Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1906-09-06
BY MARGARET E. SANGSTER.

BY MARGARET E. SANGSTER.
Dorothy and l have had an Argyll
ment. She declares that it isn't worth
cannot understand, and frankly de-
spises. Despises is a strong word,
but l have noticed that Dorothy and
other girls in the sunny-land of the
early teens are a wee bit given to
the use Of strong expression. Perhaps
they don't intend to e~xaggerate and
perhaps they do feel that they must
underscore their words with vigorous
emphasis or else their listeners will
only laugh. 1t is a great trial to
girls that grown people, people Is or
20 years older than they, so general
ly seem to find them amusing and
decline to take them seriously.
However, I do take Dorothy seri-
ously, and when she tells me that
she despises partial payments and
loathes complex fractions, and
can find her way through the puz-
cling labyrinth of compound interest,
l feel very much like shaking hands
with her. l am not ashamed to tell
bles over those very things. They are
puzzling enough let who may tell us
the contrary. Yet l am reluctant to
believe that there Is anything in the
region of school study that a clever
girl cannot understand, cannot con-
-,,N. 1-l a.~-a+ r,o1-N how mum If
only she sets her will resolutely to
the task, and gives it her full and
undivided attention. What girls have
done, girls may do, and | for n am
always sorry when l see a girl ready
to confess herself defeated.
l once knew a very successful teach
er. He was so enthusiastic about
teaching, so magnetic, so full of fiery
energy and of contagious fun that to
be in one of his classes was a delight
difficult to describe. He compelled
every girl to do her best and he left
the schoolroom at the end of the day
with a conviction not only that he had
done the best he could for his pupils,
but that they had willingly done their
best for him. One day l questioned
him. Professor Blank, which do you
prefer, a clever girl or a stupid girl?
Where do you work hardest?"
He answered with a smile that lit
up the dark rugged face. "How can
you ask? The clever girls are bound
to learn; they do not especially in
terest me or call forth my efforts. |
find my greatest pleasure in teaching
the girls whom you call stupid, but
who simply haven't got hold of their
work at the right end. | like to draw
them out. | like to show them what
they can become. / like to help them
up their hills of difficulty. There is
twice the reward in teaching a dull
pupil than there is in teaching 9
bright one. You see 1t is usually
the case that the dull ones only neet
waking up and that when they are
awake, they go on famously, while
the others acquire with such ease that
they are soon satisfied and their eff
forts flag"
l have never been quite sure in my
own mind about the professors con
illusions. I myself enjoy clever, keen
witted, sparkling girls like Dorothy
and her sister Elizabeth, but then
too, l am very fond of girls of al
opposite type; girls like Janet ant
Nellie, who have to work very faith
fully for all they get in the school
room. I suppose the truth is thai
girls appeal to me just because they
are girls. One thing know, and that l!
that If anybody, clever or dull, wishes
to attain a high rank in study, sh'
aust grind. Let me put it in CAPT
tals-GRIND! Work hardest wher'
you are least attracted. There is nj
particular credit to be attached tt
you If you learn with facility. A vet
eran editor told me n day that thu
fatal flaw in the work of nineteenth
of the youthful contributors to hi
magazine was their facility. "The.
do sketchy things and slovenly thing
and superficial things" he said, "be
cause they have never learned tn
value of real work."