Evening star., 1934-09-23
BY NICHOLAS Med. MCKNIGHT.
Associate Dean of Columbia Collese.

IL He has brains. He has no
worries. I've given him
everything he wanted Yet here he
is. unhappy and a failure in his
studies can't understand it." Thus
the father of a college failure eX-
pressed his bcvilderment in a con-
ference that seemed likely to mark
the end of his sons undergraduate
career
Young Edwin Warren had entered
college with a rather uneven school
record. but clear evidence of mental
capacity He had taken to his work
with enthusiasm. and. midway in his
freshman year. his record gained him
a complimentary note from the dean.
He started the Spring session with
continuing interest and vigor. but to
the surprise of his teachers. who had
marked him as a promising scholar
his work fell off during the term. and
the final results were no better than
average.
Early in the sophomore year it be-
came evident that something had gone
wrcng Warren had a conference
with his adviser and another with the
dean Neither interview threw light
on his difficulties. Excellent health,
happy home conditions. no financial
problems, no love affair. Warren eX-
pressed his determination to buckle
down. but the end of the session
brought a record that did not Justify
him in continuing in college. Similar
". his interest in college affairs had
died away. AS a freshman he had
made the Glee Club. and. after six
months of stern competition. had
gained a place on the lower board
of the daily paper. Following his
election. however. his journalistic en-
thusiasm appeared to slacken. and on
his return to college in September his
contribution had been so mcager that
he was dropped from the board. When
the Glee Club held its Fall tryouts
he was absent.
Try and Try Again.
Then the midyear grades were
recorded ard Warren was clearly
candidate for dismissal. But mere
was a boy of unquestioned ability VINO
functioning in high gear. would DO
credit to himself and his teachers
How to get this boy into high gear
and keep him there? Not until every
available line of inquiry had been FOL
loved through ought failure to be ad-
n7i,ted and the boy returned to MS
family.
There remained one uneXploreo
avenue of inquiry, and warren
father was asked to visit the COL
lcce to discuss his sons problems;
THO conference was a long one and
covered the high points of the boys
whole life. What the dean realN
wanted to discover was how the poy
bad been reared and the fathers attl-
tide toward his son. And. although
tho distressed father expressed com COM
r1ete hpVilderment at his son ulAli
ruIties he nevertheless put INTO "oioo
the clue to the conundrum. .,s
Thn older Warren was entirely SELL
,,ode With little formal educatlon,
he had worked hard since ooyhooG
and had achieved a large hildliCi",
success Years ago he nao feSolNeu
that MS children should be spaIeu
the hardships he had undergone an an
should enjoy all the pleasures ne iIao
missed. In the early years tHls iilealI'
an endless supply OF expensive pay
things. Later. as the boy grew Que
his expanding WhlmS were srdC4liCu'
Having conceived an interest IN raulo'
Fdwin WAS given an electrical laoora-
torv He immersed himself IN WIRE
less literature produced receiving
cot that was a credit to youngSter
of his Years. and then Immediately
transferred his interest to music. An
extensive cornet and flrst-rate IN
e+r,,c+ion we're obtained. and in year
he GAINED the first chair in his school
orchestra. At that point his musical
interest waned. then died. and was
sIDplanted by an enthusiasm LOT
breeding tropical fish. Stamps 1ol-
lowed. then something else. and each
time interest died as soon as a meas
IRE of success had been achieved.
College a PIaything to Him.
The picture began to be clear. The
fathers statement: I've given MN
everything he wanted" had been the
clue, College to young Warren was
like his cornet. his fish, his radio
fascinating at first because 1t was
challenge to his ability. But once
little success had been recorded. IN
terest Waned. The habits Of II years
are not easily broken. But to under
stand difficulty is long step toward
removing it, A heart-to-heart talk
with the boy followed. in which his
life was described to him in way he
had never thought of it. He had
brains and was able to see the pic
ture in its new perspective A little
ashamed of himself. he buckled down
off faW minor 1anSPS
got into high gear and stayed there.
The foregoing story is typical OF
many that are observed by the admin
iStrative officers of our schools and
colleges The example of the dotln9
parent is. of course. an old familiar
thene But the real significance lies
in the illustration Of the effect Of the
parents own mental outlook and at
titude toward their children exert on
the latters character and success in
and out of college
Psychologists tell us that a child's
formative years normally occur in
advance of the college period. But
the maturing process. which usually
tranSpires almost exactly thin the
years of college membership, can be
previously hampered and iStorted by
earlier mismanagement Or lack of
management. The emphasis on prep
aration for college from the stand
point of personal adjustment ought
to be equal to that placed on academic
preparation. Otherwise, boy may
be required to enter a stage in his
development for which he is not yet
prepared. and not only academic fail
ure but emotional instability is likely
to be the result.
That Parental Influence.
One observes the vacillating, de-
pendent children of domineering par
ents: the selfish. ungovernable sons of
foolishly indudgent parents; the high
strung boys, pathetic in their insta-
bility. whose parents have fretted over
them since babyhood and. worse. have
allowed them to be aware of it. Many