He was far superior to
many of the boys who in their teens outstripped him
in the race. As his father expressed it, " There is
no young man in our community the superior of my
son ; he has no bad habits ; is mentally and phy-
sically sound ; and is a clear-headed business man."

The causes of such arrested development properly
belong to the work of specialists in other lines ; but
the plain, practical, uncommon common-sense plan
of teaching and training these young people must
be sought out by the teacher.

Into this problem three factors must enter ; first,
we must not lose faith in the possible outcome ;
second, we must win and hold the confidence of
these boys ; and, third, we must not discourage
them nor cause them to lose the little faith they may
have in themselves.

CHAPTER VIII

DICK

Dick came from one of the best homes in the
community, a home where the children were dearly
loved by both parents ; a home where every possible
care was given to the physical and mental welfare
of the children ; yet it was a home where there was
lung trouble on the father's side, and in which
tuberculosis finally made its appearance.

Dick attended school regularly from six years of
age to twelve. Then, on the advice of the family
physician, he was permitted to do as he pleased, go
to school or stay at home. He was not sick, but
weak, and needed to be in the open air. He was
too deeply interested in school to give it up entirely,
so was made welcome in school whenever he felt like
being there, even though he were present but half
the time.

6 (65)

C)() DIARY OF A

Dick had never been quick at learning, and hence
was not so well advanced as most boys of his age.
His parents were sensible in this regard, and did
not wish him ' ' pushed ' ' along for the sake of keep-
ing with neighbor boys of his own age. They were
in close touch with the teachers, and talked freely
with them, and thus aided much in dealing with
Dick. Without the co-opieration of parents such
cases become very annoying.

From twelve years of age to eighteen was a try-
ing time for Dick. A part of this time he was
physically unfit for the school-room, and his mind
was much as his body ; yet he was never willing
to drop out of school entirely. The family phy-
sician said that Dick was constitutionally weak,
and might or might not grow stronger.

Dick was one of the best of boys in his inten-
tions, always trying to do just the right thing ; but
he was restless, and could not study without mak-
ing a noise. Often when he became too restless,
his teacher would send him on some little errand, or
give him work at the blackboard ; anything to bring
his muscles into play, and thus rest him. He never
suspected that the errand, the work, or whatever it
might be, was simply a means of quieting him.

If he went out to run or play at violent exercise
of any kind, he was so wrought up for the next

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 67

half-honr after he came in that he could do nothing
but fidget and grin. Some days he would be
grinny, almost hysterical, ready to laugh at any
little thing that happened, and scarcely able to stop
laughing after having once begun. The only hope
at such times was to center his attention on some-
thing of interest, and thus quiet him down.

In his seventeenth year he developed more rapidly
in mental power, but along with this came a pecuhar
nervous state. He would sit atone end of his seat,
swaying his body backwards and forwards from his
hips as a fulcrum, rubbing one hand on one knee,
unconscious of everything around him, all the while
doing good mental work. If not permitted to sway
his body thus, he accomplished but little. Some
such movement of the body seemed absolutely neces-
sary to mental activity.

Do not misunderstand me, he had never been
encouraged, or even permitted to study in this
manner ; but now he could do no mental work
unless some part of his body were in motion. As
his manner became very annoying to those about
him, he was given a seat in the rear part of the
room where he could be seen by but few and was
permitted to study even though somewhat noisOy.

During the first half of his eighteenth year, he be-
gan to be recognized as one of the best thinkers of

68 DIARY OF A

his class, but he was still a boy with the instiucts
of a boy ; but the year brought him great changes,
and by the end of the year he was fast taking on
the indications of early manhood.

As this change came about, much of his restless-
ness disappeared and his whole manner greatly
improved. The young children that were com-
panions for him the first half of the year were
dropped and he sought those nearer his own age.

Dick graduated from the high school when past
nineteen years of age, fairly strong physically, a
young man of good average ability, and of more
than ordinarily good, common sense.

From twelve years of age to eighteen the parents
were filled with greatest concern for him, and the
mother would often say when speaking of him:
"Poor boy, what will become of him." The
father was more hopeful, and said that he himself
had developed very slowly and so he would not lose
faith in his boy.

There were at least two years in the life of Dick
and also in that of Mark, when many teachers
would have ' ' worked ' ' them out of the high school
and felt that they were ridding the schools of weak
ones that were not worth the time given them. I
say would have " worked " them out.

I will explain : last year, in talking with a high

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 69

school principal in one of our large cities, he said
that they had a great many enter their high school
who were not very strong mentally, and that they
got rid of them by putting on such a pressure of
work that the weaker ones were glad to leave the
school; and thus the teachers were saved much
trouble, and the standard of the graduates was
kept very high. I have no doubt that Mark and
Dick would have been " worked " out very early in
their high school courses had they been under this
principal.

I do not object to putting a fair pressure of work
on high school students. I would just as soon hope
to learn to skate by sitting on the ice as to hope to
get the intellectual power that comes from high
school training by sitting in the high school.

The man who is hauling coal and has two teams,
one of heavy draft horses that can draw two tons
at a load, the other of ordinary horses that can
draw but one, does not load up his lighter team
with two tons and thereby make it impossible for it
to do anything ; but to the heavy team he gives two
tons and to the lighter team but one ton, and both
work equally well. While it is true that it will take
the lighter team twice as long to haul the coal, yet
when the coal is hauled it is just as well hauled as
if the heavy team had hauled it.

70 DIARY OF A

So the wise high school principal will not strive
to ' ' work out ' ' these weaker ones by giving them
the work that only the stronger ones can do ; but
will try to know the ability of each one and then will
give such work as each can do, and do well, all the
time trying to interest more deeply everyone in the
work of the school.

The boy that can carry but a part of the work
this year may be stronger next year ; but, even if
he is not, in the fable of old it was the tortoise and
not the hare that won the race.

We superintendents and principals are not ex-
perts in unfolding the futures of the boys at the
high school age. We must work carefully. We
would better' give opportunities to ten boys that
fail to develop, rather than to "work out" one
boy that might develop.

CHAPTER IX

CHAP

I wish to give sketches of three boys that for
some reason I associate together in my mind ; three
boys, in every way so different from each other,
each with such a strongly marked individuality,
that they were interesting studies to me.

Chap at thirteen years of age was a perfect
dynamite bomb. Muscle and brain were both sur-
charged with energy. He did nothing by halves ;
lessons and manual labor were both put through
with a vim that was delightful to see. No one in
his grade ranked above him ; no boy could curry a
horse and hitch him to a buggy more quickly than
he ; no boy could swing onto a broncho and skim
over the prairie more gracefully than he. The
rough, wild life of the cow-boy, suited him. An
old sombrero, a blouse, and a pair of overalls held

(71)

72 DIARY OF A

up by one suspender, an old wagon with a broncho
team to drive at break-neck speed, and he was
happy.

Yet when occasion demanded, Chap could be a
perfect gentleman. He simply bubbled over with
life. A hip, hip, hurrah ! and away on a broncho !
This high, wild life, was a safety valve for his sur-
plus energy.

Thus far in Chap's school work he and his
teachers had gotten along well. Sometimes like a
frisky colt he needed to be reined in, still he and his
teachers were alwaj's on good terms and happy in
the work. But now as he passed to the ninth
grade, new conditions met him, and he himself was
reaching a more dangerous point where fun seemed
worth more than all else.

The ninth grade teacher this year was inexperi-
enced in the work, but having had two or three
years of collie training, was supposed to be in her
educational qualifications the best prepared of the
applicants for the position. When I found that it
would be necessary to place her in charge of the
grade, I feared the results.

She was of a gentle unsuspecting nature, and her
voice lacked that decision so essential to good tlis-
cipliuc in the grammar and earl}- high school grades.

Conditions were thus unfortunate for Chap. He

"WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 73

was ready to detect any weaknesses on the part of
his teacher and to make the most of them. All
went well for a short time, when the trouble began.

Chap was a leader, and so sharp and cunning
that he could shoot shot, or scatter a handful of
snapping match heads, or with a quivering move-
ment of his legs shake the floor, and yet escape de-
tection. He was proud of the standing he was fast
gaining among the pupils for bringing disorder into
the room. Even the best were "falling from
grace " and joining his standard. ChUdren are
born " hero- worshipers." He showed what he
thought of his teacher one day when he said, " Miss
Short is a fine lady, but she's too good to teach
school ; why, she can't even boss me."

