Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1861-12-25
For the JoUgNAI.
sCzI DOL PEERS. NO. e.
Self-,u as5erY.

The work of q school is partly to in
struct, aud partly to discipline, the pu
pills. This work Of discii Inc has for
its object, on the one hand, the for'na-
ton Of right habits Of action in the fac
ulties of thought, and on the other, the
subsection Of every power to the control
of the will. These points are not ilen
teal. for many man, whose mind Is
logical and accurate in all its notions, IS
unable to govern himself; in sudden
emergencies his resources of thought and
speech. and, perhaps, of manly reso!u-
ton, fail hitn; he can not present even
his most calmly studied thoughts to
dozen persons without feeling himself
unnamed by the most evident contus
ion. Training in schoo! ought, then, to
secure, so far rs possible, not only the
power 10 think well. but, also, that noble
and GROWING excellence Of manhood
self control; and the simplest exercise
which helps to develop this power must
DO deemed Of the highest worth. Who
moves with winning grace in society
The man OF easy self control. Who
wins the confidence of others in bis bu-
sincss ca pacity, aud thus prepares the
wav 70. success in life? Ho who has
gained complete mastery over all Ii, re-
sources Of thought and action, and shows
an undisturbel and just self-contidence.
No single qualification contributes more
to business success, to say nothing OF at
tanning the noblest elements Of manhood
and their glory, than this one Of self
| control.
How eau this be gained' Ono thing,
at least, is essential, that is, confidence
in ones own abilities. The only ground
of this confidence, with sensible man,
is experience fact that he has tried
| bis powers and found them trustworthy.
| That constitutional self confidence which
leads n man to think himself equal to
any position without 8 trial of his abili-
tics, which makes q man nod loft ly
among his peers, like an empty head OF
wheat, of course, calls ouIy for siledt
pity.
This brings us to notice, briefly, the
agency of certain school exercises in de-
yclol,ing self control in pupils. How
can young man, unable to master his
! abilities in u school defamation, meet
with cain, assurance the eXigencies of
business, or the duties of al intelligent
citizen, How shall he, who cannot rally
his intellectual forces enough to write
schoo. composition, bring forth bis stores
of knowledge and powers of thought III
discussing questions arising in real life F!
School is :. miniature world, and pupils
are trained in order to deyel' p those
qualities Of mind required in af,er years.
Let him who would rule himself in
great things, first see that he be able TO
do it in little things. Little things are
seeds-germs Of q great future. There
is hope for boy who can control his
rude impulses enough to walk tiptoe with
easy gm &C without the terror OF the
teachers eye, and there is equal reason
! for fear in his case whose tire nd falls
heavy, careless of rules and prophecies.
70 train a child i'll tse willing obsery-
ance of law and order, is to train him
in selfcontrol, and to fit him for the
noblest places and the highest successes.
! To throw off restraint is to become tho
slave of impulse and passion.
l.. 3. I.
Prescott, Dec "a, 1851.