Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-02-02
ETHICS OF HOME LIFE.

EEhICS of HUME LIFE
The manner in which people live in
their homes is an important factor to be
considered in connection with their busi-
ness or professional success l. is more
| than this: it is matter Of concern to
society and the commonwealth. Happy
homes are wholesome in their influence on
their inmates and on those who live in
their vicinity. The ireside felicity that
comes from congeniality; unity Of feeling
and purpose; and mutual cultivation of
good and useful qualities, is one of the
best of safeguards to the members of the
household where it is enjoyed and it is one
Of the most important sources of good
citizenship in general.
Practical wisdom would suggest that
investigation should be devoted to search
for the elements that 60 to make up this
felicity: and that this search should be
| made BY the members of each household
and by practical and professional philsn-
throphsts as well. To begin with, We
may safely say that the highest results in
this direction cannot be secured without
allowing large place at the fresi lie for
the cultivation OF the intellect; in phrase
the happiness Of the home cannot be sub
stantially promoted unless the mind and
heart are both kept at the front and prop
erly utilizedl The federation of bad morals
in the home is really more dangerous than
the storing of dynamite where it can be
handled BY children; and attempts to Sc
cure pleasant and really satisfactory
home atmosphere without books and news
papers-ot the right sort-will always fail.
The human mind must necessarily, move;
it is so constructed that it will move-or
Ay the track, or exploded If it does not
move upward, or to say the least, forward
it is likely to take the back track or go
downward.
Hence it will be seen that there should
be in progress, in all homes, processes of
moral and intellectual training and cul-
ture. There are several systems now
prevalent organized for the especial pur-
pose of promoting intelligence and the
acquiring OF knowledge. without the in
tervention Of the personal instructor, at
the 6reside; not simply by. the children
but also by their parents, and we may
safely say that a more wholesome and
promising feature than the uniting of
parents and children in the pursuit of
knowledge could hardly be devised. 1t
would of itself introduce a new and i'm
portant element of progress in the home
and it would form new and strong bond
of unity and affection between the young
and old OF the household The Chautau-
qua system has already borne rich
fruitage of this kind, both in thousands of
homes in all portions OF the land--and in
many quarters of the globe, and in putting
q new factor Of unity and fraternal feeling
in hundreds of neighborhoods and COM
munities. 1t certainly has done this in
Springfield. Dayton, Xenia, Urbana, and
in several hundred other towns and cities
But, in addition to this feature, a large
and honorable place should be given in
he home to clean and pure literature and
information as found in frst-class periodi-
Gals and public journals. Every family
should have its local newspaper, so that
its members may know what has occurred,
each day, at home as we'll as in the great
world abroad. Our own city is part of |
this world, and however much one might |
know about England, Egypt, or China, or
Africa, he would still be grossly ignorant !
on general principles, if he did not keep |
well advised OF what was occurring in his |
own neighborhood. The most important
events, from our own personal standpoints,
are those which occur at the points near
est to us-in our own wards, or cities. or
or states In these is our per-
sonal influence most potent; in these lies
our greatest ability to change things for
the better.
Individual effort may do much in ind-
vidual cases, in the general direction we
have pointed out, but organized effort
may do much more. individuals and
families may be greatly helped by socie-
ties of the right sort, managed by intelli-
gent and competent persons, and the
wholesome results of these organizations
On society itself-and we use the word so
ciety in its broad and true sense-will be
marked and lasting. The truth of this
mas been already significantly and sub
demonstrated.