His disorderly conduct at school had a bad effect
on him at home, and while he had never been easily
controlled at home, he now became so restless, al-
most defiant, that his parents were much concerned.

A word as to the home, while not strictly a part
of this story, throws side-lights on the boy. Chap's
mother was an excellent Christian woman of more
than ordinary strength of character. The father
was a man of good intentions and very active in
what he took to be his line of duty, but he did not
cultivate the friendship of his boys. As Chap came
to the critical period in a boy's life the father was

74 DIAKY OF A

fttf from him. In talking with the fathef one day
he said to me! "I am kept so buHy with my busi-
ness and church work, that 1 do not have time to
keep up acquaintance with my family. 1 soaroely
know them."

1 felt that what he said was unfortunately too
true, and I wondered what would be the outcome
of such neglect. 1 do not question his intentions,
but 1 seriously question his wisdom.

Now, when Chap so much needed to feel a real
fatherly love and fricndshli), there was no strong
cord to hold him. The father could help the
teacher but little In managing the boy.

After a few weeks a change was made In the
teacher of the ninth grade, so that the remainder of
the year was nmch unproved. HtiU the year as a
whole was not one to Interest Chap, and as spring
came on he grew restless, the school-room was too
narrow for him ; he longed for the freedom of
unrestrained out-door life.

At the opening of school the following 8eptem-
ber, Chap was ready for whatever was to come,
work or fun, no difference so there was plenty of It.
Luckily for him he was now under a teacher that
knew him and felt herself equal to him wliatever
might come up, a teacher who appreciated and
adtnired his vigoraus life.

WKHTKRN PCIIOOLMAHTER, 76

Chap re8[MH}tcd her from the first. There wm
that Botnuthing in her very presence that oom-
tnandecl his rcsiwct. To refuse her request never
eutercil his mind. During the entire year he was
never reproved. He seemed ha|)py, and often, as I
looked at him, he made me think of a prancing colt
at the end of a rope held kindly yet firmly in the
hand of his master.

The teacher that knows now to let such a boy
pranoe just enough to keep him in good spirits yet
holds him from breaking away, is a power for good
with the Iwys of this grade. Tiie whole future
school life of many a Inyy depends on who is his
teacher at this time in his life.

Chap hod once l)een one of the best dcclaimers
in his class, but now be was too self-conscious to
do well, HO he was excused from declaiming. He
had been a good penman from the time he began to
write; now, while his writing was still good, the
lines were irregular and somewhat careless looking.
He was not upbraided for becoming (careless. His
enlarging muscles were a little unruly ; time would
give him complete control of them. A little
patience on the part of the teacher was all that
was needed.

A year passetl and thore wbh not an un-
certain stroke in Chap's writing ; bin sflf-ton-

76 DIARY OF A

sciousness had left him and he was glad to declaim
again.

Chap is interesting to me chiefly as a boy where
there seemed to be at no time any lack of either
mental or physical activity. He never seemed to
relax for a moment. If be were not studying,
energy was not wanting, but simply diverted to
other channels. When he knew he must study, he
could center his attention on the subject before him
and be oblivious to everything else about him.

Chap studied less out of school than most pupils,
or he could have finished the high school course in
a much shorter period than four years.

At eighteen he graduated from the high school,
vigorous mentally and physically, and with energy
that promised much for his future.

This boy, with a bold, daring spirit, every nerve
and muscle throbbing with intense life, needed a
teacher that could appreciate that this vigorous life
was in itself good ; that could make the boy feel
that she was not suspicious of him as one who
would do wrong, and at the same time one who
would cause him to understand that fun could not
go beyond bounds in her school.

He had a contempt for a gentle, unskilled teacher
that thought that boys ought to be too good to have
fun by interrupting a school. He belipved that a

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 77

boy would have fun even if he had it by making
sport of the teacher. Helplessness on the part of
the teacher did not appeal to him in a very strong
way, or as he said, " I did feel sorry for her but it
was lots of fun to see the boys and girls all laughing,
and the "teacher so helpless she couldn't do any-
thing.'*

Some may say that boys ought not to be so. All
I can say is the Lord made them, He knows ; and
the teacher must take them as they are.

CHAPTER X

WILL

Will had been a lair-skinned, white-lieaded lad
up to the age of fifteen when he suddenly changed
into an " almost " young man with a delicate com-
plexion, light hair, and shapely body that indicated
physical health and strength. He was fond of the
same sports that Chap was fond of but not in the
same dashing, reckless way.

The change from a boy to a young man came
over him just as he entered the high school. Always
slow mentally, he now became slower than ever,
and so self-conscious that but a word made his pink
cheeks crimson.

He was painfully slow but stuck to his work with
a perseverance that was worth more than' mere in-
tellectual quickness. I sometimes thought were I
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WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 79

in his place I should be strongly tempted to give up
the idea of a high school education. One thing
was in his favor, after he once learned a thing it
was his so that when a subject was completed he
often knew much more than many who had done
much better than he in the recitations during the
term. He was never absent from school, never
failed to be present at a recitation and thus kept
the lessons connected from day to day.

Will was fortunate in his home, father and mother
both deeply interested in him and in close touch
with him. The father, in particular, gave him
much of his time, was companionable with him, and
held his confidence.

Both parents were sensible people, and I could
talk freely with them. They understood their boy,
knew how slow he was in his work, and believed
that it was his peculiar way of developing and did
not fret and worry because he was not other than
he was.

There had been a time when he was in the lower
grades when they thought that possibly the teacher
was at fault, but they visited the school and found
that the boy was slow from no fault of the teacher.
From that time on they held him to his regular
school work at home and thus supplemented the
work at school. They knew how to hold him to

80 DIARY OF A

his work and yet not do his work for him and thus
weaken him.

This home study, rightly directed, was the thing
that made it possible for him to pass from grade to
grade year after year. He was so strong physically
that his parents had no fear of injuring him by
requiring this regular home-study even at an age
when children ordinarily should not study out of
school hours. I doubt if he would ever have
entered the high school had not such care been
given him.

In his high school work his parents were not dis-
gusted with either boy or teachers but said that as
long as he was working faithfully and interestedly,
and making a medium standing in his class, they
were satisfied.

The second year in the high school was almost a
repetition of the first. His habits of application
formed in the lower grades, were now his stay. In
this laborious way he completed the high school
course, the last two years not, possibly, quite so
slow as the first.

I have seen many boys of this slow mentality, if
I may so call it, drop out of school because of lack
of co-operation between parents and teachers.
Parents, unwiUing to believe that their boys are not
so quick at their work as most other children, are

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 81

too often ready to lay the want of advancement to
the slackness of the teachers and after a time to be-
come prejudiced against teachers and permit the
boys to drop out of school. Such boys are safe
only when parents and teachers have such an un-
derstanding that they can counsel together concern-
ing the best interests of the boys.

When parents ask why their boy does not advance
as some other boy, or why he seems to be the poor-
est in his class, there is only one thing to do, state
the facts if the boy is unusually slow ; but state
them very carefully or offense will be given. That
a boy is slow does not necessarily imply that he
does not possess a good mind. Early York cabbage
planted in May head out in June and the heads
are the size of a quart cup ; but Flat Dutch cab-
bage planted in May head out in November and
the heads are the size of a half -bushel measure.

There are other heads tliat grow the same way./

6

CHAPTER XI

HARRY

Harry was the seventh son and had he been
the seventh daughter, the old saying that the
seventh daughter is gifted, would have been veri-
fied in this case. He was a beautiful, little, red-
headed fellow of eleven years when he entered
the high school; so boyish-looking, and yet so
manly, that he at once won the admiration of the
whole school.

He seemed made of finer clay than most children ;
a body that a sculptor might vainly try to repro-
duce ; a gracefully poised head ; and a clear gray
eye from which peeped forth a soul all alive to
higher things.

He cared less for a broncho than either Chap or
Will, but enjoyed base-ball, skating, and other
manly sports. At home Harry was a student no
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WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 83

less than at school, yet no one could call him a
book- worm.

When Harry stood up at the side of some ' ' six-
footer " to recite, he looked diminutive, indeed;
but when he had finished reciting, he had so
thoroughly treated the topic that no other member
of the class could add thereto. Did some pupil
eighteen or nineteen years of age fail to recite, the
little fellow was ready to fill in the break. Not
offensively putting himself forward, not in a bigoted
way, as if proud of his own strength, but so uncon-
sciously that no one ever thought of being jealous
of him, though he far surpassed them all.

