Miss Nelson, the eighth grade teacher, had the reputation of being
“stiff.” She assigned long, hard lessons every day, and her examinations
were nightmares to her scholars. But she was near-sighted and her pupils
had formed the habit of cheating—peeping into the book during a
recitation, and helping each other in tests.
Gertrude Hayes entered the eighth grade long after the year’s work had
begun. She had been there a week only when Miss Nelson gave the class a
particularly hard examination in geography.
“How did you answer the third question?” was written on a slip of paper
handed to Gertrude by her neighbor across the aisle.
Gertrude went on writing, paying no heed.
[Sidenote: Refused to Cheat]
“I’ve got the exports of the South written on a piece of paper. Do you
want it?” whispered the boy back of her.
Gertrude shook her head.
The next day in history class she was called on to give the details of
Sherman’s march to the sea, which was in the latter part of the
assignment. Before the class was called she had told Grace, who sat in
front of her, that she hadn’t read all the lesson.
While Gertrude was thinking what answer she could make, Grace opened her
book at the page on Sherman’s march, pointing with her pencil to the
lines which would help Gertrude out.
“I don’t know,” said Gertrude, and saw a 0 go down in the class book for
that day’s recitation.
Grace looked at Gertrude in round-eyed astonishment. At noon she asked,
“Why in the world didn’t you let me help you in history class? She’s as
blind as a bat and wouldn’t know it.”
“Because I didn’t have my lesson and I wasn’t going to cheat about it.”
Grace felt rather uncomfortable and decided that she wouldn’t let
Gertrude see her cheat after this, anyway.
Before long everyone in the room knew that Gertrude never had cheated
and couldn’t be persuaded to do so. Several of the girls followed her
example and refused to help or be helped when it was not fair. By the
end of the year cheating in the eighth grade was still carried on, but
surreptitiously, for those who still cheated were ashamed of their
dishonesty and were anxious to be thought as honorable as their
classmates who had given it up.
Thus was a new standard of honor set up in the eighth grade room by the
persevering honesty of one little girl. To the credit of Miss Nelson it
should be said that quietly she had taken note of Gertrude’s conduct and
influence. There was no public demonstration, but by silent
communication and little individual signs Gertrude was made fully aware
that she held the fullest esteem and confidence of her teacher.