The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1880-08-05
A Weak Spot in Our Civilization.

Human nature demands, and will
have at any price, some kind of keen
enjoyment = some amusement or
pleasure that gives positive delight.
We may train boys and girls to do
nestle habits or to business, but the
time will come when they will seek
for something that will arouse all
the delights of keen sensation. They
will take to drink, to gambling, to
RIGHTEOUSNESS, or some other method
of obtaining keen sensation. No
degree of mere defensive restraint
will hold them back. from the sew
eral forms of self-indulgence. Worst
of all, with the majority, these indul-
gences, once begun, will be contin-
ued. A mere temporary ebullition,
a transient outburst, might be look
ed upon with some degree of COM
placency, in the hope that better
things may follow. This hope is of
ten realized, but in the majority, the
outburst is followed by results that
mar all subsequent happiness. Must
we settle down to the conviction, as
thousands do, that there is no posi-
bility of providing for this necessity
and weakness of human nature?
Only the indolent and Indifferent
will thus admit that our civilization
is failure. We must attack the
weak spot in our system of culture.
and provide each child with sure
and certain defense in the hour of
dread assault. Human nature will
have some keen, succulent enjoy
ment. Can we give each child safe
enjoyment and one that will continue
perpetual delight? Experience
shows that the majority at least may
be so cared for. Or, to say the least,
success has attended so many efforts
in this direction, that we may Justly
infer that the majority of our young
people may be singularly blessed.
Each child can be furnished with
an enjoyment that appeals more
to the intellect than the pas
sions if we begin early enough and
continue systematic efforts with a
proper degree of persistency. A
wise parent can ascertain the bent
of child's delight, at very early
period, and make due provision.
Some may be attracted to the study
of animals; others toward plant
life, or any one of the thosand forms
of modern science and art. Surely
in this vast range of topics some
thing can be found that will touch
the sympathetic cord of every child
in the land. Once touch the child's
delight by some one point and the
rest is comparatively easy. After
that the flame can be famed, and
the time will soon come when the
child will have within Its reach a
constant enjoyment, and one that
will grow in richness until the end
of life. "Such a passion" will lift
its possessor above all the grosser
forms of enjoyment, and furnish
a good defense against the cyclones
of sensuality. The method is rational
and has been successfully praeticed
by thousands of parents and teach
ers. 1t is the only possible method
that can be conceived Of. Let every
affectionate parent consider this mat
ter, and ascertain whittier or not their
children have been provided with
this safeguard. Hoodlumism is pos
sible to all our children, unless we
can supplement this weak spot In
our civilization. The best education
that our system gives may be prosti-
tuted to evil purposes, unless we can
at the same time provide some form
of keen enjoyment that will recu-
perate, and at the same time pre-
occupy the mind against the joys
that consume, 500