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Show Discover What You Can Do s DR. S. A. HAMRIN, professor of education at Northwestern University, Uni-versity, Evanston, Illinois, told the following in his "Guidance Talks to Teachers." I think it will interest you. At one time it was Dr. Hamrin's job to inform those who were doing unsatisfactory work that they had to improve or be dismissed. dis-missed. One day he told a girl who had been failing for two consecutive quarters, and to whom they had given considerable assistance, that she could no longer continue in the college. Her response was puzzling! She just sat and smiled at him. Had she cried or become angry Dr. Hamrin would have probably known what to do because these were the more common reactions in such situations. Finally she said, "Well?" And he responded with another "Well?" Now she replied, "Now that you have told me what I can't do, I suppose you and your committee are going to give an equal amount of attention to what I can do. Dr. Hamrin says that was a real lesson for Carnegie - him. ' Knowing what the girl could not do was . important, but it was more important for Dr. Hamrin and his . committee to find out what the girl could do. He went on to explain ex-plain that she was out of place in a teacher's college, that she was not especially interested and that she probably lacked the type of academic aptitudes required. However, he continued, they had found that she had an unusual knowledge of fabrics, and that her interest and ability to work with people was at a very high level. Then he introduced her to the manager of a local store where she started working in the dry goods department. Result? That girl is now a highly paid buyer in one of the finest department stores in the entire country. |