New-York tribune., 1920-09-19
By Frank 8. Hackeee
Readnaoster. Rsver6ols Country School

"a 1eodDt1SC6Ts hsV1Y91t0 O0ssRGTV Spse0Vs
With boys and girls and young men
and maidens going back 70 school these
are the days when fathers and mothers
come face to face with the old ques-
tion Of outside activities" Beyond
lessons, how much shall the student
be allowed, or encouraged, to do7
Be it clear at once that artificial
amusement (theaters, dancing or pro-
scope of this article. In no good homo
will these interests be permitted TO
become absorbing. Student activities
PROPER - those organized efforts Of
school life which are no part Of the
classroom-demand attention. In the
order of interest and frequency these
are. perhaps, among very many, the
most commons
Athletics, seR-government and SELF
help, including patriotic efforts, school
paper, dramatic, literary societies and
debating and glee clubs and orchestra,
relief or missionary societies. science
and modern language clubs, coin and
stamp collections.
Not all OF even the greater part Of
these appeal to the majority Of stu
dents, but in any good school parents
will find that there Is organized effort
In most Of the spheres suggested.
Always the authorities foster; too
often they lead-for these activities
gain In value only as they arc the ex-
preston Of the will and Of the ideas Of
the students themselves Rightly used,
they form indeed most valuable
stimulus to classroom efforts. Abused,
they warp the attitude toward lessons,
furthering that most pernicious OF no
tions that there Is something more i'm
4ba Soino walf of fhN f2ak
in hand.
Psychology Shows Mental Capacity
Where lies the meaning between the
use and the abuse Of these student
activities? Fortunately, this is no
waiting to learn from experience
whether a youth helps or harms his
lessons by engaging with his fellows
in one or more Of these interests. APP
piled psychology now informs US de-
hntely what the intellectual capabili-
ties Of each boy or girl may be, and
therein lies the answer.
If the measurement Of intelligence
shows a mentality below The average,
these activities should most assured
ly not be ruled out, but only those
permitted through which the student
may gain that taste Of success which
epurs. Take the all-too-usual incident
Of the athlete who does poorly in his
lessons. Often 1t is assumed that his
interest in sport Is crowding out his
attention to book duties-a very fair
snrmse, rs rule. II, however, the
performance Of the youth in a game
or q contest ie carefully watched, it
will appear that in q critical juncture
where sharp, quick headwork is re-
Quired, he does not meet the Issue
kccnly Spirit, skill, and Drawn are
there in abundance, but not the wit
which unites them in the right effort.
Psychology will show the fact that the
mind of this youth is really below the
average. That is largely the explana-
ton cf his poor classroom record. II
then. his JOY in the game be removed,
permitted, he sinks into the slough Of
despond, and nothing Is gained. If,
on tic other hand, the test Of his men
tality dictates that he should not carry
the full school course, say but three
CT four subjects out Of five or six, sue
cess in athletics will furnish the meahs
Of encouraging him to feel that he can
% well in lessons which are within his
capabiii:y. He is also likely to garner
tie invaluable life fact that by inten-
sity Of effort he can overcome the
handicap of mentality somewhat be-
low the average, and, as a man. suc-
ceed where others fall.
Average Mind Greatest Problem
The average mind, as disclosed by
these tests, furnishes the greatest
problem in connection with student
activities. Often with marked initia-
tive and supsrabundant energy, the
boy or girl Of only usual mentality
plungos into one after another Of these
student interests, and. with but in
different success in the efforts them
selves, fails utterly in the classroom
This spells The frittering away of
energy which causes 80 many fathers
and mothers to long for the good old
dsys when school held nothing but
lessons-seemingly.
here, again, we may now have the
facts. No matter how bright or viva
ciouav how capable or energetic q child
may seem, mental tests disclosing av-
erags Intelligence dictate clearly chat
only few activities outside the class
room be permitted, Just enough TO give
free play TO paramount interests, such
"a music, or organizations or col
lecting.
with the child OF superior qntsYlA-
gence, as disclosed by these teyta, tho
uss Of student activities affords o solu-
tion Of q problem upon which many
psychologists themselves have gone
astray. Lacking long classroom con-
tact with boys and girls, they have too
frequently sought to use the surplus
mental energy Of these extraordinarily
capable students In advanced subjects.
Opportunity classes" are too often
given over to the accomplishment, as
IT is put. Of "ewo or three years work
in one" Tho result Is the anomaly Of
boy or girl, let us say, Of twelve
years, with only that maturity and de-
velopmsnt, in class with youths OF
fifteen or sixteen.
Service 10 Fellow MAN
The mental age Of che chf20 may
abundantly warrant this, but what we
have. nevertheless, Is q child lacking
too often the balance, Hhe Judgment,
and OF course, the prestige Of his com
panions. Few figures In school or col
lcge are more pitiable than these So
called infant prodigies."
Justice to these unusually capable
students demands that they be given
large scope. RY all means hold them
to high standards In lessons, give them
vastly more to do in every subject than
their fellows, enrich their courses with
several additional studies {it will often
be found that they particularly need
training IN the use Of The hands; thero-
lore, extra drawing, manual training,
etc.), but above everything, encourages
Them IN aelf-expression through abun-
HAnA