The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1870-02-18
Modern Children.

4DutTH OHAlurtHs
a late number Of the Pail Mall
: Gazette discusses with much vigOr,
under the head of ''Children and Met
: aphysics," !" the erroneous and hurtful
! practice, so common in modern times,
of Obtruding upon the minds of chill
: dren subjects far too complicated and
obtruse for their understanding. In
olden time the children of q commu-
nifty occupied in all respects a second
AIRY position. Their dress waS simpler
and their food palmer than those of
grown-Up people, their books were
few, their amusements slender, their
requirements limited, and their tastes,
opinions and inclinatiOns held in
complete subSeryience to those of
their elders. But a reaction has tax
en- place, and in our zeal to improve
upon our ancestors, We are in this, as
in many other things, in no little
danger of veering over to the other
extreme. The existence of children
is no longer ignored they occupy 4
prominent position, not only in the
family circle, but III genteel society I;
their education engages the best pow
ers Of the country; their books con-
stitute large portion Of its literature !;
their amusements are innumerable I;
their dress occupies the time and
thoughts of thousands; and, altOgeth-
er, they are at least no longer in any
danger of being overlooked.
Undoubtedly children are very
important part of the community,
and deserve much more thought and
consideration than was accorded to
them in the days of our grandfathers.
No one having any such guardianship
can be absOlyed from exercising all
his powers in studying out and carry
ing forward the best plans for their
steady development, and in meeting
the many and varied needs of their
young natures. But this will not be
accomplished, as some seem to think,
by Il hOt-hOuse process OF forcing the
fruit before its due season, of develop
ing the mental powers to the exclu-
sion of the physical, and of straining
the young and tender minds with sub
jects only fit for mature and settled
thought. This is one of the injurious
extremes into which We have fallen
| in modern times. Large numbers of
the books written for children are oc-
cupied with metaphysics on a small
scale; deal with subjects far beyond
the power of children to grasp; and
depict characters as unnatural in their
virtues as in their faults.
1t is not the subjective, but the OBJ
jectiUe world with which the child is
and ought to be most concerned. The
outer world lies waiting to be unfold
ed to their eager minds, and while
this is being done in simplicity, and
in the natural order of their ability to
receive it, their inner nature will de-
Velop more truly, because more nat
urally, than by any strained effort or
forcing process. Older heads may
scan thought, and analyZe motives,
and turn their eyes inward to inspect
the secret workings of the mind, but
the child's reflective powers are as
yet only in the germ, while his per-
ceptive faculties are full and keen, and
craving eagerly suitable aliment. The
same principles hold good in the reli-
gious training of children. Instead
of crowding the young mind with
doctrines ON which the wisest men
differ, or exciting the imagination
with mysteries and fears, let them be
well grounded in the simple and prac-
tical duties of truth, honesty and
charity. Let love and worship be in
separable, and conscience ever held
supreme.
One of the most common and inju-
rious errors of modern life is
forcing upon the little ones the fash
ions, follies and eXtravagances that
disgrace their elders. We say forcing
upon them, for children themselves |
care for none of these things. Their
happiness is secured by good, whole |
some food, comfortable clothing suit
ed to the weather, in which they may |
romp without fear of injury, plenty of |
sleep, and abundance of free exercise |
and open air. But modern fashion |
gives them rich, high-seasOned food |
which spOils their digestion, dresses
them in close-ftting, costly garments
which must be protected by the sacri- |
flee of joyous freedom and invigOra- |
ting exercise, and even deprives them |
of sleep by late, expensive and hurt |
full "children's parties" In one. or
our cities a fashion prevailed, few |
winters ago, of "dOlls' weddings" to |
which large numbers of children were |
invited with their dolls, and the usual |
bridal forms and ceremonies preserv-
ed; and so completely did the fOllies
of fashion pervade these mimic assem-
blies, that the young misses felt it i'm
possible to attend if their doll had to
wear the same dress that had been
used at two previous parties during
the winter. 1t is indeed full time
that we adopted a more rational mode
of developing these precious charges
committed to our care; neither fore
ing them into unnatural precocity,
nor making them mimic slaves of
fashion end luxury, but rather leading
them gently into paths where the
whole nature. physical, mental and
moral, may be evenly and harmOni-
Ously developed aecordingto natures
unerring laws.