New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1911-10-07
SELF-RELIANCE.

Every normal person is capable
Of independence and self-reliance
yet comparatively few people ever
Idevelop their ability to stand
alone. 1t is so much easier to
lean. to trail. to follow somebody
else. to let others do the thinking
and the planning and the work
Almost everybody you see is
leaning on something or some
body. Some lean on their money
some on friends; some depend
upon their clothes, their pedigree.
their social standing; but how sell
dom we see man who stands fair
and square on his own feet, who
goes through life on his own mer-
it's, and is self-reIiant and re
sOurceful
| How few people stand for any
thing in prticular! The ma jer-
ity of mankind are merely SO
many individuals in the census
they help make little larger
crowd; but how few men stand
above or beyond their fellows and
are self-sufficient.
In later life we never quite for
| give those who have allowed us to
lean upon them for we know that
it has deprived us Of our birth
right.
A child is not satisfied when
his father shows him how to do
a certain thing. But watch the
exuhant expression on his face
when by actually doing it he has
conquered the thing himself.
This new sense of conquest is
an added power which increases
self-confidence and self-respect.
Henry Ward Beecher used to
tell the following story of how
he was taught. when boy, to de-
pend on himself:
was sent to the blackboard
and went, uncertain, full of
whimpering.
That lesson must be learned,
said my teacher. in a quiet tone,
but with terrible intensity. All
explanations and excuses he trod
under foot with utter scornfui-
ness. Il want that problem; |
don't want any reason why you
haven't it, he would say.
"T did study two hours
That s.. nothing to me; l
want the lessen. You need not
study it at all, or you may study
it ten hours, just to suit yourself.
l want the lessen
ut was tough for a green boy,
but it seasoned me. In less than
month. I had the most intense
sense Of intellectual independ-
ence and courage to defend my
recitations.
Zone day his cold, calm voice
fell upon me in the midst of a
demonstration. No!
II hesitated, and then went
back to the beginning; and, on
reaching the same point again,
NOT uttered in tone Of convic-
ton, barred my progress.
THE next! ] sat down in
red confusion.
"He, too. was stopped with
'Nop but went right on, and fin
ished; and. as he sat down, was
rewarded with Very we'll
Why whimpered I, I re-
cited it just as he did, and you
said "No!"
why didn't you say eyes
and stick to it! 1t is not enough
to know your lesson; you must
know that you know it. You have
learned nothing until you are
sure. If all the world says "No"
your business is to say Yes and
prove it. I"
One of the greatest delusiOns
that a human being could ever
have is that he is permanently
benefited by continued assistance
from others.
It is self-help, not pulls, self
reliance. not leaning upon others,
that develops stamina and
strength.
I have never known young
man in any occupation or profess
sion to amount to much who was
always waiting around for a
"pull'; for somebody to help
him or to give him a boost
"He who sits on the cushion OF
advantage goes to Sleep" said
Emerson.
What is there so paralyzing to
a strenuous sndeavor, so fatal to
self-exertion, to self-help, A. to be
helped. as to feel that there is no
necessity for it because somebody
else has done everything for us!
lone of the most disgusting
sights in the world is that of a