Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1881-06-11
GROWTH AND EDUCATION.
Why it is that Boys Become Lazy,
Inefficient and irresponsible When
They are Growing Rapidly-A
Num- ber of Illustrations.

An experienced school teacher, in
the New York EUening Post, says :
A recent conversation with parent
has convinced me of the Importance of
calling attention to very curious phe-
nomenon in the relation of growth to
education.
For some years had occasionally no.
ticed passing fits of stupidity in some of
my best boys, for which | could not in
any way account until sit was borne in
in upon me" that these boys were all at
that time growing rapidly, and that this
mental condition was in some way de-
pendent upon their growth. Being thus
induced to observe more closely, / be-
came convinced that this very absorbing
business of growth was really the cause
of the stupidity that had excited our
astonishment, and that due allowance
must be made for it.
One of the most striking instances of
this was in the case of Alfred r., whom
L have had occasion to quote as having
shown In one instance extraordinary
Judgment for an immature mind. Mr..
c., one of my teachers, came to me one
morning to say that AL, who was one
of our best boys, was answering In such
foolish way that something ought to
be done with him. Leaving my class /
went to his and found Al. standing at the
blackboard. l said
al, what is the matter ?"
don't know, sir"
Requesting Mr.. G. to ask again one of
his previous questions / listened in
n ont 10 Co. Al
ing two more questions and getting an
swers of the same sort l said "Mr. c..
you will please be so kind as to ask AL
the regular questions, but excuse him as
long as he answers in this way. He has
been growing SO rapidly that his brain
doesn't work. He will most probably
get over this in two or three days" And
it was so. He soon answered as usual,
and went on without break. In other
cases noticed headaches and general
listlessness which, however, soon passed
away, and the results of which in boys
OF good character could be readily ex-
cused.
There was, however, another phase OF
this phenomenon which it took me a
much longer time to understand and
appreciate.
Quite q number of years ago had in
my school boy named Alfred Y. For
some time after entering the school he
did very well in his studies, though he
was always full of fun. Gradually, how
ever, he became more and more lazy,
and all my exhortations had no effect
upon him. This went on for about a
year. When he came back the next
fall to begin his studies l said to him:
GAL, if you are not going to work
more than last year, it seems hardly
worth while to begin"
"Wel, sir. 1 think shall do better. "
Every well; you can try"
he did try, and succeeded perfectly,
giving no trouble, and doing all his
work in very satisfactory manner.
The next case, some years after, was
that of Harry T., very good fellow,
who shot up and spread out in a wonder
full way, but who got so into.erably lazy
that nothing would move him. All the
efforts of his father at home and my
self at school for a whole year produced
so little effect that the next fall 1 said
to him also tha it was not worth while
to go on unless he could do better. He
said he could, and he did. In that next
year he did much more than he did in
the two preceding years. When he left
school and went down town he displayed
the same energy, and has continued to
show it ever since.
The next case, that of Harry N, was
still more striking. Not being able to
induce him to work at school, his father
and myself agreed that it was better to
remove him. He was so utterly lazy
and listless that no appeals, no matter
OF what kind or by whom, had any ef-
feet upon him. His father tried to in
terest him in business, but without sue
cess. There was nothing vicious or dis
agreeable about him, but terrible
amount OF inertia. He did not wish to
do anything at all. He was utterly in
disposed to any exertion of mind or
body. His father sent him as a sort of
supercargo around Cape Horn to San
Francisco. Even this did not cure him.
When he returned he was just as indif-
ferent and sluggish as before. A few
months, however, after he returned,
suddenly one morning he went down
town, found place as clerk in house
OF good standing, and has been there
hard at work ever since, getting down
to his work in the morning by o'clock,