“I—don’t—know,” without a smile. “Henry, you surely know what caused you to laugh. What was it?” Then glibly but without a smile came Henry’s reply. “O yes, I remember. I was just thinking what would happen if Mr. Finley (superintendent, weighing two hundred and fifty pounds) should back off the platform there sometime when he’s walking around so fast.” “You should be at work, Henry,” was all that Miss Gresham could utter at the time. The chief reason for her weak response was she had drawn the attention of half the pupils and a general titter arose at Henry’s reply chiefly because of his absolute composure of countenance. Henry did not care so much for mischief for its own sake. His chief sport was attracting the attention of other pupils and getting the teacher into a mild predicament by setting a sort of disciplinary trap for her. CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT Avoid asking such questions as, What made you laugh? Why did you do it? etc., except privately. Even then unless you are reasonably sure of a satisfactory answer to these questions you may complicate your case by so doing instead of helping it toward a solution. Pass over details of causes which pupils most often allude to and lay hold of the prime provocation for bad order. Use your power of analysis and apply an effective remedy. Henry needs an abundance of heavy but interesting work. Bear down so deep into his interest in geology that he cannot menace your loyalty to him by trifling with you in respect to discipline. Treat him so squarely, frankly, generously that his respect for you will be an unremitting check on small misdemeanors. COMMENTS Pupils may not know what to answer when asked, “Why did you do so and so?” The truth is the causes are numerous. The last cause may have been the stumbling of one pupil over another one’s foot. But another cause lies behind this—disrespect for the teacher; behind this, fondness for another teacher. Why does a pupil act in a certain fashion? He is underfed, improperly clothed, irritated from insufficient sleep—these are all proper answers to the question, “Why?” Hence, every time the query is put a teacher runs the risk of provoking a worse situation and yet of gaining nothing from the inquisition. ILLUSTRATION Superintendent Finley called Henry in after his little one-act play in the assembly room and the following interview occurred. [Sidenote: Gymnasium] “I have some facts about your affairs in the study period, Henry, that need to be cleared up. Yesterday you are said to have denied making faces when the fact was you had been guilty.” [Sidenote: Remedy] “Well, I’ll tell you just how it was. I was at my desk. Miss Gresham thought something was off-color and came down to see me. I told her I didn’t know and then I recalled and answered her. The pupils looked on and laughed. Miss Gresham was nettled, I suppose. She walked down the aisle, stopped at Ellen’s desk, her back to me, and said to Ellen,