Evening star., 1938-02-28
The Troubled
Youngster
Explodes
There Are Times
When Silence
Isn't Golden.
BY ANGELO PATRI,

THERE was a scuffle, the sound Of
falling glass, then a smothereo
ouch" The students looked up from
their work in chemistry class and the
teacher called sharply, Benton, YOU
stop after class"
But Mr.. Crissey, t"
Silence. You've made disturbance
enough"
But have right TO-"
Silence. II you can't be silent,
leave the room"
The door slammed so hard that the
retorts tinkled and the window panes
shook The students exchanged
righteous glances. Benny is certainly
hot-headed"
The corridor teacher heard the door
SIAM saw young Benton walk swiftly
around the corner and head down the
stairs. Stop where you are, young
man. You hear me? Halt! Where
are you going?"
I'm going down to the Office to tell
the principal what I think of this
school and then I'm going home.
That's where I'm going So what?"
You impudent young Who do
you think you are talking to? Come
back here"
But Benny was on his way; nothing
could stop him now. He burst into
the quiet of the office. The principal
was bending over big sheet of figures.
I'm going home / won't stay in this
good-for-n nothing place another min
ute. And when I get Mr.. Crissey out
on the street he'll learn something
from me- He's too doggoned mean
and small and good-for- nothing to
crawl through test tube. I'll tell him
to his face what I think of him and
Ill show him and the rest Of the
crowd what I think of them. They
Just wait III show them"
Just give me that sheet OF paper,
will you. Benton? No, not that one,
the yellow one. I have to check on
this one with it. Could you flatten it
out on the table there. So. Thanks.
What was it you were saying? Oh,
yes, Mr.. Crissey. In minute. Sit in
that chair, will you, and go down the
first column. I'll call, you repeat ac-
cording to your sheet. Watch now.
There's mistake somewhere. We are
four boys out and we can't find them.
Must be in this column somewhere"
Benny began to check. His voice
was high and shaky at the start, but
1t soon got down to his usual husky
level. He had to answer the tele-
phone couple of times, hand book
to an inquiring clerk, close q window
when a wandering breeze threatened
the big sheets. And he found the
four boys. His column said so and
the principals said 81 Good work.
Time for lunch You wanted to tell
me something, Benton? Well, come
IN this afternoon and We can talk"
Later, when the principal talked to
the teacher about Benton he said,
Hes got to have an outlet. Some
body has to listen. At home he is
thundered into silence if he starts to
speak. If the same thing happens in
school he will blow up altogether. It
doesn't hurt me to listen to him, but
you could save my time If you did
little of it yourself"
But he made a row in class. To
be sure. Watkins told me it was all
his fault, but just the same Such
a temper"
II know. But keep the seamcock
open. Let him get some of his troubles
off his mind and his temper won't
have to explode. Silence is not as
golden as it seems, sometimes. Espe-
cially in high school. Our Job is to
keep boys in school. Listen a little"
Mr.. Patri will give personal at
tention to inquiries from parents
and school teachers on the care
and development of children. Write
him in care of this paper, inclos-
ing a 3-cent stamped, self-ad-
dressed envelope for reply.
Copyright, 1889