The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-07-25
SHALL THE BOYS
STRIKE BACK


'"rhc manly art OF Helf.defense" ha
ever been q disputed question among N
trillFent ntotll,da, with tho growth o
"our boy" comes the question: "shail ,h'
ehld be allowed TO defend himself o
n0tf' Most parents do not want tiei
children involved IN disgracoful dunrfolu
and yci, whrn he attends school. fo
Our hoy" 10 bo at ,he mercy Of ani
rough bully who chooses 10 attack hin
is state of things absolutely uHa ditr
able, IN resent womans paper tA'
question, whether children sh5ul,
not b. allowed 10 strike baekg" was lis
eusH"d, intereFting Views on both nlde
of thg question werp prcasssrd
ona writer says "rhe bcnt family o
boys ! over knsw Tough, with each oihei
like Turks ~ times, but w.rp faypr IN
serfered with by their mother and TO thi
day thoss boys grown aAd growing up
are Tho manlles, boys aud mos, ioyin.
brothers | know"
The ons iakng the opposite view says
"po two wrong things mako right9
would rather my boys would sulrer ,
thousands wrpass than 10 do 10 a.
christian and uHscn,lrmanly thing "a q
strike hack"
To The majority Of mothers ptohabl,
'he happy medium" would be prcfsrabl,
TO either Of thcsg extremes 4 motho,
must have an unusual amount or holf
eo3trol ss'd calm dciibemtoa Who eaa
sIsy quietly insidn ana not inierter,
while her boys aro "nEhting like Tlrks '
This seemed 70 do IN lhcfamily mention,
3D. bu, know OF onr woman. at lcast
hot hundred miles from here. wbe
wouh nnd II utterly impossible to pur.
sne such a eourae, unless she wished lo
~ herself for iunatlc asylum.
To be aVrp that woman easnot be- con,
''d'red as a guide, 10 that direction. ~
she has nervous horror of hshtins a Il
would stop a chicken nghi " she saw
one The nearcat ntrrcl corner immediate,
" swallows her up az any Indications OF
trouble" ON us street. yet IN other
matters she 10 no, accused of cowardiee
II would be out ot the question Tor a
woman of this temperament 20 allow
her boys to come 10 blows.
We can teach our boys "procept upoa
prvc~pt" that u IL b,aioath an hnnest
fair-mlnd7d boy 10 fight over matters
wnleh can be- settled Ia pearoahlr
mainsri 10 giyr 10 Others the rights"
he claims az his own That hoy OF In.
depcndsa7e and pluck wante only hi.
''rlshta' and that 10 impose upoa an.
othcr because he h weaker. h The splri,
OF SAVAGE. and NO, Of a gentlemen.
parUnt has cyery right To forbid
those under tho parental roof.irre 10
swear. nght or use Immoral language.
and this should be the law aa taaltcr.
able ha that OF the Msdrs and persians.
Boys can BE- made 10 know thal thr
youngest or weakest will bc punished ~
impartlally as hls older or stronger
brother. II he strikes another caild Us
these ana other means ighung around
the hom-. between brotherp or visiting
boys can DO doslo away with Hut this
does not prevent the cyil away from
home, There are boya. who. msiaphori.
eally speaking 80 Rrouh with "chpa
on their shouldcra." trying TO induce
other boys 10 knock tham on. ~ an OK.
epso FOR quarrel They urc Ike the
irishman, who had the mos, ''illlgan,
timp," when hc could point to the
greatest number Of blackoncd eyes and
cracked heads ms trophies OF his skill
with tho shlllaiah,
A hoy OF this sort invited one taurht
TO consider hghting dlHgpccful TO have
try and SEQ which Ia the best fellow, /
be-, can lick you In two mlnutcn."
NO. alr," said the other II don't like
aghtlng. There's nothing to night about.
other way" ADd both boys wcnt on
good. naturcdly 10 play.
That boy, now nearly grown, haa had
few nights. yet n rarely imposed upoa.
as ho Is not afraid OF his playmates. aad
IL able TO take carr Of himself when Rec
csaary Public school teachers forbid
lighting on the school grounds and I'M.
pose a severe penalty when such rules
are disregurded. by mutual cfrort. par
cnts and teachers can do much to pre-
vent quiet peaceful boys from being i'm.
posed upon by the rougher clcmcgt,
Many II man OF brain power, lnventivc
genius or moral strength. IL physically
weak and small and many brutal. init
crate men are his superiors were mere
muscle and physical power the test OF q,
man. Hut the man OF Intellect, Inventive
genius or one noted for honesty or moral
Integrity gets through the world comfort
ably, with due respect from bis fellow
men, where the man Of mere muscular
strength Il held In contempt
Let "our boy" be- taught all manly
sports for the development OF his physl-
cal system. and let him also be taught
that It Is low. brutal and degrading IA
fight; to not consider Il cowardly TO cx-
plain any misunderstanding. and then Il
quarrel ls forced upon him. TO defend
himself II necessary. and TO act with
such determination and spirit as to end
the trouble speedily. THIS may seem q
dlfncult thing to teach our lmpulsive
qulck-tempered youngsters, 80 quick tC
take offense and so anxious to "let the
fellows know they are as brave as any
body" but the mothers teaching cannot
fall to make an impression. and even 4
present results are not always satlsfac
tory the future will show the good thai
has been done CAROLINE,
LITTLE THINGS OF LIFE.