The sun., 1912-08-10
THE PROGRESS OF
BOARDING SCHOOLS
Dr. Thrng, the Great English Schoolnan. Change
the Unit From the Mass to the Boy Which
Is the Guiding Principle To-day
BY WALTER RANDALL MARSH,
Headmaster Of St. Paurs School. Garden City, L. I.

yet he evident that no poor school can
long exist and that the school which is a
business enterprise must be worth the
money If It hopes to succeed. In each
class of schools the emphasis is put upon
the individual: in other words. a boy must
get better training than Is afforded else
where or the schools must close. BY
training is meant not only mental train
ing but physical and moral training as
we'll. Boys come TO boarding schools for
many ramifications Of the underlying
principle Of individual need. A New
York city boy has hardly a fair chance
for proper training If he lives in some
parts OF Manhattan. as. indeed. in any
large city. How can tho city boy obtain
innocent and at the same time pleasurable
amusement? For it must not be for
gotten that wholesome amusement il a
great factor in boy and girl training. No
matter what type Of city school. public
or private. a youth attends. he must have
the accessory chance for out of door life
Boys especially need the opportunity.
for the animal in boy must have ex-
preston. II is for this reason that the
wise school administrator has opened up
the Fairgrounds. tho parks. the amuse :
ment centres. the public and YIN. G. A.
gymnasiums. The urban drift of our
population has been so tremendous that
land values have increased until open
spots become too valuable for the indi-
vidual to own.
An Astor may possess a tennis court on
Fifth avenue, but the rank and file cannot
The city boy does. indeed, find through
various agencies a proper field for physical
activities. but this field is expensive and
reached at only great loss of time. The
city home hardly gives the boy free op-
portunity to express his physical needs
But the boarding school. which is usually
in the country. not only gives the boy this
freedom but entices the boy to enjoy the
freedom of it's grounds and the ad Joining
country AZ well. There can certainly be
nothing better for a boy than the oppor-
tunity to get into the open and TO get into
the open quickly and easily and to express
himself physically. whether in TAX ing part
in athletic contests. or in playing golf. or
in walking or in simply shouting at the
top Of his voice without fear of repression.
parental or otherwise.
VIC NAh pVbt ct-r DOW DOpeBtIOs Illb u6yS,
which. while full Of work and play. are
yet sufficiently varied not to be monoto-
nous. by following Bob through typical
dav. At O'Clock Bob is awakened by the
rising bell. which is so incessant that
although he is a sound sleeper he hears
and arises to join the other boys and the
corridor master in a shower. and possibly
in plunge in the pool. Possibly Bob did
not hear tho bell. but some OF his COM
panions wake him. Soon sometimes in
, an incredibly short timehe is dressed and
ready for breakfast. This being over. he
goes to chapel service. which lis short and
hearty. especially in point of chorus sing
ing. Then. after fifteen or twenty min
utcs To himself he goes TO class These
classes are small numerically and Bob is
sure to be called upon to rccite always
once. perhaps half a dozen times. Pos.
sibly he doesn't know his task and the
Latin master says: Bob, come to my
study at 0 O'Clock tonight and III 20
over it with you"
The Latin recitation over, Bob goes
to the study hall in order to prepare for
other recitations. The study hall is in
the charge of master and Bob has a
chance 70 study hard. If he is uncertain
about any point of his work he is free tc
ask aid of the master. who. il he is wise
will give that aid only when the point
cannot be easily mastered. In this way
except for an hour for luncheon and
recreation. Bob spends his day until
half past 3. Then comes recreation
Within certain limits he is free to spend
his time in the open; indeed he is required
to do so. II the weather is too bad for
out of door exercise the gymnasium
and the swimming pool entice him. By
the school rule he cannot he indoors
until 8. except that he may have failed
in some subject during the preceding
two weeks. when he is due at special
study hour, which is called Five O'Clock
tea" by the boys. At or a little later
il he be "in tea, he has half an hour for
bathing and preparations for dinner
After dinner and very short chapel
service he again goes to the study hall
il he he senior or a boy who has high
average he is permitted. as n special
privilege. To study in his room. At
he goes to the study of the Latin master
IItic VIZ Ste oil eQuAll
with the master who is sitting before nj,
fire while both are working on the Latin
and eating apples at the same time. Bol
does not fear the master. because tn,
master is his friend Perhaps Bob ha
certain hero worship for the master
for the ma ster has not only won his varsit,
letter but has also shot big game o
stecred winning yacht in some har,
fought victory. Bob knows his maste
because he lives with the boys, and thi
means not only working but playing will
them. This is why the boarding school
select and hold big, red blooded men 70
masters, for Fob and his like are keen il
! judgment and personality counts.
! In the we'll conducted boarding schoo
there is no vacant time. for wise admins
traitors realize that there il truth in TIN
old adage that "the devil finds mischie
for idle hands" although all the boy
are in bed by 10, and the younger ones g
earlier, But all have free half hour be
fore bedtime. The corridor master maj
get his eight or ten boys together in hi
study, an interesting book may be rea,
aloud. Il hit of good music may be played
songs sung, game of pool or billiards
played. a film developed or printed,
game of chess or checkers played, any O
| these things or other things NAV be don,