[Sidenote: Examinations]
In speaking of the effect of fear in the schoolroom, ex-President
Harrison said, “Perhaps the stress is applied too early to our little
ones; and I throw out this word of caution to our good lady friends here
who have them in charge. Some years ago I was passing down a street in
Indianapolis from my residence to my office, on which was situated one
of our public schools. The children were just gathering in the morning.
As I came near the corner, two sweet little girls, evidently chums,
approached from different directions, and, meeting at the crossing, soon
had their heads close together, but not so close but that I caught the
conversation. One said to the other, ‘Oh, I had such an awful dream last
night.’ Her sympathizing little mate put her head still closer, and
said, ‘What was it?’—‘Oh!’ said the trembling little one, ‘I dreamed I
did not pass!’ It is safer to allow such little ones to dream, as in my
careless country boyhood I was wont to dream about bears.”—Address at
Saratoga, July 12, 1892.
(2) _Fear in reciting._ A pupil treated for a series of years as was
James in the previous case will likely develop an almost pathological
fear of the oral recitation by the time he has reached the high school
or even earlier. Pathological fear, from any cause, is difficult to
handle.