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EVENING PUBLIC DEt0ERPHIIlAl)ELPHIA FBIDAYJ DEGEMBJflK 15,
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PRETTY GIRL, EX-REPRESENTATIVES DAUGHTER, '
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MENTOR OF 'LITTLE RASCALS' IN DETENTION HO USE
M
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A
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0ss Marie Esch, of Washington, Is First
te Try te Inculcate Useful Knowledge
in Class of Incorrigible Children
FOUR and twenty little rascals packed In a room!
- And one charming girl teaching them.
Dear knows, it is hard enough te be an ordinary teacher and cram
facts into the craniums of average children. Any teacher will admit that
jt is difficult te maintain discipline in a roomful of youngsters squirming
with energy and resenting restraint youngsters who find it much more mere
interesting te make faces and blew peas through a little red than te
ponder ever the mysteries of rcadln' an' writin an' 'rlthmctic.
The ordinary class beasts a number of juvenlle Haywards and Sid
Smiths little cartoonists whose pictures of TEACHER and of the various
members of the class cause much merriment. Just what becomes of their
talent as the years roll along is unknown, but it Is a trial te the teacher
while it lasts. Be she as beautiful as Cleopatra, these pictures of her are
ivcr the same.
Nermal classes screech out in
childish sopranos this little ditty
written ages age by some tiny wag:
"Xe mere Latin, no mero French,
Ne mere sit en n hardwood bench.
Ne mero work and no mero books
Ne mere teachers' sassy leeks."
Willie Was Geed Today,
Se He May Clean Up
New, if normal, ordinary children
arc such a trial think what a life
Hiss Marie Esch, of Washington,
leads!
Fer Miss Esch has the job of
teaching incorrigible youngsters In
the Heuse of Detention.
At the end of a far from perfect
honor of putting the books away. A
neat Pilgrim's Progress lay next te
a book of the adventures of Baren
Munchausen.
Little Indian villages in clay
complete with tents and camp-flre
and buffalo were en the window
sill, with no signs of life about
them. Miniature clay fireplaces and
English castles, draw-bridge and
meat and turrets much in evidence
also melded in the white clay
rested en a table.
When the last of the children had
gene, Miss Esch said with n rather
weary smile:
"I really don't knew what peeple
pens te be. Generally it is for
rewdyism or the children are run
aways we have sonie from Pitts
burgh and ether places. That good geed
looking boy you noticed me speak
ing te well, he was here for steal
ing an automobile. Seme are here
because they have no fit homes te
go te while ethers are fugitives
from justice. Quite a few are in for
assault and battery."
Assault and battery!
Pity the dainty teacher if the lads
ever took it into their heads te show
off their prowess In that particular
line. But Miss Esch smilingly ad
mits that she is net afraid net one
little bit
But think of that! A class made
up of rowdies and runaways and
assaulters and batterers. It would
make the nerves taut even te imag
ine drumming knewledge and a
sense of responsibility Inte their
young, irresponsible heads. But
Miss Esch gees te her task with
pleasure and confidence in the geed
she is accomplishing.
"I lere the work It Is mighty
interesting. The only worry I hnve In
that it will wear rae out, but I hope
it won't. This Is renlly just u trial
until June 30, anil if the results nre
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Exclaims,
Confident of Aid
ing Rowdies
Under Her Wing
SUPPRESSES
SQUABBLING
BY INGENIOUS
LITTLE IDEAS
Miss Marie Esch, Washington, I). C, daughter e" ex-Hcprcsentativc Esch, teacher in the Heuse of
Detention
The school of the Heuse of Detention in Washington is an experiment
kindly tutelage there seems
:, and if results arc obtained it will be continued.
little chance for failure
Under Miss Esch's
day Miss Esch was bringing the.
work te a finish. One little coal-
black boy was running busily around i
the lloer with u bucket and u little I
brush, a great pride in his shiny j
face, as Miss Esch explained te the ,
asiembled class
"Yeu :.ee, Willie was se geed to
day that lie is allowed te clean up." i
And the geed little Willie attacked
the fleer with extra energy and
that done, went at the blackboard
uith the eraser. One wondered hew
wuch of the black would be left
"hen he was through getting off
the chalk.
After various little flurries in
"hich Miss Esch always turned out '
the victor, the class came te erder, J
Save a salute and pledged allegiance j
'e the flag, by the Bey Scout for-inula-Willie
dropping his bucket
"ith a clatter in order te be nt at
tention with the rest of the detained.
The class was dismissed. ,
And what a class it was that
trooped up the .stairs te realms
above and new duties! The boys in
tnelr khaki regulation suits and
hite sneakers and the girls in pink
and blue dresses or checked, if'
they had been bad during the day.
