Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1853-09-16
& Yes, sir, that is my oldest boy" was an

g a fine, bright-loolling lad ~ said the man.
. only wish he was as good as he looks, - re-
piled Mr.. Wilkins, in voice that conveyed quite
as disparaging meaning as his words
Instantly the countenance of William, which
had frightened at the strangers remark, fell
A few moments afterwards, he was sharply re-
proved by his father, for turning over some papers
on his desk, when, with a flushed and angry
brow, hewent hastily from the room. The eyes
Of the stranger followed the retiring form Of the
boy with an exIuessian af- --ssaterest. fc'r
moments he remained thoughtful and silent. In
this pause, a lad came in, and delivering note
to Mr.. Wilkins, Immediately retired. I'm cacu-
laton ofpain followed the hurried reading Of this
note.
More trouble, " he said. d. That boy worries
me beyond all endurance"
WImt Is the emattcr % cuquired the gentle
man.
"a note from the principal Of the school where
my son goes. Read it for yourself and, with
a singular want ofpargntal delicacy and wisdom,
he handed to the gentleman The note just rgceiv-
cI. it read
.' I am again forced TO complain Of your sons
lad conduct in the school. Unless there is an
immediate and decided Improvement in his beha-
yiour, shall be obliged. painful as viii be the
alternative, to request his withdrawal"
d" The lad saw just now is not meant, sure
ly 60 remarked the gentleman.
So The same, - answered Mr.. wilkins.
He goes TO Mr.. MeIlevillc, see"
81 Yes, sir"
81. It may be, that the boy Is not so much to
blame as his teachers" said the gentleman.
:'Mr. Nelleyillc's school has the best reputation
in the city
That doesn' t make it the most desirable, how
ever. Your son, I should suppose, from glance
at his face, is bright active boy, full fimpulse,
and not very quick to think of consequences"
:. You hit his character pretty wei. Add,
pervcrse, and always more inclined to 90 wrong
than right, and you have fuller description"
q \ bad school for such boy said the gen.
tleman. 3. If he were my son, would remove
him at once"
Why SO 2"
There are over two hundred in the school"
Yes"
And five teachers"
= don't know the exact number"
u do And each of these teachers gives in
struction, in certain branches, daily, to each Of
those two hundred scholars Now, it stands to
reason, that particular adaptations are out Of the
question 4 certain routine ofIcssons Is all that
can possibly be expected. As to having special
regard 10 the peculiarities Of temperamcnts and
mental activities in scholars, that IS out of the
question. Each has to be laid upon kind Of
Procrustean bed, and iftoo short, stretched to
the required dimensions too long, shorn of
some fair proportions. Only those who happen
to be of the right length, escape injustice, and it
may be- lifelong injury. Does net this strike
you on a moments reflection Z"
Il never gave it a thought before, said Mr..
Wilkins.
g \ boy, such as your son appears to be, can
not possibly pass through one of these schools,
where children are educated by wholesale, With
out receiving permanent injury. Troublesome
bows are always marked in such institutions, and
gotten rid of as quickly as possible. Now, these
troublesome boys are, usually, those who have
the greater force of character, whose hereditary
impulses are strongest. If wisely led into the
right way, they make our best and most efficient
men but if through defect of education, they 60
wrong, the world knows them as its worst enc
mics They need the wisest care; the tenderest
anu iiiCSt CtASlSl~4tltS lAStet4AAOAAO' ny NA
commit offences so much for a purpose to dc
wrong, as from hereditary impulses. These i'm
| pulses, when they appear, should not excite our
anger, but our pity. We should do all in ouI
! power to give the boy moral strength TO over
come in his daily temptations TO wrong and
! when he does wrong, while we censure evil as
evil we should seek to inspire the youthful wrest
! Ter with cheerful hopes oflinal conquest"
You startle my mind with new views on this
su ubecr said Mr.. wilkins A light * break
ing in upon me. But, where are teachers to b'
| found who will regard their scholars with wis,
and conscientious discrimination Who vii
take these active, troublesome boys, and in pa
tience and long suffering, help them to overcome
their constitutional peryerscness 2"
Such men are to be found" replied the gen
tleman. They are not many in number, how
ever. One do know, to whom | induced m.
sister to send a lad who was always in trouble a
Mr.. Melleyille's, and who was finally expelle'
from the school"
.. And with what result g. eagerly asked MI
wilkins.
Z. The happiest to be conceived. In less tha
a week after he entered this new school, which
limited to twelve in number, both he and til
teacher understood each other perfectly and no'
the utmost confidence and good feeling exist b
tween them Deliberately, I am sure, my nephe'
would rot, in anything, offend his perceptor. 4
Mr. Melleville's he was all the time under ceI
sure for disrespect to principal or teachers"
{. How was 50 great change effected 2" enqu
rcd Mr. Wilkins.
BY mild firnness on the part of The teach'