Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-09-23
Teach a Boy to be a GentlOman.

81. Louis Republican.
DR.. Holland addressed the State
normal institute at the college chapel
recently. He said that much had
been written upon the subject of edu
cation, and great stress had been laid
upon the education Of tue whole
person, physically, intellectually and
morally, but comparatively little has
been written upon the social side Of
education, and graces and courtesies
Of life. Locke had laid down probably
the best programme for an education
when he said, Good principles, good
manners and discretion are to be cared
for first, intelligence and intellectual
activity next, aud actual knowledge
last of ALL" But 10 our schools a
course the exact reverse Of this is
pursued. No school in a good school
and no teacher a good teacher that
does not make gentility a very impor-
tant factor in school training. You
may desire that your boy shall become
a great or a learned man. But il you
desire him to be a gentleman, a Chris
tan gentleman, you have gone much
higher in your aspirations for him.
Experience shows that it depends d.
rectly upon the teacher whether a
child acquires knowledge, but only in
directly upon the teacher whether the
child becomes a cultured person.
Perhaps it is well that gentility is not
taught directly in any schools, and that
it is left to be imbibed from the char
acter and example Of the teacher, so
that the demand for this kind ofteach-
ing may exclude mere ~pretenders.
There is danger in too much precept.
The child prefers to learn what he
sees and hears. Where the teacher
has good manners and the father and
mother are models Of %politeness, the
child seldom fails to exhibit the same
characteristic. Those who know much
Of schools and school boys know that
we have room for great improvement
in this respect. School boys,as a rule,
among us are rude, unmannerly and
selfish. When four young Japanese
went to Harvard to study, their gentle
and polite behavior was so remarkable
in contrast to that Of the young men
Of this country, that II excited univer-
sal admiration, aud Mark Twain said
that the real motives of the Japanese
we're concealed, and that they entered
into a horrible conspiracy to teach
young Americans good manners. The
every day life of our youth should be
animated with more dignity and self
respect. But how can this be accom-
plished2 Teaching by theory cannot
accomplish it. The teachers them
selves must possess that grace Of
character which we call gentility.
They must breathe into the children
noble resolve, kindly sympathy, and a
gentle bearing by their own example
and daily life.
This accomplishment Of character
involves, first, un%selfshpess. Gen.
tility is not hereditary. Little faith
is to be placed in any kind Of gentility
that may be applied externally. II
maniiests itself primarily in self con-
troll, that which prevents a person
from being violent and irritable. A
gentleman will regulate his behavior
SO that other people will not be an
noyed by his weakness. There is
dignity in calmness of manner, and
the direct opposite in an uncalled for
show Of personal feeling.
Gentility involves cordially to
everybody. II excludes all ridicule,
rudeness, v~ulgarity, insolence. Some
persons take great credit to themselves
for a sort of exclusivencss. 1t is not
the we'll bred, but the not quito we'll
bred who are ~nervously afraid Of en-
dangering their position in society by
being courteous TO every one. A
good manner is the best thing In the
world TO get a good name or supply
the want Of it, | have read or heard