The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg, by Mark Twain

It was many years ago. Hadleyburg was the most honest and upright town in all the region round about. It had kept that reputation unsmirched during three generations, and was prouder of it than of any other of its possessions. It was so proud of it, and so anxious to insure its perpetuation, that it began to teach the principles of honest dealing to its babies in the cradle, and made the like teachings the staple of their culture thenceforward through all the years devoted to their education. Also, throughout the formative years temptations were kept out of the way of the young people, so that their honesty could have every chance to harden and solidify, and become a part of their very bone...

But if you teach people to be good, but take away their chances of practicing being good, where in the world does it lead? Mark Twain (aka Samuel Clemens) presented some of his ideas on the subject in his 1899 story "The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg". Use title link for one of several online reprints of the text.