He was never called to account for improper con-
duct. Were you to ask what we did with such
a boy, my answer would be that we directed him
in his studies and left him to himself.

From year to year Harry grew as an ordinary
boy, physically not at all beyond his years, and
when just past fourteen, still in knee-pants, grad-
uated from the high school as fine a scholar as ever
went out from the school. When I say he was not
at all developed physically beyond his years, I do
not mean that his physique was not what it should
be for a boy of .fourteen, for he had fine physique
for a boy of his age ; in fact, he was one of the
best specimens of physical vigor in the class.

84 DIARY OF A

After graduating from the high school, Harry
spent one or two years as delivery boy for a store ,
then entered a university, where he is a student
to-day.

Some may say he graduated from the high school
too young, that he was pushed, and should have
been held back.

I do not think so. Did you ever walk with a
person who walked so slowly that it made you tired
to walk with him ? Then you ought to appreciate
something of the irksomeness of marching four
years lock-step with those who can take only one
step to your two. The nerve- wear that comes from
holding some boys and girls back is equally as in-
jurious, it seems to me, as that which comes to
others from unduly pushing them forward.

It is true Harry did the work of the school in a
much shorter time than most boys and girls require,
but I fail to see why he should not when he could
do it with no undue effort on his part. I admit
that he is an unusual case, an extreme one, if you
wish ; but what was right in his case is right in
eveity case, that is to know the boy and try to give
each individual boy the work that seems best suited
to him.

This is my object in bringing these three cases
together, to show that the school work, so far as we

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 85

were able to judge, was suited to each individual
boy's needs. Will, the slow one, was not found
fault with for not possessing the same mental pre-
cocity that marked Harry, but his industry and
perseverance were so appreciated, even though his
progress was slow, that he never felt himself one
whit less worthy than Harry. Chap, while not
precocious, possessed what I have called, possibly
incorrectly, a vigorous intellect, but lacked that
stick -tuitiveness and dogged perseverance that in
Will amounted to almost genius. The work of no
one of these three could have been exchanged for
that of one of either of the others without a serious
misfit.

All three of the boys are to-day in higher institu-
tions of learning and so far as I am informed of
their work are as markedly different as when in the
high school.

This fact presses itself home to me more and
more, that teaching is after all a hand-to-hand, in-
tellect-to-intellect, heart-to-heart contact with in-
dividuals, and that in all this direct work a good
grain of common business sense must be exercised.
Classes are necessary in the movement of school
work, but the teacher who stops short of a knowl-
edge of individuals must remain more or less a
failure.

CHAPTER XII

TOM

Tom came to us at fifteen years of age, a tall
angular boy, a large Roman nose, one eye slightly
crossed, very uncouth in his manner, awkward and
ungainly in his movement. His home was in the
country, eight miles from town. The first year he
was with us he rode a broncho back and forth,
morning and evening. Of a number of boys in his
father's family, he was the only one that aspired to
an education.

He had been in school but a short time before we
discovered that he had a keen intellect. He was
always prepared with his lessons. The scholars
soon gave him the recognition due to superior intel-
lectual strength, and, unpolished country boy that
he was, he was treated with deference by all.

One year in the high school greatly improved
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WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 87

him. His hair, his neck-tie, and his shoes were no
longer ' ' unknown quantities ' ' but had passed from
the X, y, z, to the a, b, c, of his equation ; and his
manners were more changed than his dress.

He was in the high school three years. He not
only did the three years' work and did it well, but
he also read a great many valuable books from the
library. He was always improving his spare mo-
ments with a book. He read more good books than
any other member of the high school, during the
three years he was a member of the school.

During the last two years he was in the high
school, he worked for his board and lived in town.
An elderly couple gave him a home for doing their
chores. It was a good home, the work was light,
and he had plenty of time for study.

In a high school where there are many of only
ordinary ability, it is, to say the least, rather inter-
esting to meet such a one as Tom. One who seems
to take in great " chunks " of information and to
digest them as easily as if they had been ground to
meal.

He made himself felt in almost every line of
school work. In the debating society he was a
leader, and developed considerable ability as a
speaker. He made use of every available means to
improve himself.

88 DIARY OF A

Thus busy at work he moved along till the latter
half of his senior year. Coming from the country
and not being a member of any of the little social
cliques that so often cause jealousies among town
girls and boys, he was the recipient of honors that
otherwise might have gone elsewhere. Now was
the time for electing the valedictorian for commence-
ment. His class-mates by unanimous vote elected
him to the position.

He had prepared his oration, and the close of the
term was near at hand. What was my surprise and
disappointment to have a friend come to me and tell
me that Tom had been guilty of forging a check a
few days before. He had forged it at one of the
banks on the old gentleman with whom he was
living.

The friend could not give me the particulars, but
thought I ought to know it as it was known by a
number of persons and was fast spreading over the
town.

' ' What ought I to do ! " was the question that
came to me. I must decide quickly. If true, I
could not feel that it would be right for him to hold
the position of highest honor on commencement
evening.

I soon decided that I would go to him, tell him
what I had heard and ask him to tell me what had

westp:rn schoolmaster. 89

been done. I was sure he would trust me as a
friend, and that whatever mistake he had made or
wrong he had done, he would talk with me and that
thus I could help him to do what would be best
for him and best for all.

Humiliated, almost crushed, with tears streaming
down his face, he told me his story. The old gen-
tleman with whom he lived had money in one of the
banks, and when he wanted some for use, would
have Tom fill out a check, take it to the bank and
bring him the money. Tom had done this often,
but one day the temptation came to write the check
for more than the old gentleman wanted and keep
out a part for himself. As he did most of the old
gentleman's business, it would never be discovered.
He yielded to the temptation and kept out the
money.

This was several weeks before and no one had
suspected that anything was wrong until the old
gentlemen's son came to visit him and in looking
after his father's business at the bank, found one
check that did not tally with its stub.

This called for an investigation. Tom confessed,
made good the amount, and was forgiven and re-
tained in the home. This is the story as given me
by Tom and I found it to be true.

I felt sorry for him, could forgive him the wrong-

90 DIARY OF A

doing but could not prevent the humiliation that
must necessarily follow. Could he, should he be
permitted to hold the prominent place on the class
program alter having committed such an offense?
Would it be for his good even if others were not
considered? I felt it must not be.

I told him as kindly as I could that I thought it
woul(J be in place for him to tender his resignation
as valedictorian of the class ; that he could write it
out and I would present it to the class ; that I would
interview the members of the board of education,
some of whom had already heard of what had hap-
pened, and ask them to grant him the privilege of
graduating ; and that since he had made restitution,
I would sign his diploma, hoping that this one
wrong would prove a lesson. It was hard for him,
it was no easy task for me, yet I could see no other
way.

His class-mates were called together, the mat-
ter was laid before them. I told them how I felt
and what I thought ; asked them to consider it
carefully, with a kindly feeling for the offender,
then to tell me what they thought would be the
right thing to do ; that not only their actions but
mine too would be largely governed by Avhat they
thought. There was no ugly spirit in the meeting,
all felt that they must help render a decision and

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 91

that they must not make a mistake. They accepted
his resignation and elected another to the place, but
they did it in such a way as not to make him feel
that he was cast off.

I interviewed the board. All felt that his offense
was a very serious one for a bright young man of
eighteen, but as it was his first, so far as we knew,
they granted my request in his behalf. They were
willing to give him every chance to redeem himself.

Commencement night Tom sat humiliated while
another filled the place that had been his, but his
stepping down won for him a sympathy that made
all kind in feeling toward him. All felt that he had
had justice tempered with mercy.

Probably the story is not worth the telling ; but
teachers who have not been through similar experi-
ences, do not know how heavily such things draw
upon one's sympathies, and how difficult it is to deal
justly and yet so wisely that no violence is done to
any one's sense of right. Here is where many
high school principals and teachers fall short ; they
do what they believe to be right, but for want of
tact and a close sympathy with the scholars, they
are not able to look at the offense from the stand-
point of the girls and boys, and so fail to meet the
requirements of the young people's sense of
justice.

92 DIARY OF A

After graduating, Tom taught country schools
for a few years ; built up a good reputation as a
teacher of ungraded schools ; in all his dealings,
conducted himself as a man of honor ; saved his
money, entered a higher institution of learning,
from which he graduated with honor, and is to-day
a promising young man in professional life.

