Show disregard for scholarship threatens united states with mental degeneracy by THOMAS S BAKER headmaster Head maiter of the ile tome school port ML md in what repents ts is the american boy changing his sports are different his books are different his school and his studies are different from those of his father he is possibly more alert more self reliant better informed more areco precocious cious he has grown 0 older ider in his experiences he has become busier he fie has become more restless he has haa become less boyish he is ii more a creature of dastra distractions 1 egions and amusements and although he may be less of a boy he is not more of a man there are few subjects of study that are more interesting than the personality of the american boy in spite of the fact that he is frequently badly spoiled he is so adaptable and resourceful that lie he compels often ones affection if not ones approval he knows about practical everyday evet matters and about almost everything except those things a knowledge I 1 I 1 of which can be gained only from books in view of the increasing excitement of american life and the great share which young americans are allowed to take tae in it it would be miraculous if they were good students it is to be feared that the american boy of today I 1 is receiving the kind of instruction and is pursuing the kind of diversions that will lead to mental degeneracy and national incompetency the first step that is necessary to make things better is to realize that all is not as it should be in order to make education more worth while fit it is necessary to get back to a simpler form of existence to resist the encroachments encroach ments that the unnatural amusements are making upon the time and attention of boys above all effort should be made to gain for scholarship a more important place in the thoughts of americans practical education vocational and technical training are necessary if the resources of our country are aie to be developed wisely but american scholarship and american schools should stand for something vastly bigger american boys are not realizing their possibilities ana they will not do so until their lives are less artificial and until the schools appreciate the necessity of greater thoughtfulness |