=Influence of the school.=—­Thus day by day this man continues the building of a world for himself.  And day by day he strives to make his world better, not only as an abiding place for himself but also as an example for others.  In short, this man is a product of the vitalized school, and is weaving into the pattern of his life the teachings of the school.  In exuberance of spirit and in fervent gratitude he looks back to the school that taught him to know that education is the process of world-building.  And to the school he gives the credit for the large and beautiful world in which he lives.

QUESTIONS AND EXERCISES

1.  Show how the world that one builds depends upon one’s own choosing.

2.  Do people seem to realize this truth when they do not build their world as they might?  If pupils fail to realize it, what can the teacher do to help them?

3.  Suppose a pupil is interested in petty things; the school must utilize his interests.  How can this be done?  How can he be led to larger aims?

4.  To what extent does the richness of our lives depend on the way we react to stimuli?

5.  Explain how each of the influences alluded to in this chapter helps the teacher.

6.  Why does the character of the books one reads most serve as an index of one’s own character?

7.  What do you think of a person who prefers new books?

8.  What do you think of one who prefers sensational books?

9.  Why is it especially important for a teacher to be thoroughly acquainted with the great characters of history?

10.  Does acquaintance with the great in history tend to produce merely a good static character, or does it do more?

CHAPTER XXV

A TYPICAL VITALIZED SCHOOL

=The school an expression of the teacher.=—­The vitalized school may be a school of one room or of forty rooms; it may be in the city, in the village, in the hamlet, or in the heart of the country; it may be a kindergarten, a grade school, a high school, or a college.  The size or the location of the school does not determine its vital quality.  This, on the contrary, is determined by the character of its work and the spirit that obtains.  In general it may be said that the vitalized teacher renders the school vital.  This places upon her a large measure of responsibility, but she accepts it with equanimity, and rejoices in the opportunity to test out her powers.  It needs to be oft repeated that if the teacher is static, the school will be static; but if the teacher is dynamic, the school will be dynamic.  The teacher can neither delegate, abrogate, abate, nor abridge her responsibility.  The school is either vitalized or it is not, according to what the teacher is and does, and what the teacher does depends upon what she is.  In short, the school is an expression of the teacher, and, if the school is not vitalized, the reason is not far to seek.