Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1851-03-07

Newspapers, that so little can be found
TO interest the minds o: children, to i'm
press them with sense of what is right
and wrong and TO train them for exertion
and usefulness in afterlife. Why should
not the younger portion of families find
a corner in every such paper written ex-
pressly for them. aglr8sEs "-oF9slas J.
The good that would result from it, is
immense. Parents who strive 10 sow
good seed in the minds and hearts OF
their children; would find their efforts
more effectual; the plants would take
a deepe: root from being constantly nur-
tured and trained; and The soil would be-
come capable of producing richer har.
vest from being so frequently strengthed.
Again there are hundreds of families
where the parents exert all evil influence
upon the minds Of their offspring. They
are brought up in vice-profanity is not
checked-sabbath breaking is disregar-
ded--falsehood goes unpunished,iE short
all vices that lead 20 crime aud dishonor
are left 10 grow and mature in the heart,
until all that is good and notle is exter-
minated, and The very atmosphere around
them, seems polluted with their poison
Gus breath. Now into such families, let
a Newspaper make its weekly appear
ance; with its children and youths de-
partment, and there would be a counter.
acting influence check upon the tide
of vice. .. a.. .. ....... .....s-
Children would soon become Impress
ed with the truth, they would learn that
it is wrong to swear, to lie, to steal, to
drink intoxicating liquor; although their
parents might indulge in one, or all of
these sinful practices, daily before their
eyes. They would remember of reading
about little boy who came to the gal
lows, before he had reached the years of
manhood; when the first crime he ever
thought of committing was stealing a
marble;--of another who died misera-
BILE drunkard in the street, when his first
deviation from the path of rectitude was
slipping a little to-day which wicked
companion urged him TO do,--and yet of
another who dared TO break the Sabbath,
and by the means crippled himself for
life. fssaa 81. --a ...a-- .:a.s. j.. a~... ...
In short, all the sins and follies Incl
dent To children, would be drawn out in
such glaring colors, as TO leave lasting
impress upon the mind; and though all
might not profit by precept and example,
still am sure. much good would be the
result. | know that there are publica.
lions expressly for children, but there
are hundreds of parents who would
never take one of them, even though
they could afford to do so; as they care
but little about forming the moral and
religious characters OF their little ones. >
| Besides, there are many who cannot
really afford to. take more than one pa
per; and wha, blessing it would be TO
have that contain healthy nulriment for
-es
every member of the family. .s-HE
Occasional pieces for children, may
have good effect; but nothing in com.
parison to what would be derived from
having little niche, weekly; devoted
exclusively to their wants, which they
would soon learn TO regard as their own
property. But ! leave the subject for
other minds 70 reflect upon, and would
hope that ADLER pens than mine, may be
employed in advocating the rights OF
children. and in supplying their de-
mands for food; which shall nourish and
train their immortal minds, for happiness
here, and eternal blessedness beyond the
grave. ae. 9eH gnsEe -gsi ha.a
KEoKuK, Iowa, 1851. 'lf.at a" y