1.At what hour is the discipline most difficult?
Discipline is most difficult during the busiest time,the evening,our branch libraries being open until 9o'clock.
2.With what ages do you have the most trouble?
The greatest trouble is with children from 10-16.
3.With boys or girls,or both?
Both boys and girls,but the greatest trouble with boys.
4.Are the scholars from the High School a special trouble?
It depends on the district in which the branch is situated and the social conditions of the people visiting the branch.
5.Do any use the library as a meeting place,or kind of club?
This also depends largely on the district.
6.Do they come in such numbers that they over-run the library and keep the older people away because of the consequent confusion,noise,and lack of room?
No,excepting under conditions produced by bad planning of buildings.
7.Do you ever ask for help in the discipline--from the trustees,police,or others?
The branches which have guards have less difficulty in discipline,otherwise in some of the crowded districts the janitors and police are occasionally called in.
8.Do the teachers help by talking to the scholars on the necessity of behavior in public places?
As far as our knowledge goes,only occasionally.
9.Have you ever addressed the schools on this topic?
No,with one exception,where it proved satisfactory.
10.Do you ever send unruly children (either older or younger ones)home?If so,with what result in the case of the individual?With what effect on the whole problem?For how long do you suspend a child?What are the terms on which he can return?
(a)We always send unruly children home,procuring their name and address first whenever possible.If we have to send the same child from the room frequently,a letter is sent to the parent stating the reason.(b)This has worked well with but three exceptions in four years.The crucial point is to find the name of the child.(c)We have never suspended a child for more than two months unless he were arrested for misbehavior.(d)An apology to the librarian and good behavior following.
(Hazelwood)
We send children from the library.
In this district we have two classes of disorderly children.
Those who came from homes where they have had no restraint of any sort,and have too recently come to the library to have acquired reading-room manners;and those who know very well how to conduct themselves,but enjoy making a disturbance.We do our best to help the former to learn how to conduct themselves quietly--the essential means of course is to interest them in books and to make them feel the friendliness of the room.But when a child of the second class is disorderly,he is first made to sit quite by himself;if he is persistently noisy,he is sent from the room.
The length of time he is suspended depends on his previous conduct and on the offense in question;from a day to a month or more.A child usually behaves like an angel when he first comes back after being out of the library for any length of time.
We have a good many restless children,especially in winter,whom it is difficult to interest in reading,but who enjoy pictures.
And we have found it useful to have plenty of copies of especially interesting numbers of illustrated magazines like Outing and World's Work to give them.And we have a desk list of especially interesting illustrated books that we find useful for these children.(East Liberty)Mr.Walter L.Brown,Buffalo,N.Y.
Our work,even in the branches,does not offer much suggestion so far as library discipline is concerned.I have talked the matter over with all those having charge of the branches,the work with the children in the main library,and the depositories at the settlement houses,and they all agree,without hesitation,that they are having no trouble whatever with the children of any size.
The William Ives Branch,which is in the district occupied by the Polish and German people,had some trouble when it occupied a store opening on the street.For a few weeks after this branch was opened,the rough boys in the neighborhood bothered by shouting,throwing things in the doors,and forming in large crowds around the front of the building.The police helped out by giving us a guard for a brief period.As soon as the novelty of the library had worn off,and the children began actually to use the books and get acquainted with the attendants,all trouble seemed to stop.
We also had some trouble at one of the depositories when it was first opened,this being in a rather unruly district in the lower part of the city.All is now quiet here,and has been for a number of years.
The consensus of opinion of our staff seems to be that when any slight disturbance,which is all that we ever have now,occurs that it is caused by one,two,or three boys.The problem of preventing its repetition is solved by recognizing these boys,and when matters are quiet,having a talk with them,gaining their confidence and friendship.This,of course,is after any punishment is administered.This has been done in a number of instances,and has always been successful.Some of the library's best friends among the older boys have been gained in this way.
The only discipline that is exerted is by sending the children away from the library,and if they are told that they must stay away for two or three days or a week,this is final and they are not allowed to return until the time has expired.If a child is using the Library,this seems to be all the punishment that is necessary.
We should say that in a library where there is any continued trouble with the young people,it is not their fault,but the fault of the library,and we should solve it by changing the library methods.
Miss Clara F.Baldwin,Minnesota.
