In response to an invitation of the MONTHLY for a summary of a little ethical study pertaining to the moral training of pupils, I submit the opinions of two or three thousand persons ranking from the kindergarten to the greatest living scholars, philosophers, statesmen, writers, etc. I am not selecting answers from the lot to fit any side of the subject, but aim to give representative opinions from as many lines of society as possible. My reasons for making the inquiry were stimulated by my growing belief that neither the home nor the school is paying enough attention to the kind of training which has to do with the morals of the child. Today, making men rather than making minds should be the primary function of the school. To this end a primary principle is that a pupil must be taught to know what he ought to will. He cannot rightly will unless he knows what right conduct is. Even Jonathan Edwards' son knew nothing about

morality by inheritance. He had it to learn. He inherited ethical capacity as he inherited a capacity to learn language or mathematics, but he did not inherit a knowledge of right and wrong. So with the youth of our schools; many of them are ignorant of what they ought to do and of the relations of certain kinds of conduct to the general welfare; inany of them have never been taught the correct ethical code and do not understand the serious consequences of theft, lying, deceit and sin. Idealistic and utilitarian ethics are becoming farther and farther separated in many lines of society and business, and the school is contributing a large share to this separation.

With a view to determine the opinions of society and business. upon one of the simple little problems of daily life, I manufactured the commonplace bit of behavior pertaining to two school boys as given below and asked for answers which are given verbatim.

"School is out and teacher and pupils have gone from the building. 'Good' and 'Bad' are two boys, each thirteen years of age. They are coming up the road, when 'Bad' says to 'Good,' 'I am going to make a snowball and throw it through the window of the school house.' Good' says, 'Do not do this, for it may get me into trouble; the teacher may ask me to tell who did it.' ('Good' did not tell 'Bad' that he would tell on him). The next day the teacher questions each pupil privately about the window; what should 'Good' say when she asks him the following questions:

(a) Did you break the window? (b) Do you know who broke the window?

(c) Who broke the window? Practically all answers agree in "Good" saying "Yes" to the first two questions. The question whether "Good" should tell on "Bad" has been answered as follows:

Author, Prominent Prof.

of Philosophy, College Pres. .."Yes." Because it is his duty to prevent evil by all proper means; and it is proper to tell a beneficent authority when any transgression is probable and prevention possible.

Because it was his duty to tell all he knew about the matter when questioned by a competent authority. All governments, parental, educational, or political are instituted for the good of the

governed and for the general welfare of society. To make any government successful successful in realizing these high ends, the co-operation of the governed and the governing

an indispensable prerequisite. Such co-operation is an impossibility if information is withheld which is necessary to the administration of justice. The act of withholding information which can be really serviceable in preventing wrong is punishable because it makes against both the objects of government as given above. The obligation to assist in realizing these objects is superior to any obligations of comradeship, or even a previous promise, since no promise to do evil can be held to be binding. Herod's promise to Herodius."

, Author, Principal Polytechnic School, U. S. Navy:

"Yes." "He should tell even if he had promised that he would not, and be punished by the teacher if he should refuse to tell."

-, Supt. Schools in a large. Western city:

"'Good' should tell provided he could be made to see that his social obligation was greater than his personal one. If it is his duty to tell, he should be punished for refusing to tell, but in a suitable manner. The big boys of business have to tell upon the big bad boys of business or be punished in the court for refusing to do so. And the bad boys of business have to tell upon

Prof. of Psychology:

"Morality being, in my judgment, a matter of action in relation to motive and not of action in itself, I have not the data necessary to reply to your question. I could or might tell or not tell according to the hypothetical motives you furnished him with."

Principal of a large girls' Technical High School:

"Yes." "He should tell even though he had promised that he would not tell. He had no right to make such a promise. This is one of the trying puzzles of school management. Nobody wants to cultivate the habit of tale-bearing, but all want to create a sentiment for social service. If 'Good' refuses to tell, I can realize how this position maintained in actual life becomes the attribute of a citizen avoiding all responsibility for preventing the robbery of his fellows or the punishment of offenders against society. I am therefore unable to see how he is other than an abettor of crime and a sharer in it."

can be compelled to tell anything and be punished for not telling is in a court of law. The trouble with a good deal of school management is that they have tried to introduce court-martial illegally."

