MESSAGE #590 - THE MAGIC FORMULA

A college professor had his sociology class
go into the Baltimore slums to get case histories
of 200 young boys. They were asked to write an
evaluation of each boy’s future. In every case,
the students wrote, “He hasn’t got a chance.”

Twenty-five years later, another sociology
professor came across the earlier study. He had his
students follow up on the project to see what had
happened to these boys.

With the exception of 20 boys who had moved away
or died, the students learned that 176 of the remaining
180 had achieved more than ordinary success as
lawyers, doctors, and businessmen.

The professor was astounded and decided to pursue
the matter further. Fortunately, all the men were in
the area and he was able to ask each one,
“How do you account for your success?”

In each case, the reply came with great emotion,
“There was a teacher.”

That teacher was still alive, so he sought her out
and asked her what magic formula she had used
to pull these boys out of the slums into successful
achievement.

The teacher’s eyes sparkled and her lips broke
into a gentle smile, “It’s really very simple,” she said,
“I loved those boys.”

Author: ERIC BUTTERWORTH