_Which has been the most Benefercent Influence on Character--Punishment
or Reward?_
This truly dreadful question was given us by Dr. Moses when he visited
school today. He is a School Committee; not a whole one but I do not
know the singular number of him. He told us we could ask our families
what they thought, though he would rather we wouldn't, but we must write
our own words and he would hear them next week.
After he went out and shut the door the scholars were all plunged in
gloom and you could have heard a pin drop. Alice Robinson cried and
borrowed my handkerchief, and the boys looked as if the schoolhouse had
been struck by lightning. The worst of all was poor Miss Dearborn, who
will lose her place if she does not make us better scholars soon, for
Dr. Moses has a daughter all ready to put right in to the school and she
can board at home and save all her wages. Libby Moses is her name.
Miss Dearborn stared out the window, and her mouth and chin shook like
Alice Robinson's, for she knew, ah! all too well, what the coming week
would bring forth.
Then I raised my hand for permission to speak, and stood up and said:
“Miss Dearborn, don't you mind! Just explain to us what 'benefercent'
means and we'll write something real interesting; for all of us know
what punishment is, and have seen others get rewards, and it is not so
bad a subject as some.” And Dick Carter whispered, “_Good on your head,
Rebecca!_” which meant he was sorry for her too, and would try his best,
but has no words.
Then teacher smiled and said benefercent meant good or healthy for
anybody, and would all rise who thought punishment made the best
scholars and men and women; and everybody sat stock still.
And then she asked all to stand who believed that rewards produced the
finest results, and there was a mighty sound like unto the rushing of
waters, but really was our feet scraping the floor, and the scholars
stood up, and it looked like an army, though it was only nineteen,
because of the strong belief that was in them. Then Miss Dearborn
laughed and said she was thankful for every whipping she had when
she was a child, and Living Perkins said perhaps we hadn't got to the
thankful age, or perhaps her father hadn't used a strap, and she said
oh! no, it was her mother with the open hand; and Dick Carter said he
wouldn't call that punishment, and Sam Simpson said so too.
I am going to write about the subject in my Thought Book first, and when
I make it into a composition, I can leave out anything about the family
or not genteel, as there is much to relate about punishment not pleasant
or nice and hardly polite.
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