This effort at reform needs system. Adopt the simple rule that only one
person at a time will be given permission to leave the room. Ask that
each request be presented by first raising the hand. _If your pupils
respond readily to your management_ you may sometimes trust them to
write the name on the board near the door instead of asking permission
vocally. This plan, however, is more suitable to the high school, and
even then supervision of the privilege must not be relaxed.
If you do have pupils write their names on the blackboard, upon their
return, require them to note after their names the number of minutes
they were absent and let them make up this “lost time” at intermission.
In case any pupil insistently leaves the room more often than you would
expect, institute an inquiry as to his physical health. Ask the family
physician or the mother for this information. In order to cut off the
bad effects of his example before the other pupils, you can pass the
word about, privately, that the doctor has asked you to give Tom or Mary
several interruptions of study during the day.