[Sidenote: Staring at Visitors]
The Mapleton primary room was in the hands of a genius for the first
time in years. Miss Tenney was in her first year of teaching, but had
put into it an uncommon amount of vim and sense. She sifted out the best
things from new methods and put them through with tact.
As a consequence, early in the year, visitors began to drop in and
observe her work. They were looking for her weak spot and found it: the
boys and girls could not stick to their work when visitors were present.
For example, Miss Tenney was reported to have said in Mrs. Wm. Van
Kirk’s presence:
“Walter and Clarence, go on with your work now.” “Eleanor and Pearl,
don’t look that way. Look at your book.” “You must go right on with your
school work.”
It was such a delicate matter to handle that no one dared speak to her
about it, so the unfortunate and unnecessary situation is prevalent to
this day.