New-York tribune., 1908-03-30
REPLY TO DR.. HALL.
Despite "Feminizing, Boys of To
dav Are Manly.
+ba Edi+or ~ Tho Tribune

To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: Dr. G. Stanley Hall writing in The Tribune
Sunday Magazine, disapproves of the 'feminlzlng
influence Of women upon the young male of the
species. This idea IS a little be1ated Dr. Hall
should have instructed the Creator when the hu-
man race was placed upon the earth. He should
have told Him that mothers were a mistake
Also. in the construction of society by nature and
civilization. he should have eliminated the girl
She has been popularity supposed to civiize the
boy DR. Hall has discovered that she feninizes
him.
Men and women Of the normal type have always
had a tendency IN like another, in spite OF all
that few disgruntled mortals have to say about
their eternal antagonisn- The way they poke fun
at another is enough to prove the liking. We
never crfticise our enemies after humorous fash
ion. If are born to ike another, then
born to do another good, especially If We
have complementary traits II has been pretty
well proved that the quality women most admire in
is power, manifested in form or another.
If that be So the influence Of woman should foster
power IN the man.
Dr. Hall says that women are not in sympathy
with war. Ye gods! The saying needs refuta-
ton. To state il Is re,ute il II may be said.
however that from time immemoriaI woman has
bowed down before uniform. and has thrust the
sword into the hand Of man (yes. even if the hand
were reIuctant). with readiness to bear bereave-
and deprfvation-anything-s only her be-
loved should prove himself no coward woman
wrote The Battle hymn or the RepuDuc a
woman Of exceptional talent but not OF exceptional
feeling. Any woman alive at the time on the Union
side would have been glad be able TO write 1t
DR.. Hall does ike a boy who is perfect
gentleman" This depends on the definition of the
word gentleman It means originally a person
OF quality, presumably q OF deeds. It pre-
supposes strength, since rudeness is essentially
weak The motto of the gentleman is 'nOblesse
oblige" st. Paul exhorts to courtesy a part Of
his ideal Christianity. which not a weak ideal.
since he himself nothing if not strong. If
gentleman is all this, a boy hardly begin to
be too early. If Dr. Halls Ideal is the Op
pOste OF perfect gentleman he can find it among
the gangs the East Side OF New York 70 De
brutal is fatally easy for the untutored male, and
to be socially awkward is not difficult. As a rule.
the finest gentlemen make the best soldiers, and
good soldiers almost invariably courteous and
gentle in manner.
But why is Dr.. Hall pessimistic about the present
generation of boys? Never-so 1t seems to the
writer-was there cleaner. straighter. stronger
and manly Set or youngsters growing up
manhood than present. And yet few have been
subjected to the discipline Of the rod though they
may have served apprenticeship with the
ternaI slipper. Whatever dangers may Iurk in the
practise of co-education the influence Of the
woman teacher. the boys seem 20 have escaped any
serious decentralization. They are a pretty good
lot on the whole Why not let we'll enough alone?
Since the mother and the girl must forever be a
part Of every boys existence. it is difficult
to how he can altogether escape from the con-
tact OF the Ewig- -webIiche. N c. s
East Orange y. J, March 20. 1908