The echo or shadow type is a serious problem.  He it is who generally hinders the good things in life and helps the bad.  He can swear by the ward boss in party politics, or he can prove himself an obstacle in the way of civic and national righteousness.  The Teacher’s task in his case is to somehow or other strike the cord of independence, teach him to do things by himself, think for himself and stand on his own feet.  Along the coasts of the North Sea, they teach boys to swim by throwing them out beyond their depth.  It may be necessary to awaken manhood and independence in the echo by swamping him when he is alone.

THE BULLY

The bully will be the worst type for the Teacher until the right boy comes along; there is no use in the Teacher worrying himself until he does, because of the bully’s bluster and bluff.  Usually the normal boy will accept him at his face value, and it is only when a lad with self-assertion comes along that the sparks will fly.  Then the bully will have to back down or take his medicine.  A fight between boys is usually not a good thing, but when it comes to putting the bully in his place it is one of the greatest institutions that the savage man has invented.  Once a bully has lost his place, he may bluster, but his bluff is over.

THE QUIET OR RETICENT BOY

The quiet or reticent fellow is like the mighty sweeping river.  He has depths which have been unsounded, and his life has promise of great possibilities.  Just the opposite of the bully, he never blusters but thinks out everything as it comes to him.  Every impression is stored away and out of the countless impressions which are made upon him there emerges a man of real and wide interests.  The task of the Teacher in his case will be to discover his interests and help him to discover himself.

THE GIRL-STRUCK BOY

The girl-struck fellow somewhat discourages the worker with boys, and yet it is natural that the boy should look with favorable eyes upon the girl, just as the robin hears and answers to the call of his mate.  Let no Teacher or any worker with boys of any organization that has ever been founded dream for one moment that either he or his institutions can ever block out the lure of the girl.  The girl-struck boy will have numerous cases of puppy love, and it will be the task of the Teacher to lead the boy into the kind of social relations that will enable him to be a real value to those of the opposite sex whom he may meet.  The boy will prove a much better husband and father because of his experience.

THE SELF-CONSCIOUS AND THE UNCONSCIOUS BOY