The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1883-05-19

much propriety deny it the latter as the
former.
Mothers should not think that they are re-
lieved from further responsibility when
their children pass from the nursery and are
placed under tutors. Teachers may be ever
so faithful in the discharge of their duties,
and after ali demand the mot ther's assis-
tance in order to insure success. 1t is too
much the case, that children are permitted
| to go to and come from school month after
month, without having single inquiry
| made of them as regards their progress.
| This has a tendency to make the child con-
clude that it is a matter of Indifference at
! home whether it learns or not Instead of
being thus careless, mothers should hear
their children recite, and administer as
much as possible to their advancement.
Children should be impressed with the i'm
portance of education, and it matters not
how much teachers may labor to this effect,
if parents manifest no interest.
Mothers should regulate the time of their
children so that one thing may not inter
fere with another. Every thing should
have time, and every thing should be at
tended to in its time. Children must play;
but at the same time they should be taught
that play is not the principal thing. They
should nave set times for play as well as for
other things. If this was strictly adhered
to for time, children would become habit
uated to it. But when such regulations are
made to-day and overlooked tomorrow,
children learn to disregard them, because
their parents disregard them, and bad in
stead of good results are produced. Every
law has penalty connected with it, and
there is nothing better calculated to bring
the law and the legislator into contempt
than to omit the intiiction of its penalty
upon the transgressor. Let mothers re-
member this.
Mothers should early commence to teach
their children industry. There are many
little things which they could do which
would awaken disposition to be useful.
In the nursery, they may be taught to 20
errands from one part of the room to an
other. This kind of exercise paves the way
for more extended service. It is amusinp
to see the importance which little ones at
tach to triling job of this kind. They
attach as much consequence to little
errand to store as Southern merchant
does to his trip to New York.
Mnthap- cyo,,lJ L
children benevolence. Much is done in the
nursery towards forming child's DISPOSE
ton. scolding mother will, nine cases
out of ten, have scoiding children, while
quiet, meek, but firm mother will be blessed
with an orderly, peaceable and benevolent
family. There is nothing more admirable
than family knit together by the tender
threads of love; and there is nothing more
disgusting than a snarling, quarreling
household. By every desire for your own
respectability and that of your family, let
me say to you, mothers, be gentle with
your children, and by your example teach
them to be gentle with each other and with
their playmates.
These things may appear trifing in the
estimation Of scme, but let all remember
that this world is made up of trihe5, and
mothers should not disregard the things of
which we have been speaking because they
appear OF small consequence to the casual
observer. A drop of water is trifing but
the oceans are constituted of such trifes, A
grain Of sand is insignificant, but the earth
is composed of such grains. A child must
be taught the first principles. A moral and
a literary education has beginning. First,
we lay the foundation, then we build the
superstructure, but it is unwise to despise
the foundation while we admire the SUPER
structure whose permanence depends upon
it.
There are duties which are peculiar to a
mother and can not be imposed upon 9TH
ers: and those who free themselves of these
duties by engaging a private tutor, scarcely
deserve the name of mother. A child
thinks that its mother knows everything.
and laboring under this impression. comes
for instruction. Now, how can any parent
drive the little inquirer away, when word
Or two would satisfy its mind and encour
age it to pursue the path of knowledge?
Mothers, you can not be engaged in a
work than this. This immortal spirit
wishes to know something about the works
OF its Creator, and what can be more hon.
orable, profitable, or important, and what
should be more interesting to you, than to
satisfy it, and thereby add fuel to the fire
already kindled?
George Washington was an inquisitiye
lad, and no doubt he asked many trifling
questions, but he had a mother who de-
lighted to give MIN information and coun-
sci. 10 George Washington's mother is to
be ascribed much of his greatness: but if
this great mans mother had driven him
from her side when he approached and in
Guired, what might have been the result?
It is difficult to tell. Wemay, however, sup
land might yet be under British control.
What great results are produced by trifes
''1n the home" says Napoleon Bonaparte,
''the mother makes the character Of Ma
tons"
Mothers. perform your part. Have a
care, a constant care, over your children's
moral and literary education. Commence
early, and continue long, for you will be
richly rewarded.
Had the opportunity Of placing copy
of this communication in the hands of every
mother in Louisiana I think l would
awaken a spirit of moral, intellectual and
RELIGIOUS inquiry which coDld not fail of