"en in the youthful female the best
y te punish is te hurt the vanity i
'-and picture the feelings of the
cne little incorrigible in her checked
"rs, while her law-abiding sisters
Paraded around in their virtuous
,l)i'l iclers.
.' "' h'ft the classroom, with its'
Picture of President Harding hold held
jnK the central place and its inspir
es motto. "Lives of in-f.at muii all
lemlnd us we can meke our lives
Mbllmc," and the numerous books
.Mattered ureund, for evidently
"Mi was net intrusted with the
coming in here te fce this class
must think. Sometimes the chil
dren are impossible and I am afraid
that visitors de net understand. But
I love the work nevertheless."
Miss Esch is the daughter of ex
Kepresentative Esch, of Wisconsin,
and was born out in La Cresse.
While at the University of Wiscon
sin thu dearly beloved Madisen
that gets n gurgle of delight out of
any young person from the Wcstern
State she did seme social work
among the Italians in their quarter.
That was her only taste of social
work until she launched into this
new field.
First Time Idea Was
Tried in the Country
Fer two years nfter graduation
Mi.ss Esch taught English and his
tory in the high school, then last
summer she was abroad.
When she returned te Washington
in the fall she looked around for
something te de many, in fact
most, of her friends were doing
nothing and getting bored and blase
while doing it, se she determined
te get busy.
And get busy she did, with a
vengeance.
The Beard of Education in Wash
ington decided last fall te have a
teacher for the children in the Heuso
of Detention and this was the first
thne the idea was tried nnywhore
in the country.
Miss Kscli heard of the decision
anil applied for the position. She
was appointed by the beard and im
mediately took ii her duties.
That was just two weeks age.
"The children here," Miss Esch
explnincd, "are In for their first
offense, whatever that offense hap-
wiKfncter.r t!ii eln's will be made a
ncrinnnent featurr.
"The IImii of Pe'piitlen U Just
wlinl; thf iiame impllrs a pliifc te
(li'tilin clillilirn ceinlcteil of n first of ef of
feiicp for n fpw ihs until home pn pn
isien has been lim-le fur them elilier
tlie reurt MiniN thorn lmme nr te an
institution. And that Is ime thine tlwit
ninkiH It very lmnl. The leiigest tliuu
u fliilil Is lu'ri' is tliiTc weeks ami
many children are here unlv three dnyn.
se it's practically Impossible tn Ket nay
noticeable lesulti. unil even if titers
are resultN I will net pet a chance
te see. them. Se there Is net much
enceurnKcinent In if.
Ingenuity Required
te Handle Youngsters
"Most of the children .ire from cluht
te sixteen yearn of uge," Mls.s Kscli
went en, "and It requires a prent denl
of ingenuity te knew- hew te deal with
them. See, there Is no earthlv chanee
for any s.VNtematie work." i-lie huM
with a' priu tii nl F-hnUe of her head
"Ihery iln mv eliien is maile hip of
diffireut elilldren. N' two da is It
the sumo iliiss, te 1 can't realh ac ac
eemplisli nn awful let, but If I feel t
Ivawi helped the l"vs and ftlrK at all -hue
ylvcn tli"iii a little lisht It in
worth It.
"I liawi a little questionnaire I (,'iicks
that's whnt you would call It." she
latiKheil, "and I nk all the youngsters
te aiibwer it before they pet In the class.
I find out their nee, at what made
they left school, what typee of books
tliy like te rend, what is their fiueilte
sport niul what subjects they like te
study best.
".Most of thorn say arithmetic and
RpcliluK, but of course I tench them
IhiRllsh and hlser and ueeKraphj,
tee," smiled Miss INeli with a twinkle
in her wonderful d.nK tje. "Then
rte have carpentrj mil cla -iiindclm::
basketry and pipi rcuitlnp Ju-t at
tuesint we are innkiiii; flnlsUim-. pnsi
ers. And iinuthir tliins we de Is tins."
she said, Relui! toward the wIihIewhIII,
wheie the ijuiet little Indian llhipe
lepesed,
"Wn lead heieie stories and then
illiistratn them in cbi. When w. i.'al
Illiiwatha we did tins Indian vilhiKe.
Then when we read KIiik Arthur nnd
his Hound Table, we did the. KiirIIhIi
enbtles." Miss Lbch picked up a castle
and held it In the palm of her liiuiil.
Te the little, neslecled minds, en-
trusted tn her care Miss Ksrli is giving
a (,'limpse of an unknown world n
world iioepldl with the most romantic
and noble charm ters of nil ajies. Thlnl
of the health stirred by tales of tin
daH when KniKhtlioed was In flower,
"hen all maiden-, were tnlr nnd theie
weie jeiihts and teiimejs. forsooth.
