Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1875-05-19
Cooperation.

alton is the home. "A Well-reSulated
family has been called model State.
As society advances we see less dis
position to centralize all the different
powers, judicial, financial and exccu-
tive, in the egally-responsible head ;
indeed, man loses his fondness for
arbitrary power in proportion to his
developement out Of the savage state.
Children ought to be trained in habits
of self-respect, self-command and self
support, and this cannot be done I'M
less responsibilities suited to their
years are given for their free exercise
This is rather roundabout way OF
getting at my subject, which is-that
many farmers child and many {
farmers wife who hears her husband
talk about monopolies and monopolists
have a lurking suspicion, growing out
Of their experience, that he is a very
good specimen of the monopolist him
self. They hear a good deal oftener what
he is worth than what they are wortl
to him sometimes they are made tc
feel themselves q burden.
Most men would be surprised tC
know how long a shrinking, selt.deny
ing woman will wait for something
indispensable to her own or her chill
dren's comfort before she will ask fol
money.
Many fathers would be grieyed i
they knew the makeshifts to which
boys resort Gotten there are so many
open doors to temptatiom for want o
some open, honest way Of providing
themselves with a little money to
spend as they please | am satisfied
that these things are the result Of
thoughtessness on the part Of parents
A man naturally fees that he must
''bear the brunt," and the income must
be carefully watched that wife and
children may not see the wolf at the
door, and, in over zeal for this, lets in
a whole pack Of wolves. Then there
is custom-always fortifying an ole
abuse. or placing obstacles in the bet
ter way
When chilli is old enough to rem
der any intelligent service this ought
to receive adequate recognition, and
he should be made to feel himself ar
element in the productive wealth Of
the home. 1--WE could not have had
such nice breakfast if Billy had not
made the wood so nicely ready for q
quick fire'-the mother says as she
put the savory dishes on the table, and
Billy straightens up and feels himself
of consequence all day. Perhaps the
father surprises Billy with q halfdol-
lar for cleaning the harness, Or repair
inc some tools, or for an extra long
chase after a missing animal; no
body can make Billy feel that his
father puts off hateful jobs upon him
demanding such service as 4 right
If he has q good understanding of
the value set upon his work, These
recognltions need not be in money,
necessariiy-though l think children
learn to use money to the best ad-
vantage early, under the eye of par
ents who trust them and are wise
enough to encourage rather than
chide inevitable mistakes Of judg-
ment "Put yourself in his place,
should be written upon every par
ents heart.
It were farmer | would give
o,ery boy and girl something to raise
which they might enjoy the profits
of: the girls could have fruit trees,
strawberry beds, bees, poultry, herbs
for drying q learnt many a lesson of
he Shaker sisters at Mount Lebanon);
the boy, colts, calves, sheep and farm
crops. 1t should be understood that
this must not interfere with regular
school Or family duties, 1t should be
play-work to earn the wherewithal for
greater pleasure. | would treat my
children in these matters in the most
scrupulous and exacting business way,
without any indulgence-leaviug them
to get the lessons of their mistakes Just
as they will have to do in the outside
world.
How well | remember the pretty
"bossies" certain New England chill
dren petted aud called their own =
AS regularly as the seasons came
round we were indulged with the
pleasing fiction of ownership and