[Sidenote: Simultaneous Absences]
In the Normal (Ill.) public schools there were twelve rooms. Miss
Haybarger had the sixth room. Soon after the opening of school in the
fall, a most obnoxious situation arose because from three to twelve
pupils were released continually. There were enough pupils out of the
rooms to meet on the grounds and indulge in games. Miss Haybarger
decided to save her pupils from this misdemeanor by insisting that only
one pupil leave the room at a time and that all “time lost” should be
made up. She reported that some days passed in which there was not a
single request for permission to leave the room.
This result can be further explained by the fact that every minute of
school time was filled with carefully planned and interesting work. Her
general manner made work and diligence the only possible order of the
day.
Epidemics of leaving the room are especially trying whenever a
substitute has charge of a room. If a regular teacher has good control
of his room he should send a note to the pupils, to be read to them by
the substitute, in which he says something like the following:
“I am sorry not to be with you today. Be even more considerate of the
substitute teacher than you have been toward me. I am expecting a fine
report from him as to your behavior today.”
This message will do much to stop irregularities. In case the children
are inclined to take advantage of the regular teacher, the following
case will be a helpful study.