Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 158, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 July 1912 — Truant Officer Wins Boys [ARTICLE]

Truant Officer Wins Boys

Qoes at Them In an Entirely New Way and They All Think Him the Beat Ever. Phoenixville, Pa. —One of the claims made with much pride by the local school &ithorities is the almost complete absence of truancy, and those who know give much of the intelligent activity of the town’s truant officer, william S. Armstrong, and the popularity he has won among pupils. There is probably not another truant officer in the state who has such a record of achievement in his line as has Officer Armstrong, and for five years he hhs worked with singular effectiveness. Truancy used to be much in vogue among Phoenixville schoolboys, and the new truant officer started in to break up the growing practice. Speaking of his early experience, and describing his methods, Officer Armstrong said: “I did not go about my work in the ‘hammer-and-tongs’ method. I went to work quietly, got acquainted with the habitual truants, visited their homes and sought out their haunts. “I talked with the parents, and tried to arouse in them some interest in their boys' school work, and asked them to give some sign of interest and encouragement to the boys. '“I learned the location of all the favorite swimming holes, the nut groves Sh 3 the most' popular resorts where boys would go to play or hide. I .visited the swimming holes, not only on school days, when necessity demanded it, but on Saturday and holidays for the purpose of Joining them v'A . *£3 . ‘ . ,;C' •.' f*-;

in swimming and getting better acquainted. I have grown to know, all of the ‘live wires’ among them Inti-' mately, and I think they are my friends.”