The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-11-28
HONOR ROLLS IN THE
SCHOOLS.
Report Of sups. 8. n. Eemunds to
Board of Education.

l respectfully recommend . tempo
rary suspension of the rolls c1
honor. This matter is one that
has caused much thought; for there
is much to be said on each side
We have had the system ever since
the schools were established and !
have therefore had an opportunity Of
taking careful notice Of its operation.
/ shall briefly set forth my reasops for
making this recommendation The
honor roll system does not accomplish
what it is intended to do Its pur-
pose Is to incite the pupils to a higher
effort to cause them to be more faith
ful in doing their duty. The truth
| is, however, that it acts as an incen-
tive to few, q encouragement to
many In. determining whether q
pupils name is to have a place on
the roll of honor we have 10 be gov
erned by results. aod this frequently
works q hardship to those whose
effort though faithful does not accom-.
plish enough to entitle them to a
place upon the roll of honor. Those
pupils whose names occur upon the
| roll of honor from quarter to quarter
| and from year to year would be very
likely 10 work just as hard were there
no roll of honor, and if they do not
| it will reveal the fact that their zeal
has been inspired not by true sense
| Of duty but by an unnatural and un-
wholesome desire for reward
While we emphasize as much as
we, can the mental training of our
pupils. still we resilze, think, that
character building should be our
chief aim. To this end we attempt
to eliminate those things that prevent
the development Of those character.
istics that are the marks Of beauti'
ful character. This is our end; to
say that ne had attained it would be
putting our ideal very low. In our
effort. however to reach this we wish
the pupils to rid themselves of those
petty jeslousies that belittle and mar
ones character In the honor rolf
system .sm afraid that this Jealousy
may be often found among the pupils,
this envy Of which the pupils them.
selves may not be conscious, but
which nevertheless leaves Q blight
upon the character. Another menace
to character development is the self
complacency that the regular attain.
meut Of the honor roll is likely to
engender No special example in
our school suggests itself to my mind;
but such is the effect to be feared
illustrated by that college graduate OF
one of the higher institutions of learn
ing in England who when asked upon
his graduation what he intended to
do replied that as be had received
the highest honors of his institution
that be felt that little else was left
to be done. Our effort is to impress
upon or pupils when they complete
tbs course of. our school that they
have really only just begun their
education. ANY system, therefore.
that would lessen this impression
would put an obstacle in the way of
our endeavor to prepare our pupils
for real life
Iu the system of the honor roll
pupil is likely to think so much of the
honor roll itself IS to lose eight Of che
obligations that rest upon him to do bis
doty for dusy's sake. OF coarse We do
cot expect the little papi's to have
proper conception Of duty; bat ia this
respect as iu all others the cbild's life is
of developmep. and if We begin right
the probabilities a5e that BY gradual
process Of evolution these abstract ques-
tious Of duty aud right will be. more than
likely to settle themselves properly II
would seem from this that do DOT
FAVOR tSW3tuS OUoo, oo"S'e'' 70
the case for they car be made helpful
aud inspiring bur they must De
uataral aod be given upon the basis ct
40 equal chance. ooe who works
faithfully aud accomplisbes little is
entitled to greater reward than oce
who does much with little effort. aud yet
the system must have standard aud
the Only standard that is practicable is
ope of results. l favor 90 equitable
distribution OF rewards one that 10 40
inspiration to many, Encouragement
to none. In order TO attain this Just
distribution ones attention is to be
directed to the icdividaal Ooe gentle
mau has promised 81 to his son every
time Ls reaches the roll of bocor. This
dollar could be given upon the preseu'a
ton Of an excellent report from bis
teacher. Thus the boy would be co
couraged aud bis good fortune could pro.
duce no heartacke in another little
fellow equally faithful, but not SO apt.
In this way teacher knowing the