Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1858-11-09
Children's Rights.
Suggested By remarks at the 1saeaers association.
by MISS oRPHA E. TURNER.

There is at present great clamor for
the rights of creation, Women's Rights
Conventions, conventions for the discuss
ion of the rights of sovereignty, and for
freedom of thought and speech, religious
ly socially and politically. But not one
dash of pen or press, or one defamation,
on the rights of TIE little ones, who are
oppressed 10 no inconsiderable extent-I
will here relate little anecdote, which
perchance is familiar TO all of you, but it
suggests an idea worth turning over. a
little girl while recreafing in an ample
school playground (not in Mineral Point,
however, ohanced TO hnd a fallen branch
from one Of the friendly shade-trees,
which was sadly gnaried and bent and
as the little girl had been incited 10 think
and reason upon whatever she saw and
heard IN nature, her curiosity was AVA
kened by this unusual occurrence conse-
quently she picked up the crooked limb
and carried it 10 her leaeher, inlerrogat-
ing him as to the cause He answered
her that 1t had been stepped on. Stepped
on. There Is sermon in these two
words which might well be engraven up
on the heart Of every teacher, and per-
haps not few parents. For when we
attempt arbitrarily to enfoIoe Il law with
out lnstltuung reason, we step upon the
highest and noblest branch of the great
Tree of Wisdom, and bend and deforln
It's fair proportions. There is an inher-
ent principle of Right within, which IS
generally considered to be the basis Of
true governmental philosophy, theoreti-
cally acknowledged, although often prac-
tically ignored, which is to protect our
own rights and respect the nights of 9TH
ers. And, | would ask, what constitutes
this right! Simply this. 1t is a law of
Father God and Mother Nature, whose
legitimate offspring we are, that the pos
session Of any faculty of mind carries with
1t the right to the exercise of that faculty,
if it can be done without injury TO our
selves OF others around US. We are all
Of Us sufficiently democratic to desire 10
institute our own laws which are 10 gov
ern our own natures, and think there is
nothing which viii induce children TO
obey the rules Of the school-room 50 effect
ually as for The teacher to bring out a
proper understanding and appreciation of
the rules which he wishes to institute,
(wh. ch he can do in various ways, then
allow the scholars 10 vote upon them, and
almost invariably, they will vote in exact
ly the direction he wishes, and they Will
feel the dignity Of self-government, with
out the Illuminating feeling of being COM
PEELED blindly to obey rules which they
can see no justice or reason in, ] DO not
consider it necessary that the teacher
should convert himself into an iceberg Of
unapproachabIe dignity, but, Oh the corra-
ry, that the teacher is most successful who
mingles most with his pupils, sympathizes
most with their little perplexities, and en-
courages and answers their inquiries on
all subjects according to the best of his
ability. Nature has not forbidden the in
vestigation of any of her laws, but, on the
contrary, invites US cordially to study, IN
derstand and practice them. Vindictive
feelings are often excited in the young
mind by having requirements imposed up
on them which 10 them are unjust, be-
cause there is no reason given for them
and presume many of US can look back
to some circumstance Of the kind. in Itself
very triaing, wAich has, perchance. infu-
enced US our whole lives. Then let US
not despise the day Of small things, and
above all, may the liuie ones who have
been slerped on receive our special care.
ADVICE or AN OLD LADY.-Now John,
listen to me, for | am older than You, or
| could ut be your mother. Never do you
marry young woman, John, before you
have contrived to happen at the house
where She lives. at least four or five times
before breakfast. You should know how
late she lies IN bed In the morning. Yea
should take notice whether her complex
ion Is the same in the morning as it is in
the evening. or whether the morning
wash and towel have robbed her of her
evening bloom. You shonld take care 10
surprise her, so thai you may see her in
her morning dress, and observe how her
hair looks when she Is not expecting you
If possible. you should be where YOU can
hear the morning conversation between
her and her mother. If she Is ill-natured
and snaF2ish to her mother, 50 she viii
te to you, depend on it. Bur if you find
her up and dressed neatly in the morning,
with the same countenance, the same