The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1879-08-26


The laws governing the vegetable
6ingdom hold good with regard 10 the
intellectual. Every one in the least IA
miliar with forced or hot bed plants II
aware how soon they wilt and die when
exposed To rude blasts and chilling air
that want Of sufficient root and strong,
healthy growth will never give an
abundance of foliage or fruit; that over
forcing when young never make sturdy
plants. Ii is at variance with nature tO
imagine such result. All the expert
enee of years is opposed 10 the theory.
And the same system of culture is fa-
tai to vigorous and intellectual manhood.
The young of the human race are tender
plants. They require the same natural
growth and expansion as those whose
root is i'm the soil and whs draw nOur-
ishment from il. The case Of an over
forced child fulfilling the promise Of It's
earlier years is an isolated one. Fore
ing the brain dwarfs the body, and is
gained only by the injury of bone, nerve
and muscle. An abnormally cultivated
intellect is antagonistic TO health, 10
long life, 10 steady and thoughtful work
In later years. knowledge should be
proportonate with the physical delop-
ment-never beyond it.
Some one has wisely said, in speaking
of the matter, that "early risers are las
a rule) conceited all the forenoon and
stupid all the afternoon" and Professor
Huxly, in a late article discussing the
subject of Competitive Examination,
Justly adds of over forced children, "they
are conceited all the forenoon Of life,
and stupid all It's afternoon" The vigor
and freshness, which should have been
stored up for the purposes Of the hard
struggle for existence in practical life,
has been washed out of them by preco-
cious mental debauchery-by book-glut-
tony and lesson-bibbing. Their fac
ulties are worn out of them by the strain
put upon their callous brains, and they
are demoralized by worthless, childish
triumphs before the real work of life be-
gins. The cheerfulness, the tenacity of
purpose, the power Of work, which makes
many successful man what he is, must
often be placed TO the credit, not of his
hours of industry, but TO that of his
hours Of idleness in boyhood.
There is truth and wisdom in this. A
thousand instances prove it. Who
knows Of a phenomenal child ever MAX
ing great man7 The reverse is always
the case. The brightness and brilliancy
soon die out, and the remainder il simp-
ly plodding one. Walter Scott was
called Ounce at school. So with num-
bers Of others that might be instanced,
who became world-famous. But not
single one Of precociOus child-comet,
that, To use a trite adage, did not go up
like n rocket and come down like
stick"
There must ba stamina TO endure men,
tai strain must be physique to sustain
brainl the growth of the one must precede
the other there must he firm founda-
ton! there must he recuperative power,
and il can never be found in a hOtbed-
cultivated intellect.
That SO many children are dwarfed,
sickly, and fill early graves, is the fault
alike Of parents and teachers. Both are
anxious 10 see rapid progress, and the
latter, especially, do all in their power 10
produce il, thinking il increases their re-
nown. Ii may be well for them, but for
the scholar il is the fate Of the frog in the
fable. "Camming" for exhibitions may
do for prize cattle, but should be sternly
frowned down for our children. Let the
growth of the mind be in accordance
with the body only. Don't foolishly and
wickedly sacrifice health and strength
for the "book-learning" that will come
with years. Better have strength in
limb and muscle, rosy cheeks, good di-
gestion, quiet slumDer and merry laugh
ter, than puny, diseased, listless child
hood manhood without energy, and old
age (should they suryive) cursed by
overforcing in the days when strength
should have been considered the great
desideratum.
There has been too much OF this, and
we are glad TO do our quota in calling
the public attention 10 the evil. Much
has been the result OF thOughtless am
bition for our offspring; for a natural
love Of seeing them excel for the hope
If bright future for them. But with
the matter set before every eye in its
proper light; with the true bearings
shown; with the fatal results pictured,
we dare hope we have seen the last OF
the forcing system of the little, tender
human plants; the men and women that
shall soon take our places, and 10 whom
will he given the management Of the
world.
Shall they be healthy, vigorous, able
TO bear the strain, or dwarfed, colorless,
wilted plants? 1t is for fathers and
mothers TO decide which it shall be