The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1874-06-20
Accomplishments.

I So-called accomplishments are sort of man
sard roof clapped Oh the sounder structure oil
| the average English education. Why they are
thus denominated, when in the possession Of
| them SO little is really mplished it is dit
| fculty to determine. Their material is gener.
| ally as unsubstantial as that of the thing tc
which they have been compared, and subjected
to the fiery tests of life and experience, they
| are almost as readily destroyed. The acquire
ment of little knowledge of music, certain
rules of drawing, the process Of mixing colors,
and few foreign phrases, are oftenest the re-
suit OF much misapplied industry. If MUSIC
drawing and painting were cultivated AM
studied as arts, with the intention of becoming
thoroughly proficient in them, that they nigh
stand, if need be, in good, practical stead, ther
the time devoted to them would not be wasted
Instead of being mental follols in which to peel
their i'll clothed minds in public these attain
ments would be of deed and lasting satisfaction
to their possessors, even though not to put any
severe trial.
Few girls care enough for music and draw
ing to pursue them after being freed from tn
restraint OF masters, and many would never be
gin such study were it not for the ambition q
parents, guided by society that demands al
girls to be moulded after one model. This idel
is so obviously impossible as to be absurd -
Countless good gardeners, millners, Dire ma
kers, housekeepers, have been spoiled IN poor
piano players, simply because knowledge Of
the piano was considered an elegant acquisi-
tion while an understanding of the other
necessity should require. The houfsof stf,s-.1iys
ming on unresponsive instruments, (unrespon-
sive because touched by no sympathetic fin
gers), which, otherwise en- ployed, might have
made capital cooks, are incaJculable.
The original design was g0od-to enable wo-
men to impart pleasure and improvement to
themselves and others but it signally falls
Seldom are girls willing to play or exhibit the
work of their pencil 20 critical ears and eyes
and when good nature impels them to, what
have they to offer? Ordinarily the nerest
smattering-more repellant to ripe Judgment
than total ignorance would be.
1t is evident that acquaintance with the
alphabet of many branches is not so great an
aid to intellectual improvement as being thor
oughly versed in one. III this short life it is
much to know even one thing well. If thor
oughly understood, everything from steak
broiling to oratorio composing should be con-
sidered an accom- pishnent. Pupils apt at fig
ures should be taught book keeping in place Of
minims and semi breves and natural nurses
given an insight into bottles and baudages, in
lieu Of curved lines and neutral tints Thus
the training OF the mind in direction at once
natural and useful contributes TO its healthiest
growth and rebounds to individual advance
ment and general advantage.
with talking about being good, or even Try ing
it in a general sort OF way. Let us look thor
oughly over and through these characters OF
ours, and see what are the worst faults of them,
and then turn our trying in that direction. l
have known girl who had, from unfortunate
been almost constantly found |
fault with, and never really helped to do better.
She had to make her fight, when she finally be-
gan it, all alone.
ooh, dear" she said in despair, 81 don't
know where to begin; it seems to me every
thing is wrong, from the time | get up in the
morning until | go to bed at night, and the get
ting up is as bad as the rest, for hate it So
Pm always late"
every WE'LL" said wiser friend, then | |
would begin right there and correct that one
fault; you'll be surprised to see how many |
weeds grow from one seed"
The girl tried it, TOR she was really in earne ;
and to make sure Of working in season, put |
away an interesting book and went to bed in
season. Not being cross and sleepy she found
time to pray in good earnest, and think that
helped to awake her, sunny and refreshed in |
the morning. 1t was little hard to obey the
rising bell directly, and to go straight through |
her toilet without delay; but she did it, aud
had time for morning prayer, and the little |
golden text to carry in her heart all day.
"Most everything went right" she said to
her friend at night; "it seemed as if just get |
ting up in the morning gave me time to get
hold of the right end of every thing
And | could tell you of boy, an honest little !
Christian, who came to the conclusion, all by
himself, that he made other people more troa
ID he set himself at work to overcome that
fault. And 10 the little fellow discovered that
the thoughtlessness which occasioned his fault
came of selfishness. Let us make beginning
somewhere.