The union Democrat. [volume] (Sonora, Calif.) 1854-1946, 1871-06-10
Childrcn'. soui. and Bodies.

Mr. Parton wants education to be so con-
Quoted as 10 give our boys and girls noble
souls IN bodies beautiful, graceful and strong.
by all means; but will Mr.. Parton tell us
how to bring this commencement OF the Mil
lennium The souls of our boys and girls
are not made, nor even made over, though
they are sometimes uumade. in our schools
Mind. and spirit, the faculties and passions
SO tar as they are affected BY human intiu-
eGces and moulded by human power, are
more the result of the parental nature and
influences than anything that is. or can be
done by schooling. The main point, there
fore, is that children be well born. And to
that point educators. philanthropists aud pa
rents would do well to give special attention
Ii is fundamental PROBLEM in our philoso-
ply of life, and wofully needing solution
quite other than our practice has yet found.
1t an increasing and already frightful num-
Der of children are born for the hospital. the
ma6-house, or the career of crime, no educa-
ton which we can devise will redeem them
The one Honaan question which ought to
crowd aside and extinsuiSh all others, is that
fthe birth and maternal training of children.
As long as our female reformers, like Mrs.
Livermore and Mrs. Howe, Anna Dickinson
and Miss Anthony, appear neither to know
nor to care about the baby for woman, it will
be of small account for them to try and mend
anything by seeking the ballot for woman
We advise Mr.. Parton to get to the bottom of
this subject of childrens souls. and see if he,
cannot shame womanhood INTO new fidelity to
their responsibility in the matter.
As to our children's bodies, the case is no
better. The schooling of many of the bright
est pupils, in our cities and towns especially,
is preparatory to nothing but permanent in
validism in some form, or active disease and
early death. The ignorance of parents and
teachers in regard to the brain and nerves,
which are our real material part, is so great,
that not in one case in thousand are chill
dren educated with strict reference to real
improvements and in most cases of what
are called good pupils, study is productive of
more harm than good, in spite of all the
knowledge and discipline gained, simply be-
cause it is at the cost of serious, and often of
fatal brain deterioration. Those whose
childhood goes back thirty years, to the time
when coming West turned them out of school
on to farm, can in most cases thank their
good fortune for their experience. If there
were some way now to pinch back the young
ideas, and give the brain chance to get a
good habit of life before it is greatly taxed
with study, and then with cares and tolls and
hurtful pleasures, it would do more for the
mental power and happiness of our growing
generation than the indiscreet schooling to
which so many boys and girls are subjected.
The condition of many of our youth under
the schooling process in vogue with US is
much what that of young apple-tree would
be loaded with ton of orchard BRUSH In
stead of wholesome activity, judicious discip-
line, and healthy development of the brain,
there is incessant over-exertions, exhaustion,
depression. with no real discipline, because
no free and healthy activity, until all chance
of strength, and happiness, for good work
are for ever done. Parents and educators
might we'll consider the new lesson of scien-
ti6c discovery in regard to the life of brain
and nerve, and the dependence of all mental
action upon the action Of the brain, and see
if they cannot contrive to secure tolerable
brain health 10 the young, and thereby pro-
vide for mental and moral vigor. 1t is a
very nice and difficult matter to deal with,
but if the so-called educated" classes are
not to perish, and leave their places to less
civilized races and to the lower classes, it
must be dealt with, and that speedily. - Chi
cdg0 Journal.