most indelible dislikes were felt. What seems to be most appreciated in teachers
is the giving of purpose, arousing of ideals, kindling of ambition to be something
or do something and so giving an object in life, encouragement to overcome
circumstances, and, in general, inspiring self-confidence and giving direction.
Next came personal sympathy and interest, kindness, confidence, a little praise,
being understood; and next, special help in lessons, or timely and kindly advice,
while stability and poise of character, purity, the absence of hypocrisy,
independence, personal beauty, athleticism and vigor are prominent. It is
singular that those of each sex have been most helped by their own sex and that
this prominence is far greatest in men. Four-fifths of the men and nearly one-half
of the women, however, got most help from men. Male teachers, especially near
adolescence, seem most helpful for both sexes.
The qualities that inspire most dislike are malevolence, sarcasm, unjust
punishment, suspicion, severity, sternness, absence of laughing and smiling,
indifference, threats and broken vows, excessive scolding and "roasting," and
fondness for inflicting blows. The teacher who does not smile is far more liable
to excite animosity. Most boys dislike men most, and girls' dislikes are about
divided. The stories of school cruelties and indignities are painful. Often
inveterate grudges are established by little causes, and it is singular how
permanent and indelible strong dislike, are for the majority of children. In many
cases, aversions engendered before ten have lasted with little diminution till
maturity, and there is a sad record of children who have lost a term, a year, or
dropped school altogether because of ill treatment or partiality.
Nearly two thousand children were asked what they would do in a specific case
of conflict between teacher and parents. It was found that, while for young
children parental authority was preferred, a marked decline began about eleven
and was most rapid after fourteen in girls and fifteen in boys, and that there was
a nearly corresponding increase in the number of pubescents who preferred the
teacher's authority. The reasons for their choice were also analyzed, and it was
found that whereas for the young, unconditioned authority was generally
satisfactory, with pubesecents, abstract authority came into marked
predominance, "until when the children have reached the age of sixteen almost
seventy-five per cent of their reasons belong to this class, and the children show
themselves able to extend the idea of authority without violence to their sense of
justice."