The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-05
Is Boarding School the
Place for Boy of Twelve?
ny HORACE HOLDEN.
Morristown school, Morristown, n. -.

every reputable school must welcome an
investigation OF this sort. Ample bath
ing facilities. good food, adequate hours
or work and play, fresh air in abundance
and sleep In superabundance are all re-
quisite for the young boy. to say nothing
OF well equipped and properly directed
infrmary as the traditional ounce Of pre-
vcntion worth the pound OF cure.
For the boys Intellectual welfare I am
sure that class Of ten offers excellent
competition and is much preferable to a
class OF forty or fifty. and men superior
instructors to women. I believe in the in
failibility OF woman's patience and II Is
NJ her hands that the boy should first
learn to read and write and to con the
multiplication tables. but when he has
passed beyond the stage OF these most in
troductory OF school arts tho Insecurity
% man II the better classroom element.
pok with favor upon the early study
OF Latin. not only because Il Is admir-
able mental discipline. but also because II
is the common groundwork OF so many
tongues. and in its elementary forms Is
more readily acquired during tho period
OF greatest plasticity-that is, tho years
from ten to fourteen. Furthermore think
a school should be old fashioned enough
to require legble rather than "charac-
teristic" handwriting. that good spelling
should be regarded as n visible sign OF
culture. that fluent reading and speaking
for commercial career as one who plans
for profession. and that rapidly and
| efficiency In mathematics have an "edu-
cational' value that scars above tho realms
OF the theoretical into the confines OF the
practical. am sure that there are many
boarding schools where the sugar pill bot
| tie Is locked up and where classes are
conducted on basis both thorough and
| businesslilIe.
] am very far from believing that tho
moral Influence" Of good boarding
school Is any worse than the moral in
nuence immediate 10 the home. In fact
think that in the majority OF cases II
is better estimated and dealt with by
the stan of n school than II Is by many
a fond parent. There is certainly much
| truth In the old adage that Love Is
! blind" and although l hesitate TO say so
I I am sure that many mothers, especially
| in suburban, districts, would have a very
rude awakening were they cognizant OF
! all the pursuits and conduct OF even their
/ younger sons and daughters while still
under the protection OF the home The
! moral issue In n school resolves into two
parts the mental and the physical or
sexual. In judging the moral status Of
group Of boys we have first to re-
member that they are boys--rough little
red blooded animals. needing 10 be led
/ into good ways more by example than
precept. genuinely ashamed, in the main,
OF wrong doing. vet quite ready to sin
! again in the same manner until cause
and effect have been very strongly driven
home Mental immoralities or better un-
moral!tles. include lying and deceit always
common among youngsters and usually
/ outgrown as they outgrow their predis-
position for measles mumps and tho
whooping cough: stealing. which liz far
less common: gambling and smoking.
usually misdirected efforts to be big" :
selfishness. in a way hut an automatic re-
| spon,r to the first law OF nature-that OF
sclf-pr servation; disobedlence and other
| delinuunncies. | question II these kinks
OF character are less met with or can
| be better dealt with in the home than
| under tho boy discipline of a school
question further whether parents are rs
alert TO these deficiencies ~ school
master may be who lives day by day
with tho boy and who is able and will
ing TO lend n hand in the right way and
Mt the right time to help the little lad
along the path OF life. Well formed char
acter IL the rule rather than the excep-
ton. under the conditions OF good
school. despite the pitfalls which fearful
mothers anticipate but Immediately con-
nected with this process OF character
forming Is the personnel OF the staff. and