New-York tribune., 1884-03-23
DOES EDUCATION EDUC4TEi

To the razor Of The Tribune
| SIR: A remark in one of your recent literary
notes on the bad manners OF the rising generation
courages me to say word on the same subject
There has been good deal Of talk of late
years about education. ard l. being Yankee and 50
naturally progressive, time since BEGAN to adopt
the new ideas about training the young. Ny father
belonged to the Old school. He brought up large
family in the nurture and admonition OF tho Lor and
he neither spared the rod strap shngle But now
adays that kind of thing is obsolete and and my noigh
bors have given corporal punishment and discipline
entirely and moral suason in the training OF our
children. Now the philosophy upon which the new sys-
tenn Is based reads beautifully. | must say. II does
Ton paper as though children had nights OF their
own and that parents ought not TO take mean advan
age their superior strength and power to coerce and
consran the little Appeal to their say the
philosophers and you do anything with them Well,
wo have gone upon that system for some time, aud
IL il because the results somehow do not pan out right
as California friend puts IT, that write to you for ill
formation Perhaps paternl affection has biassed me as
10 nv own children. but certainly not mistaken
about those OF other people. And what see all around
Inc IL a distinct deterioration in the manners and be-
of the young people Notwithstanding the wonder
full advance OF educational agencies and the increased
scope of instruction at the schools.
don't say the young folks not smart ambitious
They have lost little in these respects If any thing But
say.that they Used TO have manners and that
they have now, and this Think though may bo
wrong, is really change for the WORSE More
than this their want of manners to grow ont OF
Indifference anybody hut Themselves which Is painful
to IN children and | sorry to say that this IN
difference Increases they grow older We
brought up to think much OF others aud little OF our
selves We were taught to reverence our elders even
when they strangers We we're made repress and
restrain ourselves, aud given 20 understand that the
world not our heritage but that had 10 deserve
nd earn before We could enjoy aud possess.
IL IL all different Every boy aud girl thinks nc
or she perfect right 10 look out for Number One
alone this brings bad results. And the worst comes
childhood has passedan the generation brought
up is settling down. Let me give yOn an illustration
from my experience likely lid and lass In neigh
bright. He had good business They were we-housed
and comfortable. But they only lived together six
months and now they arc hoo again. with small pros
pect of reconciliation. happen 10 know the causes OF
this separation The SIM truth Is that neither O these
young peOpi had learned TO give their way
10 body and they couldn't bring themselves TO feel
that they ought 10 do IL for an0t ier.
Now this l. typical case for scores OF thousands OF
children oil around being brought NJ IN just the
way and being prepared Just the saIno do
mestc unhappinfss. People wonder why there Is so
the kind OF home training the children get Ia too many
cases. they would think II very surprising that there
should he 30 much matrimonial incOmpatibity." As
To what shO Md be done confess do not know bLtthere
Is surely something In the modern theories OF ed-
cation and home training the results would I've moro
satisfactory. IL you can throw any light on this dark
subject yOu WILL an sure crafty many OF your readers.
aud also perpexed and not little discouraged
Sesc- fork, March ~, 1854 REfoRAER