On Doing a Good Thing Without Being Told

IT IS a source of sincere satisfaction to any parent to have a child who knows how to receive instructions and how to carry them out; to have a son or a daughter who does precisely what he is told to do when he is told to do it, without excuse, without protest, without resentment or reluctance. But there is an even greater thrill than this that can come to parents_one which is exceedingly greater_and that is to have a child proceed to do a good thing without having to be told. To teach someone correct principles, and then to have him go forth and by his own initiative, by his own good judgment and common sense, do a good thing of his own choice_that is surpassing satisfaction, and a credit to him who does it and to all who have taught him so to do. One of the unmistakable marks of greatness in a teacher is to inspire students not merely to ape him, not merely to speak his own thoughts back to him, but to go beyond what he has taught or can teach. Indeed, if no one had ever done anything beyond what someone else could show him or tell him to do, human progress would have stopped still in the unremembered past. And herein lies but one of the many dangers of regimentation. It is assuredly true that conscientious conformity to rule and regulation is essential. Law and order would be lost without it. But the emergency, the unforeseen situation, is seldom safe in the hands of him who knows only what is in the books_who knows only the letter of the law. Knowing how and when to proceed beyond the detail of duty, knowing so well the broad principles that the literal instructions can be weighed intelligently, is a factor of safety and a prerequisite of progress. Beyond mere servility and mechanical obedience there must be the intelligence and the ability and the willingness to do more and better things than one has been asked or expected to do. “He that doeth not anything until he is commanded . . . the same is a slothful and not a wise servant.” In short, he who does a good thing of his own free will, without being threatened or coaxed, commanded or coerced, is on his way toward being an honor to those who have reared and taught him, and holds promise of serving the world in much greater degree than he who waits to be commanded in all things.