Whether or not I dealt wisely with him, you must
judge. He trusted me through it all and we are
still warm friends.

This instance and a number of others coming
under my observation in which boys of his age
placed in responsible positions where they handled
money for other persons and were not strictly
honest, have caused these questions to come into
my mind : "Is there anything in the peculiar condi-
tion of boys' minds at this age that renders many
of them more liable to yield to the temptation to
steal than at other times? " "If there is, will it,
too, be of a transitory nature like most of the ex-
periences of adolescence, and if not permitted to
develop itself by indulgence, in time pass away
without leaving any permanent effect on the
character? "

CHAPTER XIII

HENRY

Heniy, a large, raw-boned boy of nineteen years
of age, presented himself at the high school one
morning at the opening of the spring term and
asked to be received with the privilege of taking
certain studies he had selected rather than the reg-
ular course as he was to be in the school one term
only. I saw at a glance that he was selecting those
studies that would fit him to take the teacher's
examination,, and as I was glad to have him inter-
ested in school granted his request.

He settled down to his work with a determination
that meant the mastery of every lesson ; but day
after day as he sat and worked or even when recit-
ing there was something of a distressed look about
him, a kind of a stem, hard-set expression in his
face that made me pity him. I could not look at

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94 DIARY OF A

him without feeling that he was alone in the school ;
that outside the work therie was no pleasure for him
there. In fact, so stern and set was his face that
he almost repelled any advances that were made.

Most of his recitation work at this time was
under one teacher and his manner of reciting was
such that she felt that he was always questioning
whether or not she knew her work. Finally one
day in mental arithmetic, after she had explained a
problem he spoke out very abruptly and said that
the solution was not correct. She, without seem-
ing to notice his disrespect to her, simply asked the
class to please look over the solution very carefully
before the next day as she was sure the solution
was a correct one. Henry scowled and looked
more forbidding than ever but said nothing.

The next morning before school was called,
Henry spoke to the teacher and said, " You are
right in your solution of that problem, I knoiv you
are right. I was wrong but I have studied it until
I understand it now."

From that time on he presented a different atti-
tude toward the teacher ; he had all confidence in
her so that she instead of being annoyed by him as
she had been, was glad to have him in her classes ;
but he was still the same unhappy, stoical looking
young person as he sat at study in the assembly

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 95

room, and in nothing did he seem to have any part
with the other scholars.

I made a number of attempts to talk with him, at
first to no purpose. He was in school several weeks
before I knew much more of him than that he was
an unhappy-appearing, hard-working country boy
who rode a pony to and from school morning and
evening. Finally one of the school-boys told me
that Henry was one of a large family of boys and
that he had served a term in the State Reform
School. This explained, or seemed to explain
Henry's peculiar manner and also the fact
that the other scholars paid but little attention
to him.

My interest in him was now deeply aroused and
I determined to come into touch with him in some
way.

As the weeks went by he improved in his work
so that his teacher often conomented on it and said
that he was such a student that he ought to finish
the high school course. When I saw how he could
do the work, I too felt that he should try to arrange
his wprk with a view to completing the course. I
had a long talk with him, told him of the good
reports of his work and after he opened himself up
and was interested in talking with me, told him that
if it were at all possible he ought to plan to be in

96 DIARY OF A

school until he could complete the high school
course

" Why, I have never thought of such a thing,"
said he, "I am too old." " How old are you? "
said I. " I'm nineteen years old, and I could never
be in school three years more." " No ; I can't do
it," said he. " But you ought to and you would
like to if you could? " continued I.

He admitted that he was really enjoying school
and that he would like to complete the course if
such a thing were possible, but thought he was too
old.

I knew his mind was opening up to the possibil-
ity of the thing and that he must have a little time
to think it over, and that I must not try to force
him to a decision, as he did his own thinking.
However, I saw that he was much pleased to know
that we cared to have him become a member of the
school looking forward to graduation, and his face
brightened.

I could now talk with him and made it a point to
cultivate his acquaintance. Before the close of the
term he said to me : "I think I'll take your advice
and stay in the school till I graduate, I'll be pretty
old when I get through but I'll know a little some-
thing and I do like the school."

By the close of the spring term he had established

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 97

the fact that he was a good student and this in itself
gained for him a certain respect among the other
students ; but his stoical, forbidding manner, and
his having served a term in the state reformatory
kept him from mingling freely with them.

The following September Henry was again in his
place in school, anxious to arrange his work with
a view to completing the course. This year he
worked so faithfully, accomplished so much, and
was so honest and upright in all his ways, that he
fast won the high regard of the entire school ; and
when he entered the debating society and proved to
the boys that he was a match for their strongest
debaters, he quickly became a leader and was
selected president of the society, which position he
filled with honor to himself and to the society. He
studied parliamentary law and as president held
everj-thing strictly to that law. The fact, that he
had been in the state reformatory was now for-
gotten in the Scriptural sense of the word. He
was respected for what he was.

The last two years he was in school he was presi-
dent of his class, an honor that he rightly deserved.
It is true his abrupt manner always clung to him,
the want of early refining influences could not easily
be overcome, but notwithstanding this, all knew
that he was every whit a manly man and as such he
7

98 DIARY OF A

held their confidence. He was a power for good
in our school. One strong, rugged character, capa-
ble in every way, always standing for that which is
strictly right, is one of the best influences that can
be brought into any school.

After he graduated from the high school he taught
school a few years, saved his money and then took
a course in a higher institution of learning, and is
to-day a valuable member of society, one whose in-
telligence and education give him influence in the
community where he lives.

It is not so much tvhat the boys study when they
enter school, I am willing they should choose what
they like best, anything to get them interested ; but
it is of great impoHance to thoroughly arouse their
interest and to lead them to study what will give
them as rounded a course as possible.

CHAPTER XIV

GEORGE

George entered our school a month after it opened
one fall term and took up the work in the Freshman
class without difficulty, except in the Latin. This,
at first, gave him trouble but by the end of the
second month he was as good as any in the class.

He was past eighteen years of age and had never
before attended other than an ungraded country
school. He was large and strong, and possessed
an excellent mind. But notwithstanding his fine
physique and bright mind, he did not at first pre-
sent a very attractive appearance for he was clad in
very plain, coarse clothing that indicated that the
closest economy was necessary for him to be in
school at all.

The first time I talked with him he told me that
it was uncertain how long he might be in school as

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100 DIARY OF A

his people had just moved into town and were not
yet decided as to how long they might remain.

He became deeply interested in his studies and
was able to do, and did do well, almost twice as
much work as any other boy in the same class. This
was in part, at least, due to his being two years
older than most of those in his class ; still he had
an excellent mind and a vigorous body and was
willing to bend every energy to his school work.

The weeks went by quickly for him and soon it
was the first of March, and he was beginning to
think of spring work. He had no choice, toork he
must, and that just as soon as he could secure a
place on some farm.

During the year we had often talked of his school
work ; but now I felt that I must help him to see
how it would be possible for him to continue with it
until he could comi^lete the high school course, even
if it were necessary for him to cut short the school
term at both ends. I asked him if he ever thought
of completing the high school course.

" No," said he, " I have never thought it possi-
ble. I am always a month late entering school in
fall and am compelled to drop out early in the
spring, so how can I hope to finish the high school
course, even if we continue to live in town? "

" Very easily," I replied, " with your habits of

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 101

study, your mature mind, and strong body, and
with a set determination to finish the course, I Tcnow
you can do it. If you will but try to do the work,
I will see that you have every opportunity while in
school to make up what you have missed by being
out a few weeks in the spring and the first month
in the fall. I am sure you can do it."

George was pleased and said, " I never thought
such a thing possible before. I'U do my best and
every day I am not working I'll be in school."

He, soon after this conversation, began work on
a farm and was not again in school until a month
of the following fall term had passed. When he
again entered school he was thoroughly alive to his
work. In some studies there were many lessons to
be made up before he could gain anything from
the recitations ; in others he could begin the recita-
tion work with the classes and later make up the
back work. Thus he began, earnestly, vigorously
working to bring up the back work, and in part of
the work preparing and reciting the advance lessons
with the classes. — It is almost wonderful how much
work a good, strong fellow can do when he is work-
ing for a definite object. — But little help was given
George, yet long before the time for him to drop
out of school again he was fully abreast of his class.
He was strong in the class.

102 DIARY OF A

Thus he worked year after year until he gradu-
ated ; the last spring, however, he remained in
school until the close.

