The tears were streaming down his face, his little heart was broke,
He knew his pals would laugh at him, but to him ’twas not a joke.
He ran behind the garage and climbed up in a tree,
Hid there from the playmates he did not want to see.
He knew they’d call him dummy, blockhead and the like,
Somehow he couldn’t stand to be called those names tonight.
A report card “Not Promoted” caused all those bitter tears,
And a most unhappy little lad for only eleven years.
Gee, I hate to tell my mother it’ll make her feel so awfully bad,
Suppose I’ll get a whipping when I break the news to Dad.
Then he’ll start to lecture and say I didn’t try,
Oh! I feel so bad tonight I almost wish I could die.
There goes Jack, John and Freddy, they always lead the class,
They never have to worry if they are going to pass.
They never take their books home and study every night,
I wonder why it is that God made them so bright.
And look at Sis when she comes in Dad pats her on the back,
Hands me her papers and give me looks so black,
Then says, “Now look here young man, aren’t you ashamed
You know if you tried harder you could do the same”.
Maybe I could do better if I stayed in after school each day,
Studied ’til I went to bed and gave up all my play
Shucks! a fellow likes to do the things he really can,
Mom says, it isn’t always the smartest boy makes an honest man.
When it comes to playing marbles, say I can beat them every time,
I know I’m the best ball player on our baseball nine,
But geography and ‘rithmetic and learning how to spell
Why I could study all night long and never do as well.
As Jack, John or Freddy who never try at all,
But when the test is over it is their names the teacher calls
Says, “what good grades they made how proud she is of them,
Then I get my paper back and I have failed again.
They say school days are the happiest days of a fellow’s life,
Well, it’s anything but happy the way I feel tonight.
School days may be happy days for the child who leads the class
But school days holds its heartaches for the one who doesn’t pass.
