The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1879-10-17
THE RISING GENERATION.

THE RISING GENERATION.
Communicated
There are as many as seventy-f1ve
boys in our midst between eight and
twenty years of age, and as many more
girls between eight and sixteen. The
future of these sons and daughters and
their training and preparation for the
duties Of life constitute in great meas.
ure if not entirely the whole duty of
their parents. How are they discharg-
ing it? In a healthy locality, sur
rounded by thrifty and well to do
population, of easy access by rail and
water and sufficient material to estab- |
lish and maintain colleges, what is |
the truth of the matter? We have
no colleges. Time waits for no
man, and young ladies and gentlemen
are verging on their majorities truly as
may be said In the "vigor of untutored
thought" Is it right as applied to
ourselves or just towards them? There
is no royal road to learning-it is hard
and uphill work, and but few youths
take kindly to it, and are more than
willing to adopt or undertake any
thing else. Force is not unfrequently
required to put them in school and to
draw out their faculties afterwards.
1t should never be relaxed. A heritage
that will endure to the end ought not
to be grudgingly given or permitted to
be declined. No matter as to the call
ing or occupation, Its efficiency is meas
ured by the amount of brain cultiva-
ton. In fact and in truth nothing can
be accomplished successfully in this
age of books and science without suit
able education. Parents who prefer to
give their children a worldly to an in
tellectuaI start in life may be actuated
by flial devotion but it will be mis-
guided and misapplied, for in nine
cases out of ten the fortunes will soon
be scattered to the four winds and the
recipients reduced to their common
level and made sshewers of wood and
thoughtful neighbors.
Now, whose duty is it to foster
schools? The answer is apparent. Pa
rents, property owners and business
men. No enterprise could afford a
greater or more certain revenue. Two
hundred pupils, boys and girls, from
distance would necessitate an expendi-
ture of not less than 1915 each or $50, 700
annually to this trade. Is it not suffi-
Gent to induce an effort to obtain it :?
1t will be attended with no hazard. It
is not within the knowledge of any
living man 10 cite place where facili-
ties have been made to accommodate
pupils and competent and worthy
teachers secured to instruct them, that
the patronage has not been not only
remunerative but lucrative to teachers
and beneficial to the place of their es-
tablishment. Strangers cannot be ex
pected to start us. Vanderbilt is but
one of million and Nashville a most
fortunate city. "God helps those who
help themselves" is an apothegm of
almost universal application. If moth
ers and fathers wish to see Their chill
dren distinguished and honored men,
bers of society they must bring them
up intellectually to the requirements of
the times. GA little learning is dam
gerous thing" and base ball is no part
of its finish and a sorry tool in the field
of life. If merchants and property
owners desire to extend their business
and increase the value of their prop
. erty they must do something to increase
. a paying population. 1t must be lib
eral and substantial. The result will
be in proportion and more than COM
, pensate all concerned. The trial is due
: to the youth Of the land, and we dc
: hope the. reproach of hundred years
: will be wiped out, and that we may
, soon be able to notify the world of the
establishment of first-cIass colleges fo1
, male and female that will give dis