Should He Have Told?

Horowhenua Chronicle, 25 September 1913, Page 4

Should He Have Told?

A PROBLEM IX SCHOOL LIFE Good and Bad arc two boys, each 14 years of ago. They attend the same school. One day Bad said to Good, "I am going to throw a snowball tlirough the window?'' Good made no reply. Bad threw the snowball and broke tin- window, and Good saw him d>/ it. The next morning at school the teacher asked the pupils sing-

ly and privately the questions, "Do you know who broke the window!' 1 " and "Who broke the window What- should Good say when the teacher asked him the question ? Should the teacher have asked the boy these questions? Should the teacher have the same rig-lit as the Court in compelling Good to tell? Should children be taught that it is their duty to tell the truth about wrong-doing" when questioned by a competent authority ? The problem here stated has been interesting' the United States' for some time. The questions wore formulated by Mr Harlan E. Hall, the principal of a high school in Mansfield, Ohio. He passed the question on to "The Outlook," the editor of which asked a large number of well-known people their views. Wo give a few of the replies.— Mr -Tack London, the famous author-"Good should say L would rather not toll. He should ask the teacher to exhaust other means of finding out. The teacher should not try to compel him to tell. A persuasion to right conduct in the mind of the boy is as far as the teacher should Mr E. Phillips Oppeuheiin, the well-known novelist: — "Children should be encouraged eaiTy to realise that they form part of the moral machinery of life." Sir Ernest Shacklcton, the explorer:-- "Because the boy's character is just being formed, loyalty to one another is a better thing than getting at the facts of (ho case, though scholars should not toll a lie about another person, | they shoul'd bo allowed to refuse to answer." Mr Ernest Thompson Seton, one of the originators of the Boy Scout movement, traveller, lecturer, author, artist According to the modern code which divides the school into two groups, scholar against teacher, the teacher should not have asked the question. The modern code is all wrong, _ and when right feeling is established, none but a degenerate will*refrain from applying the law to the best of his powers on all occasions. Mr Eden L'hillpotts, tlTe novelist "Tlifc teacher should not have asked (he question. Any system that would tolerate or advocate 'sneaking' will be bad for the character. The informer is always vile, and no boy shfTuld be invited to become one." Mr Charles G. I). lioberls, the well-known writer:--"This question is an incentive to the mean vice of tale-bearing'.'' Mr Israel Zangwill- -"Good was not good, or else he would have made a reply of protest. A number of those who replied however are of opinion that Good should have told. The Uev. Principal J. iOstlin Carpenter, principal ol' the .Manchester College, Oxford, and author ol: several books on religious subjects, says "Good should say, 'Bad broke the window.' The teacher should have asked the question." i: TaxranaMaaaqacrgggtwa