The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-09-07

JUNCTION their stories of fast young
men and women, who, while yet in
their teens, perform deeds of daring
or boldness that outstrip and astonish
their slow parents. But these ex-
PLOTS that are related to point a
moral or adorn story, rebound not
to the honor, but rather to the shame,
of our children. and we frequently
bow our heads in modification and
sorrow to hear them paraded before
the world as the glory of the Repub-
lie.
The truth is, in our humble opinion,
| that the canker-worm which is gnaw-
ing at the heart of this nation, and
which is more Xix ELY than any other
insidious and secret foe to bring
about its downfall, is the alarming
rapidity with which our children as-
pire to become men and women. 1t
| is even more true than trite, that
there are no longer any boys and
girls, but that pulling baby hood
passes without intermediate transition
into the arena of man and woman
hood; and here they soon realize the
homely. proverb, Soon ripe, soon
rotten. f-- sTrf
The Difference of children to par
ents, the general respect of youth to
age, and the wholesome regard of the
young to their superiors, are rapidly
becoming things of the past. Indeed,
we know experienced educators who
are leaning with favor toward the So
called military institutes that are at
present becoming quite numerous,
simply because it is so difficult to
train our young men in the ordinary
schools, and make them submit to q
necessary and wholesome discipline.
In an establishment under military
rule cadet will obey an officer where,
as student, he would refuse to obey
a teacher.
Now, this respect to superiors' and
this regular discipline of the habits
are the most useful requirements for
success IN life, aiding US in meeting
its assaults, fighting its battles, and
obtaining that favor in the world
without which position, fame, or for
tune is rarely obtained.
But our children are growing up
without them; and it behooves us to
ask ourselves the question most
seriously, Where lies the fault, and
where is to be found the remedy?
There can be little doubt but that the |
prevailing feeling of liberty and in
dependence that pervades every breast |
In free country like ours, and which, |
when properly regulated, is our glory, !
exerts a large measure of III fuence in !
the social circle, and permeates to the |
most secret recesses of the domestic |
hearth; here it is too apt to prove a |
poison, however healthful may be its |
influence In, civil life, though we are |
much. inclined to believe that in this |
latter sphere liberty is fast degener-
ating into license.
But it is beyond cavil that the first |
seeds of this malady are sown in the
family, and even in the nursery, and
thence they extend to our schools,
and produce the trouble in governing
there, with which we are all acquaint-
ed. There is everywhere prevail
ing desire to spare the rod, and we
fear it is effeeting the ruin of the
child. On parents lies the great re-
sponsibility. if they sow the proper
seed, and inculcate just principles In
early life, the child will seldom wan
der far from them; the intelligent
teacher rarely fails in deciding The
character of family government at
home by the demeanor of the pupil
Parents are too willing to permit
their children to initiate the follies
and fashions of the world in matters
that are far beyond their appreciation
or real enjoyment. Children are bell
decked with ornaments, befurbelowed
and bespangled In. a manner to make
II m, aot lilo 20 III a ,.aaaAoIc nno |
part of the body is loaded with USE
bare, if the demands of fashion thus
dictate; If parents give expensive
and fashionable parties, far beyond
their means, perhaps, and permit their b
children to witness their wlckedness
and folly, their excess and lawless
riot the, children soon demand the
same indulgence in, miniature This
IS granted by some svain and glddy 1
and vtheni the whole eircleiE
must fellowship not tolibe outdone by 4
The leader. Our heart has sickened
IN disgust at the recital Of these silly
and we have conversely
With those who have permitted them
IN their homes in ignorance of their
true character. and have been out
ragged at the ungenteel liberties taken
with every domestic privacy. ~ Ias
We are told that children's parties
occur in this city at an ex-
perse of hundreds of dollars for the
and hundreds more
for damage done to furniture and
on account of the lawless
character of the children of the
classes wio indulge In these
festivals, though guards are placed in