[Sidenote: Sulks]
(1) _Stubbornness due to an unwise parent._ Olive Montgomery was an only
and a spoiled child. She had a sunny temper usually, but there were
times when her face was clouded, her brows contracted, her lips
protruded and her whole attitude one of gloomy defiance. At such times
her mother was wont to say, “When Olive looks like that, there’s no use
to try to do anything with her. You just have to let her alone until she
gets over it.” In spite of the fact that her mother unintentionally
strengthened this trait she was outgrowing it somewhat, because of the
daily association with other children.
When she was twelve years old there was one day on which she was
especially tried.
She had attended a party the night before. Miss Rhodes, her teacher, had
found fault with her for not knowing her lessons. She had borrowed
Miriam Sharpe’s problems in arithmetic to copy and lost them. Miriam
threatened her with exposure if she didn’t return the problems. She now
borrowed Lucy Partridge’s problems and was expecting to stay in at
recess and make one copy of them for herself and one for Miriam. She was
angered at the thought of losing her recess, and moreover was tired and
half ill.
When Miss Rhodes said, “Put your books in order,” Olive sat up but left
her arithmetic open on her desk. This book she placed there to hide the
fact that she had been copying and to give a pretense of original work.
Miss Rhodes said, “Olive, put your books in order.” Olive began to pout
and did not obey; when the others arose to pass out she remained in her
seat. “Olive, you must go out and play with the rest,” said Miss Rhodes.
Olive sat inactive, with a defiant look upon her face.
As Miss Rhodes started toward her she hastily concealed Lucy’s paper but
settled more defiantly into her seat. Miss Rhodes now said, “Olive,
don’t you hear me?” No answer. “Olive, I am talking to you,” in a
sterner tone, “you must go out and play.” Still no response. “Olive, you
_must_ put your desk in order. If you don’t I’ll punish you.” Olive gave
no sign of hearing this threat.
Miss Rhodes took from her desk a ruler and told Olive to put out her
hand. Olive sat like a statue of gloom personified. Finally, Miss Rhodes
seized her hand and struck the palm with the ruler. A few tears slid
over Olive’s cheeks but that was the only visible effect of the stroke.
Puzzled Miss Rhodes again struct her hand two sharp blows. Still Olive
scarcely moved.
Anger showed plainly in the teacher’s voice and face. Brute force was
going to settle the question of which was to be the winner. Miss Rhodes
slammed the arithmetic into the desk; in doing so the lost arithmetic
paper fell, name uppermost, at her feet. She was too blinded by anger to
see it. She jerked Olive out of the seat and literally put her out of
the room. She thought her duty was _well done_!
Olive felt greatly “insulted” by the treatment she had received. She
used her influence to have Miss Rhodes dubbed “Miss Highway” when she
seemed especially lofty to her pupils and “Miss Alley” when she reproved
them. These nicknames were shortened to the deaf and dumb A and H and
were soon signalled back and forth across the room by all the pupils. It
was impossible for Miss Rhodes to build up confidence and a coöperative
atmosphere in the face of this great obstacle.