River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-07-26
Morals and Manners.
RY MARY rosrLErHwAIrE.

And what do we mean by morals-and
what do we mean by manners? Web
ster tells us so plainly that there is not
the least shadow of doubt left
1t is not my province to exhaust this
subject; only to begin the inquiry shall l
attempt Why need we say anything
about morals and manners? If the lad
can say the table of rs and bound Wis
consin and spell phthisis and all correct
ly, even though he spoiled the theory
that one cannot do two things at once by
pinching the little boy on the right and
kicking the one ON the left with an angry
scowl the while, pray tell us what differ
ence it makes. He recited LIS lessons
was not that what his parents sent him
to school for? What difference does it
make if his teacher tits back in his chair,
splits his worn out quid ON one side, cuts
off another "chaw" while he remarks
"By gum Sam, you did that up slick.
Catch on, Sally, Us this time" What if
the teacher does slam the door and the
children slam it after him? What if
they do all laugh when freckled Tom
reads in drawing tone, "Can-the-
leopard-change- his-spots?"
If Toms sister Sarah leaves her new
lead-pencil on the desk-what harm if
Tom takes it to use, breaks the point,
and TO see the point again actually whit
ties half the pencil away? Let us look a
little further. When the tract of land
called Northwest Territory was coded to
the General Government it was on two
conditions-one relating to involuntary
servitude and one, in which were these
Religion, morality, and knowl-
edge being necessary to good govern
ment and the happiness of mankind,
schools and the means of education
shall forever be encouraged" Now tell
me-does simple knowledge of books fill
the bill? What is a Public SCHOOL, Is
it school for training citizens? You all
feel confident you know what good citl-
zen is. What danger threatens good
citizenship? Why do we need peniten
tiaries, prisons, reform schools? Follow
these dangers back to the school room.
l wish | had time to set them before
you as l see them. The boy robbing his
sister Of her pencil-those others white
with passion over their marble gambling
ending in stream of oaths, a succession
of kicks and knocks. The girl ruthlessly
tearing up the laboriously written COM
position of another girl because of petty
10 nl.ST1 al n f1aa Of ar
sending the wrigglings of their temper
out of their shoulders and elbows be-
cause of a reproof never so gently given
and then deliberately lying about it
when questioned. Have l overdrawn2
All! no; l have hardly begun. The
teacher of even one term has learned by
heart many sad lesson from that pitt
less teacher Of all-experience.
The three cardinal virtues of school, as
given us, are Truthfulness, Honesty and
Humility. What is more of blot upon
a community than liar? And they be-
gan as children. From what does this
lack of truthfulness proceed? When a
child enters school, it is often the first
I NiillE lie tNtI IGdiAEEh AlC vac VI AAAA-
portance-that any responsibility rested
on him as a member of community.
Little children have the idea they are
separate, entire units, not simply frac-
tons of grand unit. Perhaps rough
| treatment at home has caused them to
fear the strange teach er who seems so
very different from anyone they ever
knew before 1t is real heroism TO
stand. a target for all eyes, and tell the
simple truth in fear of a reprlmand.
Sometimes they are filed with fear and
| dread lest they have not fully compre-
hended the meaning of the teacher.
| And friends, saddest Of all, it is often Inc
/ herited-as Tom said-"It runs in the
blood like freckles." The teacher, right
here, must 60 down into the heart of the
child. behind the crimson curtain Of y
don't care lf ! did, that mo ,bila
spreads-the blaHb cprtain Of apger &c
another-the gray curtain Of stormy sobs
and tears of another. Try and put your
self in his place, sympathize with his
timidity, find the cause, work slowly,
cautiously, inspire the child with respect
for your own truth and judgment, make
him interested ip you, do not ask him too
many leading questions, then kindly,
gently, but oh. so firmly demand every
atom of truth, not satisfied with the
tiniest deviation, though it may seem
ever so trifing Watch-know for your
self and not ask the child.
| Go be continuedJ