East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1911-04-14
DELIVERIES LECTURE
ON BOY TRAINING
SALEM PROFESSOR GIVES
SOME INTERESTING FACTS
Advocates Less Home Legislation and
More Firm Positive Home Govern
ment-BelicvcS That Parents Use
Too Many "Don'tS."

Too Many "Don'tS."
]. $. Graham. principal of the
East school, delivered a lecture Mon
day night before the Mems club of
the First NJ T. church on the sub
iect The Boy" says the Salem
Statesman Mr.. Grahams talk was
enthusiastically received. He spoke
as follows:
There seems to be an awakened in
terest in the boy In listing the va
rious forms of our natural wealth we
were about to overlook the boy, the
greatest asset of all. For some time
We have been much concerned about
the wasting and saving of wealth in
coal, oil, copper. timber, etc, but we
were about to forget the raw material
from which alone can come the man.
hood of tomorrow.
AdoleScent Age.
am to speak of that very import
ant part of the boys life-the period
of adolescence-a time when he is
most misunderstood himself. 1t is a
stage in which he needs more atten-
ton and often occasions more anXi-
ETY. on the part of his parents than
when he was in the cradle. At that
age he has new thoughts and new de-
sires, other motives and ambitions,
so any method of treatment which
does not take into consideration all
these changed conditions will be dis
appointing in results.
We must not lose sight of the fact
that the boy at this age is disposed
to break away from the common ex-
ternal influences seeking to govern
his actions. He feels able to judge
ing himself and is anxious to assume
the initiative. He thinks he is max
ing discoveries in advance of his gen.
Grafton, and in his exaltation he is
apt to conceive the notion that most
if not all, regulations prescribed for
him are not applicable to his partic-
uiar case. He may feel he has
reached a degree of enlightenment
before unattained and is prone tc
look upon restraint as unjust and
even tyrannical From his viewpoint
the condition is unbearable and he
chafes under it. But let US be pa.
tent. An analysis will show tbs
reasons to lie in his being, nerve. liv'
ing flesh and blood, fairly pulsating
with life from within. This spirit
belongs to a real, normal boy anC
it must not be crushed.
Too Many 'Don's."
After all, I believe there is too
great a tendency to over-regulate tn,
boy with hedges of "don'ts" and nag
ging limitations. Now he does no
always arrive at these conclusions
through the force of conceit or self
importance. He is often right. W.
NAV well permit him to make ou
the lines governing his own persona
activities if we then make him respon
sible for the course so chosen.
Too many laws lead to law-break
ing. whether the laws be civic or pa
rental, and a youngster who acquire!
the habit of overriding the laws o
his parents is in a fair way to become
a violator of the laws of the state
Hence, it seems to me that rules fol
the shaping of a boys conduct should
be limited 70 a few, simple, essentia
ones, and those few complied will
the merits of a law can be quite ac
curately measured by a boys atti
tude towards it. A rule that pro
vokes hostility had better be recon
sidered Commonly, the condition
demanding a regulation should be s
, evident that the boy in his sense o
, fairness Will openly admit the justic
and necessity of the law.
Less Home Legislation.
: We ought to have a good deal les
! than the usual amount of home leg
islation and much more than tn
usual amount of firm, positive hom
. government. And along with thi
4 strict enforcement of a few indispen
D sable measures in the family, tn
= boy should have responsibilities
meet, tasks to perform. If he b
held accountable for his deeds he wi
in large measure bring his ow
= punshments and secure his own re
wards.
At this age while he continues
= go to his mother for comfort an
consolation, he may be inclined
Q lose patience with her. OF course, h
|, never doubts her sincerity and eve
: appreciates her love and interest
yet he defends hr love with the apo
ogy: "She don't know-she is a We
. man