YOU ARE THERE! VISIT HARRISON'S 6th GRADE CLASSROOM AS HE STARTS THE "SYSTEM" IN 1959! (The following is quoted from Chapter 4, "Basics for Starting the System" in Harrison's book called "Discipline at School Made Easy")

     As my pupils straggled in from the playground and gradually settled in their seats, I thumbed nervously through the dittoed stack of papers on my desk with the hope that I had a sufficient supply. I had run off over a hundred last evening. These were class roster sheets with small squares beside each name for grade score entries. If my plans were correct, these rosters would become a major tool in my newly designed system.
     It was seven minutes before most students settled down and eight minutes before I could talk to my class in a conversational manner. Alterations were in order, I thought to myself. This amount of time lost each recess was unthinkable.
     "Good morning, students!" I said calmly, hoping that my inner agitation was not too apparent. "We are going to embark upon a brand new system today. To some of you it may seem like a game of 'Monopoly.'  From now on you will enjoy school."
     This brought forth audible reactions of disbelief and derision. I waited patiently for the noise to subside before continuing. "The first thing we will do is eliminate grades, except at report card time."
     Again the students spontaneously reacted, but this time affirmatively and louder than before. My irritation grew with the volume. I decided that maybe the only thing the students of today understood was either force or fear, and I detested both. I have always felt that teachers should use such weapons only in an emergency. Well, as far as I was concerned, the emergency was here and now.
     "All right! That's enough!" I bellowed loud enough to raise Danny and about half the class six inches off their seat. "The next one I hear flapping his fat rubber lip will spend the morning recess writing."
     Pins could have been dropped and would have sounded like the plucking of a harp string.
     "That's better!" I said, relaxing my features just a little. "Now as I was saying before, grades will be given only at report card time." I speared Danny with a wintry eye to prevent his asking the question I could see forming inside his restless soul. Surprisingly, it worked, and Danny swallowed hard to keep from speaking. I continued, "Instead of academic grades, you will earn points or rather make-believe 'classroom dollars' for academic work. These classroom dollars can be accumulated and deposited in the schoolroom bank where each pupil will have his or her own bank account."
     Danny could restrain himself no longer. "Can I use these classroom dollars to pay my old man so he won't swat my fanny at report card time?"
     Naturally, this put the class into hysterics.
     I waved the room into some approximation of order before spearing Danny with a fiery eye. "Danny, this system is going to be designed for clowns just like you. Every classroom has one and I am quite certain that I would have died from shame if mine had been an exception. The rascals of every class manage to drive the instructor to do either of two things:  The teacher becomes a tyrant and snatches pupils bald-headed for the slightest infraction, or the instructor retreats inside a shell and trains himself to ignore almost everything outside of it. By using the system, neither of these things need happen, and certainly won't to me. We will cry together when you force me to take your money for infractions of the rules that you helped to make."
     "But I'm not gonna make no rules like that," Danny interjected, smiling wisely.
     "Oh, but you won't need to," I smiled back. "The whole class will. All you'll do is abide by them. And if you don't you will force me to take criminal action against you, as I plan to do this recess for speaking without permission."
     "Already I got a feeling I don't like this new system," Danny replied, his mouth turning down.
     Good! I thought, but said instead, "Let's find out if you will. Just listen while I describe it. The classroom bank will be operated for a month by the top arithmetic student. Anyone in the room may earn this position through academic achievement in math. The banker will be changed at the end of each month, but not unless some other student has a better average in arithmetic.
     "The bank will be nothing more than a notebook of class roster sheets on which each student's accumulated savings or expenditures are recorded as time permits. Usually the debiting and crediting will be accomplished during recesses or after classroom assignments have been completed. Therefore this extra time merits a banker's salary of $350 monthly."
     After sufficient "Oh boys!" and "Golleys!" had been murmured, I continued. "All earned academic work will be marked in dollars at the top of the paper. All you have to remember, in this classroom, is that we have no cents."
     I allowed a few smiles and laughs before proceeding. "We are no longer interested in the number of wrong answers. Only the number right will be multiplied times the amount of classroom dollars I allocate for each correct answer on that particular test or extra credit paper. Is this perfectly clear?"
