Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1849-06-22
The Infant-Safroca Acknowledgement
edge System.
"Oh the sunny, sunny hours Of childhood,
How soon, how soon they pass AWAY r.


Very There pds time when we had child
rem. The time is past, or is fast passing. The
boys are premature mockcries Of mcn---thenirls,
something between q dol and stunted woman.
The schoolmaster is abroad, also the schooms-
iress, besides tutors and governesses.
Shortly after the children are weaned, they
commence educating them. While the brain is
in a soft, pupy state, they load il with heavy
fncts and bard names, to its serious dctriment
during the remainder Of It's mundane existence.
The ancient Grecian commenced with carrying
calf upon his back few hours every day, so
that when the calf gradually grew into a bullock,
be carried the bullock with as much ease as he
Ind done the calf This IL now the education
principle. They lay few leaves Of Mathemat-
les or Encyclopedia on chids tender brain,
and keep aiding thereunto day by day, expect
ing that when man, he will carry the thirty vol
umcs with perfect ease, without considering that
in the attempt they may crush all sap and fresh.
ness out Of that brain, rendering il as fiat as
pancake, and as "dry as the remainder Of bis
cult"
Now is this wholesome--is il NATURALLY Is il
fairs It humane, that a child should be cheat
ell out of its childhood, and sent to learn the
fuse of the globes" before il has learnt to play
at ball? Or is il to be expected that this early
forcing and hot-bed system can produce plants
as healthy as il they had been allowed to grow
in the free air and open sunshine2 Oh, in place
Of sending Child to school at three or four years
let it enjoy three or four more years Of healthy
ignorance. Curb not its young freedom; abridge
not its first holidays; cage not the pretty bird
too soon Change not the free air of heaven
for the pentup atmosphere of the " Bows and
Girls Seminary" the gentle murmur of the
winds for the dull hum Of the prison-house.-
We were children ourselves once let US have
fellow feeling for the young rogues. Let kind
al. l.
There will be fewer ricketty limbs and ricketty
intellects.
And does a child learn nothing because il has
not primer in its hand ? Every hour of its lit
tic life it is learning; it cannot help il. The
blossouing flower, the springing grass, the with
cred leaf, the running water, the birds that hop
across its path, and the thousand sights Of the
fields and woods, or even the suburbs of city,
cause it think and question. The wind, as it
blows tho falling rain, tho Aeecy snow. the sharp
frost making firm the unstable water the thnn.
der peal, the sun that shines by day, and the
moon that steals into the dark sky at night, all
and each arouse its infaute wonder and curios.
ity. Let ii, rs St. Paul says, when il is child,
I" think as child, and act az a child" and in
due and proper season, no doubt Of il, il will
"put away childish things"
But we are bent upon doing too much. No
time is TO be wasted. We cannot be content
w'n neailny natural ehi'dren' possessed Of IN
formation proper 70 'ne,r years; we must have
proulgiesIor parrots. Miss pirates Of planetary
systems wh',e her hngers Itch to make dolls
iroeks, ana master IS Taught philosophy before
ne ms learned 70 euro his appetite Tor plum,
Puadlng ana what are the precious results
oreea OF per-, preeoeious things for foolish
n,amuias anu ounderheaded papas to exhibit
h'ter dinner 10 their silently enduring, but in
"ardiy cursing guests.
hne way 70 learn child humility, il is to
cram It's htue head with hard, dry names, dates
ana iaets which, though its memory may retain,
Us yet weakly intellect cannot by any possibility
9igest or turn into knowledge but which names,
GATES and facts 1t IS very likely to discover full
grown people know nothing about, having never
known, or having long since forgotten them. A
very pretty wayl
Dur IL Is mol. your duh or ordinary children,
who SIMPLY learn 10 babble about multitude of
things they do not understand, that are so much
70 DC P'ueI. IL IS the naturally Tine, apt, intel
ngen' child that Is the most inhumanly victim
VEG. 1t /. quick TO learn, and its qaickness is
s.'"'.r,. -, and E,ssoa5 oS ho;nr sorros.ed
~ asagil, r raonIs,ed !. i eSc;,ed ssnS I'D NV
IL 1vonJay sn3 annroba,;on Of ali Who coma q
~ 81 n III a.