Such situations as faced Mr. Frank in the oil town are growing less
common as time passes; in frontier towns they occurred frequently.
Sometimes they occur still; and blessed is that school whose teacher, in
such a crisis, possesses quick wits, a knowledge of psychology, and
dauntless courage.
Mr. Frank did well to check the pupils as he did, when once the school
had reached the state of insubordination indicated in the story above,
but he was very seriously at fault in allowing the school to reach that
stage. His arbitrary handling of the situation undoubtedly was a
victory, but it was the kind of victory which assuredly would breed
contempt and resentment and plotting to “get even” with the man who had
tricked the pupils into an extra half day of study.
In depriving the pupils of what they regarded as a great privilege he
should have had a substitute plan which would have eased somewhat the
disappointment of the pupils. In this plan he should have retained his
rightful place as leader and thus by coöperating heartily in the
pleasure of the pupils, should have fully demonstrated to them that he
desired only their welfare.
So regulating a school as to _prevent_ a crisis is a higher type of
administrative ability than allowing crises to come, and then meeting
them with drastic measures, even though they seemed successful.
Occasionally it happens, even in good schools, that a student commits an
act so serious as to justify his being turned over to the juvenile or
other court. In such a case the principal may sometimes find it to his
advantage to coöperate with the court in trying to reclaim an unusually
bad and daring boy.