Why Boys Fail in College (Herbert E.
Hawks)
a
Q. 1: According to the author there are some boys who fail because they do not try. Who are
they? Can we help them?
Ans: They are those boys who do not have any aim in life. They do not try to pass and fail. They
join college just for fun. They should be guided towards the aim of their life as a student.
Q. 2: How do mistaken ambitions on the part of boys and their parents lead to the failure of the
boys?
Ans: Mistaken ambitions of the parents lead to the failure because the students do not take any
interest in the subject chosen by their parents. They stop hard work in their studies. As a result,
they fail.
Q. 3: There are some boys who have done well at school but fail to make their mark at college.
Who are they? Do you have such boys in college in your country?
Ans: These are boys who are bright and intelligent but not hard working. They become
overconfident and fail in college. Such boys could be found in the colleges of every country. Ours
is no exception.
Q. 4: How does financial pressure lead to the failure of students described in the lesson? Do you
have similar cases in your country?
Ans: Poor students have to do some job to meet their educational expenses. This dual exertion
affects both their health and studies and so they fail. Yes, we do have such cases in our country.
Q. 5: To what extent does the question of health lead to failure at college? How far can the
college authorities with their medical officers help students in such cases?
Ans: Both physical and mental health is a very important factor for students. If a student is
suffering from some disease, he can not concentrate on his studies. As a result, he fails.
Q. 6: What place would you accord to sportsmen in college?
Ans: The main purpose of college is to impart education. Sportsmen should be given respectable
position in the college. But they should not be allowed to neglect their studies at any cost.
Q. 7: There are some students who join the college for the fun of it. Should they be allowed to
stay?
Ans: Students who join the college for fun, they should not be allowed to stay because they can
spoil other students as well.
Q. 8: Who are lazy bluffers? What should be done about them?
Ans: Lazy bluffers are students who join college without any purpose. They should be left to the
cold merciless world.
Q. 9: What should be the role of college dean?
Ans: The college dean should be like a doctor. He should diagnose the cause of failure among the
students. In this way, he can save the boys from failure through foolishness, sickness, and sin.
Q.10: Why is the proper cooperation needed between the teaching staff and the college doctor?
Ans: It is necessary so that the boys are clinically examined regularly to maintain their physical
and mental health.
Q.11: What are common diseases among college students?
Ans: The common disease among college students are tuberculosis, bad tonsils, sleeping
sickness, poor digestion and nervous forms of mental difficulties.
Q.12: What is the heartrending spectacle?
Ans: To see boys undergoing transfusion of blood to get money for food and books is a
heartrending spectacle.
Q.13: Can we help the student suffering from nervous habits?
Ans: No, we cannot help the students suffering from nervous habits. Nervous habits are not easy
to uproot, they cannot be eradicated by anyone but the boy
