The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-01-05

ton today in extracting for our perusal the
pith of a woman's letter:
May / ask with regard to the article
embOdying the sentiments Of the pro-whip
ping party: What are parents teaching the
children. that so much whipping Is needed?
The mental slsrtness Of the younglIngs
could not have been equal to their physical.
1t takes a great deal more time and
twice as much self-control and patience 10
explain TO a culpit why he did wrong than
It takes to slap or TO whip him. In the IN
stance of the English girl who picked her
fathers pocket OF a gold p!ece-having been
whipped through childhood and girIhood-
cid not teach her common honesty and
honor or the true value Of doing right.
Il thoroughly believe that few children
are knowingly naughty. hold as firmly
that fewer parents practice self-control.
1t never occurs to them that their actions
will be unconsciously initiated by their
offspring.
Il have a boy of 1T-clean. true, and hon
est. and a girl OF 10. as honorable and good.
Neither has ever been punished by slapping
or ffogging. My boy is ready to go out into
the world Of men. The question: put to my
conscience is: Have I taught him self-con-
troll so that he will b. able to Withstand
temptations older and wiser Cso-caued)
men will ply him with to mako a man Of
him. Our voters are the most unsafe COM
pany for a boy. Are they any safer for the
big boy whose mother has given seventeen
or eighteen years to careful training OF her
darling?
What influence will be brought to bear
when he goes TO another town to play foot
ball and the trainer let's the boys drink
and smoke, as my sons captain has done:
What influence when he sees that the
mayor allows transgression which his
mother has told him is a sin?
What influence when he finds that rep
utabie business men doctors. and lawyers
are all-night gamblers?
What influence, when he discovers that
some OF these same men. whom he believed
respectable and honorable, take joy rides
with wine and women?
"Of what avail Will the mothers infu-
ence be then? Should her boy fall, Is she
TO blame?
Who should have the whipping-the boy
or the man? J.B. E.,
Searching questions these, that may well
make careless parents 4" sit UP and take
l have room for but one reply to eacband
all: Unless the mothers influence abide
with her boy like viewless aura, en-
comprising his thoughts and bracing the
principles she has instilled from babyhood.
no human power can save him. wonder
how many times each Of us who reads this
has heard a man say, The thought o.
my mother kept me straight" Or. "I
held on 10 the memory Of my mothers
teachings in my darkest hour. I could not
get away from them
Said a terribly tempted coIlegian Of an
overpast ordeal: 1T flashed into my mind
like sun ray that il yielded could not
tell my mother! And that UP to that
moment I had never done a thing would
be ashamed to confide to her. She was
my mother confessor from babyhood The
thought rallied the seIf-controi she had
taught me-"
wish I had time to dwell upon what
our thoughtful woman and true mother
says Of the eminent importance of teaching
by example, as by precept, that the basal
law Of correction is this same lesson Of
getting the mastery of ones self Greater
Is he who ruleth his own spirit than he tasa
taleth . CITY," 1