     Upon receiving enough affirmative answers, I returned to the subject. "Classroom grades, for report card purposes, will be maintained separately in my grade book by my personal secretary. Since this pupil is working exclusively for me on my personal work, I will reserve the right to choose who it will be. The salary will amount to $250 monthly, because most of the work will be performed on the individual's own time.
     "The grade book will be maintained in the following manner:  At the top of each column will be written the name of the test or its contents, the date taken, and the total amount of money that it was possible to earn on that particular examination. This will provide a reference for each individual's dollar score recorded below it. Thus, any parent, pupil or myself can tell at a glance how every student did in relationship to others or to a perfect test score. At the end of each nine weeks the column for every pupil will be totaled horizontally in each subject and a letter grade awarded, based upon a percentage previously selected by me. This will mean that only the test totals for each nine weeks will count for grades. Therefore, daily scores mean little separately but everything collectively."
     "What's that mean?" Danny blurted out, and then immediately clapped his hands over his mouth.
     I pretended to ignore his interruption and contrite gesture. "It means that much of the pressure and strain of daily work has been removed from teachers and pupils. And that you, Danny, will do some additional writing for speaking out," I added very calmly. I truly felt sorry for Danny. He was what is known as a compulsive classroom talker. But I knew that none of my pity must show. Any weakness now would affect the whole class and really not help Danny in the long run.
     I came back to my original subject. "I shall attempt to explain how examination papers will be handled in this classroom from now onward." I looked meaningfully in Danny's direction before continuing. "A test will be corrected by exchanging papers and placing the amount of earned dollars at the top. Then the examination papers will be returned to their owners before they are again collected and scores recorded in the grade book by my personal secretary as previously described. Subsequently, the test papers will be forwarded to the banker for recording to each individual's account. Finally, all papers will be filed in a personal record folder for future use. Is this understood by all of you?"
     I waited for any negative responses. Not receiving any, I offered more information on the system. "From now on the whole class will help make classroom laws and determine the fine for violating each. We will discuss the reasons for the regulation and you will know why it is needed. It will, therefore,become everyone's law and not just mine. Thus, its enforcement will be a matter of public policy. And every infraction will be a crime against the whole class rather than just a game to outwit the teacher's authority. No longer will any of you be able to steal the class's time, or my time. You will have to pay for teacher attention in hard-earned academic money. This means that classroom 'clowns,'" again I glanced in Danny's direction, "will undoubtedly get the best education of any pupil in the room. The rascals of this room will have to study hard if they are going to support their expensive misbehavior.
     "Also, there will be respect for personal and property rights of others or a civil lawsuit may be instituted." I noticed an excessive number of incredulous expressions. "That's right! One pupil may sue another and collect his academic money if three things can be proved. First, there must be some damage, and this doesn't mean stepping on someone's toe accidentally. Second, there must be reliable witnesses. And third, the pupil bringing the suit must have 'clean hands.' That is, he may not have instigated the action for which he is bringing the suit - he can't punch someone in the eye and then sue because he was punched back. Is this clear?"
     Heads around the room nodded affirmatively.
     "Some of you may be thinking:  Who cares about those old academic dollars?" I glanced around the room and noticed a few guilty smiles beginning to spread. My question, I knew then, had hit home. "But my answer to these individuals would to be, everyone will care, just everyone. Students who allow their bank account to drop below zero are in 'bankruptcy.'
     "A bankrupt pupil loses all rights and privileges as a free citizen of this classroom and becomes a 'ward of the state,' meaning me, just as most students are in many conventional classrooms now. The moment that any pupil goes into bankruptcy, I shall direct all of his activities until he works himself out through academic endeavor. In a manner of speaking, this individual has demonstrated his inability to control himself and must rely upon the government for direction. This will mean that even permission to leave your seat must be asked and received. Drinks during classtime will be denied, and trips to the restroom will be begged first before they are allowed. Persons in bankruptcy will be the last to leave the room at recess or dismissal time, with their free periods primarily devoted to earning academic money, rather than play. Homework will be scheduled for the bankrupt student every evening while the rest of the class will receive none."
     I saw the faces of my students as they mirrored their feelings, and I knew that my words were having the desired effect. And assurance came when Danny actually raised his hand and waited for permission to speak.
     "Will the academic money we lose, because of misbehavior, cause our grades to go down?"
