Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1882-07-31
gaaies' Golalll1s.
TEACH BOYS TO DO HOUSE
WORK.

WORK.
An article thus headed we lately
clipped from an agricultural contem-
porary published in Boston, written
by Matte" of Marlboro
have often wondered why moth
ers do not more generally teach their
boys to do housework, and thus in
many cases secure the best of help.
One of the saddest of the many sad
sights in this world is that of a wea-
ried, overworked mother, shaving
herself to death to wait upon her
boys, who are sitting around in her
way, or learning the ways of evil
upon the street, when they might and
should be her efficient helpers. The
larger the family the more help she
ought to have. Even in family
where there are girls, the domestic
education of the boys should not be
omitted, unless, as is the case in most
farmers homes, there is plenty out
side work for them to do. Many
neglect the household training, even
of their daughters, thinking it less
trouble to do all the work themselves
than to teach their children. This is
a great mistake, and one that works
evil in all directions. Of course it
would be easier for teacher to do
| all the reading and spelling, and ex-
amples in arithmetic for her scholars
| than to teach them to do the work
themselves, but it might not be best
for them. 1t requires great deal of
time and patience to train colt for
the various duties which will devolve
upon the horse, but it would hardly
be considered good management to
let him grow up without training.
To be sure, the willingness of the
little ones to help is trying, when in
a hurry but let them do what they
can, and correct their faults patient
ly. The burdens of life should be
equally borne. Parents should al
low themselves and their children
time for reading, writing, music, etc.
The scarcity of good help is a stand
ing complaint of civilized life. If
the children-boys as well as girls
were Systematically trained to do
homework, as they should be, this
difficulty would soon be obviated.
Besides the present help, such train
ing would be of the greatest advan-
tage to them when they have homes
of their own. [ do not believe that
any one ever had any reason to re-
greet the possession of a thorough
knowledge of homework.
The editor of the Boston Traveller,
in commenting upon the above, says
that he considers it a greater wonder
that mothers do not teach their daugh-
tiers the art of Homework than it is
that they do not teach their boys to
be henhussies. There are more
mothers that are worn and weary in
"slaving" themselves by working for
idle, lazy, romping girls, than for
boys; boys are not the only ones ex-
posed to learning evil on the streets,
when they should be helping their
mothers. Another reason given by
Matte for teaching boys to do house
work is that "when they have homes
of their own" such training will be
of ''the greatest advantage to them y
ay, if they be so unfortunate as to
marry wives from the girls of the
times, who have not learned to do
anything that will fit them for good
} wives. 1t would be of advantage to
such wives to have husbands that
had been taught when boys to do
housework. But this, as it seems to
us, is like putting the cart before the
!, horse. Teach boys to do outdoor
D. work and girls indoor is our pre-.
cept.