[Sidenote: Reforming Habits]
When Miss Carleton first came to teach in the sixth grade in East
Orange, New Jersey, she was warned that certain little girls in her room
had the habit of talking to the teacher whenever they could get an
opportunity. They enjoyed loitering around the teacher whose place Miss
Carleton had taken, because they thought it was her duty to listen to
everything they had to say. As a consequence, they literally ruled the
room.
“Miss Kimball says ...” and “Miss Kimball says ...” they would remark as
if they were the appointed interpreters of Miss Kimball.
Miss Carleton made an immediate decision that she would show the
children by her actions that she did not intend to waste valuable time
listening to their empty talk.
As usually happens with a new teacher, she was surrounded by a group of
girl leaders at the close of the first session.
“Do you bring your lunch, Miss Carleton?”
“Did you know our room is going to give a set of books to the library
this year?”
“That will be lovely,” Miss Carleton politely replied to the last
question, as the first one had been immediately superseded by the
second.
She then stood to arrange her desk in a businesslike manner, implying
that the present moment offered no opportunity for further discussion.
Immediately she went to her wardrobe, saying as she did so, “I take it
for granted you all brought your lunches. I hope you will enjoy them.
You might move the waste basket a little nearer your desks so that it
will be convenient for your papers and fruit skins.
“When I come back from lunch I shall expect to see each one of you out
in the school yard. It is a beautiful day for a game of Hop Scotch.
“Good-bye.”
So Miss Carleton tactfully mastered the situation of the first day.