Shall a grown lad have acquired a mania for the sporting life, say, and not so much as a smattering of vulgar knowledge, he should be held down on sports until he engages earnestly for knowledge; he should, because he cannot hope to get anywhere worth while and remain a crass dunce; he cannot, in conscience, out of his old-age exactions, however such as the baseball “fan” may howl to the contrary. God planned for man to be something bigger and better than an ignorant automaton at play; also, He demands deeper digging by man than that which reduces to mere making of dollars.
It is clearly up to correctional plants to raise their charges beyond the level of the “tin” sport. Even where exceptional sporting ability is shown, it should not be allowed to cross the making of the whole man. This, because when such as the cunning of his throwing arm fails a man, he must have recourse to commanding skill, and pleasures of the mind, else the sharp edge of the meaning of life will cut into his soul, while he drifts down stream a dependent derelict.
Service is the “meaning of life.” Service begins with self-discipline. Self-discipline presupposes rational arrangement of, and adjustment to, basic values. Therefore the essential purpose of the parent State should be to establish, or reëstablish, basic values in minds either cheated of, or switched from, basic values.
The process may not be put up in a neat parcel of print. It includes all that must be put off, put on, amended and repaired. Nothing germane is so small as to be negligible. Nothing is too big to be attacked. Abnormalities, before all else, should receive the strictest of attention.
Essentially, the kindly, helpful, well-timed and placed word, is golden.
Irreproachable suggestion and example are of the very weave of the mosaic of character.
Unquestionable square dealing serves to file off the ragged edges of resentment, born of restricted liberty.
Patience of the kind the good God has with us all, is due His derailed children.
None but the measure naturally suited to the man and his offense, will carry.
False clemency is crime-breeding; yet, punishment that leaves only the smart of pain suffered, makes the soul of the recipient of it seethe against the man, or men, by whom it was applied.