The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1922-10-28
GOOD ADVICE FROM THE RE
FORMATORY PILLAR.

Inc Rel0rmatOry Pillar, is q little
paper published in the prison at St.
Cloud, Mimi, has many good things
m it, from time to time, but one of
the best we have seen lately follows:
Lack Of information regarding
matters that have no direct bearing
on a mans life. is not ignorance,
neither is it a disgracefui circum-
stance. Never be ashamed to admit
that you know SSE nothing whatever
about the subject under discussion, if
you don't. Only fool will laugh at
you and as snickering is a FOOLS nat
ural mode Of expression, don't get
angry at him-pity him. If. you are
IN a mixed crowd. and someone asks
you whether you know how certain
;hlngs are performed, don't say Ger
tainly," unless YOU do know. If you
don't. know, say "No, how is it done 2"
and then listen carefully to his ex-
PLANTATION so thta you can say Ser
tainly" next time.
You will get much more liberal
education by keeping your ears open
than your mouth. Very few Of the
human encyclopedias ever get to the
top, or even near it in any trade or
profession. Usually they are third
or fourth-raters and their friends
can't understand why. They can't
understand why John is not a howl
ing success. They say "Why, there
IS hardly a subject you can mention
but that John seems to know all
about it," That is just what is the
difficulty with John, he seems to
know all shout everything, but boiled
down tqf facts, he knows nothing
about anything. In his wild desire
to be considered we'll read, he Grams
his head withasa little of this and
little Of tbat--just Skins the surface
- : so that he really knows very little
Of anything. Just enough to know
the name of a thing when it is men
toned.
He cheats himself of real educa-
ton on any one subject, because his
air Of authority kills off general dis
c',ssion among those who do know.
All he can say about most any sub
lect is what he has figured out for
himself. because he has not taken the
time to study the matter, either from
hooks or from men of actual knowl-
edge and experience. For instance,
he has never heard mechanical en-
oineer expound the why's and where
fores of locomotive, probably has
never even heard an engine crews
opinion; he has only the passengers
anrle. Yet when railroads are men
toned he claims to know just what
steam pressure a mogul engine can
stand, and makes an ass Of himself
arguing about it when there are loco
motive firemen present.
The sorriest boob on earth is the
fellow who Will mot admit honest
ignorance, Learn by varied opinions
all there is to know about subject
you are interested in and flavor the
whole with your own ideas for an in
te]ligent discussion when it comes up
again. 81
Never bluff about your knowledge.
Ihe weakest man in any organiza-
ton, or any place in life is the buffer.
If YOU don't know a thine confess it,
and your associates will at least take
notice Of your honesty, your mental
integrity. The way to avoid the tenn
tetion to bluff is to fiji your whole
mind with the facts, figures and prob
'enns Of your life's work. Avoid try
ing to be a jack Of ll-trades. If you
work in bank, then think. eat and
cream banking three hundred and
zixty-fve DAYS in: the wear. If you
are in printing ablishment, sat
'rate yourself with, printers. ink
twenty- four hours day and seven
Jaws q week. Never he afraid to ask
:r,,estions from anyone who knows
6 60 hing about any phase of your
work. ss3 d s.
5t MANY PEOPLE sneer at q man who
';cks 81 GENTLY to one thing and say
he IS handicapped BY single track.
sssird. Wei, If there is not enough
rr'pht-of -wav for more than one track.
''tst remember that single track
.Trill hear q great amount of traffic if
is properly REGULATED. "a one-track
lind IS the mind of specialist and
he mind Of q specialist is the mind
st success. sl5 4
To he informed on many subjects
IS desirable especially as social
set VOL cannot be well in
ormed dent pretend to be and be
content to be expert on one subject.