The Washington times., 1928-12-10
Child Authority
on a Serious
Subject
BY Constance Cameron

Hand-to hand combat has gone
out of style, pushcd out by in
teIligence and what we like to
call q higher order and age OF
culture. However, it is the ex.
ceptional boy who grows to ma
turity without rcliving the cave
man age of self-preservation through
the use of the hands.
To admonish your son never to
fight with his fists Is to produce
q weak. sissyfied boy who will be
the butt OF many scornful jibes
from his companions The dell
cate part of these lectures on
fighting comes in attempting to
inculcate judgment as to when
D swift smack is justified and
when it betrays the marks OF
bully and a crude code OF ethics.
In one family where visit
there are two boys. Bobby, aged
3, and John, aged Is. Bobby be-
came incensed abou. month ago
because q playmate insisted upon
playinr with his football every
minute of the time he visited
Bobby.
Al heated argument ended in
Bobby furiously pounding the Wis
itor. Bobby,s father scornfully
derided him upon hearing of it
and forbade Bobby,s having com
pany for a whole week. Bobby
came sullenly home from school,
hung around indoors gazing
gloomily out of the windows and
scowling on life in general. Then
one night his pent-up wrath burst
TnI1 nA q
home fireside with a blackened
What happened?" inquired
Father, who arrived on the front
porch simultaneously with John.
Bobby stood hopefully by, antici-
pating Johns receiving a scold-
ing and subsequent punishment
as he had.
Well" replied John. Blake
Dancer and those other big kids
were teasing Mrs. Browns little
bull pup. Rags. and / told them
to quit it. They didn't. and Blake
poked him with sharp stick and
hurt one of Rags eyes, so just
couldn't stand it, Dad. / licked
him =
I'D have been ashamed of you,
son, III you hadn't, replied the
father. Noting Bobby's sputtering
protest, the father took the two
boys into his study and tried to
explain the difference between
Bobby's act and Johns.
There are times when 1t il all
right to fight" he said. You
boys must be strong and able to
defend any person or thing which
is weak and which needs protec-
ton. Never allow living thing
to be abused while you are able
to beat the person abusing it.
On the other hand, to use your
fists to attack playmates just to
procure something you want Is TO
be less than an animal, and when
Bobby fought with his friend the
other day he broke every rule OF
good sportsmanship and courtesy.
He was host TO that little boy,
and should have been polite to
his guest"
Whether Bobby was reconciled
TO his fathers judgment is de
batable, but without doubt the
father had sown the seeds of
judgment in the hearts of botn
his boys.
Later he bought punching
bag especially for Robert. and put
ii up in the attic. Bobby lit into
it, eager to punch something, and
was amazed and infuriated when
the punching bag in an uncanny
way flew back and punched him.
The father brought the boys
boxing gloves and taught them the
science of boxing. John being
bit older. gave Bobby a close race
for the championship, which was
excellent for one OF Bobby's par
ticular temperament. Too, Bobby
soon learned that white hot rage
was not conducive to a speedy vic
tory over his opponent. He pain
fully acquired self-control.
II had son, | should see to
II that he knew how to defend
himself scientifically, how to save
weaker things from abuse, and I
should also tand this is the diff.
cult part perhaps) try to make him
understand that there are times
when it is brave to fight. and
times when it is infinitely drawer
fO refuse cn0ohaf