Marist School - Guidon Yearbook (Atlanta, GA)

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Character has more to do with the hoy's success and happi- ness now and in after years, and with his usefulnessltolothers, than have the extent and adequacy of the school building and lllflllf, bodily development or even intellectual training. By all means, these important matters must not be neglected, but due formation of character and the independence of the pupil are of more consequence than all of them combined. . . So, besides the usual constant instilling of the Christiian principles of mora'ity and the daily training in the practice of them, in the class room, on the campus even after school hours, as stated' above, through the military, there are lspcctlll conferences on politeness and on character several tunes a weec. But as education is the responsibility of the 7. Parental parents, a responsibility which can. never be C040pera- entirely delegated to the school, it is clear tion. that, even thus complete on the College side, it' must inevitably fail, if it have not the con- stant supervision and co-operation of the parents. But a merely passive, negative co-operation is by no means Clltlllgll. lt is not satisfying their obligations if parents refuse to ask for their son unreasonable exemptions-such as, for instance. permission to leave school before the last class, m order to attend a matinee. lt is not living up to their llllly to rest content with seeing that their hoy does not miss school Except for gravest reasons, arrive late, appear without.um- form or dress untidily. Parents are hound also to a hvclb' interest in the boy's work. They should enquire about it, watch how it is done. notice the marks gained, the rank oh- tamed, the punishments inflicted, etc., etc. 'l'l1CY Slwltlfl keel' before their son's mind the one general ohject of all lns stud- ICS. They should see that he applies himself seriously two or three hours daily at home-the College stroll!-Tl! Nllggefils from four to six in the afternoon, and another hour lll tllc evening or early morning. And while abstaining scrupulously from affording help in the written exercises, they should' tn- Slst that these he completed. They are held even more strictly to deliberately hack the efforts and approve the action of the hrofessors, reserving for private explanations Wllll ll1C President of the College whatever they tind faulty in character UI' metltotl. . Naturally, too, by word as well as hy exlllllllley lllcb' llflll llflll the College to make character in their SfItllS'l'l1lIl!l dis- tinctly paramount to learning or to mere intellectua'llY- , Only thus, when the College and the home Woflf llilllfl ll' llllllfl., can a just expectation he had of education'al progress: hor is the parent who leaves the guarding and stimulating of 5l,ll0Y entirely to the College, who asks for excuses on the Sllt1lllC'St llretext, or who eondones what the Colll't3J0 ltflllloflll' Condemns, quite consistent in his surprise and vexation atla. 'llSiltlllointnient not altogether nncaused by himself: lllit -lf lfoth school and home, with patience and self-sacriIice,iassist llll' lm! daily, who can tell the glorious results? The College Urges upon parentslthe duty of comin!! ll'0flll0lllly l0,lllC School during class hours, that through interchantlf of lll-llll llllfm the doings and the character and the hopes of the ho5'5' llmsl' 'WIN be better helped by hoth teachers and lmfellls' And here we would call theiclose attentiffil 3- Homework. of parents to a matter, -the importance anl scope of which is oftentimes imsunderstooi- llome work, written anl unwritten, is an indispensable. ele- lllglllill and integral pa t of the lXlarist educational scheme. llhen principles, rules and theories have been explanted lll CUSS, when analyses have been outltneflh lllclllmlh fllavglf' lllmlcls exposed, it is necessary that tl1C'l1llllll,l'X lllcm llllljjllz lily and practically in his intelligence. 'l here 15. Ollly Ollc 'lil to do this: by himself working out tllC flllillysls' C l'l g llw methods, applying the rules and committing to memorl' llc 7

