Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-03-02
Idle Bows and Girls.

All luc . odlu Il III iSIltl1 LAOCL1C1 " :"
friend, 'how the times have changed? Chill
dren~ nowadays are so INDECENT, and so DISC
bedient. It was not so when | was a child.
Then boys and girls worked and seemed to
love it, and it was only necessary then for
parents to say, SON. or daughter! do this or
that, and how quickly they jumped to do it.
But now, all the kind persuasions or gentle
admonitions of parents, avail nothing. Chill
dren seem to feel that it is degrading to work,
and unmanly to obey"
Yes, it is even so, and whose fault is it,
Boys and girls are naturally now just what
they used to be. They never lOUed work, nor
did they ever lore the restraints of parental
authority. Industry and obedience are very
unlovable and unnatural duties, which no
child ever performed with pleasure and alacri-
ty, until it was made to understand the ma
ture Of parental authority and the sweetness
of obedience. Children who are never taught
that their happiness is secured by submission
to wholesome restraint, and made to feel that
they owe to parents more than is due to them,
can never love duty in any form.
In the good old days of which that mother
spake, children were disciplined. Self was
conquered in the outset. The will of parent:
was known to be the law, and it was enforced
by the double force, of an appeal to the mora
sense, backed up by the proper use of the rod
Where this was done kindly and wisely, i
never failed to make children love duty. Thel
some value was set upon the affection of pa
rents, because parents were strict in ~exactin
the lore of the child, as the best means Of Sc
curing obedience. They were made to fee
that parents were the most important person
ages in the household, and that they wer
without rights or authority, only at the p;
rents will.
How is it now? Why, children in the
swaddling clothes are taught to feel that p
rents, and servants, and every thing about ii
premises or that they see, were made Fl
them. That they have an absolute right
/, every thing. They have learned they can e
any and every thing, for the crying for it.
They are told, "hush and mamma will g
it at any cost" until the little embryo XII
sways universal sceptre and feels that t
:, world is his. Nor is self broken at a lat
, period. Passion sometimes prompts the
, tempt, but the child has learned to conql
D by holding out a little longer than the pare
y in it's resistance, and it is ruined. By
i time they can cleyerly tOddle, they are Dire
ed and petted, until they are confirmed in
+ idea that the world was made for them. I'll
merit and sometimes get correction, but it
done in such a manner, as to convince tn
it is not given to make them better, but
> cause might gives right, and hence the pr
Of the little gentlemen and ladies, is NORTH
IT not humbled or broken. When approach
e that age when exercise and moderate laI
are so essential to health and the future M
T. they are made to feel that labor is degradil
II the work of menials and dependents. TIL
c little gentle folks are too delicate or too
$ portant to make up a bed, or put on tn
IL clothes or get a drink of water. A servi
y must be called to do every thing, and if tn
. are out of the way, Ma or Pa will ansy
d" about as well. Is it remarkable that bc
and girls are growing idle, refractory and {
II o~bedient, under such discipline The W,
. der Is, they are not tenfold worse. 4 81,
Oh the next generation will witness without S
prise.