Such variations, it seems to me, are due to two causes. In the
first place, they largely depend upon the character of the more
influential elder boys. In the second place, they depend upon the
attitude of the head-master. With reference to this point I may
quote from a letter written by an experienced master in one of
the most famous English public schools: "When I first came to
----, a quarter of a century ago, Dr. ---- was making a crusade
against this failing; boys were sent away wholesale; the school
was summoned and lectured solemnly; and the more the severities,
the more rampant the disease. I thought to myself that the remedy
was creating the malady, and I heard afterward, from an old boy,
that in those days they used to talk things over by the fireside,
and think there must be something very choice in a sin that
braved so much. Dr. ---- went, and, under ----, we never spoke of
such things. Curiosity died down, and the thing itself, I
believe, was lessened. We were told to warn new boys of the
dangers to health and morals of such offences, lest the innocent
should be caught in ignorance. I have only spoken to a few; I
think the great thing is not to put it in boys' heads. I have
noticed solitary faults most commonly, and then I tell the boy
how he is physically weakening himself. If you notice, it is
puppies that seem to go against Nature, but grown dogs, never.
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