[Sidenote: Breaking An Old Habit]
When Miss Lucas took charge of the fifth grade room in the Henry Clay
Grammar School, Lexington, Kentucky, she was informed on the first day
that the children were accustomed to speak to one another without
permission. As this was often annoying, especially when three or four
spoke at once, she decided that this must not be.
When, the following morning, she saw Lola Mossman, a girl of exquisite
manner, walk over to the desk of Bernice Bryant, evidently to ask her
about a lesson, Miss Lucas waited until the close of the period, when
she spoke to Lola in private.
“Is it the custom in this school, Lola, for the pupils to speak to one
another during a study period without permission?”
“Yes, Miss Lucas.”
“I am sure the whole room will be less disturbed if we form the habit of
asking permission before we speak.
“If you need to find out something about a lesson, you should have
permission to speak. I will willingly grant it; but do not ask to speak
when you see someone else talking. It is disturbing to the other pupils
to have two persons speaking at a time.”
Through Lola Mossman and one or two other pupils as a medium, the
children soon discovered that Miss Lucas expected them to ask permission
before speaking.