Lincoln telegraph. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1836-1846, 1839-04-25
THE TELEGRAPH.
FOR THE TELEGRAPH.
EDUCATION OF CHILDREN.


g Just as the twig is bent, the trees inclined ;,
herc is no subject of greater impor
,.,ca yhether it be regarded in a religious,
,,,orol q, POLITICAL point of view, than the
,aa,,c,t;op or OH, 'drep. And yet how slight
is the attention il genera :" 'e'e''es no"
seldom do parents interest them selves ~ ',e
subject sufficiently t, cooperate VIII the
teacher in efforts for their improve
Vet we are all aware that these very Chm
t;ren who are now SO much neglected, and,
as is too frequently the case, sent to school
f'r no higher purpose than "to get them
out of the way" will soon be the men and
women who are to legislate for the nation,
and to form the standard Of religion, liter
ature, and moials for another generation
What that standard will be, i, is for the
present generation TO decide. If these
children are suffered to grow up with I'M
checked wills, and unsubdued passions, it
is fearful to think what will be the state OF
regard mainland if the principles of piety,
love, patience, and self-denial, are not n-
sillled into the infant mind, is there Il prob
ability that the pride of manhood will bow
10 so self-humbing spirit How seldom
is the command, " AS yc would that men
should do to you, do We even so to then',"
l. a.. l.. e Il, I 1
dom are they taught the loyelness there is
in kindness, sympathy, forgiveness and be-
nevolence Alas how much more fire.
quently are they taught TO cherish selfish
ness, to look down in scorn upon the desti-
tue, and TO revenge to the uttermost the
slightest offence ] do not mean to imply
that children are instructed, to do these ia
plain words, but is it to be supposed that
they can mistake the glance Of haughti-
ness, or the flashing of resentment upon the
countenances of those to whom they natu-
rally look as their models and counsellors?
And they do not stop there--,hey carry in
10 practice what they learn, and, ere we
think they have lived long enough to have
inhaled a portion of arlstocratlc air, we see
them selecting from their playmates, those
whose families are highest in the ranks Of
wealth and fashion, as their most suitable
companions. All how plainly doth this
show what direction has been given to the
twig! Let them be taught not merely told,
but taught that the mind is the standard
Of the man, and how quickly would the
splendor of wealth and state fade into moth
ingness.
1t is frequently said, and that too in their
presence, that all children have had hab-
its, which will wear off when they are old
err Let us but look around us, or into our
own hearts, and we shall see at once the
folly Of such reasoning Superior indeed
perceive and overcome habits which have
been permitted to exist unrestrained during
his childhood Will he not rather find that
they have grown with his growth. and
strengthened with his strength, and, like
the hydra, constantly spriugipg up TO mock
his weakness, and destroy his hopes p,
Habit is second nature, and, whether
good or bad, it will not leave us till after
severe contest it becomes subdued by some
superior power. A regard for reputation
will frequently induce one to conquer in
some degree, or at least TO conceal the evil
passions, and, while the surface is fair and
lovely, the fires Of hatred, revenge, Jealousy