Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-06-26
PRESENCE OF MIND.
Teaching the Children the Art and
Use OF Self-controI.
Toronto Globe

Presence of mind is quality much
talked of, much honored and-little
cultivated; yet, like most other good
things in this world, it requires cult
walton, for in very few cases is it a
natural git. Some people there are,
doubtless, to whom it comes natural.
ly and by instinct to do the right
thing at the right time and place; but
they are few in number, Then again,
some people are by nature, cooler
headed than their neighbors, and do
rot scream and otherwise become use,
less Just when their services are re,
quired. But this quiet composure,
though very valuable, is not the same
as presence of mind. The latter con-
sists not only in having your wits
ready for use, but in knowing how
to use them, and being sufficiently
calm and steady in mind to remember
and turn to account that knowledge,
From the earliest possible age children
should be taught self control, and the
instinct of trying to remedy any mis-
take or accident they may encounter.
Teach your child, if he cuts himself
anywhere, at once to hold the two
sides of the cut tightly together, to
stop the bleeding, aud then to cry if
he likes; instead of, as children usual
ly do, dancing about, bowling aud
shaking the wounded part violently,
thus making it bleed and smart doubly,
Show him that if he burns or scorches
himself he can save himself much
pain by covering the place with wet
soap, or cold cream, or fuller's earth,
or violet powder, all or any of which
are pretty sure to be within reach in
the nursery.
But if the boys require to be taught
self control, doubly so do girls. Hsv-
ing, by nature, weaker nerves and
more vivid Imagination, they shrink
fran pain, suffering and dang er in
fashion utterly unintelligible to
their brothers. But the more natur-
al this shrinking is, the more
carefully should they be taught
to govern it. Girls should &C
quire at least the rudiments of nurs
ing and learn the best and easiest at
tainable remedies for the ordinary
accidents of daily life, just as certain
ly and as matter of course as they
are taught to sew AID to read. Es.
pecially should quiet and GOODNESS be
impressed on them. Calmress is not
insensibility, though many people
confound them. A girl is not hard
hearted and unfeeling because she
can witness painful sights, and, if
need be, lend steady, firm hand to
the doctor or nurse. On the contrary,
she has usually twenty times the
sympathy and unsel6sh kindness of
that delicate little damsel who has not
command whatever over herself, and
fills the room with shrieks, winding
up by running away the very moment
an extra hand might be useful. It
may seem harsh to say so, perhaps,
but those dainty bodies, who are so
utterly useless at any emergency, or,
as their friends plead, $50 highly en-
dowed with sensibility" Chose who
are not their friends make unpleasant
reference to folly" and "hysterics'O,
are generally selfish and selfabsorbed
to a degree utterly unintelligible to
their more sober sisters, who are
taught to forget self, and control both
mind and body by their large-hearted
sympathy with, and comprehension
of, suffering. But the sick room is
not the only place where presence of
mind is required Scarcely a day
passes when We do not more or less
require it. Thank goodness the notion
that women should faint or go into
Mysteries for the smallest thing is
pretty well exploded; still, even yet
the opposite lesson might be more
strongly incuicated.