The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1859-06-29
Care Of Children.


DANGER OF A PREMATURE DEVELOPMENT
OF TIE INTELLECTUAL FACULTIES. IN
UTILITY OF TEACHING CHILDREN TO
READ TOO SOON
Here, however, is the place to recon-.
mend the greatest caution with regard to
thepemature development Of the intel
irctual faculties. Too great eagerness in
ihis respect. may create disturbances in
the chih's physical condition, his brain
being already over excited ly the great
number Of involuntary acquisitions which
he makes, ana must make.
] am, aso, very decidedly opposed To
the pre5enr very common custom Of teach.
ing chI!ilcn to read at three years of age.
There is ~ advantage IN beginnin. this
part ot their instruction so early. 1t is
oniy running the risk Of disturbing, for
The benefit Of a partial Development Of
the intelligence, without any advantage
To positive instruction, the cquihhrium Of
the economy aud the constitution. Let
us tax" full advantage of the very small
number uf years that We are allowed tn
consecrate To the care oi the physical or
gauiza,ion Of children, nor loose mo.
ment ot this precious time. Let us EN-
rluN it, undivided, III strengthening or
garic action, aud in establishing good
health, without which there will be no
real enjoyment hereafter, nor any com.
pIete possession Of the intellectual tacul
ties Let Us not .ry to make one OF those
imperfect beings III whom the mind is
not freely served 10y its organs, but suffers
itself from the want Of harm onv between
ia. different systems OF the economy, Just
as the latter are themselves readily fa;i
gurd hy the efforts Of intellectual labor
aud the EXERCISES Of the thinking facu,
te>. What difference does the loss of
,ne or two years make in the small a.
mount Of instruction acquired at the age
of tour or five years. Children that are
in good health, aud well trained, will rea.
diIy make up for this time, so usefulIy
enpIoyed for their health, in another
way.
THE AMUsEMENTs AND PLEASURES WHICH
MAY BE GIVEN TO CHILDREY.
AS to the pleasures and distractions
which are procured for children, there is
no UttN W vary Nueil IDuCH. SullUIeU
are pleased with the same objects with
which they amuse themselves every day,
and with the places t5at they are often
in, and where they pass their life Far.
fetched pleasures tire them, irritate, and
pail upon them while, on the contrary,
the calm Of uniform life suits both
their temperaments and tastes. There is
r,pl- ,E I,. lf
the small number Of objects made 10 pass
before their eyes, and the little vaF:ety
introduced into their habits their imag.
ina,ion makes up for all, and they know
40 such thing as monotony; such source
of new impressions for them is the slight
est circumstance Their health. besides,
requires that their minds be not occupied
With .oo many IDEAS at once {; that their
imagination be not excited, nor their sen
si5llity disturbed hy too many lively and
multiplied sensations. 4 child that was
travelling IN Italy with its family, whom
the mother took with her every ywhere. and
before whose eyes host Of new and va
cied objects were made TO pass every day
contracted thereby nervous disorder,
,Yhich ;Qpld oply' be allayed by tran.
gull and uniform life in the open sis, ana
without change Of place. Let us, then,
.eSye children TO their proper nature; let
US not conslrain hem, but take good care
not to make them old before their time,
by attributing to them the tastes and the
requirements Of more advanced age.
What shall | say OF parties, entertai0.
rasgts, and fancy balls, to which young
children are taken without hesitation, in
order to derive amusement from their dis.
guises, much rather than to amuse the
children themselves 1t IS enough to
have been present Al one OF these parties
TO be convinced Of the injury j, does them,
morally and physically. Why have re
course to such pleasures, which do not
really suit their age; which enerya,e them
by disordering their young brains, and
which in all cases, never call forth in them
as hearty and spontaneous gayety, as a
show Of magic lantern, or COLLATION.. 10
the middle Of, the dsyi These are pleas.
ures which aie. really made for children,
that may be given TO them from time to
time without danger, and which we enjoy
ourselves from the joy the children receive
from them, and communicate to US.
HOW MUST WE ACT WITH CHILDREN WHEN
THEY ARE AFRAIDl
have just recommended, incidentally,