小说园

第72部分（第4页）

Harby；　Miss　Schofield；　all　the　school…teachers；　drudging

unwillingly　at　the　graceless　task　of　pelling　many　children

into　one　disciplined；　mechanical　set；　reducing　the　whole　set　to

an　automatic　state　of　obedience　and　attention；　and　then　of

manding　their　acceptance　of　various　pieces　of　knowledge。　The

first　great　task　was　to　reduce　sixty　children　to　one　state　of

mind；　or　being。　This　state　must　be　produced　automatically；

through　the　will　of　the　teacher；　and　the　will　of　the　whole

school　authority；　imposed　upon　the　will　of　the　children。　The

point　was　that　the　headmaster　and　the　teachers　should　have　one

will　in　authority；　which　should　bring　the　will　of　the　children

into　accord。　But　the　headmaster　was　narrow　and　exclusive。　The

will　of　the　teachers　could　not　agree　with　his；　their　separate

wills　refused　to　be　so　subordinated。　So　there　was　a　state　of

anarchy；　leaving　the　final　judgment　to　the　children　themselves；

which　authority　should　exist。

So　there　existed　a　set　of　separate　wills；　each　straining

itself　to　the　utmost　to　exert　its　own　authority。　Children　will

never　naturally　acquiesce　to　sitting　in　a　class　and　submitting

to　knowledge。　They　must　be　pelled　by　a　stronger；　wiser　will。

Against　which　will　they　must　always　strive　to　revolt。　So　that

the　first　great　effort　of　every　teacher　of　a　large　class　must　be

to　bring　the　will　of　the　children　into　accordance　with　his　own

will。　And　this　he　can　only　do　by　an　abnegation　of　his　personal

self；　and　an　application　of　a　system　of　laws；　for　the　purpose　of

achieving　a　certain　calculable　result；　the　imparting　of　certain

knowledge。　Whereas　Ursula　thought　she　was　going　to　bee　the

first　wise　teacher　by　making　the　whole　business　personal；　and

using　no　pulsion。　She　believed　entirely　in　her　own

personality。

So　that　she　was　in　a　very　deep　mess。　In　the　first　place　she

was　offering　to　a　class　a　relationship　which　only　one　or　two　of

the　children　were　sensitive　enough　to　appreciate；　so　that　the

mass　were　left　outsiders；　therefore　against　her。　Secondly；　she

was　placing　herself　in　passive　antagonism　to　the　one　fixed

authority　of　Mr。　Harby；　so　that　the　scholars　could　more　safely