Perceptions of Adolescent Males and Their Parents as to Factors That Influence the Young Men's Academic Performance

Postsecondary enrolments of young males has been declining since the mid-1980s. The decline can be attributed, at least in part, to boys and young men being unable to compete for a fixed number of available places in institutions of higher learning, whether in community college or university. This inability to compete stems from their academic performance in secondary school. This study interviewed adolescent males and their parents as to their perceptions of a number of factors that may contribute to their academic performance. Those factors included noncognitive skills, dimensions of character, perceptions of teachers, general attitudes towards school, and likes and dislikes on a range of course subjects. One of the most important findings was that only one of the seven adolescent male participants was considering a future career that would require a university degree. Other findings showed the young men's noncognitive skills were weak, particularly in relation to time management skills and their unwillingness to ask for help with schoolwork and homework. Most of the young men expressed a dislike for mathematics beyond high school, a subject key to the study, of the natural sciences, engineering, technology, and business. Recommendations include school reforms both inside the classroom and beyond. Additionally, a framework using project management theory and practice has been proposed to improve noncognitive skills, dimensions of character, and executive function.

Conscription Letter Envelope

An envelope from the Army and Navy Department "The International Committee of Young Men's Christian Associations (in the Field) General Office". The handwritten note on the front reads: "Capsule that decided someone's fate for conscription".

Intemperance at Meredith Bridge, 1836

A document titled "Plain Facts, In relation to the state of intemperance at Meredith Bridge, ascertained by a committee recently appointed for that purpose". The introduction to the document reads: "The whole population of the village, embracing a tract of territory less than one mile from the Bridge, is nine hundred forty. The number of families within those limits is one hundred and sixty-six. Of the heads of these families, thirty-eight are intemperate, - seventy are temperate drinkers; the remainder abstain wholly from the use of distilled and vinous liquors. There are ninety-six children in those families,in which there is one intemperate parent. The number of children who have temperate parents is one hundred and fifty-nine. The other families have one hundred and forty-four children. Beside the above, there are thirty-seven young men. Of this number, twelve are decidedly intemperate; seventeen are temperate drinkers, and eight subscribe to the doctrine of total abstinate. In the whole Village, there are, at the least, fifty-two decidedly intemperate. There are sold in this Village, annually nine thousand gallons of spirituous liquors, at a cost not less than $6,750. Add to this the other cost attendant on the use of spirituous liquors, estimated to equal that of the liquor itself, and we have an item of expense of $13,500, occasioned by the use of intoxicating drink. The above facts are offered for the serious consideration of the citizens at Meredith Bridge. March 1836".

Photograph - Group Standing together with a small dog

A group of young adults standing together in front of a stone house. There are three young men and two young women and a small dog posing together.

Motivational model of problem drinking for men and women /

This thesis tested a path model of the relationships of reasons for drinking and reasons for limiting drinking with consumption of alcohol and drinking problems. It was hypothesized that reasons for drinking would be composed of positively and negatively reinforcing reasons, and that reasons for limiting drinking would be composed of personal and social reasons. Problem drinking was operationalized as consisting of two factors, consumption and drinking problems, with a positive relationship between the two. It was predicted that positively and negatively reinforcing reasons for drinking would be associated with heavier consumption and, in turn, more drinking problems, through level of consumption. Negatively reinforcing reasons were also predicted to be associated with drinking problems directly, independent of level of consumption. It was hypothesized that reasons for limiting drinking would be associated with lower levels of consumption and would be related to fewer drinking problems, through level of consumption. Finally, among women, reasons for limiting drinking were expected to be associated with drinking problems directly, independent of level of consumption. The sample, was taken from the second phase of the Niagara Young Aduh Health Study, a community sample of young adult men and women. Measurement models of reasons for drinking, reasons for limiting drinking, and problem drinking were tested using Confirmatory Factor Analysis. After adequate fit of each measurement model was obtained, the complete structural model, with all hypothesized paths, was tested for goodness of fit. Cross-group equality constraints were imposed on all models to test for gender differences. The results provided evidence supporting the hypothesized structure of reasons for drinking and problem drinking. A single factor model of reasons for limiting drinking was used in the analyses because a two-factor model was inadequate. Support was obtained for the structural model. For example, the resuhs revealed independent influences of Positively Reinforcing Reasons for Drinking, Negatively Reinforcing Reasons for Drinking, and Reasons for Limiting Drinking on consumption. In addition. Negatively Reinforcing Reasons helped to account for Drinking Problems independent of the amount of alcohol consumed. Although an additional path from Reasons for Limiting Drinking to Drinking Problems was hypothesized for women, it was of marginal significance and did not improve the model's fit. As a result, no sex differences in the model were found. This may be a result of the convergence of drinking patterns for men and women. Furthermore, it is suggested that gender differences may only be found in clinical samples of problem drinkers, where the relative level of consumption for women and men is similar.

Letter to Lieutenant Colonel Brook Young, Brigade Major, Drummondville from H. Nelles, Lieutenant Colonel of the 4th Lincoln Militia

Letter to Lieutenant Colonel Brook Young, Brigade Major, Drummondville from H. Nelles, Lieutenant Colonel of the 4th Lincoln Militia stating that Colonel R. Nelles has requested him to say that most of the men did cheerfully comply and would be ready to act at a moment’s notice in defense of their Queen and country, June 12, 1838.