A calm review of misconduct, after the excitement has gone by, will do more to bring it into disgrace than the most violent invectives and reproaches directed against the individuals guilty of it at the time.
"Now, boys," continued the master, "will you assist me in making arrangements to prevent the recurrence of all temptations of this kind hereafter?
It is plain that every boy ought to have a nail appropriated expressly to his use.

The first thing to be done is to ascertain whether there are enough for all.

I should like, therefore, to have two committees appointed: one to count and report the number of nails in the entry, and also how much room there is for more; the other to ascertain the number of scholars in school.

They can count all who are here, and, by observing the vacant desks, they can ascertain the number absent.
When this investigation is made, I will tell you what to do next." The boys seemed pleased with the plan, and the committees were appointed, two members on each.

The master took care to give the quarrelers some share in the work, apparently forgetting, from this time, the unpleasant occurrence which had brought up the subject.
When the boys came to inform him of the result of their inquiries, he asked them to make a little memorandum of it in writing, as he might forget the numbers, he said, before the time came for reading them.