The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-21
r We are 10 consider the problem
OF training young men 10 become

OF training young men 10 become
good citisens we must frs. Of all
come to some understanding as to the
ouallties-or elements-,hat make up
good citizenship. We hear much these
days about our rights as American citi-
tens and to most Of us our status as
Citizens Is some abstract fact that
gives US certain ~ina,ierable rights that
our Government must protect-even 10
the point Of war II necessary. II is not
unknown that men try TO declare their
business rights and condemn the Gov
errament Itself for attempting to work
out q system Of laws by which the
many shall be protected when In those
efforts individual convenience and indi-
vidual pronts are even temporarily ef-
fected. When we think soberly. how
ever. We all know that citizenship not
only confers favors and rights upon
mtc,-it makes demands as well. IL we
are to try to bring up our boys to be-
come good citizens" we u under
stand what are the elements OF good
citizenship. because those elements must
be developed. sometimes. one at a time.
At least h boys themselves must get
the idea in Its concrete form so that
1t may impress them not as an abstract
idea. but as n reality.
In the first place We may assume
that a good citizen has the simple per-
sonal virtues such as honesty, upright
ness and personal purity. Without these
virtues a man cannot maintain his posi-
ton in his own little community. His
n~eighbors will not trust him ard his
business and family life will be seri-
cusly affected. But "a man may be
EoGes; aud at the same time be selfish
He may be morally clean and be a
snob. He may be upright and be un-
bending. II will never do for a man TO
be simply guVd ard ignore his rela'
lions to his neighbors II he al to be
a good citizen. He must then rot only
have high ideals for his w. personal
chsracter-he must understand commu-
nifty life In all its phases and must have
correct ideas OF his W. relatiyns 10
that life. CitiIeasaip sists not only
In keeping the laws 20 as TO keen out o;
Jail or even SO far as TO keep in the
church IL consists OF helping 10 make
the laws and 10 elec; men to administer
the laws and of being Interested in the
Thousand ard ore movements To buliu
up a better community and to make d
better world.
A good citizen must also have respect
for au~thority-not simply the kind oil
respect that makes him obey those IN
authority. but the kline hat makes him
unwilling 10 have men In authority
whom he cannot respect. one OF the
dangers OF our present system ID that
capable men do not respect those whom
they themselves have helped TO elect 10
office. A man too often knows that
those In authority over him do not
understand the work at hand as well as
he himself understands II. We do not
elect the most capable men TO Office but
the most available men. The men VIII
are most capable often believe that they
cannot dc as well for themselves In
public office as they can In private bust
ness. This 10 doubtless true, but what
OF their sense OF citizenship? II surely
is possible for men to he found for
public office who know their work. AMI
A man who Is exercising his virtues as
a good citizen should assert the policy
that zach office must be Allied by a mar
whose ability and whose character he
can respect. Authority need not be
respected as such, and cannot he re-
spected until citizens place In authority
men who can command our respect. No
element OF good citizenship needs
more thorough care for its development
tntN Ills Oilts IL - Il Nl'pls AA'N w 49,
accept as "A theory. our future citizens
must accept II as a working principle.
Here then is the problem Given. n
boy TO construct a citiZen-a man who
will possess personal virtue. who will
have an active knowledge OF and inter-
est in all things that maze up commu-
nifty life, and who will assert the fact
as n working principle that men In au-
thority must be men whose authority IS
real because 1t Is founded on real knowl-
edge and real public interest.
There are many agencies at aor or
his problem. and no one writer can dis
cuss them all with intelligence. The
question that should be answered in
his article Ia What does the boarding
school do toward educating "a boy n
become a good Citizen Taking the
elements VI citizenship in h order men
toned, we are first 10 consider how 10
bring DIP a boy 80 that he viii! possess
personal virtues u as honesty, up
rightness and personal purity. or course
these virtues are taught TO every vel
bred boy from his crude up. but the
development OF these virtues as ha bits
must be something more than a matter
OF instruction. II We wish to teach q
pupil 10 play the piano. we do not con
tent ourselves with simply giving the
pupil lessons, in which he is told how
10 play. We require hours and hours
OF practice, first, under the supervision
OF some person who knows how tht
practice should he conducted, n ther
more and more upon his own response
bility until he can practise properly. IL
time he becomes able not only 70 prac'
tise az he ought, but to play the plano
without a teacher and without a super
visor. Honesty, personal purity and all
the other virtues are complex matters
Every man has many chances OF almost
as many different sorts TO be dishones'
or to be impure. ami II 10 necessary I'm
honesty and purity TO be such a fixed
habit that those opportunities will bt
no more OF a temptation to him than a
glass OF liquor Is a temptation 10 a mar
who has throughout all his youth and
early maturity been a teetotaller. The
boarding chool recognizes these needs
and II offers splendid opportunities M
the practice OF virtue. Every boy IN
his relation TO his masters and to his
associates mas many opportunities to bs
dishonest In varying degrees, Even II
he has established himself in the schuo
as an. honest hoy there come up ques'
tons of his relations to his schoo mas
tiers and occasions when there Is oppor'
tunIty to play double with his mates
but he lives his life constantly under
the eyes OF people who are Interested Ia
his right development. Every master IL
ready to give "A M, n the boys IN
school who are older tina himself and
who have been through the course. ant
therefore who know the need fol
strength and the dangers OF weakness
are ready to advise and help and Ell
co1iraga toward the right thing III.