American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-01-08
Didn't Get INA True Story for Boys.

ONCE upon time, not a great while
ago, there were three boys in one of the
ward schools of certain city. 1 do not
mean 10 tell their real names because, if 1
should, their playmates would tease them
about getting into the newspapers. So
we will call them Thomas, Richard and
Harry; or, if you boys like it better, Tom,
in school, Dicks place being in the mid
die. They read and they wrote together,
and studied geography. grammar, and
such things. Every week the teachers re-
ported to their parents. They used
printed card which had on it one column
for scholarship, another for department,
and a third for absences. If boy did
| first-rate in his lessons he was marked 100
in the column for scholarship If he did
| poorly he was marked 80 or 20, and so on.
If he behaved we'll, never breaking the
rules, he was marked 100 in the column
for department. If he broke the rules he
| was marked less.
One day the boy whom we agreed to
call Tom brought home his card. His
father examined it, and called out: Sec
here, Tom, what about your department?
You have only So. Why don't you get
1902"
81 get marked down tor whispering in
school," said Tom.
"What makes you whisper when it is
against the rules?''
ooh, !" replied Tom, i" the boys will talk
little. The teacher sees it, and asks me
about it, and say Yes, SIR and get the
blame Some boys say No, SIR and get
clear"
when the teacher asks you about breaking
the rules 30
eyes, sir, I try to do it," answered
Tom.
"Wen," said his father, smiling, 81
like that. Don't break the rules. But ii
you should, don't tell lies about it. Tell
the truth if it takes your head off,"
Some time afterward. when the weekly
report was examined, low mark was
found in the column of scholarship.
Look here, Tom, you can do better
than this. What is the matter?"
"The sums were hard last week" said
Tom; tive could none of us do them all"
And so you all got marked in about
this fashion,
"No, SIR" replied Tom, rather slowly.
&c Dick was marked ahead OF the rest OF
How was that when you were all de-
ficient?''
"Oh, Dick borrowed. I did part of the
sums. Harry did part. Dick sits between
us, and he copied from both our states,
and SO beat us BOTH"
Do you ever copy in this style, Tom ?"
"No, sir" said Tom, looking his father
straight in the face with both eyes wide
open.
"Well," said his father, 81 am glad
of that. No matter what happens, don't
cheat, even if you get down to the very
foot of the class. Don't cheat, Tom. Re-
MEMBER
Time passed, and the complaints of
Dicks cheating and getting good marks
for it were frequent. Tom was worried.
He saw boys above HIM who used unfair
means, and received honors to which they
were not entitled. He felt the injustice,
and at times scolded hard about it, and
got almost angry. But his father always
said: ...Hold on, Tom. Stick to the
right no matter what happens. Anyhow,
stick to the right"
The end of the school year came, and
the boys were examined to see if they
and go up to the city High School.
Twenty-Five or thirty passed and were
sent up to the High School to be examined
again there, to see if they were fit to be
admitted And this last examination was
a scorcher. There was not the ghost of
chance to cheat The examination took
place in a large room, almost like
sit so far apart that to whisper or copy
was impossible. They were required TO
answer on paper, without saying word
to anyone, the questions put to them.
Each did his best and then rolled up his
papers, gave them to the examiner and
went home.
About a week after the examination
Tom came running into the study saying:
60 Father, l have heard from the High
School, We are all right. Harry and l
are admitted!"
"That is good. That is grand. How
about Dick?"
Didn't get imp said Tom.
MORAL.
Stick to tie right, and soGit till the end
j. T. Crane, in s. s. Glass
nate.