Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 10.djvu/113

 Phillifs Exeter Academy.

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��chaps dominate the school in many ways not open to faculty observation. No foundation for such fears exists. Abbot Hall exerts more influence than Gorham and all other boarding;- places combined. It is to be regret- ted, perhaps, that family and wealth, in some respects, have so little in- fluence. For it is idle to assert that the banding together of a large number of indigent students favors the fullest development. "Heavily ironed with poverty," the bo}' who spends four years in Abbot Hall needs the occasional company of his more generously nurtured rival. The wealthy boy at Exeter is generally liberal and gentlemanly.

For many reasons it is better to enter the school as a "Prep." One comes in at a favorable period of life. Young, eager, and impressionable, he "catches on" to the beat and tick of the course, and sooner warms and thrills with the great heart of the beardless democracy. And his alma mater deals tenderly with his juvinal- ity and inexperience, and if he remains under her brooding wings, whispers secrets never imparted to those who come after their bloom and freshness have vanished.

What special advantages has the academy over a good high school ? Seemingly none, except to such boys as desire an exceptional fit for col- lege, and yet, now and then, parents will be found reasoning something after this fashion : Any one of our high school cities or towns is a small place so far as area goes, and the boys generally come in contact with a single cultivated male instructor, meet few exceptionally bright shoolmates, hear the same ideas uttered on every side.

��entertain the same opinions, and lead the same home lives. But the mo- ment one enters P. E. A. chapel it is a new world. A corps of trained teachers, able men, who are neither priggish, affected, nor unhealthy in body or mind, confront him. Bright lads from every part of the country challenge attention, and show him differences in ways, thoughts, and speech.

Is the academy suitable for all boys? Perhaps not. "The disci- pline is not adapted to boys who require severe restrictions." The naturally shrinking, with few excep- tions, may do better in their home neighborhoods. Too much has been said in favor of toughening timid boys. Then there is a class whose rugged minds will bear a good deal of disentangling and explanation. It doesn't seem to do any harm to make their progress easy, since, if well started, they are sure to dwell long enough to get the needed discipline. To whom does the academy offer special advantages? To the boy en- dowed with health, determination, and ambition, the advantages cannot be over-estimated. It is well for the academy boy whose circumstances and aims demand unrelieved applica- tion if he has enjoyed a year's com- panionship and rivalr}' with bright high school girls.

It is possible that a return to the old system of boarding in private families would protect many boys from evil influences. It is well, how- ever, to remember Dr. Arnold's con- clusion, that the inevitable time of trial in boys' lives might be more quickly and safely passed in the fit- tins: schools than elsewhere. And it

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