登陆注册
5184900000093

第93章 THE QUESTION OF DISCIPLINE(2)

I finally resorted to the plan of taking the young man away and letting the young ladies be without their guard.This has resulted most satisfactorily.The order has been much better,and while I cannot say that we are free from disorder,nothing like the state of things that before existed now obtains.The manager of the Settlement House overheard a gang of these very bad boys consulting on the street a few nights ago,something in this wise:'Come,boys,let's go to the library for some fun!'Another boy said,'Who's there?'The reply was,'Oh!only Miss Y----;don't let's bother her,'and the raid was not made.Of course we have done everything ordinary and extraordinary that we know about in the way of trying to interest the boys and having a large number of assistants to be among them and watch them,but nothing has succeeded so well as to put the girls alone in the place and let things take their course."The experience of another librarian also furnishes much food for thought.She writes:"I could almost say I am glad that others have trouble with that imp of darkness,the small boy.Much as Ilove him,there are times when extermination seems the only solution of the difficulty.However,our children's room is a paradise to what it was a year ago,and so I hope.The only thing is to know each boy as well as possible,something of his home and school,if he will tell you about them.The assistants make a point of getting acquainted when only a few children are in.This winter I wrote to the parents of several of the leaders,telling them I could not allow the children in the library unless the parents would agree to assist me with the discipline.This meant that about six boys have not come back to us.I was sorry,but after giving the lads a year's trial I decided there was no use in making others suffer for their misdeeds.A severe punishment is to forbid the boys a 'story hour.'They love this and will not miss an evening unless compelled to remain away.To give some of the worst boys a share in the responsibility of caring for the room often creates a feeling of ownership which is wholesome.Our devices are as numerous and unique as the boys themselves.Some of them would seem absurd to an outsider.The unexpected always happens;firmness,sympathy and ingenuity are the virtues required and occasionally the added dignity of a policeman,who makes himself quite conspicuous,once in a while."Another reply is a follows:"Miss C----has turned over your inquiry concerning unruly boys to me to answer.I protested that every boy that made a disturbance was to me a special problem--and very difficu

<and I can't tell what we do with unruly boys as a class.I remember I had a theory that children were very susceptible to courtesy and gentleness,and I meant to control the department by teaching the youngsters SELF control and a proper respect for the rights of the others who wanted to study in peace and quiet.I never went back on my theory;but occasionally,of a Saturday afternoon,when there were a hundred children or more and several teachers in the room and I was trying to answer six questions a minute,I did have to call in our impressive janitor.He sat near the gate and looked over the crowd and when he scowled the obstreperous twelve-year-olds made themselves less conspicuous.A policeman sometimes wandered in,but I disliked to have to resort to the use of muscular energy.Ilearned the names of the most troublesome boys and gradually collected quite a bit of information about them,their addresses,where they went to school,their favorite authors,who they seemed 'chummy'with,etc.,and when they found I didn't intend to be needlessly disagreeable and wasn't always watching for mischief,but credited them with honor and friendly feelings,Ithink some of them underwent a change of heart.I made a point of bowing to them on the street,talking to them and especially getting them to talk about their books;had them help me hang the bulletins and pictures,straighten up the books etc.Twice an evil spirit entered into about a dozen of the boys and my patience being kin to the prehistoric kind that 'cometh quickly to an end,'after a certain point,I gave their names to the librarian,who wrote to their parents.That settled things for a while and they got out of the habit of talking so much.A serious conversation with one boy ended with the request that he stay from the library altogether for a month and when he came back he would begin a new slate.Once,within a week,he came in,or started to,when I caught his eye.Then he beckoned to another boy and I think a transaction of some kind took place so that he got his book exchanged.But he saw I meant what I said.The day after the month was up he appeared,we exchanged a friendly smile and I had no more trouble with him."We deem the question of banishment a serious one.Unruly boys are often just the ones that need the influence of the library most in counteracting the ofttimes baneful influence of a sordid home life.It is a good thing,morally,to get hold of such boys at an early age and to win their interest in and attendance at the library rather than at places of low resort.To withhold a boy's card may also be considered a doubtful punishment--driving the young omnivorous reader to the patronage of the "underground travelling library"with its secret stations and patrons.Before suspension or expulsion is resorted to,the librarian should clearly distinguish between thoughtless exuberance of spirits and downright maliciousness."If we only had a boys'room,"plaintively writes one sympathetic librarian,"where we could get them together without disturbing their elders and could thus let them bubble over with their 'animal spirits'without infringing on other people,I believe we could win them for good."A number of librarians,however,report no difficulty in dealing with the young folks.Some state that the children easily fall into the general spirit of the place and are quiet and studious.

