y must she force learning on fifty…five reluctant
children； having all the time an ugly； rude jealousy behind her；
ready to throw her to the mercy of the herd of children； who
would like to rend her as a weaker representative of authority。
A great dread of her task possessed her。 She saw Mr。 Brunt； Miss
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