Evening star., 1937-01-09
Process of
Elimination
In School
Those Who Complete
Course Deserve
Praise.
BY ANGELO PATRI.

A TEACHER knows that out of the
so children who enter the first
grade only few will be graduated
from college. A great host fall out
between that first grade and the last
class in the higher school. The higher
they go the fewer their numbers, until
at last one stands alone on the heights
and we have master.
The great number of parents covet
that high, lone place for their own
children, each for his own. Some
of them are keenly disappointed when
their son or daughter does not reach
that honorable place, and they allow
themselves to reproach the child.
Nothing could be more futile, more
senseless, than that attitude.
In each class, of whatever sort or
grade, there can be drawn curve
of achievement. At one end there
will be few that must stay on the
first level, at the other end, a few
that will rise very high In the
middle they collect in tight group,
very close together. Only the scat
tered ones at each end break the
steady rhythm of this group. They
are the common children of the COM
mon class and, to my teacherly mind,
greatly to be cherished.
Out of the lowest group one may
rise, but he fill not rise far and
his services to the community. will
| not count for much. Out of the high
est group there may come leader,
and his services may be valuable to the
community. The odds are in his
favor. But, in that great middle
group. there are workers who will sus-
tain the Nation, who will carry the
burden of trial and endure life's hard
ships triumphantly and rear healthy
children to carry on after them. And
leaders will not be wanting in that
group when occasion rises. Here are
the coming people, those who are to
count most in the years just ahead.
Why not honor them occasionally?
The top man is to be honored, Of
course. He Is an inspiration and sets
mark for the others, but he Is not
the only one to be so praised. Give
heed to those who are making good
marks, passing their tests, earning
their letters and their medals once in
a while. Give them cheer to tighten
their hearts instead of demanding,
why didn't you get A? Look at
Starry Eyes, topman every time, and
you keep getting ordinary marks.
Can't you stretch yourself little and
catch up to him?"
Many of these children are work.
ing harder than those that stand
so high. As children progress in
school the competition increases. The
weaker pupils fall out as they reach
their limit. Some go only to the fifth
grade in elementary school and fall
out to find a place for themselves in
the working world at an early age.
Grade by grade the number lessons
and the ones that are left in school
are the brighter ones. Among them
are degrees of talent, and the strongest
surge ahead until the last lone one
stands by himself.
This means that many a pupil who
Is getting ordinary marks gets them
because he is being measured against
talents of far greater power than his
own and yet he manages to hold his
place among them. No small accom-
plishment. Praise the high school
pupil who gets a passing mark. Praise
him when he succeeds in graduating.
If he gets on to the lonely few you
can give him your blessing-he will
need it-and let him 60 his way. It
is the 1n-between child who needs
your good word.
tCopyright, 1877