Laudator Temporis Acti

Rev. J. Furniss, C.SS.R., The Sunday School or Catechism (Dublin: Richardson and Son, [1861]), pp. 69-70:

The ordinary faults of children in Sunday school are, i. Absence. ii. Coming late. iii. Entering the school in a rough disorderly manner, and treading heavily on the floor. iv. If the Blessed Sacrament be present, making no genuflection. v. Not going to their class as soon as they enter. vi. Throwing down their caps in a rough way, putting themselves in a lazy awkward position, having their hands in their pockets, putting their feet on the seat before them, hanging their arms over the seat behind them, swinging their feet about, making a noise by rubbing their feet on the floor, beating time with their feet when there is singing, scratching the seats, forms, or desks with their nails, playing with something in their hands, looking into books and injuring them. vii. Talking, playing, laughing, leaning on one another, pulling one another's hair or coat, striking one another. viii. Eating bread, apples, oranges, sugar sticks, toffy, bull's eyes, bullets, peppermints, &c. ix. A great disposition to tell of one another in trifling things and to lay the blame on one another, and an equal disposition to conceal an offender when an investigation is made by authority. x. Idleness and inattention to their lessons. xi. In going out after Sunday school, confusion, loud talking, not going out in a regular way, class after class and child after child; but running to get out first, the entrance choked. xii. When out, shouting and making a noise in the street, remaining about the door and not going straight home.