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The History of Chinese Animation II

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By Sun Lijun
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The History of Chinese Animation

China has been one of the first countries to develop its own aesthetic for
dynamic images and to create animation films with distinctive character-
istics. In recent years, however, and subject to the influence of Western
and Japanese animation, the Chinese animation industry has experienced
several new stages of development, prompting the question as to where
animation in China is heading in the future.
This book describes the history, present, and future of China’s anima-
tion industry. The author divides the business’s 95-year history into six
periods and analyzes each of these from a historical, aesthetic, and artistic
perspective. In addition, the book focuses on representative works, themes,
directions, artistic styles, techniques, industrial development, government
support policies, business models, the nurturing of education and talent,
broadcasting systems, and animation.
Scholars and students who are interested in the history of Chinese anima-
tion will benefit from this book, and it will appeal additionally to readers
interested in Chinese film studies.

Sun Lijun, Professor, Vice President of Beijing Film Academy and Presi-
dent of China Animation Institute of BFA. He was appointed as the Vice
President of BFA in 2012. Sun Lijun is one of the experts who receive State
Council special allowance. He has directed several animated feature films,
such as The Little Solider, Happy Running, Legend of a Rabbit, and Harvest,
among others. Since 2005 his animated feature films have been screened
internationally, including at the Berlin International Film Festival, Annecy
Film Festival, Ukraine International Film Festival, Seoul International
Film Festival, and more. His films have won many top awards both domes-
tic and abroad, such as the Best Animated Film of 28th and 29th Golden
Rooster Awards, which are the top awards given by Chinese government to
the most outstanding and talented artists.
China Perspectives

The China Perspectives series focuses on translating and publishing works


by leading Chinese scholars, writing about both global topics and China-
related themes. It covers Humanities and Social Sciences, Education,
Media, and Psychology, as well as many interdisciplinary themes.
This is the first time any of these books have been published in English
for international readers. The series aims to put forward a Chinese perspec-
tive, give insights into cutting-edge academic thinking in China, and inspire
researchers globally.

Titles in the arts currently include:

Establishment of “Drama” Orientation


Transition of the Research Paradigm of Chinese Dramas
in the 1920s and 1930s
Zhang Yifan

Embodiment and Disembodiment in Live Art


From Grotowski to Hologram
Shi Ke

China in the Age of Global Capitalism


Jia Zhangke’s Filmic World
Wang Xiaoping

A History of Chinese Animation


Edited by Sun Lijun

For more information, please visit https://www.routledge.com/series/CPH


The History of Chinese
Animation II

Edited by Sun Lijun

TRANSLATED BY

SHI YI AND LI JUNTING


First published in English 2020
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2020 selection and editorial matter, Sun Lijun; individual
chapters, the contributors
Translated by Shi Yi and Li Junting
The right of Sun Lijun to be identified as the author of the editorial
material, and of the authors for their individual chapters, has been
asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright,
Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or
reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical,
or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks
or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and
explanation without intent to infringe.
English version by permission of The Commercial Press.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A catalog record for this title has been requested

ISBN: 978-0-367-42775-7 (hbk)


ISBN: 978-0-367-85503-1 (ebk)
Typeset in Times New Roman
by codeMantra
Contents

Preface vii
Acknowledgments viii
List of figures ix
List of contributors xvi

PART I
1978–1988 – Chinese animation after
the reform and opening up (I) 1

PART II
1989–1999 – Chinese animation after
the reform and opening up (II) 129
vi Contents

PART III
After the year 2000 – Chinese animation
stepping into the new century 171

Bibliography 219
Index 221
Preface

As practitioners of animated film, we have the responsibility to grasp the


cultural inheritance function of animation and film. And in this regard,
what we should do first is to respect history.
Film and animation are a kind of art; therefore, we should first respect
such art and realize and insist on their function of cultural inheritance and
transmission. Animation creation also carries the function of cultural inher-
itance and transmission and animation acts as the nourishment for the mind
that delivers our long history and national culture to younger generations.
Facts have proved that the power and achievements generated by any art
form, such as film, animation or painting, in combination with its own na-
tional cultural tradition or national spirit, are so influential and meaningful
that they cannot be ignored even in the western countries with their ad-
vanced animation technologies.
Acknowledgments

This book won’t have been possible without the research and interviews
done by editorial board members including Wang Hao, Liu Mengya, Ma
Hua, Zhang Yu, Zhang Wenzheng, Yu Luo, Li Guyu and Tan Hui. I am
immensely grateful to the book’s associate editors Li Jianping and Wang
Hao. The two led the editorial board members, mostly PhD candidates and
professors, to untiringly search for archival materials and interview a num-
ber of longtime animation experts at Shanghai Animation Film Studio, in-
cluding Yan Dingxian, Zhang Songlin, Duan Xiaoxuan, Hu Jinqing, Qian
Yunda and Huang Yushan, among others. These experts created the first
prosperity of Chinese animation industry and left us an enormous legacy
in animation art. This book represents our heartfelt gratitude and tribute
to them.
My thanks also go to Professor Zhu Yuhua at the New York Film Acad-
emy, Professor Cao Xiaohui at the Beijing Film Academy and Taiwanese
animation export Yu Wai-ching, who did their utmost to make this book
possible.
The book is selected in the program of 2019 “China Book International”,
and has attracted attention of people of all circles around the world. Here,
we’d like to express our special thanks to the New York Film Academy for
its huge support and contribution to the making of the book.
Sun Lijun
Figures

