Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-12-04
written for the Herald.1
The Children in Society.
NO. XXXIV.

During all these years of home and
school life, our children must weigh
more less in society. Thence, in the
discipline of the family, parental watch
fulness and care must have regard also to
this source of educational influence and
danger.
Childhood is confined, for the most
part, to the family circle. Its associa-
tions are formed amid the endearing re-
lations of home. Away from the strife
and hustle of the world, it breathes a
purer atmosphere, and feels the more
exalted and refining influences of love
and affection.
But youth is more exposed. 1t min
giles in the village and the school, with
companions and strangers, and neces-
sarily receives the impress of their ex-
ample, The daily transactions of life,
the public meeting, the customs, man.
ners and laws of society, the arts, the
Professions these which constitute
the real life of manhood, bring a power
full influence to bear upon our children,
long before they reach maturity.
And that he may understand how far
parental responsibility extends in this
direction, let us enquire to what extent
the influence of society may control the
education, and determine the destiny, of
these children?
This influence, as brought to bear upon
them for good or for evil, may be re-
garded as three-fold, viz, the positively
bad, the negatively bad, and the posi-
lively good.
The positively bad influence is found
in the prevalence, in community,
of false views Of life, erroneous princi-
piles, and a corrupt state of public taste
and morals The influence of the
wretched habits of thought, feeling and
and action, that are often found in COM
munity, is sufficient to counteract,
neutralize, or destroy the results of the
most successful education. And this
controlling influence of society is felt
much earlier than is generally supposed.
Could the mothers love and pure ex-
ample control the child until early man
hood, he would be comparatively safe;
but how often is public example re-
sponsible for impressions made upon the
almost infant spirit for train of in
fluences which contaminate the atmo-
sphere of the nursery and school-room.
How often has the true mother, acting
with all the dignity of her exalted position,
by calm and and christian spirit, and
q pure christian example, Instructed, re-
fined and elevated her child. until under
God, it seemed allied to the angels in its
nature And still as often, the world
has come in to mar her beautiful work
manship, and sometimes to tletroy it. 1t
follows, therefore, that either these cor
rupting influences of society must be
removed or counteracted and controlled
by the special vigilance and earnest ac.
tion of parents in. the training of their
children. And the negatively bad influ-
ences of society produce much evil to
the course of education. The child
comes from the bosom of the family,
his heart all glowing with the kindly in
fiuences of home and love of the pure
and the beautiful The pupil leaves
the school where he has tasted the sweets
of learning and felt the inspiring infiu- +.
.ence of the earnest and true teachers
example. They enter the community
where there is felt but little interest for
the child, or his school, or his education.
Their Warm affections meet a cold and
1ifeleSs formality. Their thoughts are \
diverted from themes. connected with
their own ,clIltllre and elevation to tbp
world of fashion, politics and specula-
ton. = .s.si. is,,..s p. $50.
And what must be the influence: of /
such a change upon the child and the |
pupil? 1t cannot fail to: paralyze or de- 1
stroy every effort for bis, Improvement,
and all the beneficial results of any
nominal system of education.
"A positively good educational influ-
.enee society implies the existence of a 4
high tone of moral and religious .senti. i
.ment a deep and abiding interest In the
education of the children, at home and
In school, and a. corresponding activity.
both in private and public. 81 i
More than.half a century ago Edmund |
Burke, in speaking of the English and 4
French mobility; said the French had the 4
advantage Of the English in being sur
rounded. by a powerful outguafd of !
military education. How powerful that /
was. agaihst the attacks of an
internal foe, the. strange history of that
nation will show. >, -. L {. ( = sls.< II
S How much moro wise and noble the /;
purpose of society to protect the rising i
generation by explaining aroilndl them I
the more powerful outguard of a thor /
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