"I have been asked what I mean by 'word of honor.' I will tell you: Place me behind prison walls- walls of stone ever so high, ever so thick, reaching ever so far into the ground- there is a possibility that in some way or another I might be able to escape; but stand me on the floor and draw a chalk line around me and have me give my word of honor never to cross it. Can I get out of that circle? No, never! I'd die first." - Karl G. Maeser

          What Karl is saying is that there are things you can escape from, like prison. Making a promise isn't something you can escape from. There is a possibility that you can escape from prison, but you can't escape your word of honor, that is what Karl is saying. The meaning of this quote is that if you gave your word of honor, you must follow through with it. You can't just give your word of honor and then just break it in the end. If you putting your word of honor on everything and you never go through with it, then people might not want to rely on you. A promise is a promise.