New Britain herald., 1923-11-10
ANGELO PATRI ON
 CHILD DEVELOPMEN
Famous New York Teacher De- liVers Interesting Lecture Here

How book school in an Italian
 district in New York city was changed into a doing school and how the children, who had in the
 past taken no interest in school work came back and learned through their
 "hands and backbones' was brought out interestingly by Angelo Patri. principal of one of the New York public schools, in his lecture, "A
 Right Attitude" at the Camp school auditorium last evening under the auspices of the Business and Pro fessional Women's club of this city.
 There are two groups of people. said the speaker, who can not agree on the bringing up of children. On" of these groups is strongly in favor of rules, law and discipline, while the other believes in giving the child hit of freedom, in letting him alone. in letting him work out his own problems by himself and in encour- aging him to stick to his work until he is through, even though he makes mistakes in so doing.
 The wheels of progress can not go around until they agree" stated Mir. Patri. Ii is difficult to agree about children. People can't agree about religion or politics, but they should gree about children, and they don't ihe children being the sufferers" It is part of wisdom, according to the speaker, for those who know the facts and know what should be done to bring themselves to see the orpo- Ients' point of view and then gradu- ally to change if.
 Nr Patri told Of bis experiences as principal of the school where he now gt of the difficulties which al first Lonfronted him and of their solution~
 lt Vas ten years ago. he said. whra to took the position at the present t,rhool, At the school he left. ho 1ad made an enviable record. TTo as in line for advancement. When inc opportunity for the change came. his friends besought him to stay where he was. The new school was in a foreign" district. They explained that the children there wrrr urr'rv. they were confirmed truants and be- sides, they didn't know anyth,ag .tny- way. However, he took ilu, position.
 Tar and White Linen suit.
 The first day he went to the school he wore a white linen suit. The school year had not begun and the work ! consisted mainly Of registering tho ! children. He said that he was there three or four hours before the word 1 got around that he was the rrinci- ! pal. When he left he said. fl group ! of children was waiting for him. i However, they finally let him 20. When he came back he went into his ' office. The school was not quite fin. | ished, he explained. and there was q large eauldron of tar just outside the . window. There were also numerous pebbles and a telegraph pole.
 He told how the children niled ! their pockets with pebbles after first | generously tarring them, climbed the . pole and the story was told when Nr. i l'at1t stated simply that Their aim . was good"
 This set him 10 thinking. Tho children had never seen him before The matter of the pebble throwing was not personal one. IL must have been their attitude toward school and teachers. IL must be A sort of prison, he thought, d terrible place for them. The children were | truly badly behaved.
 Then came the second count. Did the children know anything? What his friends had said was true, hc found out after examining thp pupils. They measured much below grade.