The Columbus journal., 1894-04-25
BOys and the High School.

Boys and the High School.
At the recent teachers meeting in this
city, Sup't. j. X. Stableton read a paper
entitled "How can We hold the boys for
advanced work in the high school,"
which elected more discussion than any
other paper read before the association.
The subject is one which touches the
very life Of the country, and We would
be glad if We could give, in full, Mr.. Sta
bleton's paper; We give summary.
State statistics show an average at
tendance of boys in high schools, Of 81
ont Of hundred pupils, some schools
having less than 18 per cent. Often in
class of six to twelve graduates in the
smaller towns, there will be but one boy,
"while in these same towns are numbers
of boys who have squandered the time
that would have placed them with the
graduating classes. Not only have they
the time, but they have done
worse, they have received an education
in vice that tends only to unfit them for
the rights Of citizenship"
There are too many teachers who have
a false conception of the plan Of the
public school, thinking that the school
was made for the teacher as respectable
means of support, and not for the chill
dren, teachers who never ask themselves
the question, What can I be to these
young people? All such should be re-
placed by teachers of right motive.
Another class of teachers in the higher
grades that would materially increase the
attendance of boys by their own non
attendance, teachers that have not force
enough to meet boys as boys and be
equal to them, hence long for the time to
come when the tiresome boys, for some
reason, will be taken out; and the boys,
as they find nothing Of interest in the
schools, except their own tricks to annoy
the teachers, are equally anxious for the
final day. Who can blame really live
boy for breaking the monOtony of life
less school room by playing trick that
enlivens the teacher for few moments
at least. Boys in the higher grades
soon see that they are not gaining under
such teachers, and so think the few dol
lars that can be earned at odd jobs worth
more to thesthan such schools, and the
boys are not far from right. They be-
come restless under constant restraint,
their activities are not directed, and SO
they drift out OF school. If one-half the
teachers would sin as little against the
boys as the boys do against the teachers,
there would he much larger per cent
of boys in the higher grades.
Such weakness in the place of teachers,
and then to even wonder why intelligent,
active, Nineteenth-century boys do not
want their instruction.!
The teacher to hold the boys in school
must have unlimited faith in the out
come Of boys, in their evolution into
noble men. The teachers ideal of what
they may be helps to make them what
they should be. The true teacher does
not dwell on the imperfections of the
scholars, but continually points them to
what they are to be until, by long pre-
occupation with their ideas, they become
like them. Such a teacher seldom loses
a boy. That teacher has a strong per-
sonality, an inspiring, uplifting influence
that boys cannot resist; unconsciously
they become attuned to the harmony of
such a school life, and soon begin to be-
lieve in the reality Of the future men
their teacher thinks they are to he.
When once boys ideal is formed, the
greatest fact in his education is accom-
plished.
The right kind OF teacher for the gram
mar and high school grades will help to
keep the boys to the end OF the course
The paper dwelt on the qualities that
make the successful teacher native
ability, Industry, application, and full
consecration to the work, and thorough
sympathy with his pupil. In helping
them to higher work, he is helping them
to useful citizenship. Hundreds Of boys,
If wisely counseled by those whom they
respect and trust, would not drop out OF
school, but they are not so counseled.
and hence lose all the good they might
have derived from the higher grade work.
When the fact is well established that
none but well-qualified teachers and sue
cessful teachers will be employed in a
school, there is built up in that commu-
nifty a respect for the school that has a
great effect in making it a prominent
feature in the eyes Of boys. This very
respect helps to interest and to hold
them. The people at large consider the
boys of that school as worthy their
esteem.
The superintendent should be man
who knows how to get hold of boys.
There are those who so fully appreciate
III SuCI ouu tudG
the moment they come among them, the
boys by an unerring instinct discover
this sympathy. In addition to this pow
or the superintendent should be stu
dent and worker. not mere report and
grade compiler, but a worker among the
scholars. 1t is infinitely more important
that he know personally the hundreds
Of scholars and throw around them the
living, active interest in their welfare
that will tend to keep them to their
proper work, than that he have a most
perfect record of the monthly or term
grades Of the, to him, unknown scholars.
He should make himself felt in the
as an educator, the same as
our Chancellor Garfield is making his
influence felt through every educational