Difficult Boys

The difficult boy stands clearly differentiated in my mind from the backward-
minded or irresponsible boy, although there are grounds on which they may
become merged. The difficult boy, as I conceive him, is one endowed with
normal impulses, usually overstrong, which, because of defects of early
guidance, have become diffusive, unsymmetrical, lacking inhibition, one who is
commingled of more bad than good, yet often capable of great things under
favorable conditions. There are those in whom the ingredients vary in other
directions, among the worst of which are apathy, laziness, secretiveness,
moral shortcomings. These, however, will soon or late become classifiable
differently. The difficult boy may appear to be a liar, a bully, selfish,
unwilling to exert himself in worthy directions, of even other and perhaps
worse characteristics. All this may be due to pressure of circumstances
obtunding a none too vigorous sense of right and wrong, distorting
conceptions, inducing acts and speech which belie inherent normal instincts
which are undeveloped or chronically impaired. In short the seeds of wholesome
manhood are present, in fair measure, capable at times of splendid
development, often to admirable citizenship, but not strong enough unaided to
nullify the blanketing effects of circumstance. How are we to estimate what
these counteracting forces are, or were, in the instance? How should we have
conducted ourselves under the same baffling influences? What would have been
the effect of the same plainly indicated disheartenments, evil influences,
examples on one nature as compared with another? If we examine our own
personalities, we can see evidences of effects springing from apparently
trivial causes out of all proportion to that which should have followed. A
critical, candid self-survey will often astonish and alarm us at the close
escapes we have made from impulsions which swayed us forcefully. What
consequences have we escaped by sheer accident? In short, how can we wisely
make allowances for forces potent in others, the nature of which we may only
dimly know and are practically unable to appreciate in all their temporary
despotism? The question is how far will the normal impulses carry any one? We
plume ourselves on our own individual solidarity, poise, achievements, our
importance in the community; yet we have survived endless perils by means of
some judgment and more luck.