Dreams of Other Days
Itrighlen Drab Life
And (link of the dieauis the litlle
starved minds 'ind souls weive tmni the
hautiiiK tale of llmw ithn tale of wnj.
wain und w.iuipum pence pipe and
happy liunfinp kieuiuK And theiuh
they nre under the influence of Miss
I'seh but for one day, they loeeho
tlnjiich's te liriphten many n sad hour
a beautiful new land of dreams te be
explored.
"We have nr many colored children
ns white," Mln Kseli continued, "and
some iliijH it Is pretty dlsoeiiMKlnjf. I
will have my back turned for n moment
nnd will In ir n eonversatien like tills-
" 'Yeu leek 'ii clay,' n ready nnswer
from 'i ouni;er child.
" 'Veu did.'
" 'I did net '
"'You're a 1l.tr und (lien the fun
bepins.
"Theu I hae te turn around nnd
(ippen! te their sport mnnship te pre
Milt a fiKht. T would never nciempllsh
anythiiiK if I said te them, New bejs.
step. Yeu should knew that I' in
net nice te fight and little gentlemen de
net de It.'
"I Iiumi te ask them if they think
It Is fair play te tnke eneh ether's
things, nnd if thev were watching n
game and one of the players did fiuch
a trick, what would they think of him.'
Th.it genernllj ends the trouble, for
they Inne a sens,, of fair play nnd
sportsmanship th.it Is quite remark
able ".lane there." Miss I'seh confided In
a whl"per us li t about eleven scurried
ueiind picking up lilts of pnnn", (,
kept mi for lielng ...id I g,ie her m t
star. te cut out ler the 'hilstnnts ihmei
uud she would net de ft."
The little .lane dcildcd te cut un
Instead of cut out. That Uf)K
tieuhle. Then in the most peutle miIci
--gentln but compelling Mis ''neli
lenseueil with the reliiclant .Inne
Mnne shall 1 tell .Miss Js'. ' jlew
naughty you lime been, or will ynu be
a geed girl and tell her yourself'"'
"Ah knew h Ah ain't going te tell
lieh." replied Jnne.
Hut before many moments the child
went quietly away te 'fe.-s up. smiling,
tee. Miss Ksch has n wonderful wnj
with the children and tlie icspend te
her kindness and authority.
Reactions of Pupils
Fluctuate Daily
"Seme dajs the children react beau
tifully and 'l feel that 1 have really
done some geed. Then another du I
will go home tooling that I lae iioiotn iieiotn iioietn
plishul absolutely nelliing," she said in
iui sun i ie manner
"I li.ne clash from 10 until 1 tl.eiip
1 never !iiiw fl-em da.s In day hew
mn in 1 will have in inj cliihs, se can
not plan very well. I have te have a
rullcnll cer day. In th- morning
we have ne.ideinle work end in the
ufteri een we have the iudiihtrials.
"The main trouble with tin children
Is that they have never winked to
gether and they de net knew hew te
T.inv together or in the right manner.
rhey aie alwajs taking thingn from one
another, it Is this sense of cenimunlti
pit It ami tin rignis ei etuers iiuu i
have te try te impress en them. Just
ivlien I have made some appeal te theli
onse of fair play, they leave. Almest
In nut we.irmg feature of It is net ;
l.newliiK what will hnppen next. I liavi i
.ilvva.vs te be prepared for nil emergeiii'.v
thn'n I he worst of it." I'm Miss l"se
stanilln,' theie in her trim blue dres.
looked iiumi te coping with any emei -'I
in v
Si me of the children are mentnllv
deli lent- tbev are slteen ,eais old an I
.iL.iu- tn the third grade. Ter instunce.
1 Mild te one of them, when I saw hi
ili.y unteuched:
" "Wluit en eurth have you den
all ilny J'
'(,eh, I mnde my clay soft,' wa
his repl.v .
The whole day he had spent In
sefti ning up a bit of clny. The Negri
ehlldten have no sense of molding melding
Ihey li" net seem te be able te grnsj
tlie'vv'iy te work the clay at all. Thm
cm net meld,' added Miss l'sch wit'
nn expressive- movement of her lingers
as though she held a lump of elny am,
vvi ie slmping li.
"Mv l nnllv is verv much interest '
in the work I am doing Seme night
I hta.v until .1 :.'I0 mid ether nights i
wmk .n heme, planning ter the ne
dnv of ei'iiii-e, it takes up a let ,
ilin.i and I can't keep up with ethe
things the wa.v I used te. Seme nights
I am tee tired e go out nnd danei
and I 1 ave no afternoons off. but en
I he. week-ends 1 celebiate," Miss Esch
Kiuileil as she paused her hand ever her
brown h ilr.