The very fact that he did so much of his work
with but little attention irom the teacher, made him
independent, self-reliant, willing to do the bard
parts as well as the easy, and when he graduated
he was recognized as one of the most scholarly
members of the class.

/ It pays to help boys to see the possibilities that
/ lie within their reach. We teachers in all our work
I ought to remember that the schools are for the boys
SLudnot the boys for the schools.

CHAPTER XV

NIM

Niin's early history so far as anything is known
of it is this : when but six or seven years of age he
was taken from the streets of New York City and
with a number of other boys sent to Kansas where
homes were found for them among the farming peo-
ple of that State. Of his parents he remembered
nothing, and the records of the society that sent
him to his Western home give no clue to their
identity.

It was Nim's lot to be adopted by a farmer who
lived on the border line of the rainless district in
western Kansas, a farmer who each year found it
harder and harder to make ends meet and, finally
for the sake of a change, if not with the hope of bet-
tering his condition, moved to the valley of the
Platte in central Nebraska.

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104 DIARY OF A

Here he rented a farm and worked hard to make
a living ; but the sweat of his brow scarce earned
his bread ; one year the drouth parched his crops
and the next they were destroyed by hail.
Thoroughly disheartened by such a life, he became
ill-tempered, and Nim found it impossible to live
peaceably with him and many unpleasant scenes
occurred between them.

The farmer finally decided that he would send
Nim to the state reform or industrial school,
when Mr. Stone, a gentleman from our town who
owned a ranch near Nim's home, offered to give
him a home for a time, at least, on his ranch.

Nim was fourteen the spring he went to Mr.
Stone's ranch to work and all the summer long he
worked on the ranch and lived pleasantly and hap-
pily with those in charge of it.

In September, he came to live with Mr. Stone in
town that he might be in school, a better school and
a longer term than he could have in the country.
Mr. Stone clothed him as neatly as any of the boys
and treated him as kindly as though he were his
own son, nor permitted him to miss a day of
school.

Nim was a fine-looking boy, bright in mind, and
attractive in manners, and soon entered into the life
and spirit of the school. He began in the seventh

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 105

grade and at the close of the year was promoted to
the eighth. When school was dismissed for the
summer vacation Nim went to work on the ranch.
In September he returned to school.

This second year passed with him as the first.
Mr. Stone was very careful not to permit him to
loaf about the town when not in school ; before
school of a morning and after school of an evening
he had his chores to do, and after these were at-
tended to he was required to give his time to the
preparation of lessons for the coming day. I do
not mean that he was allowed no time for sports and
play with other boys ; he had his full share of time
for recreation and improved it too ; but I mean
this : Mr. Stone systematized Nim's work and play
so that a year in school meant a year of earnest
effort and improvement.

At the close of this year' he was promoted to the
high school. He was now sixteen years of age.

On account of sickness in his family Mr. Stone
found it necessary to spend a year in another
State. As this broke up his home he could not
look after Nim as he had done the last two years.

Nim, pow sixteen years of age, began to shift
for himself. He secured work in the country and I
knew no more of him until a week or two after
school opened the following September, when I re-

106 DIARY OF A

ceived a note from him telling me he was working
for a certain farmer and that his job of work would
be completed within a few days and asking me to
please help him find a home in town where he could
work for his board and attend the high school.

It happened that just a few days before this
Mr. Kane, a friend of mine, had asked me if I
knew of any boy that would like to work for his
board and attend the high school, so I wrote Nim
to come see me at once, that I thought I could help
him. He came and through my influence secured a
home in one of the best families in the town.

His work was light, a cow to milk morning and
evening, a horse and buggy to take care of and as
there was never a rain in the winter season, it took
but little work to keep a buggy in good trim. He
was treated as one of the family, was given his own
room, heated night and day, in fact, was better
situated for his evening study than half the students
of the high school. Of Saturdays Mr. Kane gave
him work on the farm and paid him full wages for
the same so that Nim could have his own pocket
money.

The first month Mr. Kane was delighted with
Nim and Nim was equally pleased with his new
home. But before the end of the second month
things were changing. Mr. Kane said Nim was

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 107

staying out late at night, and at school we were not
satisfied with his work.

I talked with Nim ; he admitted that he some-
times remained out in town later than he should but
thought he could quit it, and would try to give
more time to the preparation of his lessons. But
there was improvement only for a few days then he
was out at night and behind in his work at school.

I said to Mr. Kane that he ought to tell him
what he could and what he could not do, as Mr.
Stone had done, that I believed Nim would obey
him ; but Mr. Kane was a Southern man, and said
that he had once been able to ' ' boss ' ' colored peo-
ple but he could not command white persons about
his own home ; that if he had to ' ' boss ' ' the boy
as he had once " bossed " the " darkies " he
would rather not have him about the place.
"But," said he, "I cannot turn that boy out of
my home while he has no place to go and we like
him very much, but we know he is not doing right."

At school Nim was not accomplishing what he
was capable of doing simply because his time out-
side of school was so taken up with other things.

Spring came, Nim secured work in the country
and left school for the last time. Had Mr. Kane
held Nim with the same firm hand that Mr. Stone
had done, he might, in time, have come to the

108 DIARY OF A

point where he could see lor himself what "v^as best
or he might have resented it and done worse than
he did. I am inclined to think a strong hand
would have been a blessing.

I knew him for two years after he left school.
He was the same Nim, a handsome fellow, liked by
all who knew him, but never developing any real
independence of character. When the Cuban war
came on he enlisted in the army and since then I
have heard nothing of him.

I do not know that our interest in him did him
any lasting good ; it placed him within the reach of
a high school education but he failed to improve
the opportunity ; had he been willing to make good
use of his time, he could have had a home at Mr.
Kane's until he graduated from the high school ;
but it seemed that when he realized that he was
responsible to no one outside of school that he was
not capable of directing himself to his best inter-
ests. And yet, all considered, his early life, his
unpleasant boyhood, is it to be wondered at that he
failed to make the most of himself when freed from
restraint ?

CHAPTER XVI

NATE

I had been in charge of the schools at G but

a few days when one of the teachers asked me if I
had made the acquaintance of Nate, as she put it,
the ' ' thorn in the flesh ' ' to the last principal.

I replied that I had not or, at least, not in an
unpleasant way. Nate had been in school from the
first day but had done nothing to attract my atten-
tion other than that his general bearing had marked
him as one of the leaders among the boys. His full,
high forehead, his high cheek bones, and strong
lower jaw, that seemed to close with the clinch of a
vice, and his clear gray eye, that seemed to pene-
trate whatever it was turned upon, gave the im-
pression of an unusually strong character. He was
about fifteen years of age at this time and had three
years of high school work before him.

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110 DIARY OF A

In the grammar grade he had been the acknowl-
edged leader in arithmetic and English grammar.
A problem that Nate could not solve was a rare
thing and he prided himself not a little on his ability
to deal with almost all of the little knotty questions
that came up in the study of grammar in the high
school ; that is, he could cite authorities on most of
these points thus showing an intimate acquaintance
with most of the grammars accessible to the school.
The other scholars stood somewhat in awe of his
accomplishments in these two lines of study. In
other work he was above the average until he came
to algebra ; in this for a time he fell far short.

The teacher who had charge of Nate's algebra
class was a good teacher in some tilings but in
algebra accomplished nothing. The class finally be-
came so discouraged that I made a change and took
charge of it myself. Although bright boys and girls,
they had come to think algebra was a little beyond
them and were willing to give it up. Day after
day I worked to overcome the deadening effect of
the former teaching and gradually they became in-
terested and willing to believe they could learn it.
Day after day we drilled carefully on the simple
process of factoring until most of them felt a cer-
tain confidence in themselves and were glad to try
the more difficult problems without so much as a

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTEK. Ill

suggestion from me. But Nate sat with his teeth
firmly clinched together fully decided that he could
not learn and therefore it was all a waste of time
for him to try. In fact, he had so fully convinced
himself that he could not learn that he would not
learn.

I permitted this to go on for several days hoping
that his sense of pride would be aroused by seeing
the others becoming independent in their work, but
he was not to be so moved. One evening I detained
the class after school to give them a drill on a more
than ordinarily difficult case in factoring. Nate
took his place at the board but failed to follow the
dictation. At first, I did not apparently notice his
stubborn manner but suggested to him what to do
just as pleasantly as though he were putting forth
every effort. He followed in a heartless way with
no attempt to understand the process I was teaching
them ; he was closed against everything that had to
do with algebra, for, as he said, he knew he coicld
not learn it.

