Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1859-12-30

Parents, do you feel the importance of Ina,
trust which is committed to your care, in those
little children which you have summoned from
the dark unknown; who now surrcon, YOU, and
who are now looking up to you Tor guidance and
support relying upon you not only TO furnish
them with the clothes they wear, the food they
eat, and the many comforts with which they are
surrounded but the best means of obtaining
that which is Of mo.c importance--the proper
food Tor their immortal minds, which are Jus,
spreading their unhedged wings in pursuit of
knowledge.
Have you not, by calling ihem into existence
taken upon yourselves the responsibility of cloth
ing their minds as well as their bodies OF
feeding their minds with mental food that shall
helpto rear Alright the temple of thought? Have
you better right to poison their minds by con-
Eliminating influence of evil examples or by per-
uniting them TO associate with the idle and vic |
ious, than you have TO administer to them pur-
ton of deadly poison?
If your child cut lis finger, if limb is broken
or II receive an iujary any way, you tend it with
the most affecionate care. Is the body of more
importance than the mind? Why then this
care for their physical wants while their mental
wants are left TO care for lhemselves-=their
minds To run 10 waste OF to grow up filled with
the weeds Of 'gnoranoo. and ofrnr says many,
''ths is not the case with u, we furnish our
children with books and teachers, and their priv
ileges are far superior TO those which we enjoy
ed in our younger days" While few reply
that, 1--WE are too poor TO furnish our childten
with the means of education" This should be
the reply to the latter. Ii you are too poor to
furnish means for the cultivation of that divine
spark of thought, which God has implanted
within the minds OF those lie has committed TO
your care, and which by the proper cultivation,
would shine brighter and brighter as it speeds on
an ats upward fight, cilling the choice gems of
wisdom to the end o: life; then you are too poor
10 call these helpless beings into existence to
fight the battle of life, without hope of win
augh. Blu, since you have taken the response
hlty TO do it you are responsible for the proper
euiirv a1iun of rheir minds. Ia the reply 10 the
former yoa adult that your child's privileges
are superior to those you enjoyed, yet is that
any reason that they are what they should be !?
You might have been nearly starved in youth,
would you argue, that for that reason it would
be just for you TO Withhold the proper nourish-
ment fiom your child? Admitted, that you fur
nish all the books and teachers that are necessa-
~, is your duty complete! Have you no fur
Their care for your child =? Does all The respon-
sibility now fall upon the teacher, who perhaps
is paid put piitance for his labors Is il the
| teachers duty alone to see that the scholar is
regular al school, to mark his conduct and pro-
gress there, and to see that he is not idling his
time away Why then, are parents such
strangers to the school room' Why do many
scholars make their Appearance at school an
hour after it has begun? Why are they ever
permitted to be absent from school day when
well Why are they often seen lettering their
time away at the stores and taveans? Parents,
these things are SO, and viii yea answer why
they are sssas
You procure fhe best Of teachers you furnish
your children with books and send tkem TO
school, yet y@ar dsTty IS not coepete' lou he
10 visit the school and see with your own eyes
what the teachers conduct is there, ard To hear
with your own cars what he is Installing int the
youthful minds committed 10 bis care Ii is
your duty to cooperate with the teacher there
TO assist him in forming Alright the young and
plastic mind of youth-to show him, by the IN
terest YOU take in the school, that you care for
the welfare of your children, and that Yea con-
slider the trust committed 10 linn 10 be one OF no
small importance. Go then and visit your
schools not once per term bat often. TO and
cheer the teacher in his ardnous task, ard your
children in their pursuit of knowledge. 20 to
the school-rcom and see that il is as pleasant and
comfortable as the barns in which your cattle
are kept. Go render your schoo-house pleas
ant and attractive place to those who are now
looking 10 you Tor support home as pleasant
to them as YOU could ask them to furnish to you
when old age comes creeping on, aud the fail-
ing mind, the fainiing heart and the toitering
step warn you tina, the evenlngof life IS drawing
near. and that YOU must look to these, your chill
a,on cor spnnort and care. SE1MA.