The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-10-06

'thoroughness';; they do not yield to
the Judgment of their elders.
I'VE see oyergrown boys kept by
law in the primary. school because
they have not answered certain ques.
lions, which they will never be able
to answer and whose correct answer
ing would make no earthly difference
to anyone. Such 17-year-old in a
child's patent desk keeps back the
tractable pupils, loses his own chance
OF a grip on life's work, is an eye
sore and an abomination to the con-
scientious teacher, and becomes a
drone in the great human beehive.
Compelling a boy to hump over a
schoolbook when he should be at
work is making him an undesirable
citizen.
so much for the school Now does
the home inculcate discipline of any
kind in the future citizen soldier?
Hardly. The. home is all too often at
cross-purposes with the school. We
even have the sorry spectacle of
school strikes. countenanced, even in
stigated, by the parents. Parental
oyerindulgence produces fiabbiness of
body, mind and spirit.
Things are bad enough now But
they will not grow worse. America
has put on her thinking cap.
The qualities of good soldier are
fdentically the qualities that make for
success in all walks of life, the high
est as we'll as the lowliest, soldering
not excluded. Was not Cincinnatus
blowing his field when Rome called
him to lead her armies? And did he
not return a peaceful citizen to his
pillow after freeing Rome from her
enemies? The old-fashioned habits of
obedience, promptness, self-control,
self-reliance, orderliness, patience and
humility are virtues by which the
world still estimates the value of a
man. Discipline must become a habit
under which we do not chafe, a sec
ond nature which makes us feel at
ease and happy.
ITO establish the habits of obedi-
ence, self-control, orderliness, and
self-reliance are required work, time
and compulsion, the latter being an
essential factor. In the home, long
before school days begin, the right
seeds must be planted. Then comes
the combined work Of home and
school, teaching regard for law and
unquestioning obedience to law for
no other reason than that it is the
law.
obedience is an acquired habit. 1t
is not developed in day or a month.
1t does not sprout of it's own accord.
Parents who coax and bride their
children to obey are weakening and
undermining the foundations of our
liberties.
Children must be trained: To do
exactly as they. are told To practice
self-denial. To work without wasting
effort. To respond instantly to a COM
mand. To adopt themselves to actual
conditions. Furthermore they must
learn: To walk properly. To stand
at attention when talking to their
elders. To look the Speaker in the
eye. To sit and stand as straight as
candle. To cultivate bodily self
control. To say I do not know in
stead ,of guessing. To answer the
question that is asked instead of the
question they had hoped would be
asked. To acknowledge unhesitating-
ly their mistakes.
Preparedness calls for a regular
daily program of home work, school
work and play, so that the child
knows what it has to do throughout
the day. Every child must have some
task to perform. Then make him do
it promptly, thoroughly, regularly.
He must work while at work. To
this end, compulsion must not be
stunned. Thoroughness must be pro-
cured by making stand against err
ratio busybodyness and requiring of
the child suitable work done honestly.
He must learn respect for the finished
job