The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1897-11-23
KINDNESS ~ ANIMALS,

AL0hE AE AAAA4-s - AAAN - =--+--~AN+~.-A -
Band of Mercy" by Hoaa teachers
and your appropriate and timely COM
u,ent on the same. l am impressed
roSt fAvorably with the move as inn
2orsaut. and. Il followed up in the
spirit in which it seems 10 have been
conceived. it must be lasting and eeae-
6cial. as mercy is one Of the funda-
mental principles az Heaven. Bless
ed are TIE msrciful. for they shan OBJ
tain mercy. ana all mankind may
avail themselves cf III Heavenly p-in-
cipls By repenting before justice re-
cords It's claim against US
I regard this move OF the Band OF
Mercy as reaching far beyond wha,
appears 70 be its present aim, kind
ness TO animals The principle OF
mercy If taught in our schools, and
thus impressed upon the plastic minds
Of youth. viii not only benefit the
animal creation but humanity as well.
All may have seen an unJustihable
cruelty exercised by man against man.
BY parents against children. ny teach
ers against pupils. etc. When man
feels and acts thus toward his own
flesh and blood. there viii be but little
mercy shown by them 10 dumb ami
mails.
This move must effect teacher and
parents as well as children and dumb
animals. Some teachers and most par
ents are already endowed with the
spirit Of gentleneSs and teach the prin-
ciple Of kindness by precept Gnd ex-
ample Unfortunately all are not so
constituted. If they were. they would
be 3 greater blessing 10 the world than
they now are.
Fortunately The rod is less used in
schools now than IL was a generation
or 50 past In my school days the rod
was the principal medicine admins
tered to delinquent and troublesome
pupils Kindness and mercy had but
little place with teachers then. For
tunately physical punishment in
schools, in some parts IHAmeriea, be-
gan 70 abace perceptiblVin those early
days, and later in California the rod
became the exception. Children are
sent 10 school TO be taught, not TO be
beaten Teachers are hired 10 teach,
and if they have wisdom and tact they
can teach and control school without
case came under my observation in
the use Of the rod To illstrats, =
man. z graduate from an Eastern col
lese. was given charge of & mixed
school Of boys and girls Of some 40
pupils ranging in age from years 70
16. He had plenty Of book knowledge,
having graduated from well known
college and the trustees were soon
satisfied as 10 his learning.
II was soon seen that he was too de-
icisnr. in tact and wisdom TO teach and
control that school. 1t proved q tough
one for him. and rapidly grew worse.
threatening rods and thumps.
only made matters worse. The pupils
bore with him for time. weighed him
in their balances and agreed upon a
day 10 throw him out of the house.
They tried il as per agreement. but
did not succeed However, it broke up
the school. The trustees dismissed the
teacher. The school as matter Of
course got g bad name.
Soon after. another young man, also
an Eastern college graduate. took
charge Of the school. He had been
rosted respecting whar bsfall the form
er teacher. but he did not finch
The people were anxious. expecting
10 hear OF more trouble in the school.
but the first day. the first week. the
first month. in fact the whole school
term passed in peace. and no phycisal
When enquiry was made
as 70 how II had been managed. the
teacher was found. though young. te
be z wise man. q diplomat. He had
sized up the pupils. decided them 10 be
intelligent and ambitious and must be
controlled By intelligence. not brute
force The seQuaI showed his judg-
msnt correct
He commenced teaching and con-
rinued. TO teach. and at noontime. ne
seemed never 70 tire Of teaching. nor
the children of listening, they gather
ed around his desk al intermission 70
hear instead Of going out TO play. He
made their lessons interesting TO them
He explained what was in the books.
and many interesting things not in the
books He had interesting stories tC'
tell mysteries 10 explain. some puz-
zIes 70 unravel He entered heartily
into their social games, treated them
as social equals. but always maintains
ed his standing as an able teacher, and
taught and controlled the school By in,
telligence The above shows what
may Be done by intelligence. wisely
directed. far superior 10 brute force
which the former teacher had tried
and failed
OF course it is not possible that all
teachers should be so ably equipped
for teaching and controlling. as wa
this young man
lam impressed with the thought that
this Band OF Mercy" will have a ten
dency TO elevate The profession Of
teaching. as well as the manner and
efficiency Of teaching and control The
benefit 70 the pupils and 10 the whole
community. BY the vide spread teach
ing OF mercy and kindness, by precept
and example of all teachers, such les,
sons must be felt by man as well as by
dumb animals. While the dumb ami
nal can only be injured in its physi-
cal nature by abuse man has al least
three natures-spiritual. mental and
physieaI.-and by Unkindness and viO-
lence may be injured in all Of his ma
tures; or blessed and made happy by
mercy and kindness extended 10 him
Everything begets its likeness Love