The sun., 1916-09-24
4 THEN public sentiment Is In action
~ II takes long strides and carries
everything along with II.

everything along with It.
II has stopped uplifting and is now
busy with preparedness" and as public
sentiment never takes a middle ground
those who are not "for'' II must Of
course he against II. Yet the "prepar-
edncss" movement has a lot OF trouble in
store for certain children. and the pur-
pose Of this article is to head of such
trouble before II arrives.
The word alone implies military train
ing and consequent "disciplinc,' and
1t is the latter that plays the mischief.
for discipline has always been a popular
though dangerous factor in the training
Of children. 1t implies a training to
obedience. subsection and drill. and, as
Its purpose Is beneficent, all our children
are to be duly benefited" regardless Of
their temperament or character. for mill
tary training on a huge scale has little
regard for the individual.
a little insight into the character ~
certain children would not make their
parents no anxious to discipline" them
IL they realized what they were doing.
The first form of discipline comes TO
children as duties and obligations. Many
take these naturally and. like the driving
" iis Va " NiVtNs lIitNV Y
sponsible for the running of all the other
wheels. Others are like the balance
spring OF a watch. They are quite as
necessary AS the handspring. but they
are delicatcly sensitive. and their whole
mental II physical equipment II deli.
cately adjusted. no that 1t is quite as
easy to destroy their chances In life as
II is n watch through ignorant treat
ment.
The type OF boy to which I refer Is
the hakdest OF all to understand, yet
properly handled in his youth. makes an
able man and he is legion. In his early
days we lind him abnormally sensitive to
criticism. His command OF speech liz un
usual and he is evasive of even the sim.
plcst duties.
His school reports are poor because
he evades his lessons. and II taken 10
task for II fights every effort to make
him work. This is confusing to parents
because of his obvious ability. lie Is dis
orderly about his room and evades the
obligation to put 1t in order. just as he
evades everything else.
He is exceedingly fond of company
and wants constant companionship. for
when he Is alone he becomes moody.
For this situation parents know OF but
one remedy, namely. discipline" and II
h'' ~ =" =" avn NC
evasiveness may 70 on for years. with
the friction constant.
Underlying this condition is n sltua-
ton that IL intensely interesting and one
that parents should understand for II
denies absolutely their long conceived
opinions:
The fact is the exceptional sensitive
ness OF the boy causes him to view life
VITA n vividness most people 10 not feel.
Life TO him Is a tragedy. and he sees II
with astonishing ,lcarness. Responsible
Ivy IN any and every form is a burden
u burden SO heavy In its intensity that
there ie small wonder he wants to Dodge
Il. AZ In the lives of all children. trivial
ties assume undue Importance. and so
the necessity ~ being dressed on time.
t. b" AZ scilool on time or to carry on
any daily duty Whatsoever frightens him.
Because of his constituencies he breads
criticism. n the criticism OF n caus-
tic teacher MAY create such a panic that
he will run away from school. This Is a
very common cause Of truancy.