Omaha daily bee., 1915-08-04
How Ideas
Differ on
Punishment
Parents and Child

you would find Il out anyhow" tho
man laughed.
Perhaps. but you might not" she in
sisted. and even II you would find 4
out anyhow. does II not encourage a
child to be deceitful IL vol make him
pay the penalty Of a fault he contcssesr''
Her question reminded me OF an oc-
currence about which l have often
thought. IL was not a hypothetical In
stance. but something that really hap
pened TO a child I once knew re
lated the circumstances now to this group
OF friends
In n few words the case was as fol-
lows; A small boy. aged II. was IN tho
habit OF playing ball on the lawn in front
OF and close TO his fathers house. While
indulRing In this sport at different times
he broke three panes OF glass In various
windows. At first his father rcprlmandcd
him gravely, but gently. After the third
accident he had a serious talk with his
son.
See here, John" he said. IT know
that you and your friends like 20 play
ball on the lawn. and I do not object
TO your dong 50 as long as no mischief
results, But / cannot have you break
ing any more windows. You must re-
member that. II you cannot have your
game here without doing damage you
must go elsewhere to play
IAN right father" the boy agreed.
but IL we don't break windows. may
we play hereT'
Yes" the parent replied, you may.
but you must not come 20 close to the
house as TO smash anything. And. John
II you do break another window / shall
punish YOU Understand
Yes. father. I understand
Remember, mean what I say.
have tried everything else 90 make you
careful. You know I shall carry out
my threat"
Yes father"
Very we'll; that settles It,"
Two weeks passed and all went we'll
The boys confined their games TO that
part Of the lawn that was at distance
from the house Then. when they had
become ovor-secure in their immunity
from accidents they came nearer the
house, and in batting a ball John drove
II straight through a cellar window
| While the boys we're watching him ne
! tried to act as II he did not care. But
/ when his playmates had gone away. and
| his father had come home from business.
John went straight to him where he sat
In the library.
Father" he said. 1T broke another
window"
The father set his Jaw resolutely. IT
am sorry, son. You know what ] prom
ised."
Yes, sir. I am ready"
| A. f.th inn Inv
He said afterward that he would have
proved himself liar had he not done
SO. He also said that II was the hardest
task he had ever had to perform,
As finished my recital there arose
a chorus of ordinations
"He was a brute!" declared ono mother.
Another said. HE should never have
made such a threat"
One man made himself heard above
the others. That last statement is be-
side the question" he remarked. Even II
tho father should not have made the
threat, II was made. This being the case
as a man OF his word he was compelled
to thrash the kid. II was his manifest
duty"
OF course, there were some who agreed
with him. But there were as many dis
senting voices. I wish I knew what the
average parent would say about this
matter
Leaving out the much-disputed and
never-settled question as to whether a
child should or should not receive cor
poral punishment. could this man. after
having once pledged himself to certain
course. honorably avoid II?
(Be sure 10 read these stories. They
are Of interest to every father and
mother)