Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1895-01-31
REWARDS.

(By o. j. MOrgensOn, ElkhOm College,
In consideration of the formation of individual
character, the motives are many by which a
child may be stimulated to eXertiOn: QD by the
desire to get something or the hope of some
| tangible reward: (2) by the desire of destnc-
| ton and the wish to excel his fellows: (3) by
the desire to win appreciation from parents and
| teacher; or a. by the simple wish to improve
and to do right because it is right.
| In order that we may decide which motives
are of the highest moral worth a careful study
Of each will be necessary.
| Under the first we have what is known as
prizes, things of material value set before the
Ipupil for the purpose of exciting an interest in
| study But are the impulses thus born morally
| efficient? The best defence of u method is its
own results, so let us consider the products of
prize system.
| o. Prizes give undue prominence to a COM
paratively unworthy object. The gold medal,
the book or whatever the prize may be, is in
the chd's mind as he purSueS his lessons and
, he studies only to recte well, for tits success
not effort that wins.
| CO. The pursuit of an object which only one
} can obtain engenGerS a spirit of rivalry among
| the pupils which must end in eXultation on the
part of the winner and disappointment on the
{ part of the loosers.
/ 81 1t stimulates only the few while the many
r remain Indifferent Let prize be offered to
| any class for scholarship and it will be found
3 that there will, after few days, be but two OF
three who are to become the competitors while
the rest remain indifferent. Even If the prize Is
5 nothing more than head marks in a spelling
i class it Is very frequently found that some are
Q as content te be at the foot as near the head.
l a. There is much difficulty in doing stric
L justice in the awarding of prizes owing to the
different external facilities which the compett
ors enjoy for getting the lessons, and improper
means may be employed in aspiring for thu
promised object
h One may have all the outside time to his dis
poSal and also means by which to overcome thu
. difficult points in his studies. means such a.
- access to good library or parental aid or both
while another must work during the hours il
) which school is not in session
: o. The greatest objection, perhaps, to TIL
y awarding of material prizes are these The,
II reward success rather than effort talent rathe
|. than worth.
d One child will get his lesson in much less tim
than another, yet he wins the prize due to hi
:, natural talenD of which he receives but littl
= good, not enjoying the pleasant sensation il
IN consciousness of duty done and thus stimu
lated in efforts to worthy actions which are dies
# titute of material worth.
It The influence of good example of studiOu
pupils is lost by the prize system. And pupil
who have labOrCd under this system as thei
" chief motive seldom, if ever, continue study il
n after life. Our greatest men have not beef
- those who studied only for the sake of winning
!, the best prize at college, but they have beel
: those who felt the joy Of acquisition and henc
. studied to kn Ow, not to recte,
Let us now return to the second motive-"the