[Sidenote: Visiting Poolroom]
Several boys from the London eighth grade were reported to be
frequenting the poolroom. The question was who planned and led the
fellows in breaking the school rules and the State laws.
The teacher easily ascertained that three particular boys were in the
company, but there were others and the chief offender was not yet named.
Superintendent McMadsen took hold of the situation. He met the three
boys and said:
“Now we are not planning any sort of punishment, even though the law
permits it. We want everybody to speak frankly and talk the matter over
freely. You boys are old enough to be summoned as witnesses and made to
tell who was with you in the poolroom. But that isn’t the best way.
“The proper thing to do is for you and me to come to an agreement as to
what we should do about this matter in the future. Then I want you to
tell the other boys also to come to me and talk the matter out.”
The matter lay for a week before the last boy appeared. The talks were
brief, but the moral victory of individual action on the issue was worth
the patient delay.