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Show It Is Easy To Say "Yes" Anyone can say "Yes." It sometimes some-times requires the stuiT of which heroes are made to say "No." "Yes" usually represents the line of least resistance. "No" is often a test of character. Those of us who say "Yes" to almost any proposition, float with the tide. Those of us who say "No" are generally battling up-stream with an eye on the trophy which goes to the winner. Within the next few months thousands thous-ands of young ptople will learn to reach decisions for themselves. Among these may be reckoned young men and omen going away to school, others going into business, and still others marrying and starting homes of their own. Heretofore, Hereto-fore, in reaching decisions they have been aided by their parents to a large extent; sometimts willingly, sometimes against their personal wishes. "I wouldn't do that, dear," o.t "Father and I would rather you did not go," has been the maternal admonition. Sometimes it has been even more emphatic. em-phatic. "We cannot possibly permit you to do it and we will not give you the money. " Thus the young man or woman with a question to decide has not been forced to assume responsibility. He has been able to evade, to hide his own indecision by saying "Dad thinks I'd better not;'' adding perhaps "Of course, if it wasn't for hurtin r Dad's feelings," or "If I was my own boss." But now he cannot use Dad for an excuse or a buu';r. Dad will not be there to be hurt by w! at he does. He is his own boss. He must take the initiative, in-itiative, a :d accept the responsibility. He must make liis own decisions and a-bide a-bide by the consequences. Take the young chap o.'f to preparatory prepara-tory school. Mentally, schol:i-;tically, he will be prepared for entrance to col lege. Morally, he will lay the cornerstone corner-stone of his character as a man. There will be a certain amount of restraint, a certain number of rules and regulations laid down by the faculty. Certain results re-sults must be given m order to insure promotion at the end of the term. Certain Cer-tain results must be given in order to insure promotion at the end of the term. Certain rules, of conduct mint be observed ob-served if he is to remain in the school. There can be no hiding now behind parental wishes, no shifting of responsibility. respon-sibility. There is no time to write and ask what father and mother think". He must say "Yes" or "No" for himself. Perhaps that is just one reason why Dad stood out for the military or "prep" school. He wanted his boy to learn t" stand on his own feet. He wanted to find out what sort of stuff the lad is made of! And so the boy faces a lot of problems which seemed comparatively easy at home, but are now a bit puzzling. That is, of course, if he is the rwht sort of chap. The boy who has no min i of his own, who is led bv his fell "Yes" and floats. The right sort of a ' bov squints an eye at the tide to set where it carries those wh- float upon it. Quoted from Pictorial Review, Octo- ber, 1014. l |
