Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1860-11-22
educational department.
g Who Educates your Children ?"

cOmpllsleu Madane De CIae!, 81 COpet. she
having requested private audience, spoke to
the first Consnl Of the powerful means afford
ed by his situation to provide for the happiness
of France, and made an eloquent display Of
| her own plans for the accomplishment OF that
| object, which she was desiroCs to have that
! giant among great men adopt in bis manage
! ment OF public affairs. He heard her patient
/ y, until she had finished her speech, when be
coclly asked, Who educates yo2r Children,
/ Madame 2"
What must have been the effect of that
/ very significant question upon the mind of that
great woman She had, il the opinion of the
discerning First Consul, neglected the most
important Of al dutes-the education of her
children, to waste the energies of her gifted
mind upon a frutless effort to amaliorate the
condition Of France. Her objects were laud-
able, but the sacrifice was too great and there
/ fore she found the most severe rehuke in the
question, II 10 educates your children p
We haYe no disposition 10 celsure the course
taken by that most accomplished lady, whose
writings will ever live to ad0rn the literature
OF Fragce. We wish merely to put the same
question 10 e1ery mother in the land, and re-
quest her serious consideration CT its import
twas on that Madame De Stael the most
learned and accomplished woman of her day;
could not answer she had neglected this first
and most binding CT obligations and copse-
gueutly felt more deeply the sting Of self-re-
pgoach which BoHaVaVt's question created
She neglected the educatiod Of her children
that she might elevate her own position, and
shine among the most eminent Of French
authors. But how IS it with mothers iu our
country? Is it no. often the case that the
most trivial things upon which the human mind
can res.. win interfere With the slbiimest of
all the duties imposed upon the mother-duties
which aEcc: her own happiness and that of
her cLiilge1-duties which. if well performed,
will bring the richest reward to society, and
confer iuest.Gat!e blessings upon children and
parents.
How often We are tod when asking m0tLers
TO visit the school, that they have no time, BY
those who will waste hours in decorating their
person to spend an evening at party? How
much tine IS worse than wasted ct home,
which sho-lI be de7oted 70 the education Of
their children By those mothers who never in
Quirs about the condition Of the school, the
character Of the Teacher. Or tie appliances BY
which their sons and daughters are to be olal-
ifgI fer au honorable and usef1! career in life?
To them We submit the qlestiOl, " who edu-
Gates your Children p
The same mother who car deny the child a
necessary school book, or suitable readiag at
home and who can refuse TO take we'll con-
duc,ei naner for the Improvement OF her family
will spend many times thei- cost for ribbons
and gew-a-s TO meet the arbitrary aud fool
ISL demands Of fashionable life, and plead the
necessity or d" keeping up appearances" for her
gross perygrsi0u q the means God has given
heC to enrich the minds Of those she loves
To such an one We say, When you stand before
the glass arranging your useless ornaments,
ponder well the question lrt1 clucqtss your
15ii3r.n ?" Cease TO deny the the proper means
@! improvements 70 Jour iaGi'y-:Lat YOU NAV
consume their cost IN doing homage to the
shrine Of fashion There are thousands who
pay the teacher most g-udgingIy and ask
almost g cratuitOls service at his hauds and
yet lavish money most freely TO crafty q sense
less vanity. They act as If the body was Of
more value than the scgl, and as II pleasure
party was worth more TO society tnau
school
Taat mother who can fIai more euiovmenr
il a dress displaying, COssip sip-makiHE assembling
than In the we..-coaducted school to which
her children are sent i-r Instruction, will feel,
unless the God Of this wcsld DESTROYED her
sense of maternal obligations, 10 slight re5uke
in the answer sac g.~es 20 the question " who
edcca:=s ToGE children p
Woa.J v0a give satisfactory answer to this
question, 20 d the scloo. and there learn
uaa. are tie privileges il affords your children
become acquainted vi,h the TeEcder-sus-
taia him by generous and grateful sympathy
IN dischargHE those datiCs you have delegated
% lin, and aid him b7 Ii5erliv pr5T.ding for
tae easca:iC1@. wants o. your children, and By
faithfully Gsvo-iug your time to their mental
and moral Improvement when out oi school.
Act ap3u common sense priRcill las IL this matter
and manifest as much interest in the adoru:ng
Of the mind as yoa do for their bodily comfort
aud !ol vii, be able 70 render On answer to-
the question WHO EDCCATEs Youa CHILDRzxT'
that wi. satisfy your conscience, and meet the
requirement. Of your obligations 10 yOur child.
drsn and to society