The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-06-26
Preparation for Life.
There is a vast difference in the way person

Preparation for Life.
There is vast difference in the way persons
regard the seasons of childhood and youth.
Some ignore them as actual parts of life, see
ing in them only necessary portion OF time,
neither very important nor very interesting, to
be fastened over to reach what IS beyond,
while others regard them as beautiful and in
terssting periods, to be enjoyed and admired,
yet fail to estimate their grand purpose as a
means of preparation for mature and response
anG wrong in what they discard. Childhood
is an actual existence, with its own peculiar
relations and duties, hopes and fears, joys and
sorrows, successes and failures. If it appeals
to lis in all its attractive helplessness, it yet
claims our respect, and the smile with which
we greet it should never be wreathed IN con-
tempt. Still it is chiefly as q season of prepa-
ration that youth attains its true dignity.
There are few, even among parents, who real
ize the full significance of the fact that the
little ones they now pet and fondle as pretty
playthings will in few years take their places
as efectual powers in the world, invested with
full responsibility and abundant influence.
Were this deep and serious conviction, in
stead of mere admission, education would
assume q far higher rank than is at present
accorded to it, and would be conducted on
higher and broader principles. How common
it is for those who have control of the young
to drift with the current notions of the time as
to their training, and to follow custom and
habit, rather than thoughtfully to study the
principles that underlie the subject and upon
then. to form plans with wisdom, and to carry
them out with energy We feed and clothe
our children, send them to school, and instruct
them little ourselves, and are satisfied to do
as others do, without any deep conviction OF
special need of fitting them for the grave and
responsible duties that await them, or any def
mite plan for their gradual development.
Let us glance for moment at some of the
demands of life, to meet which require such
special preparation. One is LABOR. Child
hood is usually and rightly devoted very large
ly to play. The physical and mental natures
both require that during the period of growth
no severe or continued strain shall be made on
either. But the child should be taught to look
forward to labor of some kind as his ultimate
duty and privilege, to anticipate the time with
hope when he may gain, by his own honest
efforts, pecuniary independence. He should
be trained, by precept and example, to honor
and reverence labor, under whatever garb, and
to despise idleness, though it be clothed in
satin. Such principles should be as strenu-
ously inculcated in girls as in boys. There
is much waste of life in the years that imme-
diately succeed school duties among certain
class of young ladies. Why should not they,
as we'll as their brothers, prepare for and en-.
gage in honorable occupations, which shall
render them independent and useful members
of society? Let such employments be as suit
able and congenial as possible, but let no one
of any age or of either sex rest content with
out having some useful and worthy labor, in
which to develop the powers and benefit man.
kind
The various relations of life, which require
so much wisdom to fill worthily, certainly de-
serve preparation that is rarely given. The
Young should be accustomed to look forward
to them, and to feel something of the weighty
charges that will thus devolve upon them.
They can be partially instructed in the duties
of parent, friend, citizen elector and legislator,
and in the trust assumed by each. Were these
faithfully taught to the youth of our land, and
placed upon the foundations of moral justice
and conscious rectitude, we might hope to see
q revolution in all our social and political life,
that would soon abolish the distinction be-
tween private and public morality, between
personal and official conscientiousness. The
education that will Undue the mind with inde-
pendence, candor, truthfulness and kindly
feeling, that will guard against ambition and
discomfort, teaching reverence for virtue, de-
ference to age, respect for law and order, and
strict integrity, would be the best safeguard we
could ever have for individual happiness, and
national prosperity. Much of the difficulty
which parents and teachers meet with in their
labors, results from the want of connection
between their instructions and the practical
objects of life. There is nothing so natural to
the young as the looking forward to mature
and active life, and the cultare which recog-
nizes this law of nature and builds upon it
knowledge of the situations in store for the
future, and wisdom to discern how justly and
nobly to occupy them, will best arouse the at
tention and interest of the young, while pre-
pairing the way for their future usefulness
Public Esdger.