Evening star., 1960-10-30
EDUCATION
FORUM
QUESTION: How do uo,, ps.
By BENJAMIN FINE

q child to do his homework /?
Our son has just entered high
school. We tell him his marks
will be important If he wants
to get into a good college. But
ne just won't study. He makes
all kinds Of excuses, gets on the
telephone, turns on the TV, or
fights with his younger sister.
Are we right in nagging him?
ANSWER: First, never nag.
Tell your son firmly that he
cannot watch TV when he
should be studying. Stick to
this. But more important: Have
you given your boy a room of
his own In which to study? Does
he have a good table lamp, a
comfortable chair and desk? ?
These little things may add to
his desire to study.
II you can talk with your
boy, get him to understand the
Importance Of an education,
and make him realize that he
is only hurting himself, not you,
by his present attitude, you
may get him to change his
slovenly study habits. It's
worth a try. But make it a
discussion. not an argument.
q. Does anyone love a 65-
year-old retired Army officer?
feel I have much to offer as
a teacher. I am in good health,
able and ready to work, and
believe I could be useful dur
ing these times when the short
age Of qualified teachers Is so
acute. I am a university grad
uate with q BIS. in economics
and a major in accounting. I
should like to teach at the COL
lege level, preferably in a
smaller school in q college
town. The few places I inquired
told me I was too old.
A. You may be dated chron-
ologically, but your mind Is
evidently far from dormant.
Unfortunately, we place too
much emphasis on age. Few
colleges or business institutions
will go much beyond the first
line Of your application which
reads: Date of Birth" But it
seems to me that men in your
station Of life, with a rich
background, should be utilized
in our academic institutions.
You may not have the nec~
essary teaching courses but
you have enough practical
knowledge and experience
with people to compensate for
your other formal deficiencies.
I'll bet you'd be an exciting
geography teacher!
Write to the American Coun-
Gil on Education, 17S5 Mas
sachusetts avenue NV, Wash
ington 6, D. c., and to the
Veterans Administration, also
in Washington. They have set
up committees to help place
retired army personnel who
want to 60 into teaching. Hope
you make it.
Q. Maybe there is no ans
wer to my problem, but here
goes: I have completed 20
hours of work for my master
Of arts degree in economics
and statistics. I flunked my
advanced course in statistical
theory. I repeated the course
and hunked again. I was
asked to drop out Of school.
Is there any other.coIlege that
will take me? I still want to
do advanced work in statistics.
: A. I'm afraid I'm going to
funk this question. After fail
ing twice, it is conceivable
that you should consider some
other field of study. Perhaps
the subject is not as suited
to you as you think. But don't
give UP too easily after put
ting in all these years of ef-
fort. After all, in baseball you
are entitled to three strikes
before the umpire calls you out.
So write to those colleges that
interest you and see whether
you can persuade them to give
you a final try.
But remember: Three strikes
and you're out. Don't make
the mistake Of going through
life trying to become some
thing you are not qualified for.
@. Can you tell me if there
is any State that will grant a
license to q practical nurse
who does, not, have formal
training? Could ! get a scholar
ship If I went to school to
study l1ursing?
A. I suggest that you write
to the National League for