The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1878-11-07
CHILDREN.

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A short time ago CHANGED to read
thes words in magazine: NVoltaire
fsald, and Voltaire was an infdel, but
linfidels sometimes tell the truth give
me the first five years of child's life
and will make it either saint or a
de0at." This is indeed q strong asser-
ton, but is it not the truth? T wish
everv mother in the land could read
these words, and that they might make
the same impression on their minds
and hearts that they did on mine.
The more [ pondered upon these
words and saw and heard SO much of
childlife inthe homes, the streets, and
the schools, I thought I would write of
what | saw, heard and thought upon
this subject, and perhaps some one
might be awakened to the fact that
children are driUen to rein every day
and hour, and if but one will see and
realize this will be more than repaid
for writing.
L see upon the streets OF our own
village at all hours of day and late into
the evening, large crowds of small boys
and there we shall hear rudeness and
coarse vulgarity, and profanity which
startles and shocks the ears of even
hose accustomed to such language,
and sends all of us shuddering on onr
way. Parents wonder, sometimes, that
their boys are suddenly changed; that
they have learned such bad manners
and slang speech; are so unruly at
home, and growing so callous and in
different to good impressions. The Sc
cret of it all, lies in the fact that they
are let loose upon the street, to herd
with such company as they find there,
and it is no marvel if, by and by, they
should not with such teachers get IA
miliar with the lessons of the street
Oh parents if you only knew, you
would rather put your child into a
case of serpents or wild animals, than
into the street, they at best could only
kill the body, while the street will kill
both body and soul. The ranks of the
drunkard, the thief, the incendiary
and the murderer are recruited from
the street.
And now comes the question Glow
is this evil to be averted? How are
boys to be kept out of the streets? It is
all in vain for parents to tell them
they must stay at home, unless they
make the evenings at home cheerful,
unless they stag at home Themselves
No boy will regard home very differ
emily from his fathers way of regard
ing it. For short time perhaps he
may be kept at home by despotic au-
thority but the time comes rapidly
when that authority is Of no avail.
Every day brings him nearer the time
when he Will do as father does, and
home will be merely a place of conve-
nience where he may sleep and eat.
And bysand by when he has home of
his own, he makes it after the model
of his father. Is it not q fact that eve
nings at home are rare occurrences in
some mems lives. Unless sickness or
a storm prevents, the following pro-
gramme is faithfully carried out night
after night. week after week, and year
after year. A hasty supper, bolted
down in silence or with complaint.
rising from the table the hat is resum-
ed, door opened and closed. and the
husband and father is gone, TO return
only when the family, at least the chill
dren, haveSretired to rest. Of course
other obligations, other duties call |
them from home at times. but hardly
any man is so busy as to be called away |
from home every evening.
If you have never seen the danger,
think this over, and perhaps you will
see it, and when the danger is once
seen it is your next duty to avert it.
We have neither time nor space to
write further. and perhaps this much
may be of no avail. CT.
WILMoT, Oct. 81, 1878.
EXCELSIOR