Supt. Schools of a large

Eastern city:

"I am not sure how far in extreme circumstances a teacher is justified in obtaining the willing or unwilling evidence of children. I know that there are cases where not to get to the bottom of a trouble means its repetition and damage to the school, but my training leads me to believe that any teacher who has a reasonable class for a reasonable length of time can get at most of the facts in school life without tattling. In my opinion the boy is justified in telling or not telling as he sees fit."

Supt. of a large Boys' Industrial School:

"'Good' should tell on 'Bad' and be punished for refusing to tell." Prominent Author of

Psychology:

Eastern city:

"The only time where anybody

though he had promised 'Bad' that he would not. Two wrongs never

make a right. This whole question hinges upon the so-called honor in politics, in school and in society. If I see a man setting fire to my neighbor's house, I am bound to give information even though it involves my friend, if I cannot dissuade him from it. It takes courage and sacrifice at times to travel the straight road."

Prof. of Psychology in a

large Eastern College:

"'Good' should have told. 'Bad' in the first place that he would feel obliged to tell the teacher of his ation. He should be punished for refusing to answer the teacher's questions.”

Scholar:

prominent Author and

"'Good' ought to tell on 'Bad' even though he had promised him that he would not. He ought to be taught that it is his duty to tell." Supt. Schools of large

Western city: "'Good' should not tell on 'Bad,' and not be punished for refusing to tell."

prominent Author of

Psychology and Professor:

"I doubt if it is 'Good's' duty to tell. He certainly has duties, but I doubt if this is one of them. He should not tell if he has promised 'Bad' that he would not."

and writer:

a leading psychologist

"'Good' has two lords to serve -school decency and boy honor. I

can hardly imagine a good tone in a school without some cordial compromise between these interests. In different schools the line of comparison may be drawn in different places. So long as all sides cheerfully observe the same line, the tone will be good. I think it essential that school authorities should cheerfully and definitely respect boyhonor up to the limits where they draw the line which they consider fatal to school decency."

President of a large Western Normal School:

"'Good' should tell on 'Bad' even though he had promised 'Bad' that he would not, and he should be punished if he refuse to tell. I am not altogether certain that I have done justice in my answers to your questions. I want to add that while I appreciate the time-honored instincts of children and youth with respect to fidelity towards comrades, I believe that the civilization in which we now live demands the inculcation of a broader ethical principle. The society of adults is safe only when administered upon the principle that the offender shall be found, delivered up and punished. These are my reasons for answering the questions as I have done, and I have nothing to say either of expediency or method of approach."

School:

Principal of a large High

"'Good' should tell on "Bad' and

be punished if he refuses to tell. The parallel is a witness in court. Good citizenship requires and his oath requires that he tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but truth. The maudlin sentiment that crime should be protected and our government go to the dogs is Equitable, New York Life and Mutual Morality."

prominent professor of School Administration and Author: "'Good' should say, 'I prefer not to tell.' He should not be punished for refusing to answer."

Principal of a large Ward School, also Author:

"'Good' should tell on 'Bad' and be punished if he refuses to tell. 'A bad promise is better broken than kept.' I strongly believe that a union of mutual moral helpfulness should be formed including all pupils and teachers. If a lad saw his friend in great physical danger he would instinctively do his utmost to save him. So should he do when a question of moral corduct is at stake. In cheating at examinations, in disobeying a rule, lying, etc., the morals need toning up. When the moral life of adults is questionable, when society constantly winks at similar capers, and no punishment is given, what then can we say to children?"

and be punished for refusing to tell. -, Supt. of Schools in large

city:

"'Good' should not tell his teacher on 'Bad,' but he should tell on him before a court."

Data from eighth grade pupils taken in different cities and states:

Fifty-five per cent. say "Good" should tell on "Bad;"forty-five per cent. say refuse to tell. Sixty per cent. of girls say tell, and forty per cent say refuse to tell.

Ten postmasters, ten railroad conductors, five naval officers submitted answers and were all agreed that "Good" should tell on "Bad," and be punished if he refuse to answer, and tell if he had promised "Bad" that he would not. Of ten cab drivers, four say tell and six say refuse to tell.

Of about three thousand answers received from teachers, thirty-five per cent. say tell and sixty-five per cent. say that "Good" should refuse to tell. The latest record taken this last summer at a county institute in Ohio was taken in writing upon printed blanks, making sure that no one was influenced by a speaker in presenting the subject. The result of the vote is: Of fifty-eight men voting, twenty-eight say "tell," and thirty say, "refuse to tell." Of sixty-eight women voting, eighteen say "tell" and fifty say "refuse to tell." What is your opinion?