Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1870-02-01
For the Spectator.

es-1. &tuA Liz opSCtdtUI
La the following article we propose to make
few plain suggestions to parents in reference
to the training, moral and intellectual, of chill
dren from three to twelve years of age.
AS rule, almost universal, children between
the ages specified are lnost sadly neglected.
w hilst there is an intimate connection between
the moral and intellectual development Of
youth, ln It's more adyanced years, when the
vices, whose foundations have been laid ln ear
iler years, run into the most injurious extremes,
by which the intellectual faculties are dwarfed
lnthe excesses of pleasure, the same mutual
dependence seldom exists In the more tender
years for then the indulgence In pleasure is
not OF the same kind, nor carried so much be-
yond limit w shall first speak Of the moral
development OF the child. Aud here let US
ple.nise that the proper eloral culture Of chill
dren is by no means SO easy thing as is sup
posed by some, but is, on the contrary, one of
the things most difficult of attainment. Ordi-
narlly, or at least very commonly, scarcely any
attention at all is paid to the training of chill
dren, by one, or both parents, and some times,
we dare say, the consequences are no worse
than where there has been overtralning on
principles not we'll understood. A child too
much governed is like State too much gov,
| erned society can better take care OF itself In
the details of ilfe and SO the child when a
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| mode and heart mode-pour otnst dire-will do
best to make its own applications under advi-
sorry supervision only The fat of what is to
be done or not to be done, should be derived
| from an inward decision as far as possible, and
| not from an external arbitrary power.
You cannot whip a principle or virtue into
| boy, unless it be the principle Of hate, and
the virtue OF revercntlal lear, devoid OF all
affection. In the social system, local punish
| ment will perhaps In measure prevent crime,
but it will never remedy the evil tendencies of
bad men, 1t IS common remark, for the
truth of which, general sentiment seems to in
dicate some foundation, that the sons OF minis
| tiers are often times worse than those of other
people.
neither this be true as rule We shall not
| stop to inquire, being nevertheless confident
| that many ministers by an ovef-rigid restraint,
| aud by attempting to make the child S mode OF
thinking and feeling exactly coincide with their
| own in violation OF nature, nave sometimes re-
pressed certain virtues, and cherished evil ten
| dencles.
II there be an extremely rigid enforcement
| of duty by severe penalties, the child may, by
dint of association and illogical thinking, be in
clined to stand in constant opposition to the
| principle which involves its punishment. Be-
| sides, 1t may be asserted with some confidence
| that there is. In human nature, kind OF little
demon, which Edgar Poe calls the Imp of the
perverse, which is perhaps more frequently
| whipped in than whipped cat. Moreover, If
| we rigdly enforce law, we must obey law, and
| if the orthopraxy of the child under castigation
| exceeds that OF the parent who goes scot free,
the child will assuredly think, ,~and We opine
also that the justice is little questionable, and
! the scales not rightly adjusted, because selt
| the waverlng balance shakes.
~, "a; oanHr,cf of the narnnt. ShoulH he
correative to the right conduct required OF the
child When he Furnishes 1t for a manifesto
| finn cf TEMPER does he at all tunes preserve a
inst eopanniitv, or when he cEides tor selfish
ness does he guard himself with perfect secu-
ri,v against he like vice? Is he man of the
low. soul absorbed, character, who commits the
unpardonable stupidity described by Horace
"Omnia drgeato posfpoHere, ana corrects his
child for using Deception TO gain penny?-
This category OF lnterrogatories could be per-
hans indefinitely extended, but would only
show how difficult it is to be entitled to sit In
| Indictment even over our own children with the
h,rch prerogative, and preserve our penal judg-
,nents from lust criticism Ii may be affirmed
that to govern children with combined justice,
and expediency, with due respect to differences
of character. il a most difficult and almost I'M
nossible task. Nevertheless, by far too little
attention is paid to the first years OF the child,
when It's heart is easily endued with good lm-
pulses. and its mind doclle fer acquiring correct
principles. .
No confidence, however, can be placed in the
policy of the aoi.ipper-in OF virtues, as virtue
will not dolnicle Ill an unprepared mansion
and though the hands OF wrong going clock
NAV be set right every day, 1t Will not go rlgh
until there is a reconstruclion OF the lnterna
mechanism The boy under the rod exclaln.
II ,oM not do 50 agat", which is an individ-
ual, and not general PROMISE and sugges
tive comment upon the view he holds of lh,
design OF the punishment, as referring to th'
particular thing done, and not to The Improve
ment OF the general character. Children il
their tender years st oud be noticed aud talket
TO with affection and tenderness and while thei
hearts are easily moved by kind feelings ant
sympathies, they should have the principles 0
virtue and horrors of vice instilled iuto then
continually, by pointing out the beauty OF tn
one. aud detormity OF the other, not only i
their effects, observed daily, but in their rels
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