While it is true that Americans believe climbing the educational ladder leads to success, they are less certain that intellectual(知识的) achievement, which is the main purpose of the school, is not the only important factor to success, especially in men. The development of social and political skills are also considered to be very important.
To help Americans develop these other important skills, schools have added a large number of extracurricular activities to daily life at school. This is especially true of high schools and colleges but extends down into elementary schools as well.
Athletics, frequently called “competitive sport”, are perhaps the most important of these activities. Football, basketball, and baseball teams are seen as very important in students particularly boys, the “winning spirit”. At times athletic teams seem to become more important to some students and their parents than the academic programs offered by the schools.
Students government is another extracurricular activity designed to develop competitive, political, and social skills in students. The students choose a number of student government officers, who compete for the votes of their fellow students in schoolwide elections. Although these officers have little power over the central decisions of the school, the process of running for office and then taking responsibility for a number of minor maters if elected is seen as good experience in developing their leadership and competitive skills.
Athletics and student government are only two of a variety of extracurricular activities found in American schools. There are clubs and activities for almost every student interest, all aimed at helping the student to become more successful in later life. Many parents watch their children’s extracurricular activities with as much interest and concern as they do their children’s intellectual achievements in the classroom.