Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-05-06
c,1r TIRE OF THE MINDS OF CHILDREN.

10 en- neasant to witness as parental affection; ID
an instinct natural and powerful that oostaolee
are surmounted and sacrifices are made without re-
morse nay with pleasure, by those parents VINO see
in their offspring the consummation OF love. But Is
It not surprising, or rather is it not matter OF
deep regret that with all this affection, while all
this sincere and honest dolizng, one OF the nrst ou
ties and one of the greatest pleasures should be over
looked neglected: that the mind of the child, SIM
ple tractable and conding should be left to deVei-
CD itself under the harsh influence of ignorance-to
become dwarfed by mistaken kindness? So soon
as the infant opens its bedazzed eyes in this world,
it commences to think-to learn Its thoughts OF
course are weak and perhaps only hafformed A;
but there is the mind, whose nature will not allow
it to rest, however much we may deceive ourselves
on that point. The necessity, Them exists for the
attentive training of the infant mind from the earli-
est moment it deals with the things of this life. In.
stead of this, however, custom has SO far imposed
her conventonalisms upon US, that the child walks
and talks fer years without any attention being made
to the directions ofits thoughts when at length
this duty is undertaken, it is generally performed
with such inexcusable laxty, that the childs memo
~ is loaded only with words of half of which it
scarcely knows the meaning, and with warning
against those enormities merely which involve pun
ishment and disgrace; external proprlety OF oena-
vior and politeness; the arts of reserve dss!muia
ton, and fattery certain orthodox notions OF social
lfe and dexterity in gaining livelihood are taught
as matters of course; while the formation of the
mind and the heart is estimated as secondary con-
sideration. This produces more serious consequent
ces than may at first appear. One or both OF TWO
results almost inevitable; the chids natural SIM
plicty may be poisoned, and its openness OF heart
NAV be violated There are serious obstacles TO the
education of the infant mind. 80
For the understanding of child to be healthy
and properly formed, thrust have been supplied with
correct notions of things and taught always to think
in q way consonant with truth. But this cannot De
accomplished without much assiduty and care; this
is no exception; anything, the possession OF when
is valuable, is generally difficult to obtain. AND
what can be more precious to an atectionate parent
than an intelligent child? what could more am.
plv reward those parental exertions-those dutliul
labors of love? Can we expect the child to success
fully pursue truth through the bypaths and mazes
of fasehood, without a guide to first teach 1t the
shortest and safest way, and beacon to afterwards
remind it of its Instructions? The honest little
hearts of childhood easily caught in the snares
of popular error and for them once to be so entan-
gled is perhaps the most melancholy accident that
can befall them consequence follows consequence,
until the result is deplorable, and may be fatal
ignorance. To avoid this, the child should be SUBJ
ject to systematic watching; and whenever it ar
Iives at wrong conclusion, conversation, KIND
considerate and of character to suit its age, may put
it right, and SO explain the of arriving at such
unsound Judgment, that the error may, perhaps, be
less frequent as the child become solder. This may
appear to involve an arduous undertaking on the
part of the parent; but it is absolutely necessary;
for by no means can the child be taught sufficiently
early to pay attention to the operation OF its own
mind, which is one great object to be aimed at and
achieved.
All questions should be patiently and carefully
answered and by means should curiosity be
checked. To reply peevishly and sharp to child's
interrogatores, is fatal mistake, and neither con-
firms the prudence nor intelligence of the parent
It is to check the cravings of mind desiring to de-
velop itself; to refuse to labor, that you may be
warded hundred fold to nip in the bud the long
desired flower; and to heap sorrow on your head,
and expect rejoicing. The injunction to hear see,
and say nothing" is a mistake which must sooner
later be patent to the world of parents and tu-
tors who have so long cherished it orthodox
admonition to those intelligent little creatures who
have desired to understand what they have SEEN
OF course, there are times and seasons when silence
should be required of them but these are rare and
not generally of long Duration Then, again, they
should be encouraged to use their senses-to see
things, feel them, hear them, and so on, whenever
it is possible for them to assist their understand
ing. The beauties of heaven, and the wonders of
the vegetable and animal kingdoms, are very nstruc-
tive lesson books, from which the young enquirer
will obtain many impressions and thoughts calcua-
ted to strengthen his mind. But care should be ia
ken that they do not pass rapidly from one SUBJ
ject to another; for there is this danger against
which it is necessary to guard-they may thereby
become in attentive. Now it is only by attention that
they obtain any solid information; and it is
therefore of great importance that they should be
trained to be attentive.
Another necessary precaution, on the part of pa.
rents and tutors is that their answers to questions,
their explanations of objects, should be in lam
guage sufficiently plain to come within the compre-
hension of the child to be instructed; or else as
must at once be seen, the child will be puzzled in
stead Of edited and the labor of the instructor be
in vain instead of useful. 1t were better that the
~ In t,,Ia ho 1ock
they should be mysti6ed by ignorance and prevari.
cation. 1t is not at all injurious to the influence Of
instructors that they should occasionally acknowl-
edge their inability to explain matters upon which
they are inadequately informed. One great reason
why they should not be misled either intentionally
or unintentonaly is that the first impressions have
superiority of power over those which may be af-
forwards received. This accounts, in measure for
the tenacity with which some people retain notions
absurdly superstitious. First impressions there
fore should be forcble and true. Another error not
untrequenty committed in the education of the child
is that his tasks are not within his power Of COM
prehenson. They are suited only for ripper years
and the ideas he forms of these subjects are proba-
bly, incorrect. In every day life we may constantly
detect the effect of such loose and moons derae
training. Children of larger growth are hourly
using words, and sometimes phrases, of the meaning
OF which they have very imperfect knowledge
Were the policy seen and generally acted upon. of
teaching the young carefully and regularly instead
of by the present vague and unsound system. the
conversation Of society during the next generation
would be of much purer and intelligent character
than the present verbose and pithless mode of COM
munication There is no better sign, perhaps. of a
cultivated mind, than the proper use Of words with
the nice distinctions Of which the student only has
knowledge The importance of this must be an
parent to the reader also that the childs inform
alton should be solid is suitable to its capacitv
ana care should be taken that it is sufficiently de.
h6erate in arriving at conclusions. CONSIDERING
them the whole of these circumstances, is the cul
ture of the child's mind matter upon which the
parent should feel Indifferent? 1t is duty solemn.
y incumbent, and task no less noble than delight.
full. Wright