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WHY YOU SHOULD OBEY YOUR TEACHER
by Sandra Crane, Seventh Grade

Many times I have heard children say, "Why should I obey my teacher? She isn't my mother! She doesn't have any right to tell me what to do!" I've said the same thing many times. But now I've tried looking at it from the teacher's side. I think if more children understood what a teacher must go through, they would have more respect (and sympathy!)

A teacher usually gets to school a little ahead of the majority of her students so she or he can unlock the door and let the students in to put up books, sharpen pencils, and so on. Soon the bell rings and she tries to quiet her class down. After five minutes, the class realizes the bell has rung and they are supposed to be working. The teacher goes through the dreary routine of checking homework, trying to teach something new and repeating the homework five times. This goes on till recess. At this time, the now tired and wilted looking teacher seeks refuge in the teachers room only to find it crowded with teen-agers, or finds she has yard duty. If she is unfortunate enough to have yard duty, she must reprove boys and girls alike again and again. After fifteen minutes of this it is time to go on with the day's lessons. Naturally, her students still have the smell of "freedom" in them and spend five minutes throwing paper, shooting spitwads and so on. At last, the class quiets down. Toward the end of the day, they find a million excuses to get out of their seats and wander about. At long, long last the bell rings, and her students, with hasty good-byes, dash for the door. Wearily she picks up her books and trudges home. There, she spends at least an hour correcting papers and preparing to-morrow's lessons.

From what I've just written, you can tell the life of a teacher isn't an easy one. Your teacher would be much more pleasant if you wouldn't wander about the room or have to sharpen your pencil every five minutes or do things at recess so that you must be reproved. Do what your teacher says, and you will find that a dull school day will turn into a wonderland of learning.

THE NIGHT
by Vicki Phillips, Sixth Grade

The rain came slowly down
And across the window pane
A flash of lightning crossed the sky
As I lay there praying.

The sky was so very dark
That I could hardly see,
And in that darkened room,
There was only sis and me.

The house was so very quiet,
And Mom and Dad were sleeping,
And in my heart I knew,
The blessed Lord was keeping.

So I fell asleep,
On that rainy night,
Feeling oh so happy,
That everything was all right.