The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1873-07-25
ENNESSEE, JULY %, 1873


How CHILDREN EDUCATE EACH OTHER.
There are many arrangements in the
world that we can not understand but
involuntarily watching the children at
their play, we can readily see why they
are arranged in groups, and not con-
signed to solitary education. 1t is not
alone for enjoyment, but for training.
Parents do their part, but they can not
do the whole. Children must them
selves complement their own develop
ment. Even the defects of parental
training may be made up-by the inevi-
table trituration of these atoms. The
parents are strong and self-possessed
and protecting and just and friendly
but when the child goes out into the
world he will find It different, unjust,
reckless. How can he bear the transit
ton from the warm atmosphere of home
to the cool, not to say biting, airs of
this new. sphere? But the wise, self
restrained, helping adults do not con
stitute all of home. Again and again
comes a little baby more helpless, ig-
norant, appealing then the helpless
ignorant andappeaIing child The three
year-old Immediately constitutes her
self mother superior to the three-day-
old. The same lovely, helpful traits
which she calls forth in her parents the
baby calls forth in her. Children are
to each other what the outside world is
to their parents. Needless, headIong
children become careful and cautious
when the baby wanders into their play
ground. The boy who howIs and
storms and raves because his mother
will not yield to his wish and whim viii
himself yield to the whims of the tiny
sister left while IN his charge, and
coax and caioIe and induce not only
with marvellous patience, but with a
wisdom and tact of which you had
never suspected him to be capable
Thank Heaven for the quarrels of the
children Thus they learn the balance
of power before they leave the nursery.
Perhaps his father will not allow Char
ley to be punished, but if he strikes
Kitty, Kitty strikes back, and with
blind fury. So he learns to curb his
temper in spite of his father. The
trouble is that parents too often inter-
fere when it would be much better to
leave the children to fight it ont. But
Charley is stronger than Kitty, and
hurts her True, but it is very impor-
tant that Kitty should learn to measure
herself, and to know that if she filings
| herself rashly against a superior power
she will be beaten. Besides keeping
general supervision of eyes and bones,
let us not exercise too close a watch.
The outcry and clamor are not soothing
or musical considered merely as sounds,
but when you classify them as the fric-
ton of souls gtriving to adjust them
selves to the relations of life, they are
far from annoying. Let the children
alone. The brothers impatience may
better discipline the offender than the
fathers patience. The sisters quick,
effective resentment is more like the
worlds ways than the mothers loving
endurance. The slap that promptly
follows encroachment is a good practi-
cal lesson in human rights. Be not too
hasty to forbid the little children to
beat and box and tease and scold and
scratch each other into respect for
ownership, for sensitiveness, into dig
nifed self-control, and even, at length,
into a profound and universal benevo-
IoDoa.-- GCSJ Hamilton -.. ..
CHRONICLES OF THE CHIIDREN.-It is
certain not many of us are called to
stand on the high places of authorship.
Few are those whose brows are barred to
the breezes that blow from the summit
of Parnassus, and, mayhap, it is the
very kindest fate that places us in the
sheltered, restful valley below for Of
tentimes the winds blow cold and chill
over the lofty peaks, and the snow lies
on the montain tops, while summer sun
shine sleeps below. But in one sense I
think we mothers should all be authors.
What book can compare with the Won
derfuI unfolding of those little soul
buds which open slowly and marvellous
| ly before our very eyes! What story
charm like the record of those small
ehild-lives which are daily taking to
| themselves form and color and sub
| stance? And then it is not bit tor the
public, this book would have you
write. No critic shall spy out an err
ring mood or tense, or a flaw in your in
nocent rhetoric; for it is a home-book,
consecrated to its four square walls, and
the snug circle therein. It is only the
| little story of your own Mary and
| Willie, with all the everyday lights and
shadows, and not at all for effect, but
only to keep in your mind the changing
semblance of your little ones before it is
gone beyond recall We forget so east
| ~, life runs by, and ere we know it we
have lost the clinging baby lost the
wee Willie of meddlesOme feet and in
curing fingers lost TIE CLEAN of little
Mary's shining hair playing hide-and-
seek behind the currant-bushes lost
the queer little speeches, the quaint
ideas, the long, bright, busy days of
their childhood. You have a matronly
woman for your child, a business man
for your boy, but the children never
more. There is such little volume ly-
| ing perdu in our bookcase. It is the
most unassuming of blank books, but
inside is the simplest, sweetest story of
all the world to me- There all the di-
whiting little things the children have
said are treasured up to laugh ovei
sometime when the boys sport mus
taches and the girls long dresses.