The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-12-26
THE EDUCATION OF TOYS.

GERMANS AND FRENCH DISCUSSING THE CUES
TON BARONESS BURDETT CoUTTs ON THE
SUBJECT.
Baroness Burdett- Coutts writes to the Lon
don Daily TELEGRAPH on Nov. 20: 1.-The child
is father 10 the man. This truth, formulate
by the poets mind, directs public attention.
through leading article in the Daily 1ele-
grdph of Friday last, to the forthcoming 10Y
show at the Alexandria Palace. It's even in
tens:fied in the child-woman, who early
wears upon her baby brow the round and
top of that sovereignty which she must dis
play hereafter as queen Of the household.
While the boy child yet happily and unre-
fectingly rolls about on the floor, in IN
controlled delight at the use of legs
and arms, while his baby lips have
scarcely learned to frame those wonderful
uonosyllables which his fat fAgers pick out
to spell in his G, the girl has mastered
| her part, and is already soothing her doll TO
| sleep, planning its wardrobe, or considering
| the arrangement of her kitchen range or her
| dinner table. The mind of the infant house.
mother, to use German phrase, is full OF
thought for the we'll being OF tho toy home
Ga the other hand the boy rarely Cares to
nurse or tend imaginary things, While often
very gentle to a real baby, he would rather
pick a fictitious one to pieces; but none the
less important to him are the toys put into MS
hands. And whether for boy or for girl, L
venture to ask you to draw further public at
| tention to the toy question.
At the Jubilee meeting of the Hoyal Society
| for the Prevention OF Cruelty to Animals, held
| in London last year, the question OF toys and
the education they convey, was discussed at
one of the sttings of the conference, and the
German delegates promised to bring 1t under
notice in Germany, whence spring the Christ
| ,,;.l> tha,r 1aaJ fir G.
to cbildren's eyes. The French delegates also
promised to consider the subject, and they
seemed to confirm an opinion which prevails,
that French toys are specially open to the
charge of cruel teaching However, we have
seldom to look abroad to find out faults to cor
rect. and have seen III our toy-shops very
ugly arrangements for shipping OF heads oil
cows and pigs, and various mechanical toys
whose chief amusement and merit seemed to
be derived from the fact that, by pressing
and squeezing, they made squeaEs and noises
suggestive of pain. L feel certain, from me
kindly countenance given to the proposed ex
bibition. that the underlying lessons which
NAV be conveyed through deer toylano viii
not be forgotten; on the contrary, that q mo-
theirs true instinct has raised the forthcom'
ing exhibition into a prominence which may
lead ia the future to many q beneficial result.
What is first loved in life influences probably,
in no small degree, what is loved throughout
life: and on the due lie brain of childhood the
irst impressions should be bright, sweet, gen
tie and pure.
In connection with the dolls part of the
i exhibition. in which dress and taste must
play no unimportant part, can not conclude
without expressing most earnest hope tina
the pretty little puppes shortly to become
the darlings of SO many small creatures ane
to cheer their hours of sickness, may not b'
made mediums to convey predictions TO-
feathers torn from bleeding and palpitatine
hearts, and wings broken instead of eleavlnt
the skv, and that the tmxen and dark-halret
dollies will not teach their curiy-heade'
owners selfish and stupid lessons OF cruelty
such as recently published paragraph seem
too clearly to indicate as common enough
, among the oil Ter seekers after fashion and OF
, nament Even in the case of these last l fee
persuaded that the evil arises from want Q
thought rather than want OF heart.
I do not for moment think any one woul
deliberately consent to the wholesale de
struction of bird life if the facts were set be
. fore them. Il is for fashion to direct the cur
rent of the general taste. Wherever its i'm
( palpable essence resides, whether with beauty
! rank or talent, within its limits it rules Wit
omnipotent power, and, as with all power
= those with whom it resides should use 1t serl
ously, Doubtless there are currents abov
: and below its subtle influence; and tn
fashion of this world will pass away. Blu
while of ths world it is in the world for goo
> or for evil, and can not escape the common
t lot of responsibility.