2.1 Stage photo of animated feature film Nezha


Conquers the Dragon King 7
2.2 Stage photo of animated feature film The Legend
of Sealed Book 7
2.3 Stage photo of animated feature film Golden
Monkey Conquers the Demon 8
2.4 Stage photo of animated feature film Reynard the Fox 8
2.5 Stage photo of animated short film The Fox and the Hunter 9
2.6 Stage photo of animated short film To Shoot
without Shooting 9
2.7 Stage photo of animated short film Reed Pipe 10
2.8 Stage photo of animated short film Nüwa Fixing up Sky 10
2.9 Stage photo of animated short film A Daoist from
Laoshan Mountain 11
2.10 Stage photo of animated short film Monkeys
Fishing on the Moon 11
2.11 Stage photo of animated short film Ginseng Fruit 11
2.12 Stage photo of animated short film Nine-color Deer 12
2.13 Stage photo of animated short film Strawman 12
2.14 Stage photo of animated short film Water Deer 12
2.15 Stage photo of animated short film Cao Chong
Weighs an Elephant 13
2.16 Stage photo of animated short film The Blind Girl
and the Fox 13
2.17 Stage photo of animated short film Jia Zi Saves a Deer 13
2.18 Stage photo of animated short film Single-plank Bridge 14
2.19 Stage photo of ink-wash animation The Deer’s Bell 15
2.20 Stage photo of ink-wash paper-cut film The Snipe
Grapples with the Clam 15
2.21 Stage photo of ink-wash animation The Land 16
2.22 Logo of Locarno International Film Festival 17
2.23 Logo of Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 18
2.24 Logo of Cannes International Film Festival 18
x Figures
2.25 Poster of the 1st Shanghai International Animation
Film Festival in 1988 21
2.26 International judges having a heated discussion
during the 1st Shanghai International Animation
Film Festival in 1988 21
3.1–3.7 Title: Nezha Conquers the Dragon King;
Original work: The Investiture of the Gods;
Screenwriter: Wang Shuchen; Director:
Wang Shuchen, Yan Dingxian and Xu Jingda;
Length: 63 minutes; Producer: Shanghai
Animation Film Studio 24
3.8 Photographer Duan Xiaoxuan on location for the
shooting of Nezha Conquers the Dragon King 28
3.9 Mural Nezha Conquers the Dragon King at the
Beijing Capital International Airport (partial
image shown). Painted by Zhang Ding 31
3.10 Image design of Nezha in animation Nezha
Conquers the Dragon King 32
3.11 Image design of Li Jing in animation Nezha
Conquers the Dragon King 32
3.12 Image design of Dragon King of the East China
Sea in animation Nezha Conquers the Dragon King 33
3.13 Image design of Taiyizhenren in animation Nezha
Conquers the Dragon King 33
3.14 Image design of son of Dragon King Ao Bing in
animation Prince Nezha’s Triumph 34
3.15 Image design of small deer in animation Nezha
Conquers the Dragon King 34
3.16–3.18 Scene design of animation Nezha Conquers the
Dragon King 35
3.19 The three directors of animation Nezha Conquers
the Dragon King, Wang Shuchen (middle),
Yan Dingxian (left) and Xu Jingda (right) were
discussing the creation 36
3.20 Stage photo of “The Birth of Nezha” in animation
Nezha Conquers the Dragon King 38
3.21 Stage photo of “Rebirth” in animation Nezha
Conquers the Dragon King 38
3.22 Li Jing was holding high a sword to kill Nezha and
Nezha was looking at Li Jing 39
3.23 The home solider stopped Li Jing, saying “Spare him” 39
3.24 Lightning flashes and thunder rumbles. Li Jing
looked nervous 40
3.25 Nezha called “Papa! Papa!” 40
3.26 The sword dropped by Nezha 41
Figures xi
3.27 The four dragon kings were utterly discomfited and
exerted pressure on Li Jing 41
3.28 Nezha gripped a bunch of hair with his teeth 42
3.29 Nezha reached for the sword on the ground 42
3.30 Nezha jumped high and pointed to the sky above 43
3.31 The small deer runs here at top speed 43
3.32 In the flash and shadow of the sword, Nezha
committed suicide by cutting his own throat 44
3.33 Li Jing was astonished 44
3.34 Nezha raised his head slowly 45
3.35 The sword dropped again 45
3.36 The small deer came with the red silk ribbon
(a silk-like divine weapon) and golden circle in its
mouth and put them by Nezha’s side 46
3.37 Director Wang Shuchen of animation Nezha
Conquers the Dragon King (right) guiding young
actors to dub young characters in the film 47
3.38 The three directors of animated feature film
Monkey King Conquers the Demon, Te Wei (front
middle), Lin Wenxiao (rear left) and Yan Dingxian
(rear right), at the shooting location in Jiangxi 48
3.39 Director Te Wei discussing the script of
animated feature film Monkey King Conquers
the Demon with animators 48
3.40–3.41 Mr. Wan Laiming awarding the Chinese film “Golden
Rooster Award” to chief creator of animated feature
film Monkey King Conquers the Demon 49
3.42–3.45 Title: Monkey King Conquers the Demon; Original
work: Journey to the West; Screenwriter: Te Wei,
Bao Lei; Director: Te Wei, Yan Dingxian, Lin
Wenxiao; Length: 90 minutes; Year: 1985;
Producer: Shanghai Animation Film Studio 50
3.46 Choreographic elements displayed by Lady White
Bone when transformed into a human shape in
animated feature film Monkey King Conquers the Demon 54
3.47 Facial expressions and postures revealed that Sun
Wukong was so angry that his hair raised up his hat
when his piercing eyes identified a demon in animated
feature film Monkey King Conquers the Demon 54
3.48 Stage photo: Sun Wukong kneels down and
kowtows to his master in animated feature film
Monkey King Conquers the Demon 55
3.49–3.52 Title: The Legend of Sealed Book; Original work:
Pingyaozhuan; Screenwriter: Wang Shuzhen,
Bao Lei; Director: Wang Shuzhen, Qian Yunda;
xii Figures
Length: 90 minutes; Year: 1983; Producer:
Shanghai Animation Film Studio 57
3.53 Image design of the county magistrate and his father
in animated feature film The Legend of Sealed Book 59
3.54 Motion design of the Little Emperor, the Female
Fox, the Fox Mother and the fox A Guai in
animated feature film The Legend of Sealed Book 60
3.55–3.57 Scene design of animated feature film The Legend
of Sealed Book 60
3.58 Title: Three Monks; Screenwriter: Bao Lei;
Director: A Da; Length: 20 minutes; Year: 1980;
Producer: Shanghai Animation Film Studio 63
3.59 In the animated short film Three Monks, the
conflicts were perfectly resolved at the end by using
such a whole modern way to fetch water 65
3.60–3.62 In the animated short film Three Monks, “tortoise,”
“butterfly,” and “fish” were used in the appearance
of the three characters to show their kindness 65
3.63 The scene of three monks chanting in animation
Three Monks was presented in the “cavalier perspective” 69
3.64–3.65 The journey of the animated characters in Three
Monks was illustrated by turning the character’s bodies 69
3.66 The rise and fall of the sun in animation Three
Monks was illustrated using an up and down
motion following with the rhythm of the music 72
3.67 Director A Da of animation Three Monks
performing 72
3.68–3.71 Title: Snow Kid; Screenwriter: Ji Hong; Director:
Lin Wenxiao; Length: 20 minutes; Year: 1980;
Producer: Shanghai Animation Film Studio 74
3.72–3.75 Title: The Deer’s Bell; Screenwriter: Sang Hu;
Director: Tang Cheng, Wu Qiang; Length:
20 minutes; Year: 1982; Producer: Shanghai
Animation Film Studio 78
3.76–3.79 Title: The Land; Screenwriter: Wang Shuzhen;
Chief director: Te Wei; Director: Yan Shanchun,
Ma Kexuan; Length: 19 minutes; Year: 1988;
Producer: Shanghai Animation Film Studio 81
3.80–3.81 Photo from 1998 of chief director Te Wei and the
animators working on in-wash animation
of The Land 83
3.82–3.84 Fragment of ink-wash animation The Land: the old
eagle left the young eagle, indicating the metaphor
of the parting between the master and the apprentice 86
Figures xiii
3.85–3.88 Title: The Snipe Grapples with the Clam;
Screenwriter: Gu Hanchang, Mo Du; Director: Hu
Jinqing; Length: ten minutes; Year: 1983; Producer:
Shanghai Animation Film Studio 89
3.89 The ink-wash paper-cutting animation selected
suitable materials and used fine-fibre technique so
that characters’ model had a furry texture 93
3.90 Animators of ink-wash paper-cut film The Snipe
Grapples with the Clam shown installing thin joints
on the neck of the snipe 93
3.91 Photo of the animators using the ink-wash paper-
cut film technique during the shooting of The Snipe
Grapples with the Clam 94
3.92 Title: The Story of Avanti; Screenwriter: Ling Shu,
Jin Xi; Director: Qu Jianfang, Jin Xi, Liu Huiyi, Cai
Yuanlan, Jin Fangling; Length: 310 minutes; Year:
1979–1988; Producer: Shanghai Animation Film Studio 95
3.93 Animator of puppet series The Story of Avanti
shown sketching in Xinjiang 95
3.94 Director and art designer Qu Jianfang of puppet
series The Story of Avanti (right) at work 96
3.95 Image design of Avanti in puppet series The Story
of Avanti 96
3.96 Photo of Director Qu Jianfang of puppet series The
Story of Avanti (right) at the shooting site 97
3.97 The first episode Eradicating the Rice-Stealing Mice 100
3.98 The second episode Catching the Enemy on Air 100
3.99 The third episode The Thief Eating the Red Clay 101
3.100 The fourth episode The Husband-eating Cockroaches 101
3.101 The fifth episode The Cat-eating Uncle 102
3.102–3.104 Title: Calabash Brothers; Screenwriter: Yao
Zhongli, Yang Yuliang, Mo Du; Director: Hu
Jinqing, Ge Guiyun, Zhou Keqin; Length:
130 minutes; Year: 1986–1987; Producer: Shanghai
Animation Film Studio 104
3.105–3.107 Title: Dirty King Adventure; Screenwriter: Ling
Shu; Director: Qian Yunda Yan Shanchun; Length:
130 minutes; Year: 1986–1987; Producer: Shanghai
Animation Film Studio 108
4.1 The animated film Distress on Ice uses lines that are
strong and powerful 113
4.2 The paper-cutting animation Fire Child draws on
the line features of the ethnic batik art in Yunnan
Province and Guizhou Province 113
xiv Figures
4.3 The animators of Snow Child strove to create a
pure spiritual world 114
4.4 The puppetoon The Fool Buying Shoes employed
“leaving blankness” for real-object modelling 116
4.5 The story in paper-cutting animation A Praying
Mantis Catches a Cricket came from a widely
known Chinese proverb 117
4.6 Two characters in animation Butterfly Spring were
staring at each other for a long time 117
4.7 Opera actions at the fighting scene in animation
Havoc in Heaven 118
4.8 Animation Good Cat Mimi borrowed colours from
Chinese folk woodcuts and New Year paintings 120
4.9 The animation Child from A Fisherman’s Family
was directly adapted from Chinese folk New Year
paintings 120
4.10 The character modellings in animation Ginseng
Doll are close to the images in Yangliuqing New
Year’s pictures 121
4.11–4.12 The animation Nine-color Deer was adapted from
materials from Dunhuang murals 122
5.1 Stage photo of animated film Professor Panda Says 125
5.2 Stage photo of animation Older Master Q 125
7.1 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 135
7.2 Tom and Jerry 135
7.3 She-Ra: Princess of Power 136
7.4 BraveStarr 136
7.5 The Mole 137
7.6 The Smurfs 137
7.7 Stage photo of cartoon Around the World in
Eighty Days 140
8.1 Disney and other creators dubbing animated short
film Mickey Mouse 145
8.2 Stage photo of the second film The Gallopin’
Gaucho among “Mickey Mouse” animation series 145
8.3 Stage photo of the world’s first animated film with
sound, Steamboat Willie 146
8.4 Modern animation studio 153
13.1–13.3 Animation layout of Little Soldier Zhang Ga 179
13.4 Character design of the animation Little Soldier
Zhang Ga 180
13.5 Animation for Thru the Moebius Strip 182
15.1 Animation School, Beijing Film Academy 204
Figures xv
15.2–15.3 Exhibition of some textbooks for the Animation
and Game degree course 204
15.4 Communication University of China 206
15.5 School of Animation & Media, China Academy
of Fine Arts 206
Contributors

Cao Xiaohui, Vice President of the BFA China Animation Academy, under-
graduate in Art and Design from the Soochow Silk Academy (the previ-
ous name of the College of Textile and Clothing Engineering of Soochow
University), mainly researches in animation creation and education.
Chen Shan graduated from Peking University and is Professor and PhD su-
pervisor at the Department of Literature of Beijing Film Academy; Head
of the film history and theory research group of the BFA Department of
Literature; and member of the China Film Association, China Taiwan
Hong Kong Film and Research Association, China Film Critics Associ-
ation, China Collegial Association for Visual Arts, and Modern Chinese
Literature Association.
Joy Yuhua Zhu, Executive Vice President of the New York Film Academy,
is a Chinese-American who got a PhD degree in Management and an
MA degree in British and American Literature. To promote exchanges
between the U.S. and China in film and television education, he estab-
lished long-term inter-university exchanges and cooperative relations
with Chinese colleges and institutions, in which professionals urgently
needed by the film and television industry in both China and the US are
trained. He is invited by many universities to serve as a visiting profes-
sor. He judged several Student Film Festivals and is always working to
promote exchanges in film and television culture between the U.S. and
China.
Li Jianping is Professor, Chair of the Animation School of Beijing Film
Academy, Executive President of BFA China Animation Academy,
Secretary-General of the Animation Arts Committee of the China Art-
ists Association, Vice Secretary-General of the China Animation Asso-
ciation, President of the Beijing Film Animation Association, and Vice
Director of the Cartoon Arts Committee of the China Television Artists
Association.
Ma Hua, Professor and PhD at Beijing Film Academy, mainly researches in
animated movie creation.
Contributors xvii
Wang Hao, staff of Beijing Film Academy, master in animation creation and
theories, mainly teaches The History of Chinese Animation, Introduc-
tion to Animation, Animation Creation, and Appreciation of Animation
Works.
Zhang Yu, PhD at Film School of Griffith University, is animation teacher
at Jilin Engineering Normal University.
Taylor & Francis
Taylor & Francis Group
http://taylora ndfra ncis.com
Part I

