[Sidenote: A Rush to Windows]
When the fire engines rushed by the Shields High School, as by common
consent the pupils rose in their seats and rushed to the east windows,
Frederick Hersey, keeper of the study hour, gasped in amazement relieved
only by the fact that he noticed that some of his pupils seemed a little
hesitant to take advantage of the excitement.
As soon as the interest waned he said, “You may now take your seats.”
Further than this no comment was made.
At the first opportunity, he asked Laura Blank how it came about that
the pupils of the school rushed to the windows without permission. After
fencing a short time, she said:
“Last year our teachers let us watch the engines and big auto trucks go
by and so we just ran to the windows.”
[Sidenote: Utilize Class Officers]
In order to handle the matter speedily and effectively, after being
informed of the facts, the principal summoned the four class presidents,
and gave them an opportunity to coöperate with him about breaking up
school work out of foolish curiosity.
“The school acted like four-year-old children. If for no other reason
than for the sake of discipline in case of accident, we must try some
way to correct this custom. I want to ask you class presidents if you
will mention the matter at your next meeting and get the pupils to agree
that we shall have no such breaking away from good order for any
reason.”
After some parleying back and forth the idea was adopted by the classes
and later put into effect. No public mention was ever made of the
principal’s decision and attitude on the matter, nor was there need of
any such announcement.