We have in French an old proverb that says: "It's no use trying to teach an old monkey how to make faces."
The best testimonial in favor of a school-master is that the boys should be able to say of him: "It's no use trying this or that with him; he always knows what we are up to."
How is he to know what his pupils are "up to" if he has not himself been "up to" the same tricks and games?
The base of all strategy is the perfect knowledge of all the roads of the country in which you wage war.
To be well up in all the ways and tricks of boys is to be aware of all the moves of the enemy.
It is an awful moment when, for the first time, you take your seat in front of forty pairs of bright eyes that are fixed upon you, and seem to say:
"Well, what shall it be? Do you think you can keep us in order, or are we going to let you have a lively time of it?"
All depends on this terrible moment. Your life will be one of comfort, and even happiness, or one of utter wretchedness.
Strike the first blow and win, or you will soon learn that if you do not get the better of the lively crew they will surely get the better of you.