New-York tribune., 1879-06-09
EY1RLNATLON WEER.

mis- week of the year is the time when
tries the souls of the young people. In every
place where they are taught from the Uni
yersity down to the clap-boarded school-
house in the Western village, they are gong
through examinations in order to decine
whether they shall pass into higher GLASS i'll
the Fall term. A small matter to older tolks'
but n question as urgent as life and death to
these boys and girls, who, after all, comprise
more than One-haf of our population. There
can be no doubt that the grade of scholar
shin is higher for our children than it was Tor
ourselves. Very few middle-aged peo-
ple can remember that they ran any risk OF
brain-fever in preparing themselves for their
future work in life They were showed along
somehow and graduated if clever, with
honor; if absolute ounces, still with the
coveted sheepskin to brandish at the world.
With every year the effort grows stronger to
raise our schools to the level OF those of
Europe, but the effort confines itself, usually,
to the severity Of these examinations. Inc
pupil is required to prove that he has
thoroughly mastered the difficulties over
which he has passed before he can take q step
forward. OF course this plan is better TOR
the reputation of the institution, and, IN one
way. for the pupil himself. School and
scholar show to the world that they are not
shams But in another way the influence OF
these searching examinations is not good. In
the first place, the whole work OF the year
is too 6ften made subservient to them, and
not 10 the real object of educatiOn-thc de-
velopment of the pupils mind. His aim is
:" TO pass.r not "to learn" The teacher may
,Ir~ toll iron a.
enough to see that each individual among ms
scholars should be guided differently. This
boys talents and character tit him for COM
merce that one was born with the tastes and
keen-eyed analytic ability which qualify
him for science; another has the imagination
and breadth and lack of physical strength
which indicate that his path should
be that of the scholar. But the teacher
can pay no attention to these hints
which Nature has given; the pupils must
be marched in body, keeping step to step,
through the same textbooks, up to the awful
problem of passing" or getting through school,
That. and that alone, is made the object Of all
their education.
Again, such undue Importance is given to
this matter that the strain is too great on
nervous, sckly boys and girls. Crammng
goes on for weeks beforehand. The child ex-
aggerates the danger of failure, though tins
is not possible in the public schools where the
successful graduates receive situations as
teachers, and their livelihood depends on this
ordeal. Last Spring young girl in Philadel-
pha, having failed in her examination, be-
came insane, so great had been the strain on
her nervous system, and readers will not have
forgotten the poor lads who committed suicide
in the previous Fall from the same cause.
The teacher of one of the best normal schools
lately stated frankly that "Our system is
"meant only for clever boys. 1t requires ex-
"ceptional ability and oughness-impudence
off you chOOse-to carry lad through. As
" for your lame ducks-sickly, sensitive, dull
"lads-they must go down." 1t was evidently
his opinion that they ought to go down and
the fault of American education, as 4 rule, is
that most teachers agree with him.
Unfortunately, the majority of parents are
the fathers Of these despised, dull, common
place lads. Very probably they have Won
only q low grade in this weeks examination.
and Just now, added to the sting and mort-
iication of disgrace. they are suffering from
the terror of reprOaches at home. There are
plenty of admirers to applaud the triumphant
clever lads, but THE TRIBUNE has a word to
saw for the boy who did not win the prize.
If he failed from lazness, make his disgrace
as heavy rs you choose; but if the lad did
his best, and yet was thrust down to the foot
of the class, take courage. There's good stuff
in him don't tramp it out under your con-
tempt Industry and honest endeayOr will not
always make boy Dux in mathematics or
Virgil but there are higher prizes in the
world which they are sure to gain. II You are
convinced that Nature has not fitted him to
win in this race, enter him in another. Find out
for yourself the sterling qualities which he
has, and cultivate them. If he have a sound
Judgment, upright principles and good heart.
the world is full of roads leading straight up
ward for him, in which textbooks play only
small mart.