La Salle Academy - Maroon and White Yearbook (Providence, RI)

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:lHIlllW - Z T H o N A N r E lub Cfilver oQeffe1ii' docriefy DUCATION in the United States Within the last quarter of a century has become as free as the air. Those who care to profit by an education are at liberty to take it or reject it. At a staggering expense state, city, town and village have vied with one another in providing for the child, the young and the youth all the facilities that are necessary to equip him for a World whose criterion of efficiency has long since changed from bravvn to brain. Since social legislation has removed the shadow of the vvorkman's bench from the life of the child, he must perforce, attend some institution of learning. As a result the capacity of our schools has been taxed, in droves each September, the aspirants for a higher educational polish storm the doors. Their numbers are legion and they embrace all grades of intellectual capacity. The problem of the educators, is not to provide a seat for every child, that is the easiest part of the task, rather is it to keep the child in his seat once he has been assigned to it, lest by failure he be removed to give room for someone more deserving. Student failure in the past was entirely out of proportion to what it really should have been. A World of alluring entertainment surrounded the Z- student, and the tempting complexion of pleasure trove often proved sufhcient to lure him from his books There was no counteracting influence to these sirens of youth, save the noble ideal of studyf ing for study's sake, and in a youth this was too , nebulous a thing to strive for. J Something more tangible in its nature had to be devised to sustain a student's interest in his books. At La Salle the Silver Letter Society is one means of arousing and stimulating the boy's desire to keep in the van of the successful students. Membership in this society is open to all ..,..., students who successfully attain an average of So -2 One Hundred Eight

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Nlllllflll ' ' , ' f THE MAROONLLIAND wr-awe K GD f w D caaf - LJIIOI' firm-zofy 5 5 1932-3 honors are concerned, and their record this year seems to predicate that this distinction will be theirs again next year. just behind the juniors is the sophomore division, and following on the heels of this latter group are the seniors. Unfortunately, we have not the pleasure of mentioning the freshmen in this society. Cnly after the last quarterly examinations are finished, will the results indicate what freshmen are worthy of the honor to be conferred upon them. lt seems most proper at this moment to mention that membership in this scholastic society is not the sole incentive held out to the pupils as a means of emulation. They are instructed to attach themselves to good at all times, through pure motives and to desire for themselves, good order, industry, politeness, in a word, all that a good education supf poses. lt is the aim of the faculty to arouse in the student's soul, noble sentiments, sentif ments of a nature to inspire him with a love for duty and a desire to do it well. Filial love, a desire to please their parents, and a thorough realization of the sacrifices the parents make for their education inspire the boys to do well. Lastly, they are induced to do well, from motives of personal interest. They are made to realize that every good action brings to its doer a reward now or later and that there is a close connection between their actual conduct and their future happiness. One Hundred Seven ...,J

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w:lllllll - Q 'r H o NL-I!-A N r E W W per cent in the examination covering a quarter of the school course. From the freshman to the senior, the requirements are the same. In recognition of this achievement the student is deservedly awarded at the school assembly with a medal of a silver L and is listed as a member of the society in the official records. A subsequent failure in any of the following quarters does not in any way mean the loss of the medal or his oflicial rating. With the chance to secure four silver 'LL's for the year, a real true interest is sustained in the student. At the end of the third quarter this year over one hundred fifty freshmen had gained this distinction. In the sophomore division, over one hundred eightyfsix names were enrolled, and in the senior and junior classes about one hundred fifty were honored. After four years of .experience the authorities at the Academy are convinced that the plan has realized the end for which it was established. A good deal of the drudgery that is so commonly associated with classfroom routine has been eliminated. The teacher, who in other years divided his time between painfully extracting recitations from the pupils and attempting to complete his work, finds the students more en' thusiastic and receptive and his relations with them more genial. Furthermore, the society has been instrumental in arousing and stimulating inf terest among the parents of the students. After all, Providence is a neighborly community, and the success or failure of the family next door is always an interesting topic for discus' sion within the precincts of the home Since the in auguration of this scholastic honor society parents have displayed a keen interest in seeing that their children are numbered among the elect The ePethY Of Pefente that SO Often ehefflefefized their Hefifnde fnwefd the efhleefinn Of the Child in the Peet hae vanished infn thin Hif- ifr, ,,, I This manifestation Of infefeet On the Perf Of Pfl' the Pefenf, has Often Changed the Complexion Of H Sfndenfe Sehehsne hf e and hee heen Of inesfinnhle value in arousing the boy's interest in his studies. 5'3,5 EE4 5:5 5'5 1 5'5 5'5E3fE Efiil EE' EE E5EQ EZE E,5E5 iEr .5E5Ef EQE 3 EQE Q means of emulation as well as the students' interest in the course they pursue. One Hundred Nine