1978–1988 – Chinese
animation after the reform
and opening up (I)
Taylor & Francis
Taylor & Francis Group
http://taylora ndfra ncis.com
1 Overview

1. The end of the Cultural Revolution


In October 1976, the Gang of Four was completely shattered, which ended
the Cultural Revolution. A large number of film creators returned to the
Animation Film Studios from Gan Xiao.1 They actively invested in new an-
imation creations with more enthusiasm. The Chinese animation industry
began to recover at that time. In just two years, the Shanghai Animation
Film Studio (SAFS) launched more than a dozen animations. According to
Yan Dingxian’s recollection, “After the Cultural Revolution, the animators’
enthusiasm and passion for artistic creation suppressed for 10 years were
reignited. We were at the happiest time when we saw the SAFS recovered.”
The animation works launched in 1977 include Reed Little Heroes
(Director: Hu Xionghua, Zhou Keqin), Goats Go Home (Director: Hu
Jinqing, Shen Zulei), Two Little Peacocks (Director: Yan Dingxian), and
so on. The animation works launched in 1978 include Watermelon Can-
non (Director: Jin Xi), The Fox and the Hunter (Director: Hu Xionghua),
Not Like Elephant (Director: Tang Cheng; Screenwriter: Wu Qiang), Songs
Flying out of Wuzhi Mountain (Director: Fang Runnan), A Strange Patient
(Director: Pu Jiaxiang), Little White Pigeon (Director: Jiao Yeshong), One
Night at Gallery (Director: A Da, Lin Wenxiao), Fire Red Rock (Director:
Chen Zhenghong), and so on.

2. The second creation climax


In December 1978, after the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central
Committee of the Communist Party of China, the ideological guideline of
emancipating the mind and seeking truth from facts was reconfirmed. As a
result, China entered a period of rapid economic development during the re-
form and opening up and Chinese animation ushered in the second creation
climax. Animators deeply excavated national themes and contents rather
than merely exploring them, which generated many kinds of animations,
including the Monkey King Conquers the Demon. The themes and styles
of animated short films became diversified, and their expression methods
4 1978–1988 – Chinese animation
and techniques became increasingly innovative. Three Monks realized the
successful transition from formal beauty to role-making, which used skill-
ful film lens language; the puppet series Avanti with ethnic characteristics
adopted such techniques as montage’s narrative, editing, metaphor, and so
on, which gave the animation a strong sense of rhythm; the proficient appli-
cation of brush strokes and ink-splashing styles in the ink-wash animated
short film The Land enabled the creation of ink-wash animations to reach
the peak of art, which had a great impact on the international commu-
nity. The Chinese school became increasingly mature. From 1978 to 1988,
more than 200 animations were created nationwide under the influence of
“Hundred Flowers Campaign”, among which a large number of animations
were warmly welcomed by the audience, such as Nezha Conquers the Dragon
King, The Legend of Sealed Book, Nine-color Deer, Fruit of Immortality,
Snow Kids, The Deer’s Bell, The Land, and so on. The TV-animated series
The Story of Avanti, Sheriff Black Cat, Dirty King Adventure, and Calabash
Brothers were also deeply loved by the audience.
As China begins the reform and opening up, the market competition has
become increasingly fierce. The large-scale entry of overseas commercial
animations exerted great impacts on China, so the SAFS gradually fell
apart and China’s second animation creation climax ended.

Note
1 A special school for intellectuals uprooted from their academic and research
institutions to live with the peasants in the countryside under military control
during the Cultural Revolution.
2 Creation and exploration

SECTION 1 CREATION CLIMAX


In 1956, Chinese animation was still in the exploratory stage and needed to
imitate the animated styles from foreign countries. However, 30 years later,
by 1987 this situation no longer existed.
Thirty years ago, the director of the SAFS Te Wei proposed the slogan at
the time: “Exploring the Road with National Characteristics.” Now, there has
been a gratifying return. Many Chinese animations have won awards for con-
secutive times at home and abroad. Especially after the Third Plenary Session
of the Eleventh Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC)
in December 1978, China’s film and animation creation entered the second cli-
max, and various film types and animation production departments grew rap-
idly. Many animation works won different international awards in successive
years. Therefore, the “Chinese School” became well-known all over the world.

1. Expression forms
The concept of animation creation in this period was mainly reflected in
two breakthroughs. One was to break through existing expression forms to
deeply explore the audio-visual language of films. The other was to look for
new animation themes.

2. Audio-visual language
The concepts of creation in the Cultural Revolution, namely typification
and three highlights,1 already have disappeared after the reform and open-
ing up. Animators have deepened characters’ personality in audio-visual
creations and made use of audio-visual language to depict their psycholog-
ical transition. For example, Xu Jingda’s Butterfly Spring has no dialogue
throughout the whole animation, all changes of plots and contradictions are
driven by music, and the liner style of decorative paintings is used in terms
of the art style. The director of this animated film dealt with the scenario
“Farewell” in the following way: in the beginning, we can see scenes starting
6 1978–1988 – Chinese animation
slowly downward the moonlight sky, then the panoramic view of the open
world. In front of the twinkling scene stand a couple who are facing and
confessing to each other under a big tree. The whole picture presents a pure
silence. After the panorama, there are medium-range, close, and close-up
scenes presenting to the audience at the same rhythm. The audiences are
emotionally rendered. The young man takes out a small red flower and gives
it to the beautiful girl. Lifting flowers, picking flowers, and holding each
other, these three actions are superimposed on the original scenes, show-
ing their first love is timid and heart-wrenching. Then, there appears a fea-
ture on their gaze followed by three scenes that change at the same rhythm:
close-up, medium-range, and panoramic.

3. Creation themes
After the reform and opening up, animated films with different themes
sprung up. For example, Snow Kids was adapted from the children’s liter-
ature work which was themed at depicting friendship; Butterfly Spring was
themed at extolling love; One Night at Gallery and Super Soap were aimed at
satirizing real-life phenomena. One Night at Gallery satirized the arbitrary
thoughts of blindly denying all arts in the Cultural Revolution between the
1960s and 1970s. The hats and sticks in the film symbolized the impression
on the Cultural Revolution, and the art gallery stood for all artworks. Super
Soap satirized some social phenomena in the 1980s.
The animation creation team boasted three generations of animators. The
old generation of animators could provide guidance on creative ideas; the
middle-aged generation of animators had new creative ideas and rich pro-
duction experience. The younger generation of animators also had a strong
passion for work. At that time, animation creation reached a peak. The main
audiences were formed of teenagers and children who were interested in
myths and legends themes. Therefore, most animations in this period used
these themes.

4. Animated feature film and animation series


In 1979, Nezha Conquers the Dragon King directed by Wang Shuchen, Yan
Dingxian, and Xu Jingda is China’s first animated feature film in widescreen
format. This film was adapted from the classical novel The Investiture of the
Gods, which introduces the audience into a fascinating mythological world
with rich imagination and successfully creates the image of a mythical and
vivid juvenile hero called “Nezha.” This film is greatly excellent in many as-
pects, such as animation techniques, scene design, and stunt photography. It
can be viewed as a masterpiece that can represent the Chinese animation art.
In 1983, the animated feature film The Legend of Sealed Book directed
by Wang Shuchen and Qian Yunda was based on the classical fairy tale
Subjugation of Demons. The character modellings in The Legend of Sealed
Book are exaggerated with national-style decoration that boasts of a high
Creation and exploration 7
aesthetic taste because it gets rid of the action expression form on the opera
stage and has well-knit, interesting, and humorous plots.
In 1985, the animated feature film Golden Monkey Conquers the Demon
directed by Te Wei, Yan Dingxian, and Lin Wenxiao was edited into a
five-episode animated series, which was based on the story of “Monkey Hit
Lady White Bone Thrice” in Journey to the West. In shaping the image of
Monkey King Sun Wukong, there are new breakthroughs, which show the
character of Sun Wukong, namely being emotional and sentimental.
In 1988, the Chinese and foreign co-production animated feature film
Reynard the Fox (jointly produced by the SAFS and the Federal Republic of
Germany Manfred Duny York Film and Television Production Company)
directed by He Yumen and Zhuang Minjin was based on the popular folk
stories in Europe. It was well received abroad.

Figure 2.1 Stage photo of animated feature film Nezha Conquers the Dragon King.

Figure 2.2 Stage photo of animated feature film The Legend of Sealed Book.
8 1978–1988 – Chinese animation

Figure 2.3 Stage photo of animated feature film Golden Monkey Conquers the Demon.

Figure 2.4 Stage photo of animated feature film Reynard the Fox.

5. Animated short film


During this period, the animated short films produced by the SAFS were
diversified in terms of themes and styles. What’s more, the expression and
production techniques were constantly innovated and harvested.
In 1980, A Da (Xu Jingda) directed the world-renowned animated film
Three Monks that had concise techniques and novel styles. Although it is
Creation and exploration 9
a short film, it still possessed profound meanings. Humorous images and
vivid and refined movements of the characters in this animation marked the
high level of Chinese animation at that time, which could also be put on the
list of “Animations that Won the Most Awards.”
The Fox and the Hunter (1978), To Shoot without Shooting (co-produced
by China and Japan in 1988), and A Praying Mantis Catches a Cricket
(1988) represented humorous animated short films. Good Cat Mimi (1979)
represented the civil folklore style. Characters of Reed Pipe (1981) were
simple.

