Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-10-19
Teach Little Boys TO be Useful.

useful wish you would tell me how, for
Of all the restless, awkward, mischieyous,
troublesome comforts on the face Of the earth,
] do think boys are the most trying. | am
sure love my boys just as much as | do my
girls but il is so much harder TO manage
them, to keep them out Of mischief, to know
what to do with them. They were vexStious
enough when we were boarding, but now
whcn with four children on my hands, | am
but just entering upon my novitiato as a
housckccpcr, feeling my way, step by step,
they fret me woefully They are under my
feet all the time Too young to be sent 10
school moro than few hours day, or to be
turned out to play with chance companions,
unattended, they hang about me, uneasy, rest
less, fractions, teasing for something continu-
ally. often think it would be comfort
could we put them on a shelf to sleep through
the unquiet, turbulent period of childhood, to
wake up full.grown men, My little girls can
always find something TO do but the boys -
make the boys useful, indeed It would be
true bcnciactor who could teach mothers
how 20 accomplish such a marvellous thing "
/ notice that you very wisely and skill
fully combine instruction with amusement IN
your management Of your little girls. !
watched with much interest how pleasantly
you were teaching them to be useful while
they felt the work to be only amusement. L
wonder which of these little girls would like
to run and bring mamma few apples; : and
away in great glee trottcd little thrce-year-
/ old Kitty, with her little basket
CO Would Mary like to help mama pare
/ this nice, red applet Which think you can
make the largest pairing without breaking 2
How happy the little lady was to leave her
/ play and make the trial Why not make the
same effort 20 amuse and instruct your little
boys2"
/ Would you have me teach them to set the
table, wash dishes, sew or try to work 2n
"Do you not believe they can be taught
all this as easily as grls2 We hold that in a
large family, each one, boy or girl, should be
/ taught TO be useful TO help their mother in
door and out and, above all, learn to helT
themselves This they cannot do if allowed
to be idle"
In the city, and in families that depend en-
tirey on hired help, it is more difficult tC
train children to be industrious and useful
1t is not well to let the young, initiative little
ones be much with servants, certainly not un-
less the mother is there also and all instruc
tions of practical nature should be given by
her and practisod under her eye. Wealth i,
by no means to be despised but when it i,
50 employed as to remove all labor from US
or to free us from care that we do not teach
our children how to make themselves service
able it is no blessing, and may become 9
curse Those who have begun life poor anc
worked their way to wealth by real hare
labor forget when their children start W
around them, how much true, solid pleasure
there was in their struggle for this well earn
Ell property and as they relax their exerton,
and begin to feel the eneryating effects Of
wealth, remember only the hardship, forget
ting the pleasure. Because there is now NJ
absolute necessity for it, they shrink from
their children following in their early steps
and so cheat them out Of the strength and in
dependence for which no amount Of gold cal
in any way compensate.
But we are neglecting the boys. We will
give you m example which will explain some
what our idea of making children useful
boys and girls alike.
We remember large family in which
there are seven boys. They were not driver
to work but from their earliest childhood
were, little by little, trained to understand
and do all kinds Of outdoor work pertaining
to a large farm but it was also understood
that they were to lend helping hand indoor
whenever the mother or sisters needed them
They knew they would be only called when i
was quite necessary, but very early recog
nizcd the Importance of knowing how to dc
anything that came before them If tn,
mother or sisters were sick, or absent, the]
could 50 far I'LL up the gap as to keep thing
comfortable till health was restored. They
could dress the youngest. make bed, SWEEP
a room, make cup of tea or coffee, brol {
steak, or wash the dishes in a very satisiac
tory manner.
When quite little, not old enough to under
stand heavy or rough work, they were allow
ed any amount Of play, but it was expecte,
that all but the baby must do something use
iul, something that was work, in the course o
each day. So little by little as they trotto,
about after mother, they gathered up some
thing which in mature life was Of grea
value,
The family lived some miles from church
and it was customary to have preaching il
the morning and afternoon-with Sabbatl
school between them-they took a slight luncl
Of crackers and gingerbread through
all, aud returned in season for late Dime
and tea united. Now it was settled rul
that the parents and part Of the children
should go to church every Sunday, rain o
shine and the oldest children, boys and girls
, " took turns in staying at home to get din
ner, and to take care of the baby.
They all took good pride in having every
thing in order, aud good dinner all ready
when the church-goers returned; and tn
4 boys housekeeping was as creditable as tn
T girls None felt it to be a hardship; on tn
contrary, those who were too young to be lief
| in charge looked forward with great anxiet
! to the time when they should be allowed t
" take their turn" with the older and NOR
| favored ones.
q When these boys left home for school o
t college, box, with scissors, needles, threa
@ and bottoms, was always placed in each trunk
D and the lost buttons were replaced and tn
e ever recurring rents repaired by their owl
hands; and with the stitches went man
. thanks daily to their wise mother who ba
taught them to take care of themselves, a
= well as to be helpful to others.
/ Now, my dear young housekeeper and anx
. ious mother, do you not think your little son
{ would be less restless and lretiul, and ia
= more happy, if you allowed them to "mak
G 'lieye' that they were most important he
t to you, until, by little patience and indul
j gence, you succeeded in making the imaginar
+ help reality, repaying you in latter year
for all the slight Inconvenience and annoyane
v you experience in teaching them, and insur
G ing comfort and independence to your son
T. under whatever circumstances they may
: placed. Christian Union.
> -OfJosh Billings Farmers Almnax 70
1871, Carleton the publisher, has received
r single order for 100000 copies-tho arges