Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1883-04-18
Bullying.


(From the Cornhir Magazinc.]
The chapter Of bullying among boys
is one on which man enters with re-
luctance. Boys are, on the whole: such
good fellows, ard SO full of fine unso-
phisticated qualities, that the mature
mind would gladly turn away its eyes
from beholding their iniquitieS. Even q
cruel bully does not Inevitably and To-
variably develop into bad man. He is,
let us hope, only passin through The saw
age stage, in which the torture of pris-
oners is recognized institution. He
has, perhaps, too little imagination TO
understand the pain he causes. Very
often bullying is not ply ysically cruel, but
only perverted sorS of humor, such as
Kingsley, in 'Hypatia," recognized
among his favorite Goths. I remember
a feeble foolish boy at school 0eeble he
surely was, and was thought foolisb) who
became the subject OF much humorous
bullying. His companions used to tie
thin thread round his ear, and attach this
to bar at such height that he could
only avoid breaking it by standing on tip
toe. But he was told tdat he must not
break the thread. To avoid infringing
this commandment, he put himself to
considerable inconvenience and afforded
much enjoyment to the spectators. Ac.
cordipg to most authorities, bullying is
no longer what it was. Men of middle
age-rather early middle age-remember
the two following species OF bullying to
which they were subjecte J, and which,
perhaps, are obsolescent: Tall stools
were piled up in pyramid, and the vic.
tim was seated on the top, near the roof
of the room. The other savoges brought
him down from this bld eminence by
hurting other stools at those which sup
ported him. Or the victim was made to
place bis hands against the door, with
the fingers outstretchel, while the young
tormentors played at the Chinese knife
trick. They threw knives-that is to
say-at the door between the apertures
of the fingers, and, as rule, they hit
the fngers and not the door. These d.
versions know to be correct]yreported;
but the following petty stony is, per-
haps, myth: At one of the most ia
nous public schools, a p,@postor, or
monitor, or sixth-fo1m boy having au-
thority, heard pistol-sbot in the room
above his own. He went up and he found
a big boy and little boy. They denied
having any pistol. The monitor returned
to his studies, again was sure he heard d
shot, went up, and found the little boy
dead. The big boy had been playing
the William Tell trick with him, and had
hit his head instead Of the apple. That
is the legend. Whether it be true OF
false, all boys will agree that the little
victim could not have escaped by COM
planning to the monitor. No-death be.
fore dishonor. This is an extreme exam
pie, and really the tale seems one OF
those best told to gallant but proven.
bially coniding branch Of her majesty s
eervlce. But the side not so seamy OF
this picture Of school.life is the extraor:
dinary power Of honor smong boys. OF
course the laws of the secret society
might we'll terrlfy puerile informer.
But the sentiment of honor is even more
strong than fear, and will probably out
last the very disagreeable circumstances
in which It was deVelOped.