Figure 2.5 Stage photo of animated short film The Fox and the Hunter.

Figure 2.6 Stage photo of animated short film To Shoot without Shooting.
10 1978–1988 – Chinese animation
Ding Ding Challenges the Monkey King (1980), The Miraculous Child (1984)
with exquisite production, and Nüwa Fixing up Sky (1985) with the refined
line, and so on represented the sci-fi animated short films. Snow Kids (1980)
stood for the lyrical animated short film. A Daoist from Laoshan Mountain
(1981) was a symbol of the animated short film that combined with the ink
scenes. Monkeys Fishing for the Moon (1981) was one of the animations that
used the ink-wash fine-fibre technique.
Animated short films reflecting the theme of ethnic minorities include The
Good Boy Xia Wudong (1981), Fruit of Immortality (1981), and Fire Child (1984).
Nine-color Deer (1981) was an animated short film adapted from
Dunhuang murals; Strawman (1985) had meticulous painting style; and
Water Deer (1985) was adapted from Taiwanese folktales.

Figure 2.7 Stage photo of animated short film Reed Pipe.

Figure 2.8 Stage photo of animated short film Nüwa Fixing up Sky.
Figure 2.9 Stage photo of animated short film A Daoist from Laoshan Mountain.

Figure 2.10 Stage photo of animated short film Monkeys Fishing on the Moon.

Figure 2.11 Stage photo of animated short film Ginseng Fruit.


Figure 2.12 Stage photo of animated short film Nine-color Deer.

Figure 2.13 Stage photo of animated short film Strawman.

Figure 2.14 Stage photo of animated short film Water Deer.


Figure 2.15 Stage photo of animated short film Cao Chong Weighs an Elephant.

Figure 2.16 Stage photo of animated short film The Blind Girl and the Fox.

Figure 2.17 Stage photo of animated short film Jia Zi Saves a Deer.
14 1978–1988 – Chinese animation

Figure 2.18 Stage photo of animated short film Single-plank Bridge.

The Naughty Golden Monkey (1982) was a funny animated film for chil-
dren, and Cao Chong Weighs an Elephant (1982) was an animation short film
with the wisdom theme.
The Blind Girl and the Fox (1982) was an animation short film that was
moving and refreshing; Butterfly Spring (1983) was elegant and beautiful.
Porcelain Dolls (1982) represented animated short films made of ceramic
materials.
Thirty-six Chinese Characters (1984) was a story made of Chinese characters.
Jia Zi Saves A Deer (1985) was an animated short film that extolled kind
heart; Single-plank Bridge (1988) was an animated short film that was ex-
aggerating and funny. The Super Soap (1986) was an animated short film
that was sarcastic. These artistic films won many awards in domestic and
international film festivals. Apart from the above animation short films pro-
duced by the SAFS, many animation production institutions in other places
also made a lot of good animations.

6. Ink-wash animation
In 1982, the ink-wash animation The Deer’s Bell was released. This meant the
recovery of the ink-wash animation creations. The Deer’s Bell had beautiful
pictures which fully demonstrated the unique flavour of ink-wash paintings.
The success of this animation could also be attributed to its continuation of
lyric style of ink-wash animation.
In 1983, the ink-wash paper-cut film The Snipe Grapples with the Clam was
launched. Ink-wash fine-fibre technique was also applied to this paper-cut
film in which each character’s model had a furry texture resembling the
brush painting on the rice paper and realizing the artistic effects of ink-wash
paintings. This film was well received at home and abroad.
In 1988, the ink-wash animation The Land was produced, which was an
ink-wash animation masterpiece. The deeply hidden realm and the tech-
nique of splashing landscape paintings were also a new exploration in the
Creation and exploration 15
production of ink-wash animation. The Land won a grand prize at the first
Shanghai International Animation Film Festival. John Halas, the British
animation artist and chairman of the jury, said,

We are glad that China’s aesthetic taste has gained global value. The
Land won awards because of its beautiful artistic style and skillfulness,
including animation skills and a harmonious musical image. Its success
once again proves the great potential of Chinese traditional art.

Figure 2.19 Stage photo of ink-wash animation The Deer’s Bell.

Figure 2.20 Stage photo of ink-wash paper-cut film The Snipe Grapples with the Clam.
16 1978–1988 – Chinese animation

Figure 2.21 Stage photo of ink-wash animation The Land.

7. Animated TV series
From 1984 to 1987, after the release of the animated series Sheriff Black Cat
(5 episodes), a warm response occurred among children audiences. The film
won the first Calf Award of Chinese films and You Wa Award.
From 1986 to 1987, the paper-cut series Calabash Brothers (13 episodes)
was gorgeous, and the plot was tense and loved by children. The film won
the third Calf Award of Chinese films in 1989, and the third prize of the first
China Film and Television Animation Program.
From 1986 to 1987, the animated series Dirty King Adventure (13 episodes)
educated children to pay attention to hygiene and eat healthily and not to litter.
From 1979 to 1988, the puppet series The Story of Avanti (14 episodes) was
based on folktales in the Islamic region and had exaggerated film style and
humorous language, which was popular at home and abroad.
The animation series Mang Ka’s Journey around the World (1986, 10
episodes) and The Little Bunny Feifei (1987, 10 episodes) produced by the
Shanghai TV Animation Studio were also very welcomed.

SECTION 2 AWARD-WINNING ANIMATIONS


The animations of the “Chinese School” in this period won world-famous
awards for consecutive years.

1. Continuation of glory

1. Where Is Momma?
In 1961, at the 14th Locarno International Film Festival in Switzerland, the
ink-wash animation Where Is Momma? shocked the entire international
animated film community and won the Silver Sail Award for Short Films.
In 1962, it won the Children’s Film Award at the 4th Annecy International
Creation and exploration 17
Animation Film Festival in France, and in 1964, it won the Honorary
Award of the 17th Cannes International Film Festival in France.

2. Havoc in Heaven (Part 1), Ginseng Baby, Golden Conch


In the same period, the animated film Havoc in Heaven (Part 1) won the
special short film award in Czechoslovakia (the 13th Karlovy Vary Interna-
tional Film Festival Short Film Special Award).
The paper-cut film Ginseng Baby won the Best Children’s Film Award at the
1st Alexander International Film Festival in Egypt and the Honor Award at the
4th Leipzig International Documentary and Short Film Festival. The paper-cut
film Golden Conch won the Lumumba Award at the 3rd Asian-African Inter-
national Film Festival in Indonesia. This kind of prosperity continued, so the
reputation of the “Chinese School” could be improved by the 1960s. This was
indeed a miracle, because at that time, the slogan of “exploring the road with
national characteristics” had been proposed only for a few years. Chinese an-
imation obviously jumped out of the shackles of the Soviet Union and quickly
created a number of animated works with ethnic styles and characteristics.
During the Cultural Revolution, there were few opportunities for Chinese
animations to win international awards. It was not until the Third Plenary
Session of the Eleventh Central Committee of the CPC in 1978 that the an-
imation of the “Chinese School” regained its reputation. Between 1978 and
1988, 16 films created by the SAFS won 25 international awards, some of
which won awards many times.

Figure 2.22 Logo of Locarno International Film Festival.


Figure 2.23 Logo of Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

Figure 2.24 Logo of Cannes International Film Festival.


Creation and exploration 19
2. Havoc in Heaven, The Cowboy’s Flute
In 1978, the animated film Havoc in Heaven won the best film award at the
London Film Festival. In the commemorative album of this festival, film
critic Kane Ruskin wrote,

This film is comparable to the myths in the Bible and the folklore of
Greece. They are all full of endless originality, fascinating events, heroic
behaviors and excellent fun... The film has become a highly influential
work through outstanding art design.

The Associated Press’s report at the London Film Festival showed the same
respect:

What captivated the United States is Havoc in Heaven because of how


great it is. It resembles Fantasia, but the former is more exciting than Dis-
ney’s work. The United States can never make such an animated cartoon.

In June 1983, the animated film Havoc in Heaven was premiered at several
theaters in Paris. In just one month, the audience exceeded 100,000 people.
France’s L’Humanité wrote: “Havoc in Heaven is a true masterpiece of
cartoons, like a beautiful picture of a symphony.” In the introduction, Le
Monde said, “Havoc in Heaven not only has the beauty of American Disney
works, but also the plastic art that cannot be done by Disney’s art films, that
is, it perfectly expresses the traditional Chinese art style.”
Havoc in Heaven won a grand award at the London Film Festival. One
year later, the ink-wash animation The Cowboy’s Flute won the gold medal
at the 3rd Danish Odense International Fair Festival.

3. Three Monks, Thirty-six Chinese Characters, Super Soap,


and The Snipe Grapples with the Clam
The animated short film Three Monks won the Silver Medal at the 4th
Odense International Fairy Tale Festival in 1981 and the Silver Bear Award
at the 31st Berlin International Film Festival the following year.
The animated short film Three Monks won awards at international film
festivals held in Portugal, the Philippines, and Ecuador. A Da, the director
of this film, also gained international fame.
A Da’s animated short films 36 Characters and Super Soap won awards
successively in Yugoslavia and Japan. The Snipe Grapples with the Clam also
won the Silver Bear Award at the 34th Berlin Film Festival.

