The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1884-04-18

the eagerncss Of her boundless matern-
nj affection, built bright aircastles, in
which her own sweet child was ever
queen of the realm.
When did che fall, and how? In
ninsty-nine cases out Of every hundred,
tho truthful answer is-by reading i'm
pnrs literature, from which tho de-
scent To hell is easy and rapid.
All this is going on about us, every
day. Every day the boys and girls are
being dragged down into the awful
abyss Of degradation and crime, in just
this manner. "Not in Albany ?" DO
you sAyl Yes, right in Albany. In
every village and hamlet where the
United States mail enters, it carries
with it this blighting curse. Tho little
farms that dot the hills and valleys Of
lovely Oregon, are not free from it's
bAleful influence. II necessarily fol-
lows, then, that somebody's home Is
not free. IL that home yours ? Is it
mine Who can tell. Have we placed
in th> reach Of these expanding intel
lects an unlimited supply Of that which
is better and purer Have you sought
by precept aud kindly conVersation to
direct their attention TO this better class
Of reading? Have you treated your
sons mental nature as a spirit that may
c'me up to the stature Of your own ?
Yea, that may in peerless ambition leap
from the lower bed 10 planes even far
above you IL not, go to your homes
with the shadow Of an awful fear en-
shrowdiug your soul, and roAt not until
you have overcome the evil which may
have been wrought through your lack
Of watohful care. AS you have faith.
fully clothed the body, 30 faithfully
clothe the immortal spirit. As you
have fsd the body, so feed the undying
soul
Bat ssya AN anxious father, al
atm driven from early morn till dewy
eve, TO toll for these same loved ones
is there no help given me, in this all
important task r. And | answer, zen.
Some heroic soa havo, for years past,
been devot!ng 1 'i lives and fortune
TO crushing out thls monster OF unholy
literature in tSe great cities snsers and
SCOTS have been their porti-n, yet their
indomitabls hearts have never quailod,
yet the monster is not dead, nor has his
career been seriously checked We
read in every days dispatches Of Toys
lei into crimes, disgracing happy homes
and breaking mo,her.' hearts, through
the agency Of that pestifvrous curse, the
dime novel.
Here, if mistake not, comes in the
plain duty Of the teacher. Lst no day
pass wittou. instructing tho pupils in
regard to worlds great authors. Let
them be told of tho great historians,
,, philosophers, poes, sages, morahsts
and novolists, whose works are sc
, worthy that they havo deied The
crumbling tooth Of time. Fill their
young hearts with a desire to know
more Of these mighty men OF genius
, See to it that their aspirations are up
ward, and no. downward. Arithmetic
grammar, science--all are good, all art
absolutely essential but, fellow teachers
fellow parents, this subtle essence which
we call mind will not DO satisfied Will
these. The boy who is content to dwell
in tho midst of mathemAticS alone, i
! an abnormal creature, deserving NOR
pity than commentator. Tho gir
whose sole aim in life is To accomplish
! that only which we ordinarily teru
a., utilitarian, is not likely to be attractive
A man with native shrewdness ma
conceal defects in mental drill in natul
al sciences by judicious silence. IL
may employ others to perform hi
: mathematical computations, and yet b
prosperous business man. But n
other can do his miscellaneous reading
no other can do for him that which
> to make or mar his moral nature. II
is to be pure, ohaste, and noble, in b
taste and habit of thought, or impur
unchasts and unholy in sentiment an
desire.
=. Then, fellow teachers, let us stri,
~ with Zeal born of q due appteciatic
r of our high vocation, to direct this in
- portant factor into the right channel
y Follow parents, let US Cooperate vii
" the teacher in this important work, ar
s' supplement his efforts by placing in IL
~ hands Of our children, the literatu
~ which will crafty the taste thus pr
ne perly directed. An, surely God wi
40 bless our efforts, by granting bett
ne race of men aud women to come aft
us.
/? -e~-
do 8. N. Rhoads has given eviden