SETTLING SCHOOL FIGHTS

    As most of you know, I taught Middle School for 37 good years. It was an interesting level to teach as you got to wear many hats and the clientele were quite changeable.

    One of the duties that came by from time to time was to look after fights. This was far from my favorite job. 

    Now the good city planners planned so that two middle schools were kitty corner to each other. One was a public school and the other was a separate school or Catholic school.

    So from time to time for whatever imagined reason a fight between the two schools was rumored to take place. Some of these gatherings took place and others were only rumors. But several times a year a crowd (100 kids) gathered .

    I had a classroom on the playground side of the school. I was told to watch the yard and if anything happened I was to go out. Another teacher was also given the same assignment. Ole weighed about 300 lbs and was 6' 4".

    So when a crowd gathered on the field Ole and I would slowly walk to the field. There were a number of reasons for the slow walk. One was to assess the situation. I always made sure I was a couple of steps behind Ole. I was a coward!

   We would walk to the edge of the crowd and it appeared like a small group in the center was in discussion. No punches or pushing. Shortly the group in the center parted and both groups went off in their own direction.

    These "meetings" were unpredictable. There's not a lot two teachers could do if there was a rumble.

    Our kids knew very well what happened if they ever fought or attended a fight. They also liked Ole and they didn't want to get on the wrong side of him.

    So we went back into the school and to the staff room. Some teachers always wanted to know what went on. Ole would always say with a big chuckle , "They called it off on account of lack of interest!"

   Now over all the years I never saw a punch thrown or any shoving.  It appears that most of it was about turf. I'll come on your yard and I'll chase you off our yard. 

    

    

Sometimes I Break the Rules

    Since it's naughty or nice time, I thought I might have a better shot at nice if I admitted something! Since it's the season for merry making , I could tell a story about parties. Some people may have guessed where I'm going.

    My whole teaching career was at the middle school level. Middle school kids just have to have dances. It's a very big deal with them.

    At the beginning I went reluctantly and did my hour shift of supervision. It wasn't fun.

    Later I became involved with organizing and running dances. This was different . It was fun. I realized how much fun kids had at dances and how much of a social learning experience it was when my kids were in middle school.

    My specialty at the dances was looking after the door. Principals were very concerned about everybody having to pay admission. Kids had to be in the dance by 7 PM . Anybody after 7 PM didn't get in and nobody was let out unless they were going home. Pretty clear instructions?

    I would get my crew of kids to do the door. They took the money and stamped hands. I watched to see that all of the kids belonged to our school. We had Most of the kids  in the gym in 15 or 20 minutes and then my little crew would want to leave and dance. Fair enough. I was left to supervise the door.

    Now there would always be a few kids hanging around the door and they were a nuisance. They would want to talk to somebody or some other lame excuse to hang around. The principal would tell them to leave but in one minute they were back.

    Now I thought that it would be less of a nuisance if these kids hanging around the door were inside. First, I knew some of them didn't have money. So I discreetly singled them out one by one and let them in the dance for free on one condition...don't tell anybody.  Next I picked  one or two more who had money but were going to make a poor choice by hanging around with no goodniks  so I got these guys in late. By this time there were only two or three kids from another school and they would disappear. 

    Now you might say, "Oh ya. These kids will always try to get in for nothing."  It never happened!

   So I broke the rules and let kids in late and for nothing. On the other hand we all got what we wanted. I didn't have a hassle at the door. The kids got in the dance. The nuisances outside disappeared. The principal thought I did a good job.

     So it was a Christmas dance for the kids. So now I'm not sure what the balance is. Was I bad guy for breaking rules or a good guy for allowing kids to have fun?