The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-04-10

| her eyes reviewing all the past lessons. for
| upon those she may be questioned On l.,
| the last minute she is emulating the Stras-
Dourg goose. The number one" scholar is
the gIorfcation of the examining system.
the ap0theOsis of the examination bugbear.
Not but that we teachers must cram" the
children, using the word in its university
senSe-what else is the drill on the mutipIi-
cation table? 1t is mistake to attempt to
explain everything to children of tender
minds. Some things must be taken on the
faith that is so all-credulous in childhood.
Future years may bring enlightenment. Let
US hope so.
As for the honor connected with the rank
IL usually stops with the satisfaction of
having the name read out first of leading
The roll of honor, of having charge of the
copy-books, OF being monitor. 1t seldom fol-
lows that the number one" scholar is the
show. pupil of the class. When visitors
come into the classroom and talk to the
children where is the number one? In her
little seat. and there she generally sits i'm
1udIeious silence, for If forced from her
modest retreat she is apt to be worsted in
question and be compelled to sit i'm silent
modification while some one else carries off
the honOrs of the day.
The number one might just as we'll be in
Asia as in that classroom, as far as her ability
to answer the questions propounded by the
VISITORS on the general topics of the day.
ana YET, those questions do not go unan-
swered. Who answers them? Generally
the Wild harum-searum of the class whose
eyes and ears are always ready to receive
impressions, and whose natural curiosity
generally leads him or her into great deal
OF trouble. 1t is the girl who heard intelIi-
gent discussion of passing events at home
that has Ideas other than those from her
textbook. Ii is the boy who looks at illus
trated papers; whose first toys have been
alphabet blocks aud picture-nookS; the bow
VINO reads signs as he passes them; who
knows the names of the streets through
which he walks; who hunts the paper
through Tor his own scraps of information
for the news hour in school, 1t is the one
who can tell You OF three or four or more DIFF
ferent car lines by which you can reach the
park; who knows something about the
points OF interest in his own city or in
its vicinity, who completes for word-hunt or
puzzle prizes, who enters the field of anna
teur journalism-th that is the boy, that is the
scholar who is quick to see, to observe TO
remember. But is be the boy who will
come out first in competitive examina-
ton? No. For to make the highest aver
age one must strike it pretty evenly on ALL
The bright scholar is apt TO have decided
fancy for some one study and correspond
ing weakness in another.
Where are the past number ones of past
school days? Have they founded an alumni
association of bright brilliant thought
leaders? Has the world heard of them?
Hardly
The artists, the musicians, the writers,
the professional men and women, those wbo
have more than local reputation, are not
those who sat IN the seats of honor, in the
'front.' ranks, who wore the big silver badge
or won the medal. or who came out first ia
competitive examinations. They may have
been, probably were, among the leaders OF
their class best in natural ability, but not
first as to numbers of credits
ELIZA D. KEITH