4. Fire Child, Strawman


In the next few years, Japanese were impressed by Chinese paper-cut films,
including Fire Child and Strawman, which successively won honours at the
20 1978–1988 – Chinese animation
Hiroshima Animation Festival. In 1984, Fire Child won the first prize of
Group C of the first Hiroshima International Animation Film Festival in
Japan, and in 1987, Strawman won the first prize of Group C of the second
Hiroshima International Animation Film Festival in Japan.

5. Nezha Conquers the Dragon King


Nezha Conquers the Dragon King was recognized by both Eastern and
Western viewers. Its viewers reached 120,000 people in just two weeks in
Hong Kong, creating a high box office record.
It received longtime applause and cheers when exhibited at the French
Cannes International Film Festival. Critics praised this animation with
such words as “bright color, elegant style and rich imagination,” “beautiful
picture and vivid characters,” and “refreshing to audiences.” Nezha Con-
quers the Dragon King won the Special Screening Award at the 33rd Cannes
Film Festival. Three years later, it also won the Special Award for Children’s
Film at Manila International Film Festival.

SECTION 3 INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE


1. Joining the International Animation Association
Although China’s animations began winning international awards since
the 1950s, China Film Group Corporation (CFGC) alone participated in
all the activities such as film exhibitions and awards ceremonies. Affiliated
to CFGC, the SAFS’s foreign exchanges were all controlled by it. For ex-
ample, when Why Is Crow Black-Coated won international awards, it was
CFGC that informed the SAFS of the news. The SAFS didn’t go global
until the year of 1985 when it attended an international festival on its own.
The delegation of the SAFS included seven members consisting of the then
director of the SAFS Yan Dingxian and some other well-known directors
and animators. The International Animation Association was just elected
at that time so the delegation of the SAFS became their member. The Inter-
national Animation Association hoped that China could submit an anima-
tor to be its committee member, and A Da was nominated. There were only
a dozen directors in dozens of countries, and the International Animation
Association eventually awarded one of the seats to a Chinese animation
director A Da.

2. Organizing the first international animation film festival


SAFS participated in the International Animation Association and became
a member of the association and its committee, which meant that the SAFS
could represent the Chinese animation industry to participate in world-
wide exchange activities. These exchange activities included inviting mem-
ber countries or individuals to conduct film exhibitions and film exchange
Creation and exploration 21
activities in China and, if possible, to hold an animated film festival locally.
As a result, the SAFS began to organize the first Shanghai International Ani-
mation Film Festival, which became the fifth major international animation
festival under the guidance of the International Animation Association.

Figure 2.25 Poster of the 1st Shanghai International Animation Film Festival in 1988.

Figure 2.26 International judges having a heated discussion during the 1st Shanghai
International Animation Film Festival in 1988.
22 1978–1988 – Chinese animation
3. Inviting international judges and films from all
over the world
The first Shanghai International Animation Film Festival sent letters to five
authoritative judges from the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, Yugoslavia,
and China: The “Father of Animation” John Halas from Britain (the then
honorary Chairman of the International Animation Association); Japan’s
Osamu Tezuka; Canada’s Ke Hedman, who won the Academy Award for
best short cartoon; Yugoslavia’s Zlako Palinck; and China’s Jin Xi. Once
the list of judges was announced, the people’s trust in the China Anima-
tion Film Festival also increased. Many countries and individuals actively
signed up for the yearning for having access to the “Chinese School” and the
ancient Eastern country. In November 1988, the first international anima-
tion festival in Shanghai took place. There were 386 films from 28 countries
and regions, and 52 works were selected for competing for six categories in
the competition. The International Animation Association fully affirmed
the success of this event.

4. Deepening understanding and broadening horizon


This international exchange event opened a door for the SAFS. Not only
would more Chinese animations be displayed in front of the world but also
the fresh air of animation from all over the world would be blown toward
Shanghai and the SAFS as well. According to the memories of the old gen-
eration of the SAFS, the domestic understanding of cartoons was limited
to children’s animation, and there was no understanding of adult anima-
tion. After seeing the animations of other countries, Chinese audiences felt
the differences. Their horizon was broadened because at that time such ex-
change activities were not as many as they are now. Shanghai TV station
also opened a series to introduce the film at the festival. This also had an
impact on the SAFS. Absorbing ideas from a wide range of aspects, anima-
tors at the SAFS also opened their eyes, knowing that there was a broader
animation world, which was very helpful for developing ideas.

Note
3 Representative works

The excellent Chinese animated works of the “Chinese School” were like
miscellaneous stars which shed light on generations of audiences, including
a large number of junior students in a pleasant and inspiring way. Profound
Chinese culture was the origin and nutrient of creators. The good policies of
the CPC were the enthusiasm and driving force.

SECTION 1 NEZHA CONQUERS THE DRAGON KING


1. Creation background
The cartoon Nezha Conquers the Dragon King, which was completed in 1979,
was the most influential and most splendid animation of this period. It could
be viewed as a classic animated feature film that resembled Havoc in Heaven,
which was made 15 years ago. According to Yan Dingxian’s recollection:

There is a story about this. At that time, Wang Shuchen had a script called
Prince Nezha’s Triumph against Dragon King. The script was written in
1958 and was prepared to be filmed with the Soviet Union. The Soviet
director came to China in 1958 to discuss the script, but there were some
arguments regarding its humanity aspects. We wanted to remove the
superstitious contents, but the Soviet director thought it should be kept
because foreigners were curious about those things. After the argument,
the script was put on hold. After the end of the Cultural Revolution, Te
Wei noticed the script of Nezha Conquers the Dragon King and thought
it was not bad. He decided to make it into an animation. At that time,
Wang Shuchen was the screenwriter. He focused on the theme of this film.
Animation design was my duty, A Da was responsible with the scene and
photography, and the three directors performed their own duties.

2. A brief introduction to Nezha Conquers the Dragon King


Nezha Conquers the Dragon King was completed by the SAFS. It was the first
colour widescreen animation feature film in China with a length of 63 minutes.
Based on the novel The Investiture of the Gods, the film gathered all the
elite animators in the SAFS at that time. The total length of the film was
around 5,700 feet and 50,000 drawings were accumulated for the animation.
24 1978–1988 – Chinese animation
It took 15 months for the animators to accomplish the animation, which was
made into two movie formats, namely widescreen and general screen.

Screenwriter: Wang Shuchen,


Director: Wang Shuchen, Yan Dingxian, Xu Jingda,
General Art Design: Zhang Ding,
Photography: Duan Xiaoxuan, Jiang Youyi, Jin Zhicheng,
Composer: Jin Fuzai,
Art Design: Yan Shanchun, Chen Nianxi, Huang Wei, Qin Yizhen,
Animation Design: Lin Wenxiao, Chang Guangxi, Zhu Kanglin, Ma Kexuan,
Zhang Jingyuan, Pu Jiaxiang, Lu Qing, Chen Guangming, Fan Madi, Pan
Jiyao, Du Chunfu, Fan Benxin, Zhuang Minjin, Jiang Caifan, Yang Suying.

3. Awards
1 In 1979, it won the Outstanding Film Award of the Ministry of Culture
and the Young Excellent Creation Award (Yan Dingxian and Jin Fuzai).
2 In 1980, it won the Best Art Film Award of the 3rd Chinese Film
“Hundred Flowers Award.”
3 In 1983, it won the special prize of the second Manila International
Film Festival in the Philippines.
4 In 1988, it won the Jury Award and the Widescreen Feature Film Award
of the 7th Bourbon Cultural Club Youth International Animation Film
Festival in France.


Figures 3.1–3.7 Title: Nezha Conquers the Dragon King; Original work: The Inves-
titure of the Gods; Screenwriter: Wang Shuchen; Director: Wang
Shuchen, Yan Dingxian and Xu Jingda; Length: 63 minutes;
Producer: Shanghai Animation Film Studio.
Figure 3.2

Figure 3.3
Figure 3.4

Figure 3.5
Another random document with
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She was surprised to find that this seemed to place no restraint
upon Lawrence. He whispered as much as ever and lost every recess
like a little soldier.
When this had been going on for two weeks, one day Sarah, who
sat just behind Freddie, hung around Miss Blair’s desk plainly trying
to get up courage to say something. Finally, Miss Blair said, “What is
it, Sarah?” Sarah replied, “Freddie makes Lawrence whisper.” Miss
Blair said in astonishment, “How can that be?”
“Why,” said Sarah, “Freddie can’t tell just what you want, or he
can’t spell the words and he punches Lawrence in the back and
Lawrence tells him what to do or how to spell the words.”
Here, then, was the key to the situation, which Freddie had been
too selfish and Lawrence too manly to disclose.
Freddie was given a seat near Miss Blair’s desk where she could
help him, and Lawrence ceased to whisper. The sadness which had
shown in his face at every recess was replaced by happy relaxation.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Find out by tactful questioning, changing seats during one period,


etc., just why a certain child persists in whispering. Ascertain
whether the one to whom he whispers gets or gives information and
arrange for the dependent one to get direct help from you, or from
some fellow pupil, after instructions have been given.
Never keep a child in at recess time for any other reason than that
he has already had recreation.
Test Freddie’s hearing. It may be that some defect in that respect
has made it impossible for him to catch some of the explanations
given by the teacher.
If hearing is found to be normal, test his vision. Possibly he can not
see all the lessons that are placed on the board. Perhaps, also, the
light may shine on the board in such a way that he can not see the
writing.

COMMENTS
The Bavaria system has revealed the great need of individual
instruction. This question of getting help on the difficult parts of a
lesson is not, in itself, wrong. The evil comes from the confusion of
haphazard whispering. The whispered help which one pupil gives
another, without the teacher’s consent, is attended by more than one
evil. The attention of two pupils is shifted from the central interest.
The teacher is deceived as to the real knowledge which the helped
one has of the subject and he can not therefore correctly estimate his
work.
Yet the physical well-being of a child demands that he have his
recess period of relaxation. The teacher who does her duty in the
matter of supervised play will abandon “keeping children in” as a
punishment for misdemeanors.