     "No, Danny, at least not in any academic subject. Only your grade in deportment and conduct will drop. Academic tests and examinations alone control the grade you will be given in subject matter, as I explained previously with the grade book."
     Encouraged by Danny's effort at self-control, I moved deeper into the aspect of enforcement.
     "In the past, most of your teachers have allowed you to elect a classroom president, vice-president and secretary. This will also be accomplished in here. However, there will be some significant differences. Our president will become my right arm for the enforcement of classroom laws. In the event that I am absent from the room for any purpose, the president will act in my place. He will have my full power and authority behind him. So if he says jump, just ask 'How high?'
     "If you feel that the president has been unfair or has exceeded his authority, don't take the law into you own hands and defy him. Instead, do as you are told, then wait until I return. Your case, and the surrounding circumstances, will be arbitrated out of court first, and, if necessary, settled in court. Any damage you suffer will be made right. Any other course of action immediately places you in the wrong, and I shall deal with you accordingly. If your president demonstrates his inability to hold the job, he may be impeached by a two-thirds majority vote of the class and a new one elected for the remainder of that month. Therefore, don't just complain about your elected officials; do something about them."
     This time Henry's hand was raised. I nodded permission in his direction. "What do you mean by the court? Who is that?"
     Elated now with this additional assurance of growing pupil self-control, I offered my explanation. "For the time being, I will be the judge and jury, since I am the most impartial person in the room. When you, as a class, progress to the point of intelligence where justice can be dispensed, I will allow you to assume this duty. However, there will always be a Supreme Court, composed of two adult teachers and one student from another classroom which will hear appeals from any decision I might make. But before any court action is taken the facts of the case should be arbitrated out of court. The guilty party can save himself one hundred and fifty dollars in court costs if he throws himself upon the mercy of the court and settles out of court. Therefore, guilty parties should be encouraged not to waste the court's time and admit their wrongdoing, pay for the damage, and learn the lesson taught." 
     John sought permission to speak and I gave it. "Gee, it looks to me like this is a system of nothing but punishment and torture."
     "On the contrary, John, there is no punishment except that which the pupil cares to inflict upon himself. The message is this:  'Live within the law or pay the penalty you know exists.' Your question leads us to the pleasant side of the system. I was about to explain the auction which will interest all of you.
     "Once a month we will have an auction where may delightful things will be sold to the highest bidder. For instance, five seats in my automobile can be bought for a trip to the mountains, hiking, or to the seashore where the marine life will be studied. Perhaps we will go fishing, down to the zoo, or to Disneyland, if you like. The trip might be as close as the nearest bowling alley, indoor swimming pool, or skating rink."
     As I proceeded to name other delightful excursions, I watched all eyes light up with enthused interest. This, I thought to myself, is the very thing missing in the environment of most children. I had long felt that it was the cause of many social problems. Few adults anywhere have the time or inclination to offer kids healthy alternatives to drugs, crime, sex, and other pseudo-thrills. Most parents who even attempt to fulfill this need drag their children up to a favorite lake time after time, not because their son or daughter likes to fish, but instead because mom or dad enjoys it. With a flash of rare insight, I saw for the first time what my pupils were probably seeing.
     "We will make a list of all the different places where you would like to go and then vote for those (8 to 10) trips you might wish to purchase at auction each month. The list will be posted on the bulletin board and academic money may be saved for the time it will be sold."
     I decided that there was no time like the present to put my suggestion into action. After much discussion and many proposals by the class, the youngsters voted for nine journeys that I secretly wanted them to take. Naturally, it required some salesmanship on my part to convince them that these particular trips were the best. During the process of persuasion, I exercised great care to conceal my maneuverings, since to have done otherwise would have destroyed the very motivation that I was attempting to accomplish After the tantalizing list had been posted, I continued with further auction time explanations.
     "There will be many other exciting items sold at auction. As an example, the highest bidder may purchase the right to become king or queen for any selected (1/2) day during the succeeding month. The king or queen may advise me regarding the subjects to be taught for that specific day. "Naturally, I grinned at the class, "I expect his majesty to wait for an especially heavy test day before mounting his throne and issuing suggestions."
     One the other hand, I thought to myself, pupils should also expect me merely to give these same examinations on the following day. But fortunately for me, perhaps, children wouldn't think this clearly, and the day's hero would still remain just that.

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