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Iiistory effect a higher union. They are manifestations of spirit to spirit, bringing into widest and subtlest play the whole mind of man and are therefore more insisted on. This is especially true of the Classics, which must always be kept in the foremost position as a means of education. With this distinctly in view, Marist College has the usual courses of studies and conforms fully to the standards now prevailing. QSee pages 10-163 The staff is composed largely of university graduatesg men of learning teaching even the grammar grades. The profes- sors in the High-school grades use the departmental method- one professor to one subject and not to a class. The classes are limited to twenty-tive pupils, generally having less than that number, and the tcacher's attention is therefore neces- sarily given to each individual. But the forming of the mind is to the Cath- 4. The Body. olic the development of only part of the boy. The body too has its sanctity, its purposes and , perfection. The training of the body, but in due proportion, is as much the aim of education--taken in the full sense-as is the training of the mind. The fostering of it is as magnificent in results as the neglect of it is baneful. Among the overlooked benefits arrived at through physical training are: the development of the much needed power of physical endurance: the acquiring of erectness of tigure and gracefulness or carriage tgained in early rather than in later Iifej 5 the improving of the powers of expression: the increase of executive intellectual activity, the strengthening of the moral nature. A-nd as military drill is incomparably the best means for imparting these benetits, accompishing its end without strain or spasmodic effort, but equally and gently, it is made the most important part of the physical training. Military discipline pervades the school day from assembly in the morning till dismissal in the afternoon. Besides, three times a week, a period of 45 minutes is give-n to military drillg and all under a Commandant, exclusively occupied with the supervision of the military. Added to this is the gymnasium training given twice a week, for 45 minute periods, in a fully equipped gymnasium, and under another specialist exclusively engaged as physical director. This military and physical train- ing is made an integral and an obligatory part of the Marist system, and is incorporated in the curriculum Apart from the obligatory exercises, Marist Col'ege gives its pupils exceptional advantages for recreation and athletics after school hours. lt offers a large campus and a fully equipped gymnasium in the heart of the eity, and within easv reach of the boys of Atlanta. It has apparatus for handball. baseball, tennis, basketbal'. etc. It provides an experienced coach during the afternoon hours, who sees that the boys ob- serve other rules in addition to those of the games. Finally, members of the faculty constant'y take part in the after- school recreations, and by mingling with the boys, surround them with the safeguards and the atmosphere of home. Thus Marist College sees that both mind and sense are gradually cu'tivated to their fullest efficiency. But this does not suffice. The boy must be a 5. The Heart. gentleman, not stiff with the forms of eti- quette, but as Cardinal Newman suggests, at- tractive with an unceasing watchfulness to avoid paining others unnecessarily. He must be polite to all, to his masters, to his school-mates, to strangers always, he must be rehned in man- ners, neither loudmouthed and quarrelsome in play, nor bois- terous and disorderly in work. Lastly, but above all, the formation of charac- 6. Character. ter. the increase of the sense of responsibility and the capacity for independent action, must be delinitely kept in view as a great aim of all schooling. ' A

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vafuable facts. This is the pupil's original contribution, the boy's co-operation in his own advancement. Without it: his mind is left untouched-his intellectual faculties do not act 5' they remain undeveloped. An essential means of education is missed. The student nmst give of his owng and it is by building according to the guidance given him in the class that he successfully realizes the scheme of mental improvement. No home work is asked of him that is not easily dedttced from what has been fully explained by the professor. If the homework proves beyond his strength, the reason is not that too much is demanded of him, but that he has not used well the opportunities of his class. The College gives then to homework equal prominence, if possible, with class-work. lt requires that homework be done with the utmost exactness, neatness and fullness. School closes daily at 2 p. ni. Parents are requested to hold their chi'dren to strict account for the disposition of their time after that hour. It is hoped that parents will realize the fact that, as a rule, to pursue successfully a course of study, will require all the time of the pupil: and that it is, therefore, undesirable that any encroaclnnent upon his time be made by the pursuit of any business occupation or by an excessive indulgence in so- cial amusements. To secure the best rcsu'ts, it is necessary that the attendance be regular. Failure in studies is usually traceable to absence from recitations. The parents are asked to aid the teachers, so that there may be no absences, tardi- ness, or dismissals, except in case of necessity. ln order that the work of the 'school may be well done, it. is necessary that the daily recitations should be prepared out of school hours. and if a pupil does not study at home, that fact shou'd be considered prima facie evidence that he is not faithfully doing his work. 'lt is reconunended that the parent or guardian of every pupil assist him in making a sys- tematic schedule of study for each day of the week, showing the time and place forthe preparation of each lesson. Y 9. The Cam- ilere we must remind parents of the attitude pus After of the school toward the use by their boys School of the Lollege campus, gymnasium., shower- Hours baths, etc., after school hours. During school ' hours, for the regular recreations, and for the obligatory military and physical periods, the campus is used by all the pupils of the school, and by order of the school. llut after school hours, for afternoon recreation and for free athletic development, the campus is used only by those who have the consent of their parents and the consent of their teachers. All may use the campus: Init those whose parents object. or those who have not fulfilled their duties in all respects may be debarred the use of the campus. A word from the parents, as a word from the teachers will be suffi- cient to rule a pupil off the campus for a definite or an indefi- nite time. The school would have its patrons understand that it is a privilege granted to all the pupils to use the campus after school hours: but the school would have its patrons understand equally clearly that it docs not consider itself responsible for any loss of time which might be consequent upon the abuse of the privilege. To secure the co-operation of the parents, a 10. Reports. double report, of the boy's efforts on the one hand, and of his success on the other, is 1nade monthly. I 'lt is made seriously and at great cost of time and labor to the teachers. XX maximtun mark, 100 per cent- which should mean, if it means anything at all. a maximum excellence, a relative perfection,-is not to be looked for: nor wi'l it be often found. 'lint 80 per cent, the Honor Mark. can be obtained by the correctly graded pupil, 60 per cent. generally, is the pass mark. There is a wide margin between a poor daily average of an hour-and-a-half home work, and S'