INSTRUCTOR IT only for the scrap heap." And to F the scrap heap it goes. The word of the boss carpenter is law. His judgment decides the disposition of each doubtful piece of lumber. Not only is he boss, but he is the owner as well. He bought the material. The finished building will be his. Since lumber is expensive he is not likely to consign to the scrap heap any usable piece. Now the boss carpenter is up on the roof. I am what you might call "ground man." Selecting boards, squaring the ends, and handing them up is my job. Some- times I have to rip a board to a certain width, sometimes hand up nails or tools. But ever and again down will come a board, usually small, with the order: "Throw that into the scrap heap." In between my other jobs I pick up the small pieces of lumber scattered around on the ground. For some I can find use; others are worthless, and to the scrap heap they go. They are of several kinds: 1. Too short. I pick up a straight- grained piece, and mourn because it is too short for any practical use. In every other respect it will meet all requirements. But it is just a little too short. It makes me think of some folks I know—good neigh- bors, straight, morally sound, but still they fall short of the divine requirements. The T. K. MARTIN. ARTIST Master Carpenter, up above, mourns too when He sees the makings of a Paul, an I Wonder—Did the Youthful Jesus Think Elijah, a Moses, or a John the Baptist in These Thoughts Too as He Toiled in the Humble Carpenter Shop at Nazareth? such a person. For that person is just a bit too short. He lacks faith in God, without which "it is impossible to please him." So, in spite of the fact that he has been purchased at great expense—the precious blood of Christ—to the scrap heap he must go. The rich young ruler is a case in point. He could not believe that following Christ could possibly give him enough soul satis- faction to compensate him for his loss of Take a Look at That wealth and prestige. So he went away from his interview with Jesus sorrowful, and no further mention is made of him. Without doubt he, with many others who allow avarice to crowd Christ out of their hearts, CRAP HEAT will be found in the spiritual scrap heap. 2. Too narrow. Usually the narrow strips that are ripped from the wide boards go into the scrap heap. They do not have the By E. LORENA LOSEY strength we desire for this house of ours. However, if a not-too-narrow scrap is straight grained and otherwise suitable, —Please turn to page 19 VOL. 97, NO. 47 NOVEMBER 22, 1949 OU could have heard a pin drop in next morning took 'honesty' as his sub- before he could bring it to a stop, and a Y the classroom. Every eye was fixed on ject, and when he had finished we were splintered timber struck his windshield. the teacher, who held in his hand a pile about the most completely 'washed up' Fortunately he sat behind shatterproof of examination papers which the students student body you could imagine. He glass, or he would have been badly cut by expected to see returned to them. Instead trotted out a whole row of 'ponies,' and broken fragments. As it was, he didn't of doing this, however, he placed the told us what he and the rest of the faculty receive a scratch. Just so, he pointed out, neatly folded papers on his desk, sat down thought of those who used them. Let me honesty is a shatterproof protection to all before it, began to tear them up one by assure you, it wasn't much! Then he took who have made it a part of their char- one, and toss the pieces into the waste- a crack at the moneyed few who were acter. And in conclusion he quoted the old basket. hiring their math and physics notebooks adage: 'Honesty is the best policy.' A concerted exclamation of surprise kept up to date, or their English themes "There were a few flippant ones among came from the fifty-some young people written for a certain sum. It seemed that the students who tried to make light of who made up the class membership, but a number among us were earning sub- the high standards that had been set be- the professor said not a word of explana- stantial pin money this way. fore us, but they were promptly put in tion until the last paper had been torn to "Others it seems were 'trading off.' That their places by those of us who were really shreds. Then he looked over the top of is the arrangement whereby Mary, who in earnest about making a success in life, his glasses quizzically and spoke on this excelled in English, wrote Pete's themes; and forming a character that would make wise: and Pete, whose forte was science, did us fit for heaven one day. I for one de- "I have been teaching under the mis- Mary's geometry problems for her. It was cided that if I couldn't get through col- apprehension that you young people were `even Stephen,' and no cash passed—just lege by making the best possible use of the grown up, and, as college freshmen, had a good turn for a friend, or so it seemed brains the Lord has been good enough to reached an age where you could appreciate to those involved. give me and by standing on my own two and practice honesty. But I have been "Then he took up 'the family notebooks,' feet, I'd at least fail honestly. surprised—yes, shocked. As a matter of a plan by which the first student in a "How did our surprise Daniel and the fact, I doubt that one of you wrote an family to take a course keeps a full and Revelation examination come out?" Well, honest examination paper. The copying complete notebook with outlines and about a third of the class failed, and had was so boldly done and so almost unani- all requirements worked out in detail. The to repeat the course. About another third' mous in this group that I am announcing next year or two other members of the just squeaked through. And the remain- that the examination will be repeated here family take the same course, and use the ing third found that they knew more than and now—this morning! The question same notebook. This system makes every- they thought they did, and when they sheets I have mimeographed myself, and thing 'easy as pie' for them—so easy in really set themselves to thinking they did' I shall pass them in a moment. fact that they learn little or nothing. all right. "As I hand you the sheet I shall expect "Finally he said, 'Young people, I have "This experience was a severe lesson; each one of you to place on this light come to the conclusion that we need a but we needed it, and at least some of us truck (it is borrowed from the print shop) course in our curriculum in good old- did a rightabout-face and got a new idea your text and your notebook. They will fashioned honesty. It is in some places and of the importance of the old-fashioned be returned at the close of the period. in the experience of some people as ex- honesty that our grandparents counted of "Furthermore, I will ask that each one tinct as the dodo. There is far too much so much consequence, and that our parents of you write at the end of your paper a `just so I get by' spirit, and far too little had tried in vain to teach us in such a statement indicating that you have an- honest, serious study pursued with the way that it would 'stick.' " swered the questions entirely from your idea of learning something. own fund of knowledge. Unless this state- "Then the president took the floor, and ment is signed by your own hand, your told us of the faculty discussion of this It was wartime, and the sugar shortage paper will be added to the pile in the dishonesty problem, which was becoming was a stern reality. So when I stepped into wastebasket. And you will not receive a a veritable plague to our college. These a lunchroom and saw a full bowl on the grade in this course for this semester. earnest men and women, who were in- table with the sign beside it "ON YOUR "Meanwhile, I shall be walking up and terested only in our welfare and in seeing HONOR," I was impressed. Apparently down the aisles, observing. And I assure us develop into successful ministers, farm- nobody was watching to check on those you, young people, that my eyesight is ers, teachers, mechanics, doctors, engineers, who used more than their patriotic quota, excellent!" architects, nurses, or what have you, had but somehow I don't think anybody did. "I certainly didn't get any grade to decided to inaugurate an honor system in There was something about that three- write home about," admitted the young an effort to better things. word sign that challenged every diner man who told me this story, "but I passed, "He impressed upon us the desirability to be honest.