Weeds Among the Wheat

It was at Tolstoy Farm that Mr. Kallenbach drew my attention to a problem that had never before struck me. As I have already said, some of the boys at the Farm were bad and unruly. There were loafers, too, amongst them. With these my three boys came in daily contact, as also did other children of the same type as my own sons. This troubled Mr. Kallenbach, but his attention was centred on the impropriety of keeping my boys with these unruly youngsters.

At Tolstoy Farm, Mr. Kallenbach drew my attention to a problem I had never considered before. As I have said, some of the boys at the Farm were badly behaved and unruly. Some were also loafers. My three boys came into daily contact with them, as did other children like my own sons. This troubled Mr. Kallenbach, but he was mainly concerned that my boys were living with these unruly youngsters.

One day he spoke out: ‘Your way of mixing your own boys with the bad ones does not appeal to me. It can have only one result. They will become demoralised through this bad company.’

One day he spoke up: ‘I don’t like the way you mix your own boys with the bad ones. It can have only one result. Your boys will become demoralized by keeping such bad company.’

I do not remember whether the question puzzled me at the moment, but I recollect what I said to him:

I don't remember whether the question puzzled me at the time, but I remember what I said to him:

‘How can I distinguish between my boys and the loafers? I am equally responsible for both. The youngsters have come because I invited them. If I were to dismiss them with some money, they would immediately run off to Johannesburg and fall back into their old ways. To tell you the truth, it is quite likely that they and their guardians believe, that by having come here, they have laid me under an obligation. That they have to put up with a good deal of inconvenience here, you and I know very well. But my duty is clear. I must have them here, and therefore my boys also must needs live with them. And surely you do not want me to teach my boys to feel from today that they are superior to other boys. To put that sense of superiority into their heads would be to lead them astray. This association with other boys will be a good discipline for them, and they will, of their own accord, learn to discriminate between good and evil. Why should we not believe that if there is really anything good in them, it is bound to react on their companions? However that may be, I cannot help keeping them here, and if that means some risk, we must run it.’

‘How can I distinguish between my boys and the loafers? I am equally responsible for both. The young people came because I invited them. If I sent them away with some money, they would immediately run off to Johannesburg and return to their old ways. To tell you the truth, they and their guardians probably believe that their coming here has put me in their debt. You and I know very well that they have to put up with a good deal of inconvenience here. But my duty is clear. I must keep them here, so my boys must live with them too. And surely you do not want me to teach my boys, even now, to feel superior to other boys. Giving them that sense of superiority would lead them astray. Living with the other boys will be good discipline for them. They will learn on their own to tell right from wrong. Why should we not believe that, if there is really anything good in them, it is bound to influence their companions? Whatever happens, I have no choice but to keep them here. If that means taking some risk, we must take it.’

Mr. Kallenbach shook his head.

Mr. Kallenbach shook his head.

The result, I think, cannot be said to have been bad. I do not consider my sons were any the worse for the experiment. In fact I can see that they gained something. If there was the slightest trace of superiority in them, it was destroyed and they learnt to mix with all kinds of children. They were tested and disciplined.

I think the result was not bad. I do not believe my sons were any worse off because of the experiment. In fact, I can see that they gained something. If they had even the slightest sense of superiority, it was destroyed, and they learned to mix with all kinds of children. They were tested and disciplined.

This and similar experiments have shown me that if good children are taught together with bad ones and thrown into their company, they will lose nothing, provided the experiment is conducted under the watchful care of their parents and guardians.

This and similar experiments have shown me that good children lose nothing by learning and spending time with bad children. This is true as long as their parents and guardians watch over the experiment.

It does not necessarily follow that children wrapped up in cottonwool are proof against all temptation or contamination. It is true, however, that when boys and girls of all kinds of upbringing are kept and taught together, the parents and the teachers are put to the severest test. They have constantly to be on the alert.

Overprotecting children does not necessarily make them resistant to all temptation or harmful influences. But when boys and girls from all kinds of backgrounds live and learn together, parents and teachers face a severe test. They must constantly be alert.