ILLUSTRATION (FOURTH GRADE)

Miss Green tried the following method in Rewarding with


her room. She wrote the pupils’ names on Stars
the blackboard in a conspicuous place. She told the children that
whenever she saw a child whisper during the week just beginning she
would erase his name.
At the beginning of the second week a star was placed after each
name remaining on the board. Those who had whispered the week
before were given another chance by again writing their names on
the blackboard. Each succeeding week a new star was given to those
who had not yet whispered and each week those who failed were
given a new trial. When any one had received six stars they were
given a book.
Little was said about those who failed, but every week a story was
told, when the stars were given, showing the value of self-control, or
the disaster which followed lack of self-control. This plan practically
eliminated whispering.

CASE 105 (FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADES)


Miss Peterson taught the fifth and sixth Outdoing the
grades in a central Illinois town. She had a Teacher
loud, scolding voice. The children whispered almost incessantly,
apparently to drown her harsh tones. They nearly always succeeded
in part, but occasionally when the noise of whispering seemed worse,
Miss Peterson’s voice actually arose above the din and in threatening
tones she said to them, “Stop whispering!”
Her evident reason for this was to get only a temporary, partial
silence, for this was all she accomplished. Her outbreak against noise
occurred two or three times daily. The children even blew whistles
very softly at times and actually disliked Miss Peterson the more
because she seemed to believe them when they told her the sound
was made by the wind whistling through the cracks around the ill-
fitted windows.
One day when the noise seemed worse than usual, she announced
that whoever whispered next would have to “stand on the floor.”
There was a moment’s silence and then one of the girls whispered a
comment upon her remark. Instantly Miss Peterson called her to
stand up in the front of the room. The girl to whom she whispered
immediately talked for the obvious purpose of joining her friend in
disgrace. When Miss Peterson asked the second girl to join the first, a
smile was exchanged between them. This was seen by others who
decided to join in the fun. One after another, almost as fast as
named, joyfully joined the group of those standing, and what is more,
whispered to each other on the floor. When almost half of the pupils
had been called out, poor Miss Peterson gave them a very angry
lecture, and threatened them with the loss of recess. A partial silence
ensued after the lecture, but that session of the school was worse
than lost.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Take time to see yourself at work in the school-room. Test out your
own influence as a noise maker by adopting some very quiet methods
of doing your own work; see if the children do not imitate you also in
maintaining better order.
Abandon the haphazard method of curbing whispering. Think the
whole situation over; measure each pupil in respect to the
whispering nuisance; classify the room as a whole in respect to the
matter. Probably you will adopt two or three methods
simultaneously for different types of pupils.
Apply these methods unobtrusively. By working with individuals
have the rumor pass around that you are becoming stern about
whispering. This can be done without provoking enmity.
Use a number of stories on self-control, neighborliness, etc., but do
not connect them with your campaign against whispering. If some
story makes a great hit, allude to its leading character when dealing
with certain individual offenders.

COMMENTS

A harsh voice or a loud tone tends very strongly to provoke school-


room noise. It sets an example; it shows the teacher’s disregard of
the customary rule relative to quiet in the room; it provokes a similar
noisiness for the sake of self-defense.
The well modulated voice not only pleases sensitive ears and
gentle spirits, but it suggests strongly to the pupils what their own
voices may be like. Such a voice says not only, “Do this,” but also “Do
it quietly.”
The voices of most persons are untrained. Teachers usually give
little professional attention to their voices, yet no aspect of their
personality needs greater attention.
The voice is usually a good indicator of character. Miss Peterson
doubtless is no exception. We doubt if any person enjoys her
friendship as much as if she used a sweeter, gentler, lower-pitched
voice.
The adoption of some method of voice culture will react on the
character.
Either singing or dramatics will soften the voice and warm up the
heart. If nothing else is available, the reading of well selected poetry
with an attempt at faithful expression has a lasting effect if
maintained for a considerable period.
Public announcement of a mode of punishment for a certain
offense often leads a group to try together the experiment of
breaking the rule laid down. A public talk about a general
misdemeanor must be well thought out and given at an opportune
time, with no hint of anger on the part of the teacher. The pupils will
not reason that an angry person’s judgment is warped, but they will
nevertheless, resent a lecture given in any other than a seriously
helpful attitude of mind.
The novice and the failing teacher use direct methods hoping to
secure immediate and adequate results. One teacher says, “I want to
use a method that will bring whispering to a stop at once.”
Human nature rarely consents to such radical methods. Indirect
methods and a little lapse of time are usually necessary to give the
human nervous organism opportunity for readjustment. Such a
reorganization of habits is not closely under the control of the will;
rather the lower nerve centers must actually effect the desired
reforms. Intelligent choice merely supplies the inner stimulus which
directs the course of the rebuilding of habit that is so earnestly
longed for.
“The perpetual ill-behavior of many children is itself the
consequence of that chronic irritation in which they are kept by bad
management.... That harsh treatment which children of the same
family inflict on each other is often, in great measure, reflex of the
harsh treatment they receive from adults.” (Spencer, Education.)

ILLUSTRATION (FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADES)

Mrs. Steward taught a room of pupils in the fifth and sixth grades.
Near the end of the second week she felt that she had the confidence
of her pupils and could count upon their coöperation.
On Friday morning just before recess she Taking a Vote
said, “How many of you would like to try to
have no whispering at all between now and recess time? It is only ten
minutes.” A majority of the children voted that the trial be made. The
silence was really restful. Just before dismissing for recess she asked
how many liked the silence. Again a majority of them held up their
hands. About twenty minutes before noon she again allowed them to
vote as to whether or not all should refrain from whispering until
noon. This time more even than before voted for silence. Half an
hour before school closed they again decided against whispering for
the rest of the day.
On Monday one or two sessions were voted upon with success.
Before the end of the third week the children from choice had voted
whispering out of the school for the rest of the term because they
liked complete silence better.
They followed the teacher who used the method of leading
suggestion.
Thereafter when someone forgot and whispered, they were
reminded, kindly, that they were not following the wish of their
fellow-pupils. On this subject of majority rule, stories were told of its
value in human history.
Many teachers make use of the honor system in determining
deportment grades, especially asking for self-reporting on
whispering and similar offenses.

CASE 106 (RURAL SCHOOL)

Mr. Boling taught in a rural school in Central Illinois. He used the


following system as a check upon whispering.
Every evening just before school closed When All
he called the roll. Those who had not Whisper
whispered during the day were to answer “ten.” If they had
whispered once “nine.” For every time they whispered during the day
they were to deduct one from their daily grade in deportment.
With some children this acted as an effective check. One little girl,
Jennie, had truthfully answered “ten” every day since the
introduction of the system. She sat with her sister in a double seat.
One day a friend asked permission to “speak” and came to the sister’s
desk to borrow a book. Jennie not being able to find the book said to
her sister, “Look on your side!” Then she slapped her hand on her
mouth and her little heart sank. She had broken her record. She had
whispered without permission! Many notes passed between the
sisters as to whether or not Jennie had really whispered without
permission. It was grimly decided that she had. They reasoned that
whereas the friend’s permission to “speak” allowed each of them to
speak to her, still that gave the sisters no right to speak to each other.
Jennie suffered all the rest of that day. How like a real culprit she felt
when she answered “nine” at roll call. The memory of the disgrace
lingers with her through the years.
But Mr. Boling had other pupils of far different home training and
natural disposition from Jennie.
Katie Mender and Annie Kuhn were examples of this class. They
whispered almost incessantly. Jennie knew it and she believed Mr.
Boling himself knew it and yet they answered “eight,” “nine” or “ten”
every evening.
A few there were who not only whispered incessantly but who
shamelessly answered “zero” every evening.
Clifton with a good-natured grin answered “zero” daily and looked
around the room with a complacency that seemed to say, “What a
smart boy am I!”
And even Jennie often wondered if his care-free life was not
enviable. Nothing was ever said or done by Mr. Boling to show that
Jennie was more to be commended than Clifton.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Commend Jennie for her conscientious reports. Talk privately to


Katie and Annie about their false statements. Make them see the
value of truth in business and social life.
This may be done publicly at roll call by some such statement as
this: “Every day that Jennie makes a true report of perfect control of
her desire to whisper, she has grown stronger in character as surely
as the oak is stronger after battling with a wind storm.”
A reference to the growth of flowers would please Jennie but
would not impress the boys. Give them some such instruction as this:
“Notice carefully every thing you say during one play period. Stop to
think what would have happened if you had been untruthful every
time you spoke. When you have thought of a good reason why people
should speak the truth come and tell me what your reason is.”
Have a further check upon Clifton, one that he will respect. His is a
case of ignoring wholly the rights of others. You may say, “Clifton,
what would you do if a new boy should come to school and wish to
play ball. Then when playing he wouldn’t heed a single rule of the
game. Suppose he insisted upon striking as long as he pleased,
tripped those on his side when they ran, and never helped to get his
opponents out. If the boys were sure he knew just what to do, how
would they proceed?” Clifton will tell you that they wouldn’t let him
play. “Would they like him?” “Why?”
Take another case. Say, “Suppose a twelve-year-old boy came to
school who talked out loud continually and so spoiled the game of
studying and reciting lessons. What ought I to do?” He will doubtless
suggest a course to stop the boy’s talking. “Now supposing a boy
whispers all the time and so hinders others as well as himself from
scoring a point in their favor in arithmetic or spelling, what should
be done?” “But in all these cases it would be better to hold on to the
boy, don’t you think?”
Lead him thus to see the case in its true light. If Clifton does not
weigh matters when you talk them over with him, separate him from
the mass of the pupils. This can be done without inflicting an
intentional penalty. See this method as developed in the illustration
just below.

