Had Miss Eastman analyzed the situation before resorting to bodily
punishment, she might have found a better solution of her problem. In
this case, the boy’s action was founded on a legitimate cause of
irritation. It was Miss Eastman’s place to find out this cause and
remedy the matter at once.
But supposing the act had been committed for sheer meanness. It would
have been better, even so, to have changed the boy’s seat immediately,
without stressing the reason for doing so.
The fact that a boy in Miss Eastman’s room would feel free to make the
statement, “Gee! that’ll break you up,” was an index to the general
attitude of the pupils. Her answer to the boy’s remark was excuse in
itself for further talking back on their part.
Do not expect to cure rudeness with more rudeness.
(7) _Impudent replies._ Impudence is a form of disrespect which is hard
to deal with from the fact that it seems to be a definite personal
attack upon the teacher with a set purpose to belittle her opinions.
Because of its clearly understood purpose it is likely to anger the
teacher. This direct attack upon her authority as a scholar or
disciplinarian does not appear where the teacher has used correct
methods in accordance with the principle of initiative in coöperation.