The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-04-09
STRANGE GOSPEL OF VIOLENCE
Learned Professor says Boys should
be Taught to Fight.

Chicago, April S.-That b oys should be
taught to fight, that teaching and scold-
ing are all right, that the badness in chill
dren needs to be stimulated. that they
should be RECALLED with stories of blood
shed, and that corporal punishment is
necessary were some of the ultra state
ments made yesterday by President G.
Stanley Hall of Clark University at WoT-
cester, Mass, in an address before the
school of psychology at Handel hall.
The school of psychology is a part of the
Chicago kindergarten college course, and
is substituted this year for the literary
school which the college always holds dur
ing the week after Easter. The lecturers
are DR.. G. Stanley Hall, president of and
professor of psychology in Clark Univer-
sity; Dr. William T Harris, United States
commissioner of education; DR.. Hugo
Munsterberg, professor of psychology in
Harvard University; DR.. John Dewey, pro-
fessor of pedagogy in the University of
Chicago, and Denton J. Snider, professor
of psychology in the Chicago kindergarten
college.
President Hall opened the course yes
terday before a crowded house, almost en-
tirely women. his subject being THE Edu-
cation of the Heart" He explained his
theme as he went along. and much of his
lecture was on pessimLsm and the philoso-
ply OF pain and pleasure. Life was at
best he said. full of pain. It began in
infancy with a cry, but the infant was =
months old before ii could smile Pain.
he thought, greatly predominated over
pleasure in human life as a whole.
Still. he said, there was much needless
suffering. and the area Of pleasure could
be broadened. II it could not. the chief
argument for education and civilization
was lost. Pain was the chief stimulus in
evolution, and where pain IS removed
growth is retarded. He said the railing
of the Puritans against pleasure was
partly justiiable. John Stuart Mil said
a little pleasure was an antidote for a
great deal of suffering and Thackeray
said ne would have given nine-tenths OF
his life 20 have been Shakespeare's boot
black for one ,-5ar
Or. Hall said any child that did not
suffer pain became sour and selfish. He
thought blood-curdling stories we're good
tor children. He told Of a little girl who
thought the story OF Jack the Giant
Killer" vading in blood was "the beauti-
fullest story she had ever heard. He
thought it was very good thing for boys
to fight. as it developed their physical and
moral courage. Punishment, he thought.
ives necessary. and a sood scoidng vo-
C8ou'ary was desirable. Teasing and bully
ins were commendabe. but should be
moderated by parents. II was a great
mistake for a child 20 grow up too tender
hearted. Some children were 50 negative
and jnanimaJe that the badness IN them
needed 10 be stimulated
The great desidera,um in the education
Of children. Or. Han said. was the proper
adjustment Of the Chil6's mind between
love on the one hand and hatred. fear
anger and Jealousy on the other Aristotle
defined education 10 be -hs teaching of the
pupil how 70 fear Alright. Fear s.unted
the soul Of children. and the time would
come when the educator would begin by
diagnosing the fears OF children. Anger
was a necessary part Of character and
education. and where a child was deficient
IN it ne should be melted 10 st. FOR -nis
reason he approved of boxing. as II excited
anger and gave opportunities for learning
20 control il. Finally. Dr. Hail sad he
was not sure bur ignorance was A sa7s
Jh.ns. and should in some cases Be e..i1l-
waited.