Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-08-19
READING FOR CHILDREN.
a Difficult Question Which Should BE De-
cided by the Mothers of the Land.

n Difficult Question Which Should BE De-
cfded by the Mothers of the Land.
This is question that every mother
should decide herself, and judge wheth-
er it is good or bad before the child
reads the first line. Don't say you've
not time-take the time to read large
share of the book, or glance over the
paper, before it is laid on the table for
public use. A quick, intelligent eye,
and mothers eye, also, will do won
ders in a turning over of leaves, read
ing here and there few words, seeing
if the language is pure, the style grace
full and the moral healthful. Much of
harm is done to the young people by
their reading sensat; onal stories of the
"blood and thunder" style, Struggled
in and read secretly, or, in some cases,
openly, in illustrated weeklies and have
caused many boys to rob and fly from
their homes, seeking for ''worlds to
conquer, bringing up'' in a police
station and returned home.
Much of the blame is to be traced to
the mothers-too much indulgence from
mother has ruined more families than
a fathers harshness books and
bad companions being easy stepping
stones to wickedness. A good mother
will do great deal towards forming
her chldren's character. The first few
years they are wholly under her intlu-
ence, and she is all to them; then the
school-life begins, and teacher and
schoolmates broaden the view, but the
mother must not relinquish her watch
fulness but interest herself in their
studies, plays, companions, and make
herself necessary to their happiness.
Keep hold of the children, don't let
them grow away from you. A mother
should never grow old to her sons and
daughters: be one of them and gain
their confidence; be their companion,
even if you lose the acquaintance of
some of your own age. Better make
good men and women of your children
than be a leader of fashion. But about
the reading: ''What shall they read?'
If possible, select the books, papers.
etc, yourself. You can easily look
over the book notices in weekly, and
this usually gives q tolerably fair criti-
cism of scientific works, biographies,
histories and novels. Boys usually like
tales of adventure, and in reasonable
amount they should be gratitied, for
what would man be without bravery
and courage? When my boys were at
the age to be attracted to such reading,
the principal of the grammar school
they attended put list of books on the
blackboard for the use of pupils as cared
to profit by it. There was the Life of
Washington, and others / fail to re-
member, but various kinds, and for
light reading one or two of SCOTS and
Dickens novels / always felt grateful
to him, and think the plan Nigh. be
followed by the teachers.
At the public libraries sometimes an
attendant will tell of a popular work,
but that is not always safe to go by, as
not always is popular book a good
one. You must find out about the books
in your own way, but be sure to find
out in some way There are many books
and papers in the world, some people
say too many, but there's more good
ones than bad ones, and you must sift
them out. Don't trust the innocent
child to do it for himself. If home
life is what it should be, bad books and
bad companions will not be there, and
mother at home evenings will be friend
and playmate to the boys and girls. BY
this don't mean they are to have no
friends or mates, but you IL see they will
feel so proud of their mother they'll
bring them to see you, and you will be
able to Judge whether they are fit asso-
ciates or not. In all this, remember the
mothers have the love of their children,
the fathers the respect, it is said, but let
us have both.-Mrs. Frances c. Master.
in Good Housekeeping.