PLACING THE BOY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12761, 3 October 1919, Page 3

PLACING THE BOY.

I have “ placed ” hundreds of. boys in situations suitable to their capacities—but how to place my own' son is a problem that baffles me. ' The. trouble is, he does not show any particular aptitude or liking for any special thing; he is just an ordinary “good” boy. The fact is, he is too “good.” I wish he had a little more' spice of the “ devil ” in him, and then I know he would be more likely to bo enterprising and to succeed in business. The boys who give trouble at school generally, do succeed. That is my experience. They are not afraid to leave the beaten, track.

I hate the thought of putting my boy into a “ safe ” job. j would rather he went into a situation where he would have to fight his way. No, I would not like him to become a schoolmaster like his father—the 30b is too worrying for a . conscientious man; and the struggle to become a “Head” is so hard, even in the' elementary' schools, that the effort is not worth either the poor status or the remuneration it offers

The problem that my “good”, 'son presents is the problem which confronts tens of thousands of parents of “good” sons in this country. Parents wish to do. the very best they can for their children, and secretly hope that their children will do better than they themselves .have done—without the effort-

That is the fallacy, that is the kink of fond parental reasoning; they are afraid to let their 'children struggle. But it is struggle which has" brought out the best traits both in our captains of industry and in our natioiiai heroes; and parents .who have done their best in giving their children a good education and start in life can do no more. They must leave the rest to the children.

But to give the boy the start—to place him—that is the problem. It n—quires hard thinking. The start ifc life is everythng. There must be n*> mistake about that. There is only 000 way to make that decision correctly; to regard your own son as somebody else’s. as a stranger, and sum ‘ him. Mb truthfully. '

When I write a “character** for n boy, Task myself these questions:— 1. What has this boy done? What is the outstanding feature of his school career?;

2. What marked aptitude 1 does' he show? •

3. What is he likely to become?* : ' 4, What is he best suited" commercial house, a trade,. &f: y k i: pr6i : fession.. ■— ; -

As I ask these questions ' truftfullf ■' for other hoys, so I must truthfully for my “good ” son f&dPut of his apparent dead level, of att<uk-' ' ments I must find his natural tion or bent, and “place” him accord-’ ingly. • .. - ; ■ v •

After that, I must “ lot him win. his : spurs. ’ I have already don©"my,.:best V to teach him the gospel of '“ Work ” Push.”-"Headmaster,”, m* th« “•Daily MaiL” . : '. ' • ■