The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-02-12

The Father at Home.

confidence by an apparent lack OF Sympa
thy. On the other hand, few young PEG
pie ever take the trouble to put them
selves in their fathers place-to imagine
how he must feel this OF that behavior
how disrespectful word OF look insults
him, or how voluntary confidence is
priced him. There are many things, nc
4 doubt, which boys and girls do not care tc
speak of before their father but they dc
not know how hurt pater fansilias feels
when a conversation is stopped upon his
entering the room, when he is made tofeel
that he is not one of the circle-that he is
Il power to be respected and propitiated
but no more. Very often man has him.
self to blame for this state of things, but
not always. Often it is mere love of sc.
clecy which make girls especially exclude
their father as much as possible from a
knowledge of their doings, their friends.
their comings and goings, their fears and
hopes. With some this reticence must be
necessary. Condolences would only be met
with suspicion or blame or ridicule. But
most men have a tender spot in their
hearts, even for the weakness and foolish
ness of their own flesh, - and feel panied
when they are silently condemned as I'M
worthy Of confidence. Pdter fdmil5as may
be too proud to show that he feels hurt.
He may wrap himself up in dignity and
affect a contempt for the trifing concerns
OF the girls: he may even repel the first
advances, but his heart may be exclaiming
bitterly against the GOODNESS and hardness
which excludes him from the knowledge
Of his daughters mind and heart which is
given to half dozen school girl friends.
A girl owes much to her father, even if
he has not been all to her that parent
ought to be. He has had to work hard,
very probably, that her bread and butter
might be secure. He has borne cares,
anxieties. struggles, temptations, at
which she can but guess-of which she can
fOr;l no real conception. If he is hard
and unsympathetic some allowance for the
nervous irritation of an oyerworked or
anxious man may surely be made. And a
girl never, we believe, has any conception
how precious she is in her fathers eyes.
Rough words and cold OF angry looks may
seem to disprove it. but it is true never
theless. More even in sense, than his
wife, she appeals to his protective care.
He may scold or slight her, but let any
real harm threaten her and she will see
that to touch her is to touch the apple of
his eye. The day comes, no doubt, when
her allegiance and sympathy are trans
ferred to another. in right of still higher
claim. There is little wonder if poor
pater fdnailids looks askance on him at
| first and is slow to admit that he is the
one at whose coming his reign must end.
1t is the way of nature, and it must be so.
| But it is hard. A father often loses more
on his daughters marriage than her
mother does. MY daughters my daugh-
| ter all her life But a fathers right
changes entirely when the ring is put on
the finger. Till the fairy prince comes.
then. let pater famizias be considered and
deferred to, and if necessary, humored
Let him not be made to feel that bare
duty is to be paid to him. Let him not
feel himself a stranger in his own house.
For many little sacrifice, many a gentle
or patient word, unnoticed, unacknowl-
edged at the time, and soon forgotten by
her who renders it, lives in the memory of
him who receives it.-Wauerly.
The Beginning of the Normal Sys-
| tenn.
Mr.. Editor Vagaadaa:
Virginia may be said to be in transit
ton State, as it regards education. She
has put the past behind her, and is MAX
ing commendable progress in placing edu-
cation within the reach of the humblest of
| her children. She will, as L believe, feel
an interest in knowing what a sister State
is doing. In this large and influential
county of Lancaster, the acorn was plant
ed in the village of Millersville, in 1854,
of what is now the normal school system.
An academy was erected by few public
! spirited citizens, who wished greater adj
vantages than the common schools afford
ed. They desired to see the common
school teacher elevated. The next year
| they rendered a thousand dollars and their
academy to the county school superinten-
dent, and asked him to call the teachers of
the county together. Hon. [. P. Wicker
sham, afterwards State superintendent,
gladly awaited of their request, as it &C
corded fully with his long entertained
OPTIONS. Three hundred teachers came
together, and for three months received
his instructions. Very soon the conta-
gion spread and to-day it is the first nor
NAL school in the State, and nine others
are modelled after 1t. Near $300,000 have
been expended in grounds, buildings and
| furniture, 400 students can be comfortably
boarded, and 800 taught in the same build
ings. Virginia, West Virginia, and Ohio
with sixteen other States have sent their
children to this school.
A VIRGINIAN.
Lancaster, Pa, January 30th, 1885.