COMMENTS

If Jennie is not commended, she will have no reason to believe that


her honesty and restraint are really valued.
It is a shameful neglect on the part of a teacher to allow children to
lie habitually and do nothing to make them truthful. Mr. Boling, to
lessen a minor wrong, tolerated a gross misdeed.
Clifton was daily learning anarchy, and demonstrating to the
school that lawlessness is regarded as “smart” by some. This idea
should be speedily corrected.
In place of the honor system which invariably has the three classes
of dispositions above described to deal with, a better plan is
isolation.
ILLUSTRATION (RURAL SCHOOL)

Miss Taylor of Allenton used this method Seats Near the


to reduce the amount of whispering. She Front
arranged a seat on each side of the room near the front for the use of
those who needed special help in the matter of self-control necessary
to prevent whispering. Since every desk was occupied she placed a
sewing table against the wall on either side in front for desks, and
used camp chairs for seats. At these tables she allowed children to sit
who needed an environmental help in securing self-control. She
made it very clear that this was not punishment; it was simply help
to enable the child to do what he himself wanted to accomplish. Her
whole attitude was that of solicitude for the best welfare of the two
who had the additional help of isolation to teach them self-control.
Those who occupied these seats were aided by giving them helpful
surroundings in place of those fraught with temptation.
When pupils have reached the high school age, if former training
has failed to give them enough self-control to make them refrain
from whispering at least they will be able to see the reasonableness of
silence in both the study and recitation rooms.
Here special honors and privileges may well be granted to those
who are silent if only the teacher makes it clear that a reward for the
exercise of self-control is just as legitimate as a diploma for courses
in study completed. Indeed a badge of honor won through self-
imposed restriction in this matter is an index of real merit, and the
tactful teacher can easily show the pupil that this is the case.
Much of the trouble about whispering here, as in the grades, arises
from pure thoughtlessness, selfishness or self-esteem.
(2) Talking aloud; talking too much; talking without permission.

CASE 107 (HIGH SCHOOL)

In the Elkton High School many factors Displaying Wit


contributed to make Charles Drover a
favorite. He was an athletic star, he was from a popular family, but
above all he was a wit of considerable merit. His witticisms always
secured a hearing. His temptation to whisper was very great.
Remarks of general import, no matter how serious, usually ended by
giving those around Charles much to do to refrain from laughing
aloud.
Mr. Hodge, the high school Principal, was annoyed past
endurance. One morning after a brief talk on a coming lecture,
Laura, a neighbor to Charles, smiled broadly. Mr. Hodge said,
“Laura, pass into my office.” She went at once. After the classes had
passed, Mr. Hodge went to his office and frowningly explained to
Laura how much her constant levity annoyed him and demanded
that she bring in extra school work as punishment, and further said
that if she still persisted in treating all remarks made from the
platform with so much unconcern he would see to it that no position
of trust be given her in high school affairs.
The week passed and the day of the lecture arrived. Laura was to
be one of the ushers that night. Mr. Hodge was giving some final
directions concerning the arrangements for the evening when Laura
giggled. Instantly Mr. Hodge announced that some one else must be
appointed in Laura’s place as usher and that she bring in the
translation of twenty extra lines of Caesar the following day. This was
the beginning of a strong opposition to Mr. Hodge which culminated
in his being asked to resign at the end of the year.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Deal with the cause of the disturbance. Suppression of either the


laughter of the girl or the humorous trait in the boy is entirely out of
the question. Pass over the girl’s misdemeanor until the boy has been
disposed of.
Cultivate the humor in Charles. The primary task will be to teach
him how to make good use of his talent. Wide reading under your
direction will acquaint him with many types of humor and enable
him to choose with discrimination. Show him the appropriate uses of
humor, the occasions when humor can best be indulged in, the
injuries wrought by unregulated fun. Have him take charge of the
humorous column in the high school weekly. If he has a gift in
drawing, develop humor and art together.
You may learn a great deal from Charles; if you do, let him know
the fact and so link him to you the closer. Hold many private chats
with him informally about his work and enter into it with genuine
interest.

COMMENTS

Nine times out of ten the one who laughs in school is not the real
culprit. A person scarcely ever regards himself as “funny” or
ridiculous. A pupil laughs at another’s error, blunder or joke.
If the sense of humor is enkindled, laughter is the only natural
outcome; the control of one’s impulse to laugh must of course be
taught, yet for school-room purposes it is far more important to be
master of the conditions that provoke laughter.
The treatment recommended for Charles will help to make a man
of him, and other pupils will respect the teacher all the more if he
prizes a talent which wins the applause of all the school.
A teacher who is unable to laugh or to share in that which is
positively humorous is an unlovely person.

“’Twas the saying of an ancient sage that humor was the only test
of gravity, and gravity of humor. For a subject that would not bear
raillery was suspicious; and a jest which would not bear a serious
examination was certainly false wit.”

—Shaftsbury.

The best teachers occasionally have a whole room of pupils roaring


in peal after peal of laughter. They lose nothing by the experience;
rather they gain immensely, for laughing together makes hearts
warm up towards each other.
The weak teacher dares not risk himself to laugh when the class or
room is seized by a fit of fun. For the pupils it is highly interesting to
watch the struggles of the teacher to avoid doing that which they
know he likely wants to do. In refusing to participate in their mood
he repels them. He puts himself out of their group; he takes a
position as a critic and as an alien.
If one leads pupils to make proper use of their talents, he fulfills
his truest function as an educator. Developing, restraining from
excesses, guiding in the profitable use of the natural endowments of
the child—these are the necessary duties of every high-minded
instructor.
We must learn that the impartation of school facts is but one
means of equipping a child for taking his place as a prepared
member of society.
Whatever natural gifts a child has must be dealt with in school life.
Those that are dormant must be drawn out; those that are already
functioning must be directed.
When a boy or girl fully realizes that the teacher’s primary thought
is helpfulness, many difficulties will disappear.

ILLUSTRATION (HIGH SCHOOL)

Jennie Leavitt was a high-strung, irrepressible, well-meaning girl


far on in her teens. It was her custom to announce firm adherence to
good moral standards when such matters were up for discussion. Her
motives, moreover, were seldom open to question.
She entered class at the opening of the Isolating
term with an established whispering habit. Whisperers
Her classmates, one by one, were moved from her vicinity so that,
finally, only one was left with whom she could chat. Her breaches of
good order were so innocent that any suggestion of coercion seemed
inappropriate; the removal of her companions reduced the problem
to small dimensions.
The teacher had but one short step to take: to give her remaining
companion another seat in some unobtrusive way and to make
enough assignments of written work to afford a means of expression
for the active mind of the school girl. This could easily be done
because of the excellent mutual understanding between the
whisperer and her teacher.
A school should offer conditions and surroundings that are as
conducive as possible to study, to concentration of the pupil’s effort.
Too many teachers put plenty of emphasis on the physical factors in
their pupils’ surroundings—ventilation, posture, light, etc.—but allow
their rooms to degenerate into a perfect hubbub of noisy confusion in
which study is impossible.

CASE 108 (FOURTH GRADE)

Joseph Levy and Sadie Higgins, two pupils in the fourth grade of
the Pittsburgh Avenue School, Minneapolis, were talking without
permission, when Miss Bowen, who was conducting an arithmetic
lesson on the other side of the room, saw them.
“Joseph and Sadie! Did anyone give you Talking Without
permission to talk?” she inquired. “I want Permission
you all to know (she rose from her seat and addressed the whole
room) that hereafter there is to be no talking without permission. If
it is absolutely necessary that you speak to someone, hold up your
hand.”
The next day Sadie “forgot.” Miss Bowen was busy helping another
pupil. She waited until she had finished. In the meantime, several
minutes had passed. Sadie had found out what she wanted and was
working on her arithmetic lesson, when Miss Bowen went over to
Sadie’s desk, pulled her out of the seat by her arm, and said so the
whole room could hear, “Sadie Higgins, I’m not going to tell you
more than once that you have to ask permission when you want to
speak. Do you hear me?... Well, sit down and see that the next time
you wish to speak, you ask my consent before doing so.”

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Discuss matters of conduct with offenders, not with non-offenders.


Because Sadie had spoken without permission, it is not therefore
necessary to tell Joseph that he may not speak without permission.
Address yourself to the one who needs the prohibition. Treat each
case by itself. Wait until you have finished your immediate work,
whether it is holding a recitation or writing on the blackboard. When
the period is ended, quietly speak to Sadie in private, telling her she
must ask permission when she wants to speak as you may be able to
answer her question without bothering another pupil.
“Just hold up your hand and if I think it is necessary, I shall nod
my head, meaning ‘Yes’; this will not disturb the rest of the room.”

COMMENTS

Miss Bowen disturbed the whole room much more than any
talking between Sadie and Joseph did when she called the attention
of the other pupils to the fact that Joseph and Sadie were talking
without permission.
Every teacher should remember that children need constantly to
be reminded of what they should do until the act becomes a habit.
Miss Bowen did Sadie an injustice, since the child had not been
accustomed to ask permission when she wished to speak.
It was very well for Miss Bowen to wait until she had finished the
work at hand before speaking to Sadie, but she should have
remembered that the child had had time to forget that she had
spoken. To pull her out of her seat and publicly scold her was entirely
out of place.

