When Mr. Harley went to take up his work as superintendent of the
Jamesville High School, he said to a teacher who had served there the
year before: “I believe in preparedness—what was your greatest
disciplinary problem last year?”
[Sidenote: High School Parties]
“Parties, without a doubt,” she replied. “The last party or the coming
party occupied the minds of the students to the exclusion of their
studies. They were out late at night and consequently did mediocre work,
even the brightest of them.”
“Was nothing done to stop party going?”
“Well, you see, many of the parents upheld the pupils in what they
called their social education, so Mr. Turner (the former superintendent)
didn’t try to prohibit parties.”
“I’m glad to have this information,” replied Mr. Harley.
Later, when the pupils were known to be planning a hallowe’en party, Mr.
Harley announced that he would suspend every pupil who attended any
party at any time during the school year, without first securing his
permission, and that such permission would be given only very rarely.
A storm of protest from the pupils was seconded by several mothers, who
called upon Mr. Harley to discuss the social aspect of education.
When, after a nerve-racking day, he told Mrs. Hines, the leading society
woman of the village, that he must carry out his own plans _unaided by
the parents_, he unwisely aroused the opposition of so many of his
patrons that his work in Jamesville was very seriously handicapped and
he resigned at the end of his first year there.