Evening star., 1936-10-19
Unofficial .
Teachers
Are Helpful
Life's Little Lessons
Often Driven Home
Effectively.
shOu,n above.
BY ANGELO PATRI.

"CONLON, when the class leaves
will you stay behind and look
over the room to see that it is left
ready for the sweeper"
II don't see why should be isni-
tors helper. I can't see"
"Oh. all right. Who will attend to
the job of inspecting and leaving the
classroom in shape for Roly sweep
ing?"
II will" me" I'm on the end
Of the line, Miss Emma. can do 1t" B"
Thanks. He has so much to do
and some seats are always left down
or out of place. things will get scat
tered-It will help him lot"
The class marched out, and some
scattered to the gym for practice,
some to the ball fields, some for home,
Conlon went with the ball team. He
was first to arrive, and as Duncan,
the captain, came up he said. Il want
first chance at the bat today. 1
hardly got lick in yesterday"
20 yeah! You should be first!
We're going to wait for Mike. When
he gets through with his job of in
specting and clearing the classroom
for Roly to sweep he'll be over. We
don't begin until he comes. and we
begin with him at the bat"
That's no fair. and won't give it"
lie won't give it, fellows. He
thinks we ought to go ahead without
Mike and let him go first. Some
nerve"
What a crust. Conlon, you make
me sick. You're bird. You turned
Miss Emma down, you wouldn't lend
her a hand, nor old Roly, and you'd
kick Mike over because he went to
the front. Some pippin you are
Yeah. That's right. Go sit way
back. Here's Mike. Get set, fellows" :"
Miss Emma might have delivered
lectures on service, cooperation, re-
sponsibility and the rest until her
breath failed her and sturdy Conlon
would never have needed one syllable
of it. But when the team captain
and the rest of the group cold
shouldered him he felt it. He wanted
nothing in the world so much as the
approval of his team mates and when
that was withheld he was beaten.
School opinion is what clinches the
teachers work. We can sow and we
can water the seed, but the opinion OF
the school is what brings the growth
into full stature. If the captain had
shrugged his shoulders and lifted his
brows at the suggestion that some one
inspect and arrange the classroom be-
fore leaving it nobody would have
offered. Conlon would have been
justified, the team would have silently
supported his attitude and Miss En-
mas bid for cooperation and service
would have gone without takers. But
the captain was not without good
qualifications for that post. He un-
derstood vaguely what was wanted
and threw his support on the right
side.
Wise teachers look for the support
of the leaders among the pupils. They
select the responsible members, put
responsibility upon their shoulders and
help them carry on. The unofficial
teachers of the classroom, the play
fields, the study halls are the essential
forces for vital education. Too often
this Is overlooked.
Mr.. Patri has prepared a leafiet en-
titled, "Convalescent Children" IN
which he tells parents how to help
such children to entertain themselves
without fatigue. Send for it, address
ing your request to Mr.. Angelo Patri
Child Psychology Department OF this
paper. .Inclose self addressed,
stamped (3-cent) envelope.