Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-12-25
/" OCCASIONAL AGAIN.
oUR CORRESPONDENT SPEAKS PLAINLY
TO SOME MOTHERS.
Home Education-Ki1ling and Spelling
Children = Social Science Sister
hood Christmas - Art.


SAN Francisco, December 81, 1880.
This afternoon friend said to me, my
heart aches for Mrs Blank she Is still
grieving for her son, victim of consump-
tion, and now daughter is falling" This
daughter had been placed in one of the
most desirable institutions near San Fran
cisco. The principal, reluctantly, after
three weeks nursing, wrote to the parents
of her brightest pupil that she was unable
to study. My heart was also full of sym
pathy, still 1 replied, 81 told you SO. ;"
This girl, of II years, lad been held up as
model; studying one or two languages );
astonishing her uue1acated friends by her
performances in music; was familiar with
mathematics, history. ETC.; read the cur
rent literature of the day +; was fashionably
dressed and possessed her caske5 of jewels.
/ had insisted she was not being educated.
The love of dress was being fostered, but
the real, artistic use of dress was being lost
sight of. Instead of educating by quality
ana manufacture Of the simple dress appro-
pirate for the beauty and freshness of
youth, the girl was being adorned in man.
ner only suitable for that sad time of
woman's life when she feels she is stepping
BEYOND THE CONFINES OF YOUTH
And mast seek adornment. The perceptive
faculties are lying dormant. The study of
natural history, which brings to the young
SO much pleasure, is an unknown letter to
her. She has gained no knowledge for its
real worth, but accepted the examining
very much as the Christmas turkey. |
thought at the same time of young girl
in Sacramento, whom | had seen in tears
over lesson for which her early training
had not fitted her She would come from
her studies nervously depressed when she
should have come lubilant with something
gained. Her anxiety to keep up with her
class was urged by the mother, who pointed
out to her that 1t would be disgrace
to the family if she did not come up to the
proper standard. Truly George Mac
Donald calls emulation the devil. shadow of
aspiration. Ii could only urge mothers
TO study the real objects of education, show
them how easy it is 10 iniuse into child
love Of knowledge with the love of nature,
which leads step by step and allows
the natural tastes to develop. | heard
Dr. Kellogg, our botanist, speak of
the eagerness with which children
allowed to 90 into the field with competent
teachers, would grasp at the study of
botany, and how little girl astonished
some professors by her knowledge of that
science, gained wholly during walks and
talks. I wonder so often that teachers do
not make use of natural objects but in
stead OF that they put up picture and
call that an object lesson. am an en-
thusiastic admirer OF Froebel.
WHEN NY SHIP COMES IN
/ am going to open a school for mothers,
where they may learn the necessity of
good physique-that even in infancy chill
dren gain ideas, form and color, gain ideas
of right and wrong I tremble for the
thing. I trenble too, when | see the
child, particularly girl, taught to appear
instead of to be. Let the child know prin-
ciples of rectnude guide at home, that the
mother is true to herself, never allowing
time for gossip or scandal, and the child
could not be influenced more from the out
St1e JUal IRON GuS luStue Vi Gn6 HOlIlS
With minds stored with useful knowledge,
familiar with the written words of the
great and good, we would have less love of
the sensational.
In striking contrast with the crammed
young girls, | have in my mind young
lady OF fine requirements in literature and
In classical music, who said to me, {" owe
so much to my mother. She never per-
mitted me to read book without knowing
the contents. was fifteen years old be-
fore works of fiction were placed in my
hands, My mother read with me, and
made interesting the books of travel, his
tory and biography ; assisted me to commit
choice poetry to memory, and to her l owe
the tastes which have brought me
so MUCH PLEASURE,
And SO many friends" These tastes have
led her to collect library of over 600 vol
umes, whose pages have not the new look,
but spring flower, brilliant leaf and
dainty pencil marks show when and how
they have been read. These books have
been purchased with the spending money
too often foolishly expended. This young
lady loves the beautiful in dress, is always
,dalntily robed, but she has found the
means to collect about 300 photographs
from the Brckman and other collections
OF authors, artists and musical composers.
In studying these faces her friends, with
her, have learned to know refinement of
taste and purpose leaves its mark upon the
features. Now ] VIII come to another ex
ample in San Francisco of
HOME EDUCATION.
We regret sincerely Mrs. Anstin's long and
painful illness. An elderly gentleman in
quires daily for her. He said to me, 81
do not know her personally, but I should
feel badly to have any thing happen to her. !"
She is known to you as Betsey B., the
dramatic critic OF San Francisco weekly
journal. She talks as well as she writes,
and told me, in her peculiarly sweet voice,
that her fordness for reading was acquired
when young girl in one Of our mountain
towns. She referred tenderly to lady
who had loaned her books and directed her
reading. Sle owes her early education to
her mother, who found time to teach her
children, though burdened with many cares
in rough mountain life. Betsey B. evi
IDENTIFY acquired from her mother the tastes
she is now using so gracefully, for that
mother directed the playing of little dramas
and the issuance OF weekly paper. Many,
who knew her in girlhood, wish her God
speed. can recall so many instances of
home training Mrs. Garfield is an ex-
ample of whom We shall hear much for
some time TO come. What nobler work
can any woman ask than to teach her own
children. My curiosity led me to meet
ing of the
SOCIAL SCIENCE sIsTERHooD.
l had never attended gathering of the
kind. The President is evidently strong
woman, physically and mentally, and from
the many attacks she resisted, should be
morally strong During slight storm her
nervousness was exhibited by continual
L l..