Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-12-29
THE HONESTY BOOK
By H. Addington Bruce

[ write there lies before me a COPY
~ OF book which [ wish might be in
the hands of every teacher in the
country. 1t has already been read and used
by numerous teachers. All have been i'm
pressed with its Importance and practical
helpfulness.
'The Honesty Book 1t Is called, its au-
thor being the well-known educator William
Byron Forbush. He wrote it and the Ma
tional Honesty Bureau issued it in the belief
that there is urgent need for systematic
schoolroom teaching of honesty, and in or
der to provide manual for such teaching.
Nor can it be doubted that the need for
teaching honesty is indeed urgent.
Dishonesty of one sort and another Is
rampant never before. In the past ten
years. trustworthy figures show, embezzIe-
ment losses that had to be met by ndem-
nifty companies have increased fiYefold, while
there has been a twelvefold increase in their
losses due to larceny and burglary.
The annual loss from INSIDE" and out
side" stealing in the United States alone is
estimated as now amounting to $3.50, 000,-
900. And this refers only to overt robbery,
not to the robbery involved in such prac-
tees as "bucketing" stock transactions, CIV
ing short weight, adulterating food fuel,
and clothing, and similar actions equivalent
to outright theft. Include these and the
monetary loss from dishonesty becomes
colossal.
1t is well established, too, that with
hardly an exception those who thus steal
do so, not from innate badness, but because
they have not received effective moral train
ing in early life. Exposed to innumerable
temptations they have not been immunzed
against temptation by the indicating of
sound principles of conduct. THE Honesty
Book would assist teachers-anl parents,
for that matter-to do what has not been
adequately done.
DR.. Forbush has not been content to make
it merely compilation of preachments and
moral maxims 1t is mainly book of sto-
ries taken from real life and wildly con-
trasting the consequences of honesty and
dishonesty in matters great and small Its
author keeps in mind always those whom he
most desires to influence, children of various
ages, and states his facts in words that will
appeal to them emotionally as well as in
tellectually.
Also he offers to parents and teachers
suggestions that should enable them to In
crease greatly their efficiency as character
builders That his book actually does have
this effect is the testimony of many who
have ayailed themselves of its aid.
1.-The class and - writes a Pennsylvania
teacher, wish to thank you for this book
of valuable lessons and talks, and we shall
always be grateful for the help it will be
to u.s. From another, in Nebraska, comes
the acknowledgment:
1.-The stories and suggestions found in the
book are certainly practical and I know that
they make lasting impression in the minds
of the children"
From third, Wisconsin school teacher:
I'VE have used The Honesty Book daily
in our school work, and it proves more valu-
able each day"
More and more, happily, it is being ap-
preciated that to develop strength of char
acter is as much an essential in school
education to devotion STRENGTH of mind
"The Honesty Book" it would seem safe
to predict, will increasingly gain favor as a
book for school use-and with increasingly
good results.