the class is planning an entertainment she "does not care" what they
have, she does not care whether she has any part in it or not, she has
no choice as to the way the class funds are spent, she does not want to
look up any assigned topics, do any special work, or take part in any
debate or discussion.

She is a very real problem to teacher, parents and friends. To be able
to diagnose her trouble correctly and find a remedy for it is well worth
every effort of those who have her present and future in charge. Before
one can hope to help her he must discover the cause of her trouble.
Reprimanding her is of little avail, and discussing her indifference
with her is useless.

Some years ago a young teacher in the eighth grade in a public school
consulted me regarding a girl of fourteen whose indifference was a
great source of trial. The girl came to school with fair regularity. At
ten and eleven she had been considered a very bright pupil but was now
below the average in all her work. She often expressed the wish that she
need not go to school but when allowed to remain at home was restless
and unhappy.

Observation of the girl in class showed all that the young teacher had
said to be true. The girl took no voluntary part in the recitation and
when called upon her usual answer was "I don't know." I talked with her
and she said she liked the teacher, she liked the school and her
classmates. She did not care about them especially. She did not know
whether she would go to high school or not; she "didn't care either
way." She did not know what she wanted to do when she grew older. Her
excuse for falling so far behind her record of other years and her
unwillingness to recite was that she did not feel like studying and that