Finally he became so angry from being out-of-
heart about it that he broke out in words and said :
" I can't learn algebra and I'm not going to keep
on studying it either. I won't do it, Fm going to
quit.''

I waited a moment, the class looked amazed.

112 DIARY OF A

then I said in as pleasant a manner as though he
had said nothing out of place, " Nate, you are going
to learn this case of factoring before you leave this
house this evening, and you might just as well
begin at once." " I know you can do it and you
must do it."

He turned again to the black-board, angry and
humiliated, more from his discouraged feeling than
from anything else, I thought, the tears streaming
down his cheeks, and closely followed as I dictated
problem after problem, I standing where 1 could
see that he did the work just as I dictated. I was
determined to hold him to the one point for an hour
but what he should learn it.

I called on different ones to explain the problem^
as they solved them, and before the end of the les-
son called on Nate. I gave the problem, he solved
it, and explained the process. Then I asked him
if he understood it. He replied that he did, and
that he could solve any of that kind.

That was all I cared for from him for the even-
ing. The fact is, that a good part of the hour 1
devoted myself specially to him, holding him to
the one thing by sheer will force, the others of
the class working with very little attention from me.

After we were through I smiled and said to Nate
that it did him a great deal of good to get so angry.

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 113

and asked him what he supposed would have hap-
pened if I had gotten out of humor, too. This
was asked, not tauntingly, but in a pleasant,
friendly manner, that he and the class understood.
All laughed, and we parted in good humor, and the
work for the day was ended.

That lifted Nate out of the " slough of despond,"
and never again did I help him with a problem
in algebra, and ever after he led the algebra class
with perfect ease.

I knew he had the power to do the work, and
that in some way he must be made conscious of
it; that if I could but center his mind on the
process and have him follow it a few times from dic-
tation, and quit thinking for a moment that he
could not do it, he would see through it instantly,
and he would become conscious of his ability to do,
and would put forth the effort.

When I saw him so agitated I felt that then
was my time, not simply as some one might say
to "break his will," not this, but to calmly, and
pleasantly, hold him to performing the process until
his mind, highly excited as it was, should grasp the
fact that he was doing the very thing he was
saying he could not do.

After completing algebra he was in my classes in
plane and solid geometry, and trigonometry. He
8

114 DIARY OF A

was a fine student in all this work, and never in
need of an explanation from any one. I remem-
ber once in the trigonometry class that no one
could solve a certain problem the first day it was
given, but no one was willing to have it explained.
" We can work it if you will give another day,"
said the class. I gave the day, but the problem
was still unsolved. " Give us one more day and
some of us will solve it without your help," said
the class. Another day was given.

Before school the next morning Nate came into
the high school room smiling and said, " I've solved
it. I was sitting down at the barn last evening and
thought it out while there. I've just worked it in
my head, but I know it's right. I'll put it on
the blackboard for you to see it. ' ' Without a book
he stepped to the blackboard and rapidly worked
out the problem. It was a difficult one involving
the solution of a number of triangles but he had so
studied it that he drew his figures and worked out
the required results just as quickly as he could use
the chalk. He was the only one that solved the
problem without help.

When I first began work in the schools at G ,

the boys had no pride in their school, no school
spirit. A perfectly lifeless routine affair. This I
knew must be changed, that we must have such

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 115

strong class work that the boys would realize they
were getting something for their time and that there
must also be something other than lessons in which
they could be interested and feel that it in a special
sense was theirs.

Without discussing the good of declamatory con-
tests in themselves I have learned that as a means
to an end they are an excellent thing. A good
declamatory contest rightly managed begets a school
spirit that is most healthful.

I determined to close the term with a public
declamatory entertainment. But then came the
question how to induce the boys fifteen or sixteen
years of age to speak. In a school where there has
been no speaking, this is a serious question. Be-
fore announcing publicly to the school what we
were going to do, beginning with Nate I took the
boys privately one at a time, explained to them
what I wished to do and asked their help.

I talked with Nate, stated that I would like to
give a declamatory entertainment at about such a
time and would like him to be one of the speakers.

" But I can't speak " said Nate. " That's true,
Nate, but you can learn to speak and you would
like to do that, I'm sure." " Father is a good
declaimer and I would like to learn, but I am
afraid I couldn't do any good" said he. "I'll

116 DIARY OF A

tell you what I'll do, Nate, if you will agree to try
to help me out in this, I'll find a piece, drill you in
speaking it, and then if you think you cannot
speak it well enough to speak it in public, I'll
excuse you from speaking it." "Is that fair?"
"Yes, it. is fair," said he. "Well, yon talk it
over with your father to-night and tell me in the
morning if you will do it " said I, " but don't
speak of it to any of the other boys until we have
decided what we shall do."

The next morning Nate told me that his father
was pleased with the idea of his trying to speak
and that I could count on him.

Then I carefully selected another boy somewhat
of a leader, and gave him the same explanation of
my plan, and finished by stating that Nate had
already pledged me he would declaim. This was
enough, he would do what Nate would do ; I could
count on him.

In this way I proceeded until I had my program
completed. Then I announced to the school that
at such a time we would give a declamatory pro-
gram and read the names of those who expected to
take part. It was a surprise to the school and
awakened great interest.

I selected, or aided the boys in selecting, decla-
mations and for several weeks gave my spare time

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 117

before school of mornings and after school of even-
ings to training them to speak. They took great
interest in trying to do their best, and the close
companionship this drilling them brought about
between the boys and myself was of the greatest
value to us both.

In all this work Nate was the one that uncon-
sciously to himself and the others helped me to
bring about the desired result. He was no longer
a ' ' thorn in the flesh ' ' to the principal but rather
a " spur " to the school to press on to better
things.

Do not think I mean to say that Nate was a per-
fect model in deportment. He was a strong-willed
boy and sometimes let his boyishness lead him to
do things that were not strictly in accord with the
discipline of the school, but he was always easily
brought to proper conduct by an appeal to his
sense of honor ; he was manly through and through.

Nate's habits of study were different from most
boys ; he would sit in the high school apparently
gazing around the room, a smile on his face as if
bent on mischief and waiting his opportunity ; and
yet all the while his mind was occupied with some
difficult point in a lesson. If it happened to be a
problem in mathematics he were thinking out, if you
were to watch him for a few moments, you would

118 DIARY OF A

see him take up his pencil and figure rapidly for a
short time. He was putting in form what he had
been thinking out, and generally he was sure of the
result before he made use of his pencil.

I remember one teacher whom he annoyed very
much at first by this habit. She said to me :
" Nate doesn't study to do much good while I am
in charge of the room but spends most of his time
looking around ; now and then he figures a little but
not long at a time."

This was before I knew him well so at her re-
quest I spoke to him about his spending so much
time looking around the room when he should have
his mind centered on his lessons. " But," said he,
"I am studying when I'm looking around; I'm
thinking out my problems and then afterwards I put
them down. Don't I always have my lessons? " 1
had to admit that I heard no complaints of his not
preparing his lessons. As we knew him better we
found that he was all the time at work even when
apparently gazing around the room.

Most of his school work he prepared during
school hours, except his mathematical problems.
These he often carried in his mind and solved them
while engaged at other work.

His parents were wealthy and took gi'eat delight
in their children. At home Nate exhibited quite a

WESTERN 8CHOOLMAS1ER. 119

liking for mechanical work and the father, to en-
courage him, fitted up a room for a shop and sup-
plied him with whatever tools he called for. Before
he graduated from the high school, Nate was a fine
gun-smith, an expert in repairing locks, guns, and
bicycles. During the last two years of his high
school course, his mornings, evenings, and Satur-
days, were given to this kind of work. He often
made a day's wages after school of an evening.
This work in no way interfered with his school
work.

During the three years Nate was in the high
school he was one of the most loyal, helpful high
school boys I have ever known and his leadership
had a marked influence over the younger boys.
These boys who have the faculty of leadership are
a great blessing to any school if they are wisely
turned in the right direction.

CHAPTER XVII

AL AND WALTER

There had been no fighting among our high school
boys on the way to and from school for almost a
year, when one noon I was much surprised to learn
that two of the best boys in school had engaged in
a fist fight "with a large boy from one of the gram-
mar grades.

