The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1922-07-17
BOY EXPERT TELLS
OF EXPERIENCE IN
sCOOL INVESTIGATION
Babson Institute Expert Tells Inter.
estingly Of His Recent Inspection
OF Several School systems
In America.

New York, July IL. - Alfred ].
Westendorf formerly Of this state now
with the Babson Institute, Wellesley
Hills, Mass, where young men are
trained for high executive positions,
has earned an enviable reputation,
through q hobby Of his. as a developer
Of permanent root" growth in boys
and young men. He is one of those
men who has time to think of and with
others. Some of the magazines have
referred to him as a national friend,
others call him another Doctor Con-
well or Judge Lindsay. He possesses
a very inquisitive mind when 1t comes
to the welfare of young people. He is
always wondering about what is being
done and what might be done. During
the past two years at his own expense
and in his quiet way he has ben car
rying on a survey with reference to
high school activities throughout the
country. He wanted to know what they
were thinking about and what they
we're doing. He found that practical
school men everywhere were clamor-
oring and craving for definite and
concrete examples of school activities.
That better ideas wer in demand every
where. To serve these people is the
thing that urged him on in these in
vestigations. Mr.. Westendorg found
that lack of interest on the part of
the pupil in many cases was due to
lack of concentrated effort on the part
Of the school. That it was due to not |
having the work hung on definite
hook. He found that many schools by |
simply giving their present methods
new twist might become 1000 more !
productive. He found loads of schools |
carrying on splendid Thrift campaigns |
but in Olathe, Kansas, for instance,
the pupils are not simply urged to |
save but are trained from the 9Th
grade up to prepare to meet their own |
graduation expenses. 1t is not only a |
fine training, but unconsciously it |
tends to develop desire to stay to the
finish. 1t tends to eliminate the drop |
ping out habit. 1t gives thrift an en-
tirely new color.
In Birmingham, Mich, they are |
building up Scholarship Fund, an
other fine example to follow. The |
ordinary variety of honor roll" is !
common everywhere. In the Rich |
mond, Indiana. High Schools they do |
it different way. The advertise the |
honor boys" as guaranteed boys. II |
creates an entirely different effect. |
These young men during their senior
year are allowed to spend a part OF |
their time without pay, associating |
and acquainting themselves with the |
things they hope to do after gradua-
ton. 1t gives them a practical oppor-
tunity to demonstrate thir worth and |
it places them on a much better foot
ing after graduation. This added kink
doubles and trebles effort. We are told
that if we are rot trained to be work
ers, we unconsciously are being thain-
ed to be shirkers
The Pierre Schools of South Dakota.
are radiating a helpful influence over
an unusually wide area. There are
many rural children in that locality
who cannot afford to go to Pierre for
the entire school year. To meet the
need, the high schol teachers of
Pierre cooperate with the rural teach
'rs during tn efirst half of the year.
hus reducing the cost to these child
zen by one-half. 1t is a plan that
night be copied and duplicated very
effectively in many other states and
sections. Canton, Ohio, during the
'ast school year attracted more than
1000 people out of a population of co.
700 to its splendid night schools. In
richmond. Virginia, the second gen.
ration is commencing to reap the
'enefits of these special educational
advantages. The Richmond schools
re justly proud Of the accomplish
nnts of certain mother in that city.
Mr.. Westendorf's constructive in
'estigations have aroused widespread
interest. 1t has attracted the attention
# the governors of Virginia and Texas
n fact public spirited people in gen.
raj from coast to coast.