Is the Daughter of
Fermer Representative
Me.s I'scl N the ilnughter of Mr
and Mrs ,lehu Jacob Kseli Hep fa'her
as ltepre-entathe leli, was long ireiu
incut among the Republican leadei
in i'engns llv was one it t1 i
frimers et the I'seh-Tewnsend bill f n
the I'l.iei il n 'ii'iiien of ratlinnii it,
and nl tin- nn'li-C'iumlns Transport!
Iluii A. i l"'"", tweuti -two u'lirs In
lepi'i-enleil 'he Seveiiili Wise, nsin ill
trici at Washington, thou in Mnich
lll'Jl, lie 1"' linn' n member of the liilc
state I'oinmeree l'oinnilssen,
Se it will be seen (but Miss Khc'i
comes naturally by her desire te be
doing something.
Miss 1'i.eh Is one of n large fninilv
of which family her mother suld yeu'rs
age :
"We have rather a houseful, j jejj
"no of my friends that my eldest boy
had just gene te college and we missed
him tiomendeiisly. She was heartless
enough te Iiuigh and 'ay that she could
net possibly see hew we could miss
him unless we had u relhall. This is
the first one of m children te leave
Ivome nnd It makes an epoch in. our
inniiij lite, just liKe the iirst teeth of
views about the education of children,
find their general training along evcrj
line.
"Yeu see, the problem Is a larger nnd
mere varied etiu for tne than for the
average woman. I have taught nil
my in in- lines me rudiments of educa
tion and have watched their develop.
m.'iit vv . li-iti. n.i'?n!i lu.1 t1.n... ...
. ..... i I. 1. ..... .,.-,!.... .... , . ... . . . '- "
....... uiiiiim, un- n.Ni iiiiiis,.rh et veilr ovei particular te nuiew the r natuml I Ivil.nen nm makes nl re tm.ri-lt. i-
,,evn ami tlie Iwst Ien- skirt of (,ur mental bent. I realm-, nnd s.. iIoeh ' the little clasroeni tn the Heuse of
girls. I have, naturally, very decided m.v husband, that in thi age of special-' Detention.
i ' ' ' '
" V '" ji '- v !V '.";
- -: KiPir ifK ' ''-s"'.
Sub -normal Pupils
, Soen Learn te
i Meld Clay and
; De Carpentry by
Her Tutelage
tlei tln nlmest enre Is necesnry la
Mlertinir n career. I nm opposed t
i whnt Is known ns making children
I 'show off.' I believe in their beln
, sKinble and helpful nnd early hablu
of hospitality cannot fail te make ami
able and genial men nnd women. Semt
witty person has remarked that spoiled
children are alwaje these who live next
I deer te you never in jour own hera.
I have made nn enrnest effect te make
this witticism true."
It was twelve years age that Mri.
1 Hsch made these remnrks. fan it b
j that she had neme Intimation thnt her
J third daughter would spring a real
career en tne world .' At the time Mrs.
r.vh was saying these things. Mnrle
J was wading knee deep in June, skip
ping around with short hair nnd short
skirts, with never a thought of th
future nnd the grave thing she wa
going te de some far-off day ; nT
a thought that she would one day b
the first girl te teach in a IIeus (
Detention in the United States.
Hut that is just whnt she is.
The l-'schcs are of German decent.
Heming this one would be inclined t
picture Miss Esch as a round. faced,
fair-hnlred young lud fat, of ceure,
or nt least plump.
On the contrary, she Is mere of th
Spanish or Italian type, with eeme
what of an olive complexion, clear ey
and long features. Hhc is rather UlL
Doesn't Loek a Bit
Like a Scheel Marm
Slw des net leek a bit like h school
marm. But fewi teachers newaday
leek like the convevntlenol schoolmarm
that peer, much-maligned creature
scrawny, stiaight-lipped and with hair
combed tightly back nnd as often as net
holding a threatening nit itch in tat
liiuiil.
In her stead comes the trim, efficient
young girl, pretty nnd daint. Sile
needs no switch, or at least she wields
none. Pel haps the younger generation
Is better than the girls and beyn of
ether dajs. ,
And Miss I.scb. geed-looking anil
human, keeps spiendlil discipline tn her
Incorrigible clans with no vUible means
of chastisement it is the power of
perflatien nnd of reason that titles the
Miss Esch flnds real enjoyment' In teach.ng these li.tle first offenders who are placed in her care for
IV,
i
.j-.-'.y.- V