The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-02-14


i Il Is tradition which seems to have
passed into almost universal belief hnd
acceptance, that grandparents spoil child
rem. When We cay universal belief!
however, the children are ID BE- excepted.
They neither believe that they are spoiled
nor that grandfather spoiled them. Porl
haps there may be something TO say on the
children's side Of the argument; add
perhaps the elders who have to do with
children Of the third generation--thol
second from themselyes--haye learned
something in their long lives which in
their youth they did not know. They
may remember their own state aud condi-
tiOn both when they we're children and
when they were yoang parents
Ladies and gentlemen fresh 70 the
maternal and paternal relations should
take il kindly when reminded that they
usually get dieir education very much nt
the expense of their ehildren--that Is 10
say--their education as parents. The
new child who puts in an appearance in
this world Of theory, would pipe even
louder than the usual childish treble. If
the infantile mind could take IN the faw
that "baby'' is but subject Of all kinds
Of experiments. Except that life is spared
(and that not always the poor child Is
but subject and il the process of diAsee
tion do not cut the animal tissues. II i
systematically made to sever the natural
inclinstions and to obliteraie as far "a
practicable whatever Individuality the
young creature may exhibit. The little I.
mortal must have no win and 20 choice Of
its own. Above all, We all remember
that we we're told that 'schiIdren must Be
patientI' That is to say, they must
possess by intuition what their parents
never could have endowed them with, and
be able to practice self-control in infancy
to which the longest life does not always
permit people to attain To be ''patient''
means, as applied to child, to wait in
hunger till everybody else is fed to have
no wish which is not subordinate to every
body'seonvenience; to obey implicitly what
ever is hidden with the voice or indicated
BY the eye, and, in short, to consent to Il
condition of absolute cipherhood and
insignifcanee.
of course children must be bieden and
controlled. They must be taught defer
ence and respect. But--they must not
be expected passively to become the sub
ject Of the experiment to which young
parents--especially with their first child.
devote themselyes--the rearing of para
gon--a wonder--a moral phenomenon Of
perfection. Every child with ordinary
capacity has some desires---if not exactly
original, copied from its nearest examples,
and, If not exactly wise, comparatively
harmless. Life is new revelation 70 the
boy--we will suppose the baby to be
boy, for the terrible infant is usually Of
that variety. He opens his eyes to lool
and puts out his feelers 10 touch He 4
an experimental philosophcr---as ike his
father and mother, only occupying differ
ent standpoint But his every demon
stration is met with--aNow 3oaf az
thatr' d, 0, n, apostrophe 1 ought 10 be
the first letters taught 10 children IN their
alphabets. They would recognize them as /
old acauaintances and the familiar letters
and their sound would form sort Of 4
Rosetta stone to initiate them into the mvs.
teries Of vowels and consonants.
Grandfather and grandmother having
outlived the notion Of moral perfection as
applied to babies, see with the wisdom Of
their own experience the fatility Of efforts
the like Of which they themselves once
made, and in which they failed. Thcy
come In as counsel, or perhaps we might
better express it, us ..next friend" to
their grandchildren. They would save
parents and children useless contests and
contradiction of wills. And so they arc
said to spoil the children" Fortunately
siye generation has been pronounced