同类推荐
  • 曹家档案史料

    曹家档案史料

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 物异

    物异

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • DAVID COPPERFIELD

    DAVID COPPERFIELD

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 太清中黄真经

    太清中黄真经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 跌打损伤方

    跌打损伤方

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 异界之持刀魔法师

    异界之持刀魔法师

    法师未必拿个极品的法杖就牛叉,而拿刀的也未必就是战士,念个初级魔法太集中的话就成禁咒了,在魔法阵面前一不小心就弄出个神了,虽然那些叫矮人的矬子对于铸造方面的实力很高,魔晶炮跟火铳都一桶一桶的,对于石头来说,那太浪费魔核了,随便弄点火药不就成了,光明教廷的人想在自己的领地里盖教堂,行!不过要交纳占地费。让领地的人信仰光明神?靠!老子就是神,你丫的光明神过界了知道不。石头曰:魔法师拿刀,神仙也没招。
  • 了不起的骷髅

    了不起的骷髅

    这些是发生在春天的故事。蓝宝石别墅里隐藏着许多不可告人的秘密。神秘的L卡到底是干什么的,夜幕下的肮脏交易能否被马飞飞和他的哥们识破?凯恩到底是什么人?本书会带你在童话王国里体验冒险之旅。
  • 皇上拐妻娘子别逃

    皇上拐妻娘子别逃

    她是他的救命恩人,他是她的青梅竹马,可惜命运多舛,原本以为可以逃得过他的手掌心,可是到头来只有无措的伤痛;最后却只有那一句:“云瑶;无论你逃到哪里,都是我慕容燚的女人。”――她会和谁在一起?是他,还是他……
  • 尸语末世沉浮

    尸语末世沉浮

    那些枭雄那些传说般的丰功伟绩从未距离一个普通人如此之近。很显然主角不是“超人”他想要的不多只是简单的生活缠绕世界的蛇吐出了它的“信子”世界被丧尸吞没,沉浸在刺骨的毒液中!一种病毒席卷了世界,科学家告诉人们,那不是病毒,而是上帝的甘露。它名为clgon李树,全身都是clgon!-------------------------------------鉴于广泛听取读者的意见(可以帮作者取名哦),我建了一个qq群:979778975感谢大家的支持和意见。
  • 六瑞风云决之万兽无缰

    六瑞风云决之万兽无缰

    平静的中土,再次万兽横行。英雄已逝,看今朝,谁能力挽狂澜?只有至强者才能直抵神境!
  • 7S倍速记忆法

    7S倍速记忆法

    本书可以为那些还在“学海”中苦苦挣扎的学子们和总抱怨自己记性不好的人们送去一叶带领他们脱离“苦海”的方舟!同时也顺便把那些勤奋上进,超越自我的人们捎到理想的彼岸!乘坐在“超级”号快轮上的人们都将迅速、顺利地到达目的地!本书集中了目前世界上最著名的记忆力提升训练专家们的最佳成果,根据他们的理念开发出最有效的提升训练方案,按照本书中的方法去行动,你将可以成倍提高记忆力。
  • 天香

    天香

    生在公卿之家,自幼不得父母喜爱,就算不能呼风唤雨、改朝换代,能够不愁吃穿、自在享乐,也算投个好胎了吧。然而事实上,生活永远比她想象中要跌宕起伏、惊险刺激。作为短命的太子妃,哦,不,前太子妃,怎么可能违逆本心,忍辱苟生?别人越希望她过得不好,她就越要与命抗争。总有一天,比所有人都好!
  • 地球的终结

    地球的终结

    《地球的终结》,本书以通俗的语言介绍了地球所能面临的各种天外灾难。
  • 虎爪案

    虎爪案

    虎,自古人称“兽中王”,威风凛凛,势不可挡。虎在生物科学中属哺乳纲,食肉目,猫科。其头大而圆,二目灼灼有逼人之光,体长约1.4米至2米多,尾长1.1米左右,整体呈淡黄色或褐色,间有美丽的、闪光的黑色横纹。它的“横扫乾坤”的尾巴上,有奇特的环状花纹;背部的颜色较浓重,其唇、颌、腹侧和四肢内侧均呈白色。
  • 丹心射天狼

    丹心射天狼

    谁说“崖山之后无中华”?且看一群中华儿女如何守卫中华之魂。丑未必真丑,俊未必真俊。善未必真善,恶未必真恶。是未必真是,非未必真非。一个好看的元朝武侠故事写给你。