Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-09-17
The Parents Of Poorly Bred Children.


There must be some way to explain the
presence of SO many poorly raised children.
Somebody must bear the blame. The
children are not responsible for their con-
duct before they come to the years of dis
erection, yet the majority of them are very
far from what they ought to be. Those
who profess to know whereof they speak
say that children learn all they know either
by seeing Or hearing. Their reasoning
powers are SO weak that very few of their
ideas are deduced from distinct, separate
propositions or promises. This is proba-
bly, true, therefore it must be concluded
that their examples have been bad.
1t may not be out of place to call atten-
ton to the subject that was recently under
discussion-heredity. There it was shown
quite clearly that child may inherit a
diathesis; that is, a tendency toward the
same constitutional diseases, mental dispo-
| sition, or physical characteristics of its
parents. Indeed, this is SO we'll settled
that it is unnecessary to more than call
attention to it. There is very important
phase of this subject, however, that has not
been discussed thoroughly, and one that
| comparatively few persons, otherwise we'll
informed. know anything about Perfectly
healthy parents, that is, parents without
| any constitutional or inherited diseases,
may have delicate, worthless children.
There are SO many instances of this that
no observant person will question this state
ment for moment. The sons of highly
respectable man may turn out to be rakes
or drunkards. The daughters of mothers
models, grow up to be giddy, weak, and
worthless.
The law seems to be that diathesis may
be inherited from habit as we'll as from q
constitutional disease in the parent. For
instance: A child may inherit the DISPOSE
ton to make money, to trade, or to specu-
late from the habits of its father, who was
driven by necessity to specializing and
trading. The father may not have had a
natural taste for these, and only resorted
to them for lack of opportunity to make a
living in some more congenial way. The
mere taste on the part of the mother TO,
music, or rather the enjoyment afforded by
the singing or playing Of others, may de-
velop strongly marked taste for music in
her children. There are many instances
where the parents of musicians of note
could neither sing nor play, and probably
only one of them had an ear for music
Instances illustrative of this phase Of the
law of heredity might be multiplied until
they filled the column, but you are prob.
ably aware of great many within YOU
circle Of acquaintance.
OF all the habits that may affect children
permanently none ore more potentand more
certain than the drinking habit, A mar
need not be drunkard nor an Ahabitua
drinker in order to transmit to his posterity
disposition to drink and the inclination
to seek stimulants. The first manifestation
of disorder is craving for excitement
The nature of the excitement depends
largely on the tastes and surroundings o.
the victim, for victim he is doomed to be
When childish games cease to afford thu
necessary excitement he naturally turns Il
baseball, horse races, and probably gam
bling. Alcoholic stimulants are found t.
answer the same purpose as the excite
ments he has been used to, and he becomes
drinker.
This craving for excitement leads girls
TO flirting, coquetting, and fast ways. All
or nearly all, abandoned women despis,
the lives they lead, and only continue il
them because of the excitement afforded b,
their revels, the wine and the gaudy tinse
with which they are bedecked. They coult
readily have inherited this disposition iron
fathers who boosted that they could take
drink or let it alone, or from mothers VIII.
found relief in glass of toddy when the,
had the blues.
Did you ever think of this phase Of tn,
question. or did it ever occur to you that
majority Of the abandoned men and womel
have come honestly by their unfortunate
tastes and dispositions? Do strong, health!
parents ever think that their social or do
nestle habits have given to their children
delicate bodies and depraved tastes? Thes,
are not merely possibilities but probabilities
Indeed, they have almost been lifted iron
the plane Of probability into the realm o
fact. The drunkard, the tippler, the sport
the profane, the vulgar, or the cruel paren
need not be disappointed if his sons ant
daughters develop deep-seated moral sore
from his indulgences, which he may con
slider trifing. The firt, the gossip, tn
tattler, or the lazy parent must not be sur
prised if her children are permanent.
afflicted by reason of her habits.-Pitts
burgh Dispatch.
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