It happened in this way : Al and Walter were
walking along when the grammar grade boy came
up to Al and spoke in a manner that made Al very
angry. Quick as flash Al resented the words and
instantly they were fighting. The grammar grade
boy was as old as Al and a better trained fighter,
so Walter at once stepped in to help his friend. It
was on one of the public streets of the town and as
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WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 121

usual attracted a crowd and caused a great commo-
tion.

I felt heartily ashamed of the whole affair. Such
things had once been so common that no one took
much note of them, but now that we had gone almost
a year without anything of the kind, this seemed all
the more disgraceful to the school ; but while I was
ashamed of it, I was in no way out of heart over
the break in the good record we had been making.
Such breaks always come ; the only problem is to so
deal with them that in the end good lessons may be
given the school and the possibility of such occur-
ences in the future lessened.

I hastily considered the matter that I might have
some plan of action mapped out in mind to present
when school opened for the afternoon. I knew
everyone was anxious to know what would be done.

We opened school as usual. Without attracting
any attention the boys were quietly requested to pass
to my otBce, where I met them. They Avere both
humiliated at what they had done. There had
been time for their tempers to cool and they could
see how unfortunate their conduct was for them-
selves and for the school.

I said to them that once fighting had been so
common on the way to and from school that people
living on the school street lost all respect for the

122 DIARY OF A

school ; that for almost a year there had been no
trouble of any kind and that the change had been
so marked that the people of the whole town felt
proud of it ; but now a break had been made that
would take us a year at least to live down ; that the
fight had lessened the respect that the people had
for us and also put before the younger boys an
example that would make them feel that they too
could get mad and fight on any provocation ; that
while we could not help what had been done, we
must try to prevent like happenings in the
future.

" And now, boys," said I, " you say you are
sorry you engaged in the fight, and I believe you
are and am willing to forgive you ; but the evil
effect of this wrong doing on yourselves and on
others, I cannot so easily clear away." " In the
first place, there must be some punishment con-
nected with this that will cause you to stop and
think before giving away to unruly tempers ; in
the second place, the other boys of the school must
see that wrong-doing on the part of leading boys in
the high school meets its just deserts as quickly as
with any others ; this, I know, you will say is
nothing more than fair."

" What that punishment should be, I do not
know." " I will not be hasty in this, neither will

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 123

I take it on myself alone to decide, but will ask you
to tell me what you think it should be ; you under-
stand the offense and I am sure will try to put a
just estimate on it, so you may think it over until
to-morrow morning, when you will report to me."

The next morning they met me in my office but
said they could think of nothing to suggest ; for me
to make the punishment whatever I thought right
and they would abide by my decision without any
complaining.

In the meantime I had not been idle but had
weighed the offense trying to take every circumstance
into consideration ; Al and Walter were two of my
most trusty boys in the high school ; Al's quick tem-
per was the only thing that ever gave him any trouble
and on this occasion there was some provocation ;
Walter had never before been reproved for anything ;
they were two boys whose high school records for
the year had been as clear as such records can be ;
they had shown a willingness to submit to whatever
I required and to do it in a pleasant spirit ; there
had been no self-justification.

I said to the boys that I had one solution to offer ;
if it did not meet their approval, we would try to
find one that would. My solution was that from
that day on until such a time as I saw fit to
relieve them, they should not come to school or go

124 DIAKY OF A

home from school with the other pupils ; they
should remain at home until the last bell began to
ring, then come to school down one of the back
streets which I designated ; that when school was
dismissed at noon and evening they should remain
in their seats until all others were gone, then go
home by the back street ; and that in order that all
might know that the offense had not been passed
over I would explain to the school what they were
to do.

The boys said that they were willing to follow
out this plan. Before we dismissed school that
noon, I talked to the -school of the fight. I said
nothing unkind of the boys, I spoke of their al-
most perfect record in the past, and of how proud
we all felt that fighting had so long ceased to take
from the good name of our high school ; and that
while we all felt that the fight had hurt us, we must
try the harder to guard ourselves against such
things in the future. The school was with me in
sympathy and so were Al and Walter. Then I
explained what we had agreed upon and asked that
the fight and everything connected with it be drop-
ped as a subject of conversation.

I heard no more of it. Al and Walter kept their
part to the very letter for two months, without a
sour word, or anuopleasant look.

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 125

At the end of the second month I said : ' ' Boys ,
you have regained in every way your place in the
school, and you are free to go and come with the
others."

I was in the high school several years after this
but fighting among the high school boys was never
again clothed with the semblance of respectability.

CHAPTER XVIIl

WASH

Shortly after I began my work in the schools,

I discovered a boy in one of the seventh grades , a
colored boy of about fifteen years of age, who was
very irregular in attendance, the mother always
writing an excuse for him noth withstanding the fact
that when he was not in school he spent much of
his time in the neighborhood of the school appar-
ently loafing.

After consulting with his teacher I was convinced
that there was no good reason for his being absent
so often and I decided that there must be a differ-
ent arrangement and such ' ' excused ' ' truancy
stopped.

A day or two later he was absent from school
again. That day, soon after school opened at
noon, as I was going from the building in which his
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WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 127

school was located, I happened to look down a by-
street and saw my colored boy peeping out of a
door of a planing mill to watch when I should be
out of sight. I said to myself " that boy will from
now on either be in school regularly or spend his
time elsewhere than in the neighborhood of the
school house."

The next morning he was still absent. I went to
see his mother. I talked to her about Wash and
his school work ; how important it was for him to
be there every day, how much he could do if he .
were only regular in attendance. She seemed
pleased that I took so much interest in him but
finally said : " Well, Wash., he don't like his teacher
and he don't like to go to school, so I let him go
errands for me. He's not playing truant, he's
goin' errands."

" But Mrs. T ," said I, " You cannot afford

to work so hard to support Wash, and have him
spend most of his time loafing around the streets.
He could do your errands and still be in school all
day. You and your girls work very hard ; Wash, is
better able to work than any of you, and if he is
not going to be in school to do any good, he had
better get a job of work. Where is he now? "
" O , he has gone down town to get me a spool of
thread," she replied.

128 DIAKY OF A

I told her what I knew to be true, that Wash, was
doing some things while loaring around that would
get him into trouble and that the best thing for her
to do was to help us hold him in school or put him
to work.

But there was nothing to be gained by talking
further with her for she finally said that as he
didn't like his teacher she couldn't make him go to
school. (He had an excellent teacher.)

I left her determined that, while she could not
help me in the least, I would find some other way
to get that boy off the streets and away from the
neighborhood of the schools if I could not get him
to attend school regularly.

As 1 passed down the street I met one of our
city officers, one who had been quite active in help-
ing me enforce the compulsory attendance law ; I
said to him that there were two or three boys,
beyond the compulsory age, hanging around the
neighborhood of the Central School that I would
like to compel either to attend school regularly or
go to work. I then told him of Wash.

He knew the boy only too well and was informed
as to his conduct, which had not been of the best,
by any means. " I'll send him to the reform
school if he does not attend school regularly," said
he, and he meant it. " May I go and tell his

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 129

mother that you said you would send Wash, to the
reform school if he does not attend school every
day? " I asked. " Yes, go and tell her, and if he
does not change his course at once, I'll send him
there in a hurry."

I did not wait to inquire on what grounds he
would commit the boy but I knew that he thought
that he had all the evidence necessary. I lost no

time in delivering the message. " Mrs. T ,"

said I, " Mr. R sent me to tell you that if

Wash, did not at once enter school and attend regu-
larly, he would send him to the reform school."

*' Law goodness," said she, " we don't want him
to go there shoah." " No," said I ; " you do not
for if he goes there it will be a long time before you
see him. The best thing for Wash, is to get liim
into school at once and keep him there." " He'll
be in this afternoon, shoah," renJied she, " and
he'll be there all the time."

I knew that Wash., as well as his mother, would

be frightened when they knew that Mr. B had

made such a threat.

Wash, came to school that afternoon and was
regular in his attendance to the close of the year.

Here was a well-meaning but weak-willed mother,
a mother with no control of her boy. This was the
cHuse of his truancy. Whether or not the medicine
9

130 DIARY OF A

was properly administered, I know not, but I do
know that it at least stayed the ravages of the
disease in his case.

All this was done kindly, so that the family feel
that I am their friend even though they must bend
to my will in school affairs.

