September, 2006
Commentary
** Elements of Scholarship **
Do not imagine, young friend, that you are a better scholar than your schoolmate because you learn with less effort. It is by no means the bright, quick-witted scholars that excel in the long and toilsome race for knowledge; it is the patient, the earnest, the brave.
A prize scholar in mathematics was once the dullest boy in figures we ever knew. It seemed impossible to make him understand the principle of long division; everybody who undertook to enlighten him on the subject gave it up in despair; but he never gave up himself! That was the secret of his ultimate success.
He possessed the mental heroism of a Washington. He never gave up the battle with with his own dullness. With him there was no such word as fail. He spent weeks over a problem which the bright scholar would solve in an hour. Of course his friends considered it a great affection that he was "so hard to learn."
But long afterwards they came to realize that this very dullness was the means of developing the most valuable traits of character - hardy application and persistent perseverance that would grapple with the most abstruse problems, and never give up except as victor.
"There is no royal road to learning;" and however flowery and smooth the first path may seen, there are rough and rugged steeps (among mathematics and Greek verbs) which are only accessible to those who are capable of faithful and mainly application.
If one has never been obligated to study hard, he will be very apt to think he cannot do it when the case demands it. Then do not think yourself fortunate because you learn more readily than your schoolmates; neither be at all discouraged if they outstrip you.
Patient application, energy, and perseverance are the true gold of good scholarship, and will give discipline to the mind, which if of more real value than ready wit or native talent.
Challenging Number
A number is composed of three figures. The sum is equal to 14. The sum of the first and second is equal to the third, and the sum of the first and third is equal to 12. What is the number?
(Check the answer next month)
The answer of Puzzles in August
The two words are Remember Me
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