[Sidenote: Recitation]
(2) _Stubbornness due to fear._ Miss Scott taught in the country at
District No. 10. She was hearing a geography class recite when Mr.
Blanden, a director, came to visit the school. Miss Scott was nervous
herself and so the pupils were ill at ease.
“What’s the capital of Oklahoma?” she asked.
Susie Fry, who stood trembling ready to recite, couldn’t remember.
“What! Don’t you know that!” exclaimed Miss Scott. “Who does know?”
No hands went up. Everybody was embarrassed.
“It can’t be possible that none of you know that!” she said as she
quickly pointed a threatening finger at Elmer and said, “What is the
capital of Oklahoma?” All eyes turned toward Elmer. He instinctively
slid down a little lower in his seat and said nothing.
“Elmer, stand up and recite,” said Miss Scott in a threatening tone.
Elmer looked dogged and defiant but made no effort to stand. Miss Scott
repeated her command. Elmer stubbornly remained silent. She then went to
him and not very gently stood him on his feet and pushed him up beside
her desk and went on with the recitation.
Greatly exasperated, she struggled on with the lesson and wondered at
Elmer’s unusual stubbornness.