Learning to Be a Schoolmaster

by Thomas R. Cole

Not long ago a teacher asked me in what manner a person with executive ability has the best opportunity of showing it. I replied, “Ask your principal for the privilege of taking charge of some school activity.” I dare say more principals and superintendents have been found through their ability to handle student activities than in any other way. Too often teachers who are really capable of doing executive work object to this extra duty and thereby miss the opportunity of demonstrating their real capacity for leadership. They also lose at the same time one of the most fruitful and pleasant experiences in school work. I could give many illustrations of teachers who have “found themselves” through being associated with student enterprises.

Some superintendents feel that student activities are a waste of time, and in a measure this is likely to be true unless the activities are carefully supervised.

In one of the towns where I was superintendent, the school had had no student activities during the preceding year except football and baseball. The teams had been coached by an outsider who was intensely interested in having a winning team but cared little for the value of athletics to the boys or to the school. With this condition in mind, I called the boys together and asked them how it would appeal to them if we formed an athletic association and had rules governing athletics similar to those followed in the larger towns in that vicinity. The boys agreed to the plan and elected a committee to prepare a set of rules that were to be submitted to them for approval. After a couple of meetings, the committee outlined the rules in accordance with the general high school athletic regulations, and they were formally adopted.

The results of the formation of the association were threefold: First, good scholarship and deportment were required of all pupils who participated in athletics. Second, no money could be expended except with the approval of the faculty adviser. Third, the coaching of all athletic teams was placed under the direction of the superintendent. The last point did not necessarily eliminate the assistance that might be secured from outside coaches, provided they were made directly responsible to the school.

The new plan for athletics worked splendidly with the exception of a few vigorous protests from boys who were debarred from playing on account of poor scholarship. Sufficient money was saved during the year to pay back the amount that had been advanced for athletic supplies and we were able to complete equipments for first and second football teams for the succeeding fall. The boys were proud of this accomplishment and when I occasionally hear from some of them, they often remark, “We put —— on the map in athletics.”

The second activity needed was a “literary society.” There had been no such organization in the school for five years. The janitor told me that the last literary society had ended in a “rough-house” and he hoped that was the end of it for all time. He further declared he was not in favor of coming to the building in the evening. I told him that we would attend to the opening and closing of the building if we started the organization, and that I hoped we could get along without any rough-housing.

The pupils in —— had little or no opportunity for group evening entertainment and heartily welcomed the suggestion of forming a literary society. Officers were elected with the understanding that they would be given full charge of the organization, subject to the regulations of the faculty adviser.

Meetings were held twice a month on Friday evenings at 7:30. No program was arranged that required more than one and a half hours’ time. It usually consisted of a debate, music, school news, and readings. The school auditorium held about 150 people and on many occasions the room would be crowded in order to accommodate those who wished to attend. Many of the parents made it an opportunity for meeting the teachers. It might be mentioned that the janitor never missed a meeting and was one of the most interested listeners.

After getting the athletic association and literary society organized, I interviewed the editors of the two local papers relative to getting some space for school news. Both were glad to publish any information concerning the school that I might wish to furnish. Student editors were then elected for the different high school classes and the upper grade rooms. The news items were given to me on Wednesday of each week to be edited and sent to the papers. The school news had its immediate effect, and greater interest was taken in the school by the pupils and patrons. The literary programs which appeared in the papers every two weeks gave much prominence to that activity. The newspaper publishers were not slow to see the effect the school news had in increasing their subscriptions, so we all had reason to be pleased with the results of the enterprise.

There are many other valuable school organizations that have not been mentioned. The number of activities should depend largely on the size of the school. The real purpose and local value of each activity should be given careful consideration before it is organized. Much harm can come from poorly supervised student enterprises or from a student organization that is permitted to take more of the time of pupils and teachers than is justified. The time for the preparation of plays should be limited and the work should be distributed among as many pupils as possible. The centering of effort on one debating team or on a first athletic team may help, or the showing that a school will make against competitors (although I doubt it), but such a plan will not develop the power and training within the school that should be desired.