[Sidenote: Seats Near the Front]
Miss Taylor of Allenton used this method to reduce the amount of
whispering. She arranged a seat on each side of the room near the front
for the use of those who needed special help in the matter of
self-control necessary to prevent whispering. Since every desk was
occupied she placed a sewing table against the wall on either side in
front for desks, and used camp chairs for seats. At these tables she
allowed children to sit who needed an environmental help in securing
self-control. She made it very clear that this was not punishment; it
was simply help to enable the child to do what he himself wanted to
accomplish. Her whole attitude was that of solicitude for the best
welfare of the two who had the additional help of isolation to teach
them self-control. Those who occupied these seats were aided by giving
them helpful surroundings in place of those fraught with temptation.
When pupils have reached the high school age, if former training has
failed to give them enough self-control to make them refrain from
whispering at least they will be able to see the reasonableness of
silence in both the study and recitation rooms.
Here special honors and privileges may well be granted to those who are
silent if only the teacher makes it clear that a reward for the exercise
of self-control is just as legitimate as a diploma for courses in study
completed. Indeed a badge of honor won through self-imposed restriction
in this matter is an index of real merit, and the tactful teacher can
easily show the pupil that this is the case.
Much of the trouble about whispering here, as in the grades, arises from
pure thoughtlessness, selfishness or self-esteem.
(2) _Talking aloud; talking too much; talking without permission._