"Dodd" up like
a crazy creature for his grand entry into Mr. Bright's school room.
Perhaps I have. But I have presented him to you as he presented
himself to the school, for all of that. I am myself inclined to think
that his mental state, at this time, bordered close upon insanity! The
Book remarks about a young man at this stage of his existence, that he
had to "come to himself" before his reformation, as though he had been
away from himself during his lawless and outrageous career. I am
inclined to think that boys are often a good deal nearer insane than
they get credit for being, at this period of their lives.

There is a psychological condition just here that it is worth while for
teachers seriously to consider.

So, tricked out in this disgusting fashion, "Dodd" slouched into Mr.
Bright's school room about ten o'clock in the forenoon, and flung
himself into a seat. The pupils looked up as he entered, and their
first impulse was to laugh---a result which, would have suited "Dodd"
exactly. But a glance at the school from Mr. Bright's quick eye
checked the risibilities of his pupils, and, this emotion dying out,
there came instantly in its place a disgust and almost a horror of the
loathsome person who had dared to disgrace the school room with such a
figure as "Dodd" presented. A silence like death fell upon the room,
and all held their breath for an instant after the boy was seated.

Under this silence "Dodd" became embarrassed. It was exactly the
reverse of what he had counted on. He meant to disturb the school.
Instead of this, he found the school disturbing him. He shuffled
uneasily in his seat, glanced furtively out from under the shaggy hair
that was matted over his forehead, cleared his throat in a restless and
seemingly defiant manner, but finally blushed to the roots of his hair
as he felt the eyes of three-score decent people, all bent upon him at
once. He stretched his neck up out of his collar-band a little, turned
his head about as though something were choking him, then dropped his
chin upon his breast, shrugged up his shoulders, and half hid his face
from the eyes whose looks he fain would shun.

All this really took place in much less time than it takes for me to
tell it.

Mr. Bright was hearing a class in geometry when the boy entered, and a
handsome, intelligent girl was in the midst of a demonstration when the
door opened and the interruption caused thereby took place. The pupil