The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1847-04-22

a
let our childlen not use them before they
are ripe; and then in proper Quantities
they may be taken with perfect safety and
decided advantage. ] have often noticed
Ihai children deprived Of llis indulgence
are apt 70 be sickly, puny, dyspeplie crea.
lures; while The hardy lillle nrehin who
climbs The Tree % gather The ripe fruit, and
then dev0urs iiai his own discretion, rarc.
~ experiences any resulting evil. We
beg pardon Of The doctors Tor thus uncere-
mnniOnsly obluding ourselTinlo what may
be considered as falling properly within
their more immediate and appropriate
province. Our remarks are The result ol
pretty extensive and long continued
course Of observation. and our readers may
take them for whatever they are worth.
But. 10 carry out little more in detail
our notions on the best method of educa-
ting boys. We believe that at about sew
en- or eight years Of age the lad should be
sent 10 school, and should be kept at il ill
he is oil enough TO plough by that time
learning will be getting 10 be rather hea.
w, dali business, pursued without inter-
est, and only pursued al all probably from
motives Of fear. Then take him and put
him 10 work on the farm for two or three
years, lei him handle the plough or the
hoe, or do any oihcf business required TO
be done on the plantation, 10 which his
physical strength is adequate, only see that
he is kept steadily al business, and is no,
permitted 10 be idle or triIling because he
is young master by This process you will
have given strength and development TO his
physical constiiution-you will have CIV
en- him habits of business and knowledge
of il, which he can turn 10 good account
in any avocaiion 10 which he may apply
himself i'm future time. And il is proba-
BILE loo that he will turn 10 his studies with
an interest and zest hitherto unlelt by
him, and will learn more in one year than
he would Otherwise have done in two or
three. TO this course know there is
one objection, which is often considered
conclusive by Southern plenters ~ % sl'at
tfiey cannot reside on Their plantations
without boarding their children out to send
them TO school, hence they most common
" reside with their families in towns or
villages, and their farms are frequently re-
mote, so that they cannot send their sons
home 10 work without mjuring their man
ners by such immediate contact with the
negroes. TO this we answer, il might
be well worth the expense for you TO have
a small farm near 10 your residence, whose
soil j, would do good to your sons to turn
over, where they would be daily under
your observation. In fact the most Of our
wealthy farmers have these provision
farms contiguous 10 their places of resi-
dence, so that they would be easily ac-
complished. And permit us TO say still
further, that il your boy is thrown upon the
plantation with the overseer and negroes,
and the oyerseer be a man of such pru-
dence and morals as hris,ian master
might with good conscience put in charge
of his slaves and plantation, it is very
questionable whether young master will
be nearly as much damaged in heart or
manners as has been feared. Ii is not inn
possible tina. The injury would scarcely
equal that derived from the associations of
large college, and a thriving commercial
town. At any rate he would not prob
ably make as great proficiency in the ac-
complishmcnts of drinking gin-sling. or
playing cards or billiards, as he would be
apt TO do in association with hundred
young men gathered from all classes and
from all portions Of the state. We re-
commend this subject TO The serious con-
sideration of parents who have sons to
educate. Many boys are sent to school
al six years of age, and they are kept at
it all the while. II is school, school all
the time. The boy loses all relish for
study he does not love it, for he has not
as yet learned to appreciate the value or
importance Of education: he is conse-
quently negligent as TO his studies. and as
books are repudiated, mischief must be in
voked TO Gil the vacuum. Father, teach
er, and all concerned decide that ne is
learning nothing; but still for his own
credit and that Of the family, he must re-
tain his place as a student, and, by dint OF
managing, examining, and the proper guam
tum Of indulgence, and slight sprinkle OF
favorielsm on the part of his teachers, he
passes through college, his name standing
on The list of " ercused" among the orators
of the occasion, and when the testimonial
from the President is handed him, it might
be truly said that there was more on the
sheepskn than had ever been in the head