Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-08-09
EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT.
Education Scientifically Applied.
BY GEO. ". coPLEY


Part III.
The Formation of Good Habits.
My dear boy, you have now reached
the age when all is bright and beautiful
around you and your young heart is full
of the hope which the first blossoms of
love always yield, and you no doubt
think the whole world is like yourself;
but in this you mistake. You are now
forming those habits which will decide
what your character shall be when you
become man. Your soul is not stained
by any known vice, as yet; and since
you have often said to me that you
earnestly desire to keep your soul spot
less, let me give you few rules for
your guidance when you may be in
doubt and perplexity as to what your
duty in the future may be. AS the no
blest, purest and best men and women
that the world has ever known have
been the most honest-hearted,- the most
mple-minded,-the most sincere, the
most candid,-the freest from guilt
the least inclined to deceit,-we will Sc
lect for our first rule the one embodying
the most prominent characteristic of
Geo: Washington. Then rule 1st shall
be this.
Do not speak nor act lie. When
you tell me of anything you may have
seen or heard, do not color it, but tell it
just as it is. Do not deceive; those who
deceive are just as surely liars as those
who tell falsehoods. If men and women
would be perfectly honest and frank
with each other, about three-fourths Of
the woes of mankind would pass away
with the frauds that honesty and truth
would abolish. Shallow, short-sighted.
unphilosophical men and women have
imbibed the fallacy that to lie and cheat
are the evidences OF smartness, and one
conspicuous imp of Satan has even
foisted the proverb upon society, that
Christians, children and fools tell the
truth. My boy, always speak and act
the truth, and then you can see more
clearly who the real dupes and fools are.
Trust my word for it, when I tell you
that the world will not place you at a
disadvantage by your being honest and
truthful. Therefore, let me thunder it
In your ears,-for [ want to impress you
with its Importance never speak nor
act lie.
Rule I'd hangs upon Rule 1st, and
here it is: Never do anything in secret
that you would be ashamed to have me
know. Vices have been allowed to grow
in secret until they have become ruling
passions, just because of dark, unex-
plored corner Of the heart.
Rule Sd. If you have any doubt
about an act, whether it be right or
wrong, do not be influenced by other
boys or girls even, but come direct to
me and ask. | have seen some boys
whom their associates could coax to do
anything, however mean. Be not like
them; have mind and a will Of your
own; be decided
Rule 4th. Do not take anything that
does not belong to you, however small
it may be in value. Be strictly honest;
be faithful to every trust. IF money.
goods, jewelry, or anything of value be
entrusted to your care, be true to that
trust. The world to-day is sadly in need
of exemplars of honesty. Honesty is
fast becoming lost virtue. You re-
member the anecdote of the honest Jew
l read you few days ago? l will re-
peat it. A large sum of money was con.
fded to his keeping, without witness.
Soon after, the depositor died, thus
leaving the jew alone master of the Sc.
cret. The Jew invested it safely, where
it remained for over fifty years, till the
Jew was 80 years old, at which time the
rightful heir appeared The Jew sought
out this heir and returned his own with
interest, less the small per cent. he
charged for making the investment.
The heir asked him why he did not keep
the fortune, as he could have done so
with the chances in his favor of its not
being known. Il could not do such
deed of perfidy. I trust in Israel's God"
was his grand reply.
Rule 9th. If you always tell the
truth and are strictly honest, you will
be quite sure to keep Rule 9Th, and here
it is. Be Just; deal equitably Let me
explain. You recollect the game of ball
we saw played last week, how it passed
off quite pleasantly till another boy
came and took part, who was so domi-
neering and unfair that the rest threw
up the game and refused to play with
him? That boy was not just; he did not
deal equitably with his playmates, and
| predict stormy life for him unless
he mends his ways. Do not be like him;
but be fair and honorable, and have re-
spect for the rights and feelings of your
and here let me teach youan
important truth. You may compete for
a prize some day, either in school or in
some game. Never put an obstacle Of
any kind in the way of your competit-
ors, but make vigorous effort on your
part to win, and thus you can help your
and they can help you. 1t
will be mutual help in your develop
ment by the very efforts you compel
one another to make in order to win.
Don't get the idea in your head that
you are an enemy to your competitor
The object of competition is mutual i'm
provement. We can help each other
by an honorable, magnanimous compe-
tition. 2'l4o 5.oi.' -
Rule 9th. Never taste intoxicating
drinks of any kind, not even for medi-
cine; this using intoxicating drinks for
medicine has wrecked many noble
character. As medicine it has done
ten times the evil it has ever done good
If you live temperately and yirtuously,
there will be such keen sense of en-
joyment in the free play of your intel
lectual and moral faculties, that! you
will never need to use these fiery, nerve
exciting stimulants, even for medicine.
Many man sleeps in drunkard's
grave, who would not have slept there
as such had he refrained from the use
Of liquor as medicine. Let all intoxi-
cants entirely alone; there is damnation
in them physical and moral damna-
ton. iisByV5 4 q .ie.Sf
Rule 7th. Do all the good you can to
others, and make it the great business
of your life. This IS positive, sweep.
ing rule, and needs no comment. Com.
NIT the Golden Rule to memory, Mat
thew vii, IL. 49, t.ss's' :, ,A
With much love, I remain ~
Your TEACHER. <
incidentally teach rallessons. This
can be done in connection with reading
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