ILLUSTRATION (FIFTH GRADE)

When Miss Lucas took charge of the fifth Breaking An Old


grade room in the Henry Clay Grammar Habit
School, Lexington, Kentucky, she was informed on the first day that
the children were accustomed to speak to one another without
permission. As this was often annoying, especially when three or four
spoke at once, she decided that this must not be.
When, the following morning, she saw Lola Mossman, a girl of
exquisite manner, walk over to the desk of Bernice Bryant, evidently
to ask her about a lesson, Miss Lucas waited until the close of the
period, when she spoke to Lola in private.
“Is it the custom in this school, Lola, for the pupils to speak to one
another during a study period without permission?”
“Yes, Miss Lucas.”
“I am sure the whole room will be less disturbed if we form the
habit of asking permission before we speak.
“If you need to find out something about a lesson, you should have
permission to speak. I will willingly grant it; but do not ask to speak
when you see someone else talking. It is disturbing to the other
pupils to have two persons speaking at a time.”
Through Lola Mossman and one or two other pupils as a medium,
the children soon discovered that Miss Lucas expected them to ask
permission before speaking.

CASE 109 (FIFTH GRADE)

Mamie Eggleston was a devoted pupil in Monopolizing


the fifth grade of a school in Paterson, New Time
Jersey. She never missed an opportunity to talk with Miss Olmstead,
her teacher, before or after school.
“May I come in?” Mamie would say if she saw Miss Olmstead
seated at her desk before school began.
“Yes, indeed.”
Then for fifteen minutes Mamie would talk just for the sake of
saying something to someone who would listen.
“I like Miss Forsyth’s new waist, don’t you?”
“Are those little black bands on your wrists tied or fastened on?
That waist is awfully becoming to you. I have a pink waist. My
mother made it for me. But she won’t let me wear it to school,” etc.,
etc.
“There’s the bell,” Miss Olmstead would say as she thought, “Well,
there’s another fifteen minutes lost and I intended to put the
arithmetic problems on the board before school began.”

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT
Do not over-indulge a talkative child. In a kind but firm way tell
her that you have some important work to do or that you must see
Miss Belmont before school begins. If she persists in talking with you
after school, answer her questions politely but hurriedly, while you
put on your wraps and say as you go out of the room, “I have to leave
now. Are you ready to go home?”

COMMENTS

Miss Olmstead did an injustice to both the child and herself.


Valuable time was wasted by allowing the child to talk on at length,
without any motive other than the pleasure of talking.
It is not necessary to cut off entirely a child’s talking with you
outside of school hours. Such pleasant associations between teacher
and pupil are to be encouraged. We are concerned in this case with
the child who likes to talk just to keep herself in the foreground.
By heeding only those questions which have weight, by listening to
the child’s talk only long enough to be polite, you will help her to
control a desire which, unrestrained, will, in the future, make her
presence unbearable.

ILLUSTRATION (SIXTH GRADE)

When Miss Carleton first came to teach in Reforming


the sixth grade in East Orange, New Jersey, Habits
she was warned that certain little girls in her room had the habit of
talking to the teacher whenever they could get an opportunity. They
enjoyed loitering around the teacher whose place Miss Carleton had
taken, because they thought it was her duty to listen to everything
they had to say. As a consequence, they literally ruled the room.
“Miss Kimball says ...” and “Miss Kimball says ...” they would
remark as if they were the appointed interpreters of Miss Kimball.
Miss Carleton made an immediate decision that she would show
the children by her actions that she did not intend to waste valuable
time listening to their empty talk.
As usually happens with a new teacher, she was surrounded by a
group of girl leaders at the close of the first session.
“Do you bring your lunch, Miss Carleton?”
“Did you know our room is going to give a set of books to the
library this year?”
“That will be lovely,” Miss Carleton politely replied to the last
question, as the first one had been immediately superseded by the
second.
She then stood to arrange her desk in a businesslike manner,
implying that the present moment offered no opportunity for further
discussion.
Immediately she went to her wardrobe, saying as she did so, “I
take it for granted you all brought your lunches. I hope you will enjoy
them. You might move the waste basket a little nearer your desks so
that it will be convenient for your papers and fruit skins.
“When I come back from lunch I shall expect to see each one of
you out in the school yard. It is a beautiful day for a game of Hop
Scotch.
“Good-bye.”
So Miss Carleton tactfully mastered the situation of the first day.

CASE 110 (SIXTH GRADE)

Miss Atkinson was an intelligent, quick, good-natured little


woman whom the children really liked. She never got angry, and her
discipline was good so far as the big misdemeanors were concerned.
The A division was reciting its arithmetic lesson while the B
division studied. Miss Atkinson sent half of her class to the board
and started to give out an example.
“May I find out the lesson from Tom?” A Talking During
boy who had been absent the day before Recitation
was speaking, without pausing to raise his hand for permission.
Miss Atkinson nodded and read the example over again.
“We had that example yesterday,” came from one of the pupils in
the class.
“No, we didn’t. It was something like it but it wasn’t the same,”
replied another.
Before the dispute was settled and the children at work, five
minutes of the recitation period had been wasted. Ten minutes later,
Alice, of the B division, asked if she might open a window. Then
Grace wanted to borrow a pencil. While Miss Atkinson was showing
Joe how to point off, Henry called out, “How many places must we
carry it out?” By the time the various queries were answered, Joe’s
attention had wandered and in order to make his difficulty clear to
him, the teacher had to go back over the ground already covered.
Thus every class period was frittered away. Questions were
continually being fired at the teacher like shots out of a gun. One
bold pupil was constantly making remarks intended to be funny or to
delay the progress of lessons. Miss Atkinson could not see the harm
in answering the seemingly legitimate inquiries, and her efforts to
curb the general habit of talking aloud were altogether too mild.
Fully one-half of both the children’s and the teacher’s time was
wasted by such interruptions. Serious, concentrated effort was
impossible and the duller pupils were confused and distracted by this
endless breaking into their train of thought.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Insist that the work in hand shall not be interrupted. If for one day
the teacher will persistently refuse to recognize questions spoken
aloud without permission, a long step will have been taken in the
direction of correcting the bad habit.
Allow two or three minutes between classes, if necessary, for
answering the questions of the division which has been studying.
Henry should be led to raise his hand if he needs help, and his
difficulty should be settled in turn—after Joe’s has been explained.
The bold pupil would lose some of his smartness if he were fully
occupied with work. Keeping the pupils constantly busy in the
arithmetic class, by dictating rapidly and putting a premium upon
getting through quickly, prevents discussions upon unessential parts
of the work, such as whether or not the same example had been given
out before; the children do not have time to consider the matter.
COMMENTS

It is not difficult to make children see that the rights of others are
infringed by interruptions such as speaking aloud without
permission. Once this is understood, the teacher must stick to her
refusal to recognize such interruptions. When the children
understand that they are expected to keep silent, they form the habit
of waiting for permission before asking questions. Unless the teacher
shows respect for the lesson in hand—not allowing her attention to
be distracted from it—she can not expect the pupils to do so.
Some teachers are afraid to refuse to answer questions at the time
they arise in the child’s mind, fearing to bring the child to a standstill
in his work and that he will be idle unless his difficulty is settled. It is
a part of a child’s education to learn to be independent, to solve his
own difficulties. Too much dependence on “Teacher” unfits the pupil
for progress in his lessons or in anything else.

ILLUSTRATION (SIXTH GRADE)

The habit of talking aloud is easily cured.


Miss Ellis was called upon to substitute in the place of a teacher
who had been lax in her discipline. The pupils talked aloud almost as
freely as if they had been in their own homes. Miss Ellis knew her
position as substitute would be a hard one, and made up her mind
that she would spend the first day, if necessary, doing nothing but
enforcing order.
The first time a child talked out loud Making Up Time
without permission, she said, quietly, “Now,
John, you know we can’t get very far with this lesson if we are to be
interrupted. And we don’t want to have to take it over again
tomorrow. Suppose you try to settle the matter yourself, or wait until
after this class to ask me.” And she did not answer John’s question.
It was only a few minutes until Isabel remarked that she couldn’t
see what was written on the blackboard from where she sat. Miss
Ellis told Isabel that by standing up she could read what was written
there very plainly, and that it was unfair to the rest of the school for
her to take up their time by speaking aloud.
At the third interruption Miss Ellis said, again very quietly, “At this
rate we shall all have to stay after school today to finish our work. I
will not answer any more questions until this class is over. Then I
will give you three minutes to do all the speaking, borrowing, and so
forth that is necessary for the rest of the morning. And any talking
aloud will put us just five minutes behind with our work, so we’ll
have to make up that five minutes after school.”
No one went home that afternoon until an hour and a half after the
regular time for dismissal, but the talking aloud habit was broken,
once and for all, during Miss Ellis’ regime.
One big element in a teacher’s control of a school is a phase of
stick-to-it-iveness, namely, her ability not only to prescribe a given
line of action but to stick to it herself and hold her pupils to it day
after day. Too many teachers are spasmodic in their control. They are
very strict for a few days, then grow negligently lax in their
discipline, only to pull their pupils up to the previous standard again
with a jerk. It is just as easy to form good habits as bad ones, but a
teacher can never hope to train a school in good habits if she
punishes today what she leaves unnoticed tomorrow, as Miss Rand, a
seventh grade teacher, did.

CASE 111 (SEVENTH GRADE)

It was Friday afternoon and both teacher Useless Talking


and pupils were weary of the school-room
and of work; all were a little cross and nervous, and impatient for the
dismissal bell to ring.
“Make John quit tying my hair-ribbon to the inkwell,” spoke up a
girl from the back of the room.
Before John’s case was quite settled, “May I erase the boards after
school?” “Does our geography lesson begin on page 268 or 267?” “Do
we have to write our compositions in ink?” and so forth—an endless
string of useless questions, confusing to those who were trying to
study and nerve-racking to the teacher. And besides the talking aloud
there was a constant and needless passing to and fro.
“Now see here, children, this has got to stop. Monday morning
we’re going to turn over a new leaf and put a stop to this talking

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