CHAPTER XIX

REX

Rex was about ten years old and was working in
a broom factory when school opened. When we
found that he was not in school the truant officer
called at the home to inquire about him. His
mother said that he had work and that she thought
it was her place to say whether or not her boy
should go to school ; that she did not believe in a
law that took the control of her boy out of her hands.
As he did not immediately put in an appearance, I
went with the truant officer to see the mother. She
said he had quit work but she did not know whether
or not he would go to school.

I knew from her strong face that if she said Rex
must go, he would go. I talked with her trying to
lead her to see the importance of her boy's being in
school, appealed to her pride that her boy should

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132 DIARY OF A

have the same show to get along as her neighbor's
boys who were in school, and then kindly but
firmly insisted that there was no question, the boy
must be in school at least four months, the com-
pulsory limit; and I said that I hoped that she
would not make it necessary for me to go to further
trouble to enforce the law.

She agreed to send Rex the next morning but
said after that we would have to take charge of him,
for he did not like to go to school. I knew when
she said he would be there the next morning that
he would come, but I also knew that she did not
expect him to be there every day.

Rex came the next morning and for a number
of days. Then he was reported absent, and the
truant officer looked him up and brought him to
school.

An incident happened at this time that gave me
almost complete control of him, and thus far has
saved all trouble. A thieving man employed Rex
and another boy to steal the brass trimmings off of
a locomotive that was being dismantled, and to
carry them to a place where he dared take posses-
sion of them. He gave the boys a few pennies for
their work. The theft was discovered, the man and
the boys were arrested, and there was talk of send-
ing the boys to the reform school. The man lay

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 133

in jail three months. I investigated the affair,
and knowing all felt that it would not be right to
deal with the boys too severely. I made a plea
privately in behalf of the boys, asking that their
I)arents be instructed that the boys must attend
school regularly or they would be sent to the
reform school ; that the sentence should not be
executed so long as the boys attended school every
day.

My request was granted, the sentence was stayed,
and they were permitted to remain at home during
good behavior.

The boy that played truant plays truant no more,
and the mother sees to it that he is in school.
Among " her class " she is one of my strong sup-
porters in enforcing the law she once tried hard to
evade. My words in favor of giving her boy an-
other trial won her to my side, and made her feel
that I was a friend, and not simply trying to take
away her rights.

CHAPTER XX

CARL AND SOME OTHER BOYS

Carl was twelve years of age ; a bright, sturdy boy.
His mother had died when he was six years old.
For several years after his mother's death he lived
with his grand-parents. They became tired of him,
as he was too self-willed for them to control. Then
his father toolc him to live with him. The father
and the boy lived and kept house for a number of
weeks in a single room. The father is an honest,
hard-working man. As he told me a few weeks
ago, he would get up in the morning, cook their
breakfast and eat his own while the boy was still
asleep. The father is a teamster and is engaged in
hauling hay from the country. After he left in the
morning he saw no more of Carl until noon, when
they ate dinner together ; then he knew no more of
him until evening. In the evening the father Avould
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WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER 135

often go out in town, and Carl, left to himself, did
the same. Do you wonder, that with such home
conditions it was a difficult task to hold him regu-
larly in school?

Frequently he would be reported absent. The tru-
ant officer at first had trouble to find the father, but
when he did find him the father was much worried
about his boy, for he wanted him to be in school
every day. We not only notified the father but the
police as well, so that they would bring Carl in if
found on the street. But for some time he was
more than an equal for his father, the police, and
the truant officer. Before school time in the
morning he would take a dog or two and " skip "
to the country to hunt rabbits.

One evening his father whipped him very severely
and made him promise that he would go to school
the next morning, but it seems the dogs and
rabbits had a greater influence on him than the
whipping, he went hunting.

1 talked with Carl, cultivated his acquaintance,
and tried to find out why he was so determined to
be out of school. All he would say was that he
liked to go to school bad days but would rather go
hunting good days.

He was not an unpleasant boy in school, the only
difficulty was to get him into school. The fact

136 DIARY OF A

that he always went to the country made it hard for
the truant officer to catch him.

I realized all the time that what the boy needed
was a home where some one would look after him.
I finally learned that he had an aunt in town. I
saw her and told her that I thought a good home
would do away with the boy's truancy. She finally
agreed to take him into her home, although she was
not really able to do it. He lived with her for a
number of weeks until his father moved from our
town, and as long as he was with her he never
again played truant.

While working with this boy and studying his
case, I felt that one great need of the State to-day
is parental schools, accessible to districts outside
of the large cities, where habitual truants whose
home conditions are such as to render it almost
impossible to keep them in school, could be sent.
Schools where truants could be sent and no stigma
attach itself to them for having been there. Places
where there would be no suggestion of a criminal
class.
1/ One afternoon four boys were reported absent
from school. Before the day was over the truant
officer brought word that the four boys were spend-
ing the afternoon sunning themselves down by the
railroad just outside the town. They wei'e seventh

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 137

and eighth grade boys. Some one had seen them
and notified the officer. I did not ask him to bring
them in. I knew thej would come of their own
accord in the morning, and that would be the best
time to meet them. They were not habitual
truants.

^ The next morning they were in school. I sent
for them to come to my office one at a time. The
first that came was fourteen years of age, and a
good fellow. I asked him why he was out of school
the afternoon before, how he happened to be out.
He told me the whole story. One boy had dared
the others to stay out of school and he couldn'
take a dare. I then asked if he did not think we
would find it out. He said he knew we would but
he did not " like for the others to back him down."
He then said, " Give me a good whipping, I ought
to have it; so just give it to me; " and he was
ready to take it.

I talked with him a few moments longer and
tried to place a just estimate on the offense and not
to magnify it so that he would think he had com-
mitted an unpardonable crime. Then I told him I
would let him know in the evening what the punish-
ment would be.

One after another I interviewed them. Each
one told me what I knew to be true ; no one tried

138 DIARY OF A

to excuse himself, and each one said that he had
done wrong and ought to suffer the penalty what-
ever I thought it should be.

The one point I aimed at in my talk with them
was to be just, neither underestimating nor over-
estimating the offense. When boys know that we
are just, and our sense of justice must be from a
boy's point of view largely, there is little difficulty
in settling troubles with them.

In the evening I met the four together and sub-
mitted what seemed to me the proper thing to do ;
not to whip them as some of them had suggested,
but to let them remain thirty minutes each evening
until the time lost should be made up. I asked them
if they thought it fair or if they could suggest a
better arrangement, saying that I should be glad to
have them do so if they could. They said it was
all right, that they would be glad to settle it that
way.

1 did not pledge them not to do so again, but
said to them pleasantly as we parted: "Boys, I
hope you will try not to get us into this kind of
trouble again."

Theirs was only a sporadic case of truancy and
I do not know but that it proved a real good ; it
brought the boys and myself into closer touch ; I
saw more real worth in them than I had seen before.

WESTERN SCHOOLMASTER. 139

and as they left my office I could but admire the
real manliness of the boys notwithstanding their
faults.

Three years ago when visiting a school in an east-
ern city I happened to step into a fifth grade room.
I had been there but a moment before I felt the
harsh, forbidding atmosphere. You know you can
feel such things even before understanding the
cause. The teacher's voice was harsh and rasping
as a file. Presently she turned to me and said :
' ' Do you have many bad boys in your school ? ' '
"No," I replied, " very few." "We do," con-
tinued she, " they are most all bad!" Now I
think that if a boy is ever justified in playing
truant it is when he has such a person for his
teacher.

Sometimes I have transferred a boy from one
teacher to another in the same grade, for the sake
of giving him a teacher who could so interest him
that he would cease to play truant. This is a sim-
ple but very effective means of preventing truancy
where the cause is weak parental authority at home,
and a teacher at school who fails to strike the
proper responsive chord in the boy.

In all I have said of these boys and truancy my
one aim has been to bring out the thought that we
must treat each individual case on its own merits.

140 DIARY OF A WI5STERN SCHOOLMASTER.

and that to do this, there must be a clear under-
standing of the causes. It pays in smaller cities
and towns for the superintendent to become per-
sonally acquainted with those who have a tendency
to truancy. Often, if he is a man of warm heart,
his words. do more, much more, than the words of
the teacher toward interesting the boy in his school
work. We, superintendents and teachers, and in
the larger cities principals and teachers, should
know the home conditions in such cases to have
the sympathetic support of parents where it is most
needed. We cannot handle people with tongs and
draw forth the proper response. We must under-
stand and appreciate, from their point of view, the
life they live to be helpful to them.

53

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