InatownintheinteriorofNewYork，afewyearsago，agentlemansetforthamathematicalproblemandproposedtogiveaprizetoeverypublicschoolpupilwhoshouldfurnishthecorrectsolutionofit。Twentytwoofthebrightestboysinthepublicschoolsenteredthecontest。Theproblemwasnotaverydifficultoneforpupilsoftheirmathematicalrankandstanding，yettheyallfailedbyahairthroughonetriflingmistakeoranother。Somesearchingquestionswereasked，whenitturnedoutthattheseladswereasglibasparrotswiththe\"rules，\"butcouldnotreasonoutasingleruleorexplaintheprincipleunderlyingit。Theirmemorieshadbeenstocked，butnottheirunderstandings。Itwasacaseofbrickbatculture，pureandsimple。
Thereareseveralcurious\"compositions\"inthelittlebook，andwemustmakeroomforone。Itisfullofnaivete，brutaltruth，andunembarrasseddirectness，andisthefunniest（genuine）boy’scompositionIthinkIhaveeverseen:
ONGIRLS
Girlsareverystuckupanddignefiedintheirmanerandbehaveyour。Theythinkmoreofdressthananythingandliketoplaywithdowlsandrags。Theycryiftheyseeacowinafardistanceandareafraidofguns。TheystayathomeallthetimeandgotochurchonSunday。Theyarealwayssick。Theyareal
waysfunyandmakingfunofboy’shandsandtheysayhowdirty。