Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 5.djvu/214

 200

THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

addition, from bad example and from all the harmful physical and moral influences undergone, an incentive to greater develop- ment. Hence we note a diminution in the number of bad marks which presents irregularities which are, perhaps, connected with the greater or smaller number of boys admitted at a greater age. What is important to note, however, is the noticeable number of bad marks at the age of sixteen or seventeen, that is to say, in the two years which precede the last of the stay in the institute, which last year, on the other hand, is distinguished by the small number of bad marks.

The division of the same young men as regards conduct, not according to age, but according to the state of puberty, as appears from the growth of hair on the pubis, or the lack of it, gives the following results :

Years, age of the boys.

Number.

Good conduct.

Medium

Bad conduct.

10, not pubescent,

10

50 per cent.

20 per cent. 30 per cent

lo, pubescent.

—

— " "

— " '

— '

1 1, not pubescent,

13

66 ■• "

25 " '

8 '

II, pubescent.

—

_ .. •■

— ■' '

— '

12, not pubescent.

34

61 " "

17 " •

20 '

12, pubescent,

25

56 " ■'

— "

— '

13, not pubescent,

25

56 ■■ •■

40 •■ '

4 '

13, pubescent,

4

75 .. ..

— " '

25 •

14, not pubescent,

18

66 " "

16 " ■

16 ■

14, pubescent,

9

66 " "

II "

22 '

15, not pubescent,

10

60 " "

30 " '

10 '

15, pubescent,

•3

77 -. ..

23 " '

— '

16, not pubescent,

8

62 " "

12 "

25

16, pubescent.

22

68 '■ ■■

18 "

13 '

17, not pubescent.

—

— ..

_ " •

— '

17, pubescent.

14

50 " ■'

28 "

21

8 & 19 not pubescent,

—

— "

— "

— '

" pubescent.

10

70 ■' ■■

20 "

10 '

It will appear that in the years thirteen and fourteen the impubescent have the smallest portion of the bad marks, while those who begin to show signs of puberty have a large share. In the two following years, however, the larger proportion of bad^marks is supplied by those who do not yet show signs of puberty ; so that it would appear from these examinations that