The free citizen. (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-04-17
How to Keep the Children Pure

LIZ" ~ IAGCp Uut Suk1uIeu fITe
Will you not use your influence in
trying to deter large boys from contami-
mating the minds of small boys :?
Things which should be told i'll whole
some manner and as solemn truths are
distorted into vilo shapes, and permu-
nent injury is donc to children's g minds.
Would it not be better for the body to
bS poisoned than the mind, that parents
might SEQ the harm done, and thereby
be nablcd to use cures and antidotes {?
But I am sorry to say that think the
trouble lies deeper than with the big
hoys. have been looking around, and
am quite sure that it does A Jury
might acquit them with the verdict,
more sinned against than SHINING. It
is the men that nm coming at, for Just
30 long as they meet in groceries, on
street corners, and in shops, telling
stories unfit for the ears Of their moth
ces, sisters, wives and daughters, just
SO long big boys will listen and think it
cunning to emulate the filthy example.
LIZ it not terrible thing to look into n
young mans face and think of the i'm
purities his mind must be loaded with
unless he has strength to cast off
the unclean thing and be nobleman ?"
No subject more vital in it's bearing
on the morals of the young could have
place in this column, says the New York
Tribune, in reply to the above letter.
There are parents who recognize among
the duties they owe their children that
of instructing them with respect to The
origin of life. This is left shroudeu in
inipenetrable mystery, and all manner
OF lies are told IN reply to the questions
which ct very early age children will
ask. The mother leaves tliis matter for
her daughter to be told about by any
Glance schoolmate, who, with the few
gains of truth she may communicate,
iafmore than likely to SOW tares that
meyer can be weeded out. The inno-
ceht-hearted boy learns from his rough
ccmpanions what his own father or
nk3ther should have told him with per.
feNt simplicity and inge uousness, and
learns greatdeal that they would never
h;Sfa had hina to know. Truth is. sacred,
tt,Esh Is pure and never corrupts any
=, - .i 80 the vile admixture OF false.
hood with it That contaminates. Every
fast i'll human physiology can be SO
Communicated to a pure mind that it's
delicacy shall not be in the least Of
i9lqed. The time to make these facts
known is VII the desire to INQUIRE
into them manifests itself. and the best
tehchcr is the parent. AS between hus-
band and wife, SO between parent and
child there is no place for shame.
Where virtue reigns shame cannct
come.
A child thus taken into sacred init
macy with its parent will instinctively
revolt from whatever is vulgar and base
and obscene. At every period in the
d velopment of the young life the
parent should be before everybody else
in preparing and fortiiying his son or
daughter against the dangers which lie
in his or her path. There is nothing
that 30 strongly binds child to virtue
and honor and chastity, as perfect and
unrestrnined intimacy between it and
the father and mother. We are careful
about the sewage of our houses, about
ventinting them, and see to it with
diligence that every nook and corner is
kept nent and sweet. Let us carry the
same thing into character and open all
the doors and windows of the soul by
total frankness and transparent sim
plicity, Chat tho pure air and sunshine
of heaven may have access to them
and keep them pure,
One word more. If home is made so
attractive that boys and men prefer it
to the corner groceries, IN ounce of re-
vention will be found better than many
Io Of