Litchfield enquirer., 1837-03-30
From hke Springfield Gazette.

THOUGHTLESS-THoUGM
 lis apparent from the rudeness, and the imprudent words and actions nf the young. that they are ttough.less. They say and do things that caDnot be kept secret, and which exposes them to the ridicule or re- proach of others, and the goading of their own consciences. A moments reflection would have held them back, and prevented the evil consequence. The most charita- ble construction that can be pat upon much that is said and done by the young, and very often the true construction, is, they dId nor lninK abous me true result Our hope that the future course of their lives will not be wayward and linoughtless, is that they will learn to consider the end from the beginning The end ofthat way that often seemeth right to the minimizing is often death. "a
 The levity of youth, is furiheriproof of their lack ofthought. Those, who treat subjects that arc not only important, but serious, in vain, trifling manner, can nev- CT have directed their thoughts to those subjects SO as to understand their nature.
 The school teacher who has observed the operations of the youthful mind, knows, that habits of close and careful thought are no, natural, but acquired. If y0u ask a class of young arithmeticians how many times siz cents will go in cightecn dollars, they will readily answer thrse. Ask an- other class the nominative of the verb in this sentence, Tine truth oft is apparent, and some of the unlhinking ones will say ;t is in the nominativc. They do not say so because they have no knowledge, for it can be determined by two or three simple ques- lions, tha, they knew better, but they did not think.
 If it be said that these ,houghtless an- swers are given only by here and there a needless youth, answer they arc often given by all who have not been trained to habits of close and careful thought.
 Iregard it, therefore, as the duty of ev- cry school teacher, to keep his eye upon the process of the child's thoughts. II he gives an incorrect answer to question, U is not the best way to say, No, you are wronp.' and pass to the next. But the teachers great business being 10 learn his pupils to think, let him ask the child why he answers as he does. I, may be the child m;sunderstaDds a wOld, and if ho answered honestly he will give some reason Tor l; and an opportunity VIII Uo ""S'uSN :" ,P.' him right; if he can give no. reason, Il is presumed the answer was given al random; then, the child knows any thing on the subject, he can be set to thinking and cor rect himself. will illustrate .:H sDr. Prince was learned iheologian.' inquire what part of speech is the0logian; tue schola2 calls 1t a VERB. Now ! will find whether the answer was the offspring ofignorance or thoughllessness. ask the scholar, ; What is A7' An article. What are articles perfxed to1' To noans.- What is A pariixed tol' To THEoLoeI- AN. Well, then, what is theologian ? A common noun.
 The scizing upon some train of thought (which will develope she truth. learns the child 10 think and to reason {; and this, in my humble opinion, is the manner in which ,lie untrue assertions ought always to be corrected. Parents, Sabbath school teach CTS, and all who labor io mouhIihe intellec ofa child, should do this. ! protest agains telling child he is wrong and leaving hin inhis error. Iprotest, also, against tellinl him what is true, without showing hin where he errs. and how he can pu, hin'sel right. The child must be LED out Oferror land LEn into tho truth, aud not LTTED"