The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1875-07-02

Parental Folly.
That all sensible parents truly desire the
welfare of their offspring is proposition
that will not be disputed. This point being
conceded, it cannot but be matter of sur
prise that so many pursue a course which re-
suits, if not in utter ruin, in great and ire
parableinjury to those sacred gifts committed
to their charge.
From close observations made in reference
| to this matter, extending through period of
more than twenty years, the writer has no.
| ticcd two extremes of action. In the one
case, parents seem to entertain the notion
that, for some inexplicable reason, their
children are more highly gifted, or, in other
words, are "more clever than the other
! children of their acquaintance Such par
ents seek every opportunity to d splay their
childrens superior intellect and acquire
ments, and habitually boast oftheir transcend
ent abilities in their presence, The result is,
the children soon become egotistical and dis
gust all who cannot view them with parental
eyes.
1t not unfrequently happens that results of
the most serious character ensue, which can
be directly traced to the foolish idea enter
tained by parents that their children are pos
scssed of unusual wisdom. One fact out of
many of similar nature that have occurred
within the scope Of our observation will illus
trate this point.
We were once visiting in a neighborhood
where dwelt man of ordinary abilities and
more than usual business tact. His young.
est son was the namesake of an eminent
statesman, man whom the people delighted
to honor. The fond parent, from the first
dawning of the childs intellect, conceived
the idea that he was possessed Of superior in
tcllectual powers, and predicted for him a
career that would eclipse the renown of the
great man whose name he bore. They were
never weary of praising him for his unusual
"cleverness," and seemed to forget that 9TH
ers could not discern the brilliant elements
of his character.
Time passed on until the future states
man" came to the mature age Of 3 years.
His father was n farmer, and procured an
agricultural machine, which was propelled
by steam power. The boy was allowed to
tamper with it, and when his parents were
warned of the danger they insisted he had
more sense than half the men in the neigh
borhood, and there was nothing to fear.
What was the result? In an unguarded
moment the child was left in sole charge Of
the machine; his right hand became en-
tangled in the cogs, and had to be amputat-
ed; and he is consequently Il cripple for
life.
Had the poor boys parents entertain ed
the sensible opinion that, like other children
of his age, be required to be kept aloof from
danger, this sad calamity would not have
happened.
We have painted picture drawn from
actual fact, of the dire re.ults of parental fol-
ly in thinking their children uncommonly
Clever" We now beg the readers indu-
gence while we sketch another, where an
equally injudicious course was pursued.
In another neighborIiood in which the
writer was visiting, lived n man 10 @hom
the kind Father had given a daughter. He
was person of ordinary abilities aud fair
requirements. His fellow parishioners ele
waited him to offices of trust wlfich he filled
with credit and ability. BelicYing his
daughter to be more than ordinarily andow-
ed with abilities, he was anxious to haze her
become qualified for the responsible and
hg,,y 10 G.. 6 i. IL
The truth was, nature had not designed her
for a scholar. While this was true, had Il
less harsh and more reasonable and judicious
course been pursued, the result might have
been less terrible than it was, although his
hopes might not have been fully realized.
Anxious to comply with her parents wish
cs, but yet conscious that she had no natural
capacity for the vocation chosen, she appli-
ed herself with assiduity, and oyertaxed her
feeble powers in order to qualify herself for
the station selected for her. Often she
would return from school, disheartened and
discouraged from the fact that, strive rs hard
and diligently as she might, she fell behind
the more highly gifted. Instead of meeting
Win encouragement anu UNSlSlOUcc, SIlt WtS
met with rebukes and the severest repri-
mands. "Hou are nothing but blockhead,
and will never know anything" This is but
a specimen of the harsh and unfeeling Ian
guage 1--WE can call it by no softer name) that
fell upon her cars. Now mark the cOnse-
quence.
Instead of giving up, she overtaxed her
powers and the girl who might have been Il
respectable member Of society, has for years,
in consequence of the arrangement of her
nervous system, produced by overtaxing a
mind not naturally over brilliant, been the
victim Of terrible fits and spasms--is per-
feet mental imbecile.
We have been induced to write these
statements of facts, hoping that other parents
may use them as lessons, and shun such in-
judicious courses in the education of the
precious lambs committed to their care.
Wise Sayings.