WHEN MY LIMITED STOCK OF VIRTUE WAS RECOGNIZED.

WHEN MY LIMITED STOCK OF VIRTUE WAS RECOGNIZED. Kids, I think you know the story of how I earned my “C” in conduct in fifth grade. A “C” was considered a low grade—at least in conduct— even before grade inflation. My teacher was the first man to teach in my elementary school, and he had been given—the poor man—all the most active boys. The teacher explained to my mother that he believed that effort should be rewarded rather than results. A student who had little talent for math could get an A with diligence and improvement. And, he said, it was on that reasoning that he was able to bump my conduct grade up to a C. An early example of compensatory ethics.