nner of one or both of
them confirms this impression, and you take the necessary measures at
once. You then find, when you become more fully acquainted with them,
that the appearances which you observed were only momentary and
accidental, and that they would have been as safe together as any two
boys in the school. And perhaps you will even find, that, by their new
position, you have brought one or the other into circumstances of
peculiar temptation. Wait, therefore, before you make such changes, till
you have ascertained _actual character_,--doing this, however, without
any unnecessary delay.

In such removals, too, it is well, in many cases, to keep the motive and
design of them as much as possible out of view. For by expressing
suspicion of a boy, you injure his character in his own opinion, and in
that of others, and tend to make him reckless. Besides, if you remove a
boy from a companion whom he likes, avowedly to prevent his playing, you
offer him an inducement, if he is a bad boy, to continue to play in his
new position for the purpose of thwarting you, or from the influence of
resentment. It would be wrong indeed to use any subterfuge, or duplicity
of any kind, to conceal your object,--but you are not bound to explain
it, and in the many changes which you will be compelled to make, in the
course of the first week, for various purposes, you may include many of
these, without explaining particularly the design or intention of any of
them.

In some instances, however, you may frankly state the whole case,
without danger, provided it is done in such a manner as not to make the
boy feel that his character is seriously injured in your estimation. It
must depend upon the tact and judgment of the teacher, to determine upon
the particular course to be pursued in the several cases, though he
ought to keep these general principles in view in all.

In one instance, for example, he will see two boys together, James and
Joseph we will call them, exhibiting a tendency to play, and after
inquiring into their characters he will find that they are good-natured,
pleasant boys, and that he had better be frank with them on the subject.
He calls one of them to his desk, and perhaps the following dialogue
ensues.

"James, I am making some changes in the seats, and thought of removing
you to another place. Have you any particular preference for that seat?"

The question is unexpected, and James hesitates. He wants to sit next to