Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1855-09-18

~ - t1eW srnles 10 my senVssW 90
possible Ihsd howsset, ons standing
rule. which wts,E Strirs under eN cir. L.
cwHstaneix to do right, and the test, o.
f!:s.::. nndes al circumstances. was HE
Gotnps RULs ;---'AN things sehafs'erer
.vs ,pSxM that men shoHld doto yon, 40
IL ecen 10 MAO them. :lli .sgas;.a.. .a |
III % elfsnss ives committed. u was
stny invariabls practice To- ask, was u
fish.i'4 "Was 4 doing ss you would @ DC
done by r. ~ .gstseS sis .s5-nis l.
" ', All my experience and observation
have scoosiuced me that no act Of
pupil ough. 10 be regarded ss an oiien.c'
unless il be. when measured by ythe
standard or The Golden Rule. During
the last ye,~ Of my teaching the only
tests lever spplied 70 on act Of wh'ch
IL was Necessary 10 judge, were 'hose Q,
the above questions. BY this course
esined many important advantages. In
the first place, the plea. "You have not
made sny rule against H." which fer o.
long time was terrible burden to me,
LOST all its power. In tho second place
by keepin constantly before The scholars
as standard OF action, tho single test
OF right and wlonsa as one which they
were to apply for themselves. was en-
.,abled 10 cultivate in them deep feeling
OF personal responsibility. Ia the third
place, l got a stronger hold on their
ieslings, aud acquired new power Of
cultivating and directing them. In the
fourth place, | had The satisfaction oi
seeing them become more truthful, hon
est, Trustworthy, and manly in their
intercourse with me, with their friends,
and with each other.
Once, However, was sadly puzzled
BY an application Of the principle, by
one Of my scholars, George Jones "a
large boy-who partly though fal
feeling Of honor, and partly though
feeling OF stubbornness, refused TO give
me some information. The circumstan.
cos were these A scholar had played
some trick which had interrupted the
exercises. As was my custom, | called
on the one who did the mischiefto come
forward. As no one started, ! repeated
the request, but with no success. Find
ing that the culprit would not confes
his guilt, l asked George il he knew
who had committed the odenseI
IL did not do it," was the reply
."But do you know who did !" Yes
sir" "Who was it 7" 81 do not wis
to tell." "But you must toll /; it is m.
duty TO ask, and yours to answer me.
"l can not do it, sir," said George, firm
ly. "Then you must stop with me alte
school,"
He stopped as requested, but nothin
which could urge would induce h:l
10 reveal anything. Al last, out {
patience with what believed 10 be III
obstinscy Of the boy. l said: We
George, i have borne with you as Ion
as l can, and you must either tell me
With a triumpaan. look, as thous
..,r.c;ous that he had cornered me b
an applics,ion Of my fayorite rule,
renlied, III csa't :ell you because
would not b. right /; the boy would NJ
ike 10 have ms Tell Of him, and I'll
as I'd be done oy." ,yf,,
A few years earlier | should ha,
deemed a reply thus given On ins9'
sna should have resented it accordingly
but experience and reflection mad ta9s
me tho folly Of this. and that one Of u
most important apple atoms OF my
"noied rule was-to Judge the mature
1thers. as / ,oould haze them Judge
m;ae. Yet, for the moment, W
staggered. His plea was plausible
mieSt be honest in making IL; ! did q
.sa ;n what respect i. was iallacions.
felt that it would notdo 70 retreat from
position and suffer the oRendef to esca
and vet that should do great in)ust;
bv compelling a boy to do thing Il
really believed il to be wrong, ~,
Aites q little pause, l said, "W'
CStorve. I do not wish to do anythi
vb;cS 4 wrong, OF which conflicts wi
our Golden Rule. We will leave Il
Tor tonight, and perhaps you will II
your mind before tomorrow ! "a
him privately before school, and fou'
hin more 6rm in his refusal than ev'
sAtsr tho devot,onal exercises Of .
morning, I began to question the schola
,fas was my won,). on various Po'nts.
duty. and generally led the conse'sa"'
70 tho Golden Rule. Ia.
,"Who."I asked, "s'e the persons
whom, as members Of this school, y
ought 10 do a. you would be done p
,Yeos patents who support and send y
here I. your schoolmasters who are Q
gagged ia the same work with yourselv.e
lhe citizens Of the town, who by taxi
themselves, raised money to pay the
peuses Of this school! the school COZ
mittee who take so great an interest
your welfare, your teacher or, 4
scholar who csrelessly or williui't cor
mits some offense ssainst good order
A hearty EYES," was responded TO eve
A''r Then, addressing George, / esal
YESTERDAY l asked you who had ee'
.mi,ted certain ofense You relns
10 tell me, because you thought Il wou
not be doing as you would like 70
done by. ( now wish you 10 fccorS -
The subject. On one side are yo
parents. your achoolmates, the clt'ze
81 this town, the school committee. .