A very small number hesitatingly took their seats.

“I am afraid that all do not sit who really wish not to report themselves.  Now I am honest in saying I wish you to do just as you please.  If a great majority of the school really wish to assist me in accomplishing the object, why, of course, I am glad; still, I shall not call upon any for such assistance unless it is freely and voluntarily rendered.”

One or two more took their seats while these things were saying.  Among such there would generally be some who would refuse to have any thing to do with the measure simply from a desire to thwart and impede the plans of the teacher.  If so, it is best to take no notice of them.  If the teacher can contrive to obtain a great majority upon his side, so as to let them see that any opposition which they can raise is of no consequence and is not even noticed, they will soon be ashamed of it.

The reports, then, of those who remained standing were called for; first, those who had whispered only once were requested to sit, then those who had whispered more than once and less than five times, and so on, until at last all were down.  In such a case the pupils might, if thought expedient, again be requested to rise for the purpose of asking some other questions with reference to ascertaining whether they had spoken most in the former or latter part of the forenoon.  The number who had spoken inadvertently, and the number who had done it by design, might be ascertained.  These inquiries accustom the pupils to render honest and faithful accounts themselves.  They become, by such means, familiarized to the practice, and by means of it the teacher can many times receive most important assistance.

In all this, however, the teacher should speak in a pleasant tone, and maintain a pleasant and cheerful air.  The acknowledgments should be considered by the pupils not as confessions of guilt for which they are to be rebuked or punished, but as voluntary and free reports of the result of an experiment in which all were interested.

Some will have been dishonest in their reports:  to diminish the number of these, the teacher may say, after the report is concluded,

“We will drop the subject here to-day.  To-morrow we will make another effort, when we shall be more successful.  I have taken your reports as you have offered them without any inquiry, because I had no doubt that a great majority of this school would be honest at all hazards.  They would not, I am confident, make a false report even if, by a true one, they were to bring upon themselves punishment; so that I think I may have confidence that nearly all these reports have been faithful.  Still it is very probable that among so large a number some may have made a report which, they are now aware, was not perfectly fair and honest.  I do not wish to know who they are; if there are any such cases, I only wish to say to the rest how much pleasanter