Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-08-15

'he error clings to him till he comes into
"ctiVe LIE; nay, sometimes even as long
as he lives.
This may suffice for examples of the
error error OF which we are now speaking-
! me way to correct 1t is to preoeAt it. But
10 prevent 1t, the work must be commenc.
ed In the family and carried out in the
Scnool. 1t is grand point in the work
OF instruction. Ii were far more toler.-
Die evil for child who was well-instructed
in regard to definitions to be without in
Struetlon 10 everything else, than to be
well Versed In everything eISe-we mean
apparently SO, tor 1t coulI not be reuL -
and yet BE- Impractical in the great work
of defining.
Another error still, in talking to chill
dren, or in wiring for them, consists in
taking them to know too little. We are
prone to extremes, and not less 50 in the
education of children, whether by writing,
conversation, or direct effort, than in other
matters.
You will ask, perhaps, how it can be
true that we both take children to know
100 much and too little. The thing is
perfectly easy; but whether easy or not,
Is certainly common.
1t IS most common in conversation with
them, and frequently leads 10 a pronuncia-
ton which is highly iujudicious. Thus
the child, having become familiar with an
associate who is little older than him.
self is at length to be told that he is his
brother. But if so, why not use the plain
word? Why contract it, by exchanging
the softer sound of the TIL, for the sound
twice repeated, of the ugly mute b, an{
at the same time suppress the r! Why
not, we repeat it, just say brother? Or, i
the child is not yet old enough, or if hi!
vocal organs are not yet sufficiently de-
veIoped, why not wait little while before
we attempt to teach him to talk
And yet the contrary practice is almos
universal; not in relation to this wore
always, or to this alone; but to man,
words III common use among parents
though not yet familiar to the child In,
consequence is, almost everywhere, a sor
of baby dialect, which it is much NOR
difficult to eradicate than it is to establish
and which, in some of It's parts, is no
nnfrequently carried through life.
The same is true of the style of con
versation. There is a sty le often in vogu
with those who impart the first lessons It
children-their lessons and language, a
we'll as almost everything else-whicI
sears about the same relation to a tru
style, as bub6G does to the true pronunci
alton Of the word brother. Whereas W
consider it is as the plainest dictate G
common sense, that both pronunciation
and style should be correct, whether w
speak to the babe or the octogenarlan.-
We would not of course make use of s.
extended a vocabulary, in conversIng will
the child, as we would in conversing will
the adult; nor would we converse will
eithgr on topics of which they were utter
ly ignorant, at least without sufficien
explanation and illustration.
That there are some sounds, and By
consequence some words large and small
which a child cannot utter as early a.
others, we fully admit. His vocal or
gans, like the rest, are not prepared fo
CNSI llllnS at OIIIC' all lllot We AlIolS
on, is that when he is taught to enunci
ate, or to pronounce, he should be laugh
to do it properly and correctly. This we
conceive to be the legitimate, and the onI
legitimate field for educational effort. W.
have nothing to do with Fastening The
process of uuerance Of even of language
When however, a child inclines to speaL
and gives names, it is the business Of th'
educator to see that he does it right. Coz
has given the organs, and a due attentlo,
to his physical laws will duly and sea
sonabIy develop them; and due attention
to the laws Of the mind and heart, will
call forth seasonabIe thought The bust
ness of the man whom God has created
as Of the first man,-is to give the names
and, as we have already said, give then
correctIy.-Ann0ls Of Education