The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-11-30
'tThe Ohildi and IL Importnnce.' =

"The Child ouu ITS Importance"
'RepOTted for the In,elhgenectb BY Dr. Ulrish.
We present below an abstract Of the
lecture delivered by Mr.. FriiS schueiz
on the above subject, in Beethoven Hall,
Wednesday evening:
This would appear an insignificant
theme, but II Is NOT. Suppose one Of the
magnificent steamers Of modern times is
wrecked on the cost OF Albion, having
struck on its Chalky clils, do you consid-
or that these immense masses oil chalk
are the product Of an Insignificant micro
scopic insect. SO II Is with the child. It
has vast Significance in the social ia
brio, both present and future. All organ
10 structures are formed from cells. The
family Ia the cell Of the social fabric; the
child II the vital germ, the nucleus otthAt
cell. II the cell IL perfect the organism
will be In 4 healthy condition. In order
that the child shall be physically and
morally sound the marriage relation
must be held sacred, and there must be
unanimily among Its members. While
the Roman family was pure, Rome was
powerful and ruled the world. But
when vice and immortality destroyed this
purity, the great empire fell 10
pieces. Tacilus pointed out the
wild tribes Of Germany az the future
conquerors Of Rome, because they pre-.
served the family relations pure and
brought forth children sound and strong,
both physically and morally. From the
lowest form Of organism there were deyel.
oped or evolved beings OF every grade.
assuming higher and higher forms until
the human being was developed, the
highest form as yet known to us. This
was not the work Of few years, but Of
thousands Of ages. The child Of modern
culture Is very different being from the
papoose oil the Indian, or the offspring Of
the Pagan negro. The new born child is
the bud containing tho germ Of tue future
man not yet wasted by disease or blasted
by the storms. The great aim should be
to develop the latent faculties and to pro.
duce good and happy man. We cher.
ish plants, improve them by culture and
labor TO bring them to perfection.
We endeRvor TO improve the breeds Of
animals by culture. Yet welet children
run up like weeds, neglecting their phys.
ical cultivation. no that millions Of them
die young or develop into fragile and
siCkly men and women, We cannot lay
claim to true civilization until we at
least devote Us much time, talent and Ia.
Dor 10 the culture Of our children as we
do 10 plants and animals. We spend
millions Of money and years OF labor on
the Improvement Of machinery, railroads,
telegraphs, &C., while we persistently ne.
glect that most delicate OF all machinery,
the mechanism Of the human mind. Our
cheeks should be mantled with the blush
Of shame TO see frail children dying away
by thousands, their physical and moral
training neglected. We will never arrive
NJ very high degree Of culture and hap.
piness until we cease looking for heaven
in distant land and in future, and try
TO find il here.
The higher culture is found In large
cities, rather than in small towns. In.
crease Of population brings increase Of
culture. Every child born into the
world and raised 10 manhood contributes
TO the grand total and 10 the result OF
the toll and care Of the parents. Every
mother who brings up u healthy and In.
telligent child deserves and should re-
ceive reward at the hand Of society.
The child is the continuation OF our life,
and every care should be taken to make
il degree higher than Its predecessor.
Good and bad qualities are inherited and
further developed by cultivation. What
care then Is necessary 10 see that the
good ia cultivated and the evil repressed.
In order to do this in your children you
must be an example to them. Thus the
culture Of the child reflects upon the
parents, and there is a mutual improve
ment which will go on from generation to
generation until the highest grade is
reached.
Great genius is frequently developed
from parcntAge Of mediocrily by a
happy combination Of the good qualities
Of both parents. This shows that we
should seek for prominent faculties in
our children and developC them, at tie
same time not neglecting the rest. We
should not repudiate our children when
they go astray, because these failingS are
inherited from ourselves and we should
rather geek to correct the faults and de.
velope the virtues OF children. Here
followed beautiful description Of the
young parents watching the budding fac.
ultles OF the frat child, and the joy they
feel in finding il growing up, as they sup.
pose, superior to all other children In
order TO bring up child 30 as to make
good and happy man it is necessary that
there should be perfect unanimity in
the family. Moral training Is conducted
by two methods: The positive or man.
datory method, and the persuasive
or rational method. The former is
generally adopted by the father
and the latter, at least 10 certain ex.
tent, by the mother. These two methods
judiciously combined form a complete
course Of training. 1t is however al.
ways essential that all the moral teach
ings should be practiced by the parents
80 as 10 insure careful obedience. A
child should not merely obey because the
parents have The power 10 enforce obedi.
ence but because he feels that what they
say is true and what they do is right. 4,
child should acquire an inner conscious.
ness oil right and wrong and not be forced
10 do right by external stimulus, such as
corporal punishment. This should only
be resorted 10 in extreme cases when the
moral nature has already become de.
PRAYED, and when strong remedies are
necessary 10 save the.child from destruc-
ton; just as the surgeon is sometimes
compelled 10 amputate limb 10 save
life. This method, applied in ordinary
cases, blunts the sensibilities, rouses evil
passions and develops low cunning, which
strives 10 shirk duty and avoid punish.
ment.
Ifyou command child not 10 20 near
the stove, without explaining why, 1t ia
very apt to violate the command and get
burned. But II you take pains to show
It the danger Of such contact, Its ideas
will be enlarged and it will obey from
principle, because it knows the reason
why. Perception and consciousness
should be developed in the child aud its
reasoning faculties developed. We cul.
tivate the vine until the best variety is
produced; we develop the best qualities in
our cattle and horses. Let US at least do
as much for our children. The mother ia
the most important factor in the educa.
ton OF the child. Men find schools in
which 10 learn all the branches Of edu.
"a NsR