A Dominie Dismissed. Alexander Sutherland Neill
he said sullenly, "I'll tell them to-morrow that there are too many in the house and that I mean to get rid of a few."
"All right," I said resignedly, "you can lie to them if you want to." Then I added: "Although, mind you, Macdonald, I feel like telling the bairns the real reason for your action."
He looked startled.
"Don't be alarmed," I said with a smile, "I won't do it," and he looked relieved.
"Why not look in at the school some afternoon?" he said amiably when we parted, "but perhaps you feel that you've shaken off the dust from your feet down there?"
"I'll be delighted to come down," I said; "I didn't shake off the dust from my feet when I left … there was quite enough dust there already."
I think I'll go down to-morrow afternoon; it was decent of Macdonald to ask me after all that I have said to him.
* * *
A man spends his life wishing he had done certain things and wishing that he had not done certain things. I half wish that I had not accepted Macdonald's invitation; I feel lonely up here now: on the other hand I am glad that I went. I think now that Macdonald's real idea was to show me how he has improved the school.
From his point of view he has improved it. He showed me exercise books that were models of neatness and care; he showed me classes swotting up subjects laboriously; the rooms were as silent as the grave.
When I went in Macdonald shook hands with me formally, and I noticed that his school voice and manner were prim and professional. I turned to the bairns and said: "Hullo, kids!" and they rose in a body and said: "Good afternoon, sir!"
"Ah!" I whispered to Macdonald, "I see I ought to have said: 'Good afternoon, children!' eh?" and he smiled professionally.
The higher classes were drawing. The model was a vase. I walked round the class … and swore silently. I had spent two years persuading these bairns that there is no boundary line in nature; a white vase appears to have lines as boundaries simply because it usually stands in front of a dark background. I made them work in the background to show up the model, although I never gave them vases or pails; my drawing was all outside sketching of trees and houses. He was making them "line in" the drawing.
"I am not much good at drawing," he explained apologetically, "as a matter of fact I know nothing about it."
"In that case," I said, "why not let them go on with the methods I gave them? I know something about the subject."
He asked what my methods were and I explained them in a few minutes. He expressed his gratitude and seemed honestly glad to learn something about the subject.
"I won't take them out drawing though," he said; "an inspector might come to the school in my absence."
"You conscientious devil!" I said, "let's have a squint at their exercise books."
As he moved to the cupboard a boy whispered to his neighbour and Macdonald turned like a flash; the lad visibly quailed before his fixing eye. I fancied that the next inspector's report would commence with the words: "The discipline of this school is excellent."
The books were much neater than mine had been. I began to look for blots, but the search was hopeless.
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