In high school it is necessary to steer a safe course between
suppression of legitimate pleasures and attacks on ill-mannered customs
made half-heartedly because of dread of colliding with school sentiment.
Mr. Wingate should not have attempted so broad an inquiry in so public a
manner. It would have been quite sufficient for the moment if he had
said, “Emma, will you please conceal this candy until later? It is too
attractive to be safe.”
If there were no grievous interruptions of school work, decisive action
should have been deferred until profitable conversations had given Mr.
Wingate an opportunity of developing definitely some sentiment upon the
obnoxious habit. This could be begun the very same day on which he
encountered the row of candy on Emma’s desk, but owing to the desire of
high school girls very generally to make a good appearance in public,
Mr. Wingate might readily attempt to cure the ills of his own school by
a series of definite lessons on good manners.
Link this up with instruction in domestic science, so as to give it due
emphasis and dignity. Make it evident that eating is to take place only
at the table or under circumstances where the entire group enters
without embarrassment into the pleasure of the occasion.