[Sidenote: Greeting the Visitor]
Rose Holden had charge of the Pines Hill district school for the summer
term. Having taught in the same district in another settlement, she was
well known before her school opened. Visitors came in somewhat
frequently, and provision for courteous treatment of them was necessary,
but such as would not disturb the school.
“I wish to make the following announcements about visitors,” she said
one day. “When visitors knock I will meet them at the door. Since there
is no space for them to sit in the back of the room, I shall bring them
to the front and shall introduce them to the school. You will stand and
say together: ‘We are glad to see you, Mrs. ——.’ After that you and the
visitors will take seats and you are to go on with your work. This means
that you are to forget that any stranger is in the room. I shall repeat
these instructions now and then so that all may understand.”
Miss Holden’s pupils all happened to be small children. With an older
class of pupils she would not have requested the formality of rising.
With the little ones, however, the act afforded a brief rest for the
pupils, satisfied their desire to share in greeting the visitors and
made them more willing to return quietly to their study.