Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1907-12-28
THE MAYNARD YOUTH
Bob Burdette Has Something To Say
About Him

The question of punishment
how best effected? Well,
should say, looking at the question
from my own point of view, that very
often II is best effected by emitting
II. Pear in mind, this is the view OF
4 man who has known in his life very
intimately in close complete conf
deuCe, but two boys-himself and his
own boy. And he doesn't believe in
the rod at all. Beating isn't very
good for horses; the best and most
euccessful trainers use the whip very
little or not at all, and 1t isn't a bit
good for children. Boys must be
punished sometimes, say many times,
Just as men and women have to be
punished many times. But God
doesn't beat us. Every time we lie
lie doesn't strike us with lightning;
every time we break commandment
the earth does not yawn and swallow
us up. His gentlest punishments are
the heaviest. Fire and brim-
sCone cant make hell so hot and
terrible as self-reproach, remorse,
heart-deep pcnitence.
We beat the boy, not often for his
good, but because we are angry and
went to beat somebody until the
burst of anger is over
(Ies, or to enforce our own mis-
taken order and save our dignity, or
to carry out discipline that is any
thing but righteous.)
Then we are busy people and
whipping takes up less of our valu-
able time than any other mode of
punishment. 10 reason with the boy.
TO talk II over with him calmly ana
lovingly would take an hour, maybe
two hours. But you can whip him in
three minutes. A man fighting, say
at one hundred and fifty pounds,
ought to be able to knock a 9-year-
old boy out in the first round. You
go on to your own work nervous,
h'li-"'Hhih'ui lllltdDlt, Noul ton-
science, II II be not scared to calloUs-
Eess, lashing you with whip of
scorpions. And the boy goes his way,
wrath and hate and contempt writh-
ing in his heart, born of the pain
and ache of his smarting back. 1t is
the punishment of the Savage; 1t has
been abolished from the army and the
navy and is retained Only In Chris
tian llOmes,"
SCOLDING
and If whipping does very little
good -scolding. which is the next
most popular mode of punishment,
does absolutely no good whatever un-
der any circumstances. Not one par
ticlc. All the scolding in the world
from the dawn of creation down new
.cr did one solitary bit of good. 1t
makes peOple-boys, girls, women
and men--nervous with anger; 1t ir-
ritates, annOys, frets and maddens
them: drives boys away from home,
and men to distraction; and that Is
about all ii does. People say: Well
see how your fayorite grand old pro-
phets sColded,' Yes, they did, and
some of them got sawed in two for it.
And the people whom they scolded
went on worse than ever. Besides
they scoIded men who ought to know
better; we are talking about the pun
ishmcnt of boys. Don't sCOld boy.
If you only knew what he was think.
ing about while you Were scolding
him you'd never do it again.
Revenge isn't punishment. 1t is bet
ter by your example, by your hopeful
companionship, by your honest coun-
sci, to keep the boy out Of trouble
than it is to whip him for getting
into it. The more loving and forgiv-
ing your punishments the deeper will
be their impression on the heart of
the boy BE gentle and patient with
him. His worst faults irritate you