New Ulm review., 1913-03-05
Classification Of H.s. Students"

The following essay was one o
the numbers of the last high school
literary program. 1t is recommend
ed to parents for thoughtful con;
sideration. Which class of high
school students does your son OF
your daughter belong in? It would
be well to know. At any rate II
is a good thing that the pupils OF
our schools are being led to see
the difference between purposeful
study and aimless filling up Of time.
Most parents have an idea that school
is by all means the best place for
their girls and boys. This is de-
batable question. Better look into
the matter. The essay is written
by Armin Pfaender.
ION the basis of the reason for
attending high school, the students
may be divided into five classes.
First, there are those who belong
on the lowest rung Of the ladder.
They attend high school for social
purpose. They spend their time
talking, laughing and planning all
day long something to do after
school or supper hours. They waste
all their time by conversing with
others, thus disturbing those who
want to study and get something
out of their high school course. They
get others into trouble but gener-
ally know how to wiggle out them
selves. They hardly ever get along
we'll with those who study and who
stand highest in their grades. The
cause is not that they cannot study
or cannot comprehend things, but
that they do not see the use of
knowledge as they think there is
sufficient time left to study and al
so that high school course does
them no general good. They spend
their time talking and when it comes
to lessons they 60 to those who
study hard and ask them for their
work. Then those. pupils who re.
ceive no attention from them other.
wise are adopted as their best friends
because they allow the parasites to
make use of their work Generally
the wiser one. does not let himself
be worked that way even though
it may make him an enemy. This
first class of high school students
regard school as place for leisure
and rank their studies as of little
"The second class consists of those
who go to high school because they
have nothing else to do. They are
too lazy to work and to them high
school life seems easier. They do
not care to study and so they idle
their time away doing nothing They
are just as lazy in school as out
of it and hardly ever succeed in
passing their grades. They seldom
graduate from high school and if
they do, it takes more than the
usual time required to complete the
course. More time is taken up with
one of these so-called students than
with three real ones.
"Then there is the third class,
those who are sent by their parents
but have little inclination of them
selves to go. They would rather
have good time and everything
the way they want it.. They do not
study and when it comes to marks
you will always hear them grumble
because they are low Perhaps they
have to account for the low marks
at home. At any rate, they see no
hope of being passed on so as to
get through while their marks are
low but it never occurs to them
that the way to remedy the matter
is to study and get higher marks. |
They finally lose all interest when |
the low marks continue and make |
no attempt to do better.
"The members of the fourth class
are sometimes called "book.worms."
They learn everything "by heart"
and all they do is read, caring lit. |
tie what it is. Their hours are
entirely with their studies,
reading their lessons over and over.
All the knowledge they get is taken
out of books. They become narrow
minded and on this account sci.
lom get along we'll with other peo-
pie. Their development is one-sided |
and they can only consider things
rom their own viewpoint and that
If the books they have read They
study merely in order to get the
marks and as result they do not
get anything of practical value out
If their education and their efforts
ire of little benefit either to them
selves or others.
Then there are those on the high
sst round of the ladder, those stu
lents who are eager to work and to
earn. These are the ones who grow
% be of some use in manhood. Little
IF their time is wasted, but they al
ways have time for sports and recre-
alton when study hours are over
They evidently follow the motto
Business before pleasure"
"1t should be 50 arranged in every
high school so that those students
who do not work should not be al
owed to stay. A standard should be
set whereby all students should be
5uaged as to their willingness to
earn. For instance. if a pupil does
not complete certain reasonable
Of work each semester he
should be warned and then given an
other chance and if he then fails he
should be dropped. BY this method
less time would be required to gain
SnOW1pdpe Of a cuhiecf loco tro,,b1o !