The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-12-15
Continued from page IL
Why College Men Fail

late clearly. A man who cannot i'm
part his idea to his command in clear,
distinct language, and with sufficient
volume of voice to be heard reason
ably far, is not qualified to give COM
mandS upon which human life will de-
pend. Many men disqualified by this
handicap might have become officers
under their country's flag had they
been properly trained in school and
college 1t is to be hoped therefore
that more emphasis will be placed
upon the basic principles of elocution
in the training of our youth. Even
without prescribed training in elocu-
ton a great improvement could be
wrought by the instructors in our
schools and colleges, regardless of the
subject, insisting that all answers be
given in loud, clear, well-rounded
voice; which. of course, necessitates
the opening of the mouth and free
movement of the lips. 1t is remark
able how many excellent men suffer
from this handicap, and how almost
impossible it is to correct this after
the formative years of life.
In addition to this physical disabil-
ity and slouchiness is what might be
| termined the slouchiness of mental at
titude. Many men fail to measure up
to the requirements set for our Off
GERS Reserve because they have not
been trained to appreciate the impor-
lance of accuracy in thinking. Too
many schools are satisfied with an ap-
proXimate answer to a question. Lit
tie or no incentive is given increased
mental effort to coordinate ones
| ideas and present them clearly and
unequivocally Insistence upon deci.
sion in thought and expression must
never be lost sight of. This requires
eternal vigilance on the part of every
| teacher. 1t is next to impossible for
military instructors to do much to
counteract the negligence of schools
in this regard. This again has cost
many men their commissions at
camp Three months is too short a
time in which to teach an incorrigi.
BILE "beater-about-the- that there
is but one way to answer a question
oral or written and that is positively
| clearly and accurately. The form OF
the oral answer in our schools should
be made an important consideration OF
| instruction.
| l have further noted at camp that
even some of our better military
schools have turned out products that
while many of them may have the
bearing of a soldier in ranks, yet their
carriage is totally different as soon
as they "fall out" Schools, military
and non-military, should place more
insistence upon the bearing of pupils
all the time. 1t should become
second nature with them to walk and
carry themselves with the bearing
of an officer and a gentleman. This
again is characteristic that cannot
be acquired in short time and, when
| coupled with other disqualifying ele
ments, has initiated against the sue
cess of men in training camps.
AS a last important element thai
seems to me has been lacking in the
moral and mental makeup of some Of
our students here is the characteristic
of. grit. Not that they would have
proven cowardly in battle, necessarily
but some have exhibited tendency
to throw up the sponge upon the ad
ministration of severe rebuke OF
criticism. Their feelings have beer
hurt and they resign. They have
never been taught the true spirit O
lsubordination. They are not read fol
the rough edges of life. The true
training school should endeayor to in
lculcate that indomitable spirit tina
enables one to get out Of sell, to keel
ones eyes fixed upon the goal rathe1
i than upon the roughness Of the path
i TO realize that one unable to rlSt