The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1883-05-16
Eaaeation as q Preventive Of Cruelty.

The father or the mother who fails to
rebuke the smallest act of cruelty to q
living creature. be it ever so humble,
prepares the first step In the progress of
the child towsrd their own persecution,
it may be, and the eneouraged tor
mentor Of q little fy may become the
scourge which. breaks the hearts of its
heedless parents j.. '.li-. The mutila-
ton Of spiders. bugs, and worms; the
teasing of cats, dogs and goats; the de-
struction of birds nests, throwing of
stones, handling the bow and arrow,
and firing ofpistols and guns; are the
moral primers of these embryo students.
A parent mayregard an insect or ., bird
as of NO consequence, SO long rs the
child Is amused; and such one rarely
If ever seriously interrogates himself rs
to the result of such criminal indul-
gence, nor suffers himself to believe
that the object of II Is being schooled to
become tyrant and despot among men,
until later on, when these cruel teach
ings shall have crystalized into heart
lessness and barbarity. why are You
crying, dariingf" once inquired =
mother Of her little daughter, who was
trying to catch q fly upon . window
frame. because, mamma, Freddy
won't let me kill it" s'Why, my son, !"
said the mother. ..do you thus annoy
your little sisterP,' s.Because, mamma,
/ want to; kin 1t myself replied the
young student. Kirby remarks
that athe first knowledge we have of in
sects is as tormentors." Nearly the
whole insect world are regarded as
filthy, ugly, noxious creatures, and only
fit to be trodden under feet. When
flies became scarce the Roman tyrant
wreaked his passion for cruelty in the
blood of his subjects. The contests of
wild beasts IN the arena, it was found,
educated the Roman populace IL the
word may be used in so low q sense
to the degree that nothing short of
human gladiators were able to satisfy
their brutal yearnings; and the fas-
cinAting spectacle Of slaves hacking
and staying one another was shared by
the patrician and plebeian alike.
Let il not be insisted that nature is at
fault II children are not only per-
mitted to torture and torment unoffend-
ing brutes, but are, applaudeds for so
doing, what logical reason is there for
supposing that they viii fail TO reflect
disgrace on their parents. andwork out
infinite damage to the StateP /.
A skilful mother should instruct her
children in the uses of domestic ami
mails as playmates, servants and friends.
She should impress upon their minds
the wiekedness of deforming or render
ing unhappy what God has made beau
tifui and happy. Nor should
she confine herself to those deemed
beautiful, but to those also which to the
eye Of prejudice are ugly, and even
hurtful. Point to the spider, building
with consummate skill its twig-sus-
pended residence, braced and projected
everywhere with human ingenuity and
cunning. Instead of starting back af-
frighted at the sight of the frog, the
worm, the ehrysaiis and the caterpillar,
teach them to contemplate the wonders
of their forms and colors, persuade them
to take them in their hands, and, when
possible, assist their vision with the
microscope. Let her teach them the
difference between might and right, and
that creatures helplessness should be
its mightiest defense againstinjury. !.
The voice Of the clergy, too. should be
raised in unmistakable tones against
cruelty to the defenseless brutes. Days
| and weeks are often consumed in dis.
cussipg some theological dogma, while
the daily, practical relations of man
MIN ~ tnocc eucnt CIetturtS WHICH sur
fer and die that we may live, rarely,
and even then but briefly, receive con.
sideration- q. It is perhaps be-
/ yond the limits of an ordinary essay tc
consider education in its relations to
physiological science, and yet it can no,
be denied that the students of thai
branch of learning are exposed to in
| fiuences more potent and fatal than
from. any and all others combined. No
person ever looked on the dissection oi
a living animal for the first time with.
out feeling his moral sensibilities
shocked to q sickening degree, and II Is
only after frequent rePetitions and long
familiarity with terrible experiment.
that he is able to endure such sight un-
moved. The schoolmaster can
greatly assist the merciful purpose OF
parents by ningiing humanity with ru'
dimental instruction, The infant kneel.
ing at the, incipient fountain of knowl'
edge should have his first draughi
favored with the sweet ingredients ol
| pity and ompassion.- Heary BergA
IN Boston Journal Of EducoSon.