Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-04-20
EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT.
Conducted by J. II. Terry, Principal Of Miners
Point Public Shoots.
How to Keep Boys at Home.

81 wish you boys loved to stay at
home in the evenings" said a
mother in my hearing last night;
and the sigh and look of distress
which accompanied her words told
plainly that her heart was deeply
panied by their oft-repeated absence,
as she watched their retreating foot
steps with troubled countenance,
and knew not what might be the
company they sought, nor what evil
influence might be thrown around
them. They were industrious boys
of sixteen and eighteen, just begin
ming to fancy they were too large
and too old to be subjected to pa
rental authority. They were not
vicious or idle, but worked with a
willing hand through the day,
doing the work of men; but when
evening came they sought pleasure
abroad, unmindful of a fathers
advice or a mothers entreaty. l
glanced around their home, COM
Portable farm-like dwelling, where
all the wants of the physical nature
were supplied, but as is often the
case, the food for the mind was less
abundant. A few school books,
which the boys had never learned
to love, a bible and a hymn-book,
constituted the family library; and
| was not surprised that they should
leave the circle at home, and seek
the cheerful throng that was loung-
ing at the store, or JOIN the vulgar
mirth and profane jests that went
around the boisterous group A
few dollars judiciously expended in
books and engravings suitable for
young children, will do much to
awaken a love of home; and | We
ture to assert, there is nothing which
will have a stronger influence in
keeping "those boys" quietly at
home, than to cultivate taste for
reading.
Begin early. Read to them be-
| fore they can read themselves;
explain what you read, and encour-
age them to converse with you about
| it. Teach them to observe the COM
mon phenomena of nature, and to
study into the causes which pro.
duce the effects they see. A mother
may do this herself without being
a philosopher. She may awaken
their curiosity upon the various OBJ
iects around them, and direct them
where this curiosity may be graft
fed; place within their reach useful
and instructive books, and show by
example as well as by precept that
she appreciates them; and the
pleasures of home will be purer and
sweeter to every member of the
family, and the children will sci.
dom have occasion to seek evening
amusements away from the charmed
circle of home. 1t has been truth.
fully said, "a good book is the best
of company" and the earlier VIC
introduce our children into the so,
ciety Of good books, the greater
will be the benefits derived from
them: and the stronger will be their
attachment to the social circle
around the evening fires and there
will be less danger of their seeking
diversion in the society of the idle
and vicious. But if you neglect to
make happy, and to furnish enter.
tainment for the intellect, be assured
that the restless desire of the human
mind for "some new thing" will
frequently attract "those boys" and
girls, two, away from home in search
of amusement-Tne Teacher.
Pofessor Huxley said in recent
lecture Il have said before, and |
repeat it here, that if man cannot
get literary culture of the highest
kind out of his Bible, Chaucer, and
Shakspere, and Milton, and Hobbies
and Bishop Berkeley, to mention
only few of our illustrious writers
i say The cannot get it out Of
those writers, he cannot get it out
of anything; and l would assuredly
devote a very large portion of the
t;p,e Of ayery Epulisb child IL