Elizabeth daily monitor. [volume] (Elizabeth, N.J.) 1868-1880, 1868-10-24
REECHER AS A BOY.

The Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, in
iE5s last contribution to the Ledger,
sgFs> " Every boy, no matter to what
BE aspires, should be taught while
voung the use not only of implements
for the farm, tools for the shop, the
management OF animals, ETC.. but he
sllaah be taught. as well, many parts
OF domestic economy. Every boy
~honEd know something about sewing,
ess,elFisg. and the management of a
aoaA.." He continues:
"'AU autobiographies are i'll fashion.
T. will insert chapter of my own.
Wasn WIS about eight or nine years
old Ltook care of r COW, horse, and
the pigs, and did considerable house
wuaaa. The confinement of the district
scAasl WAS exceedingly distastefrl to
lsss. 10 sit for hours with spelling
ft4stS or reader, without an idea, for
hlAslvn to whisp y aud made to dr0ne
iessf drudge was so irksome that, when
Ewss nine years of age, petitioned to
ssxcy st home | was told that I should
sgass up ignorant and stupid. Very
wpH, ignorant and stupid I should be.
not thinking that I would agree TO it,
n3x mother said might stay athome il
Ewaald d the homework. / jumped
.rs the chance 4 long checked apron
ssss made for me IT was my duty to
set; the table, to wait on others during
asesBls, to clear off the things, shake and
fdld the table cloth, wash the dishes,
sroHr the knives and forks, sweep up
The. carpet, dnst the chairs and furDi-
ture, and, in short, TO do the whole of a
second girls work With such relish
dial pursue my tasks that my mother
eould not Withhold her commentator,
Though she was always sparing of praise.
To these tasks [ soon added the hem
ming of towels and napkins, and of
course fabrics-bags, bed-ticks and
such like. During this period / also
continue my stable-work. Being healthy
:snd vigorous, 1 enjoyed the training,
End was never half SO good boy, at
home, as during the six months thus
employed. Nor would |, for any con-
sideration, spare the knowledge l then
obtained 1t has been of meal ulable
vslue to me all my life. [ have never
been afraid of breaking down and hav
ing nothing to do. The world is full
Of business if man has head and
hand to attend to it with. | am not
naturally expert in manual craft. yet
thsre are not many things that l can
rot do after manner.
while women are emerging from
the. household, and learning trades,
rssofessions and arts, men should learn
more Of domestic craft, and thus, both
tffs-one and the other, will get along in
life easier and better.
Nothing is more piteous than the
too often seen helplessness Of educated
sa1d refined people brought suddenly to
poverty. Education should beget prac-
teal facility. Too often is it a mere
exercise of the brain in which the hands
EassNg no participation. When thrown
esat OF their regular calling, hundreds
II people are as helpless as a ship on
the dry gound. The worst Of it is, that
nobody can help any one who cannot
haIp himself Imbecility in practical
.ssssirs leaves one to hang like dead
wright around the neck of those who
wsald aid him.
'sTt is foolish for one to say, My
children will never need such manual
drxft they are to have wealth and in
fispsutiaI connections. Ia the ever
res8ing food of society in America no.
hstly's children are secure against going
ID sheir turn to the bottom. If they
cssn neither swim nor wade they must
Sssawn. Boys should be educated to
use their eyes and hands in the expec
tssiou that at some day they may de-
psad wholly on them for support. p
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