The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-13
Swearing Among Puritan boys.

DE GoLYER for the remainder of his days.
Swearing Among Puritan Boys.
We learn from the Springfield Republican
that profane swearing is on the increase
among the boys OF that entcrprising
| Puritan town. II quotes an experienced
school teacher, who knows instances where
a lot of school boys, just dismissed from
their lessons, arrayed themselves In line
along the fence and set up a competitive
swearing exercise just TO see who could
utter the most blood-curdling oaths."
Such an evidence OF youthful depravlty In
quiet and well-ordered Massachusetts,
town cannot fail to shock and sadden the
good people OF the place; and the Repubh-
can recommends resort 10 the penalties OF
an old law Of the State against profane
,, swearing to stop the offensive practice.
But 40 there are laws in Massachusetts
making violations OF the marriage con-
tract criminal; and yet the same number Of
the Republican which contains this advice
reports several cases OF wives and husbands
who have run off with guilty companions.
and records the sentences TO Imprisonment
Of two or three others whose transgression
WINS ltShlly proven against luSln.
We fear, therefore. that no appeal to the
old statute and no penalties which may be
laid on the offenders under 1t will serve TO
stop or even lessen the proiane swearing OF
the Springfield boys. 1t may rather put a
premium on oaths and drive the boys into
more swearing than ever when they are out
OF earshot Of the police. II 1t was not
wrong and wicked TO swear they wouldn't
indulge in profanity; and II it was penal
also, there would be new charm added TO
an oath.
Some other means must be used TO stop
the boys. In the first place, the men mustn't
swear, II they wish TO keep the boys from
profanity; and how would IL look for a
swearing constable TO arrest profane lad
for swearing Yet we dare venture that the
majority OF the Springfield police violate
the Mosaic commandment. Suppose. for
Instance, Capt. WILLIAMS was sent to arrest
boy for swearing
Then the religious and other teachers OF
Springfield must inculcate on the boys the
importance Of guarding their language
against all improprietes OF expression, and
show them how foolish 1t is to use oaths TO
strengthen language. They should also tell
them that swearing is in bad taste, and is
never allowable even in moments OF anger,
which Of themselves should be avoided
They should remind them that it Is not the
business OF mortal men to condemn their
fellows TO everlasting punishment, and that
such condemnation, however vigorously ut
tered, can hurt nobody but the speaker, for
that sort of sentence cannot be imposed by
any human being on another II they don't
really mean 10 50 condemn, then il is folly
to damn.
Swearing, however, is rather growing out
OF fashion In these days. century ago
men would rip out an oath in polite society;
but nowadays that sort OF thing would not
be tolerated. This happy result has not
been brought about by moral and religious
teaching so much as by a conviction that
profanity is in poor taste and an evidence of
lack OF breeding or a poverty Of language
which compes the swearer TO resort 10 oaths
when he wishes to strengthen and intensity
his utterance.
We have, however, been panied to observe
that during the TALMAdE trial some of the
reverend court have INDUCED in what
seemed very like profanity; or at least they
gave evidence that they were swearing in
their hearts, though their speech was only
''''''Ni "HN NV NNoNNlg llolhuNs MpItONtI,
there are clcrgymen who in their sermons
make so free and familiar use of the titles Of
the Deity that they must beget in their
hearers lack Of reverence for that awful
name. Let them reflect whether they do
not encourage by their practice what they
condemn by their precept.
We fancy, however, that our Springfield
contemporary cXaggerates the depravity Of |
the Puritan youth. Perhaps the school |
teacher may in n single instance have seen |
the competition in swearing along the fence;
but we do not believe it is n regular fashion |
OF the boys. There is not enough fun in il |
to be frequently repeated; and besides, once |
they had sworn themselves out, the boys |
must have found that the resources OF pro- |
family, after all, are limited, and that it Is |
not valuable adjunct of speech. II they |
have not learned this lesson, then their
fathers, themselves refraining from every
thing which savors Of swearing and from all |
useless explosives, can show them the folly |
and indecency OF coarse oaths.
That will bca much better way OF stopping
swearing among the Springfield boys than
sending them to jail where of all places
they are sure to become adopts in profanity,
and better than filming them, which may lead
the parents Mt least to feel like swearing.
You can't make people good by law.