Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-09-13
FOUNDATION BUILDING.

rrhe following was read before the Normal
Institute At Eddyvile and ID published al the re-
quest Of the teachers there assembled.l
We have chosen this subject for
discussion, not because it is captivat-
ing or novel, but for the reason that
there is vast importance in it, as APP
piled by teachers and parents, to the
intellectual and moral training of
children. We are not at all apprchen-
siye of criticism when we lay down
the premises that there is no knowl-
edge so important as fundamental
knowledge, and no teaching fraught
with such infinite consequences, as
that which the child receives before
entering upon its teens. Itmatters not
from what source this elementary in
struction comes, nor by what methods
impaired, nor whether it pertains to
the intellectual, the emotional or vo-
| litional nature; the good or bad re-
suits follow as naturally and as GER
tainly as effects follow causes, and in
their duration will be as immortal as
the mind itself.
Surely then anxious parents and
/ conscientious teachers will admit the
importance of teaching primary
truth-corrcct habits of thought and
habits of action-whilc the mind is
in its most impossible and formative
stage. 1t is much more important
to teach habits than to teach isolated
facts and fragmentary truths. A
persons habits is his character.
"Habit is an internal principle which
leads us to do easily, naturally and
with growing certainty that which
: we do often" Habit is law that
, drives man like fate. AT first the
child may have that freedom of the
5 will which will enable him to have
an easy dominion over his habits
but ultimately, his habit, having be-
, come second nature, usurps the
, throne of his will and plays the mon.
8 arch. He is either led or driven into
! the Niagara current of voluntary
r repetition, and if that current il
:, bearing him on to the abyss Of evil
: no power less than Omnipotence cal
: save him.
= AS young men grow old, they grow
!. conservative. They are opposed t
! that which is new. Their favorit
!. apothegm is "Let well enough alone.
g They live more in the past than tn
= present, and glory more in what the
! have done than what they are likel
u to do. They seldom change the GU
,. of their coats: they seldom chang
= their politics; they seldom join til
:, church. The yo,tng man is less firm
: ly fixed in his purposes. He is NOR
]. easily convinced of the truth or erro
- Of propositions. He lives much j
! the future. Buoyant in hope, rejoit
:, ing in strength, active in all his fa'
= ulties, the young man has the ente
- prise to build house, write bool
= circumnavigate the globe, enlist
:, the army, or marry wife.
;r We arc sure that it will be sal,
q cts not all in bringing up" an
l. Solomon's sons may be cited as a
,s example to prove the same tru
IS "Train upa child in the way he shoul
f. 60 and when he is old he will not d
n part from it," whether rule witho
70 a single exception or no, is unive
N sal truth confirmed by Observable
nf and experience. 1t is true that Il
ST best mems sons are not always par
= CONS of virtue; but we must remer
IN Der that there are other and adver
~ influences at work. Not always
10 the home influence unit for goo
Io Domestic counsel may be conflictir
:. and sometimas badly distamnare