Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-10-03
LITERATURE.
lite Influence fer Good or Bad Fully
Bot Forth.

Set Forth.
From the hour of the invention Of print
Ing. says the Essayist Whipple, books, and
not kings, were to rule the world
Weapons forged in the mind, keen
edged and brighter than a sunbeam.
were to supplant the sword and the battle
axe. Books! light houses built on the sea
of time! Books! by whose sorcery the
whole pageantry of the worlds history
moves in solemn procession before our
eyes. From their pages great souls look
down in all their grandeur, undimmed
by the faults and fOllies of earthly ex-
istance. cOnsecrated by time The self
made men who haye figured high IN state
and national councils have, with few ex-
ceptlons, been men of extensive and
judicious reading. In general. those who
exert the greatest influence on the com
munity in which they live are the read
ers of good literature
On the other hand, one of the greatest
powers for evil is the low and degrading
writings the boys and girls read. Parents
and teachers are not fully aroused to the
terrible influence this reading ::is having
upon the lives and character of the
young. Why, its influence is seen in the
slang language in which our youths in
dulge, ia their disrespect for parental
authority, IN their treatment of the aged,
in the wrong ideas of life they entertain
and in the general spirit of insubordina-
ton. 1t is therefore one of the first and
most sacred duties of parents to surround
their children at home with good litera-
ture. All parents do not realize the ne
cessity of this, therefore the important
work of instilling into the minds of our
youths love of reading good books de-
wolves almost entirely upon the teachers.
That they ought to do all in their power
to interest thir pupils in the writings Of
good authors, to implant in them rs far
as possible, correct literary tastes, to in
spire in them pride which will cause
them to disdain to read the low and
grovelling writings of the day, are facts
evident to all. How this can best be done
is question worthy the consideration
of all educators. A very good plan would
be to introduce some good books into
the public schools. Teachers can Gf they
have good books of their OWN lend them
to their pupils, let them 60 into the home
of every scholar. They can afford to
have to them worn and sOiled with finger
prints when they see what is being ac-
complished. Yes; they will feel that they
are being worn out in good cause, for
parents are generally interested in what
ever interests their children and if the
children acquire love for good litera-
ture, the parents will too, and they will
procure such for their children. A neigh
borhOOd, which was under the influence
of fictitious reading, was entirely revO-
lutionized, the power being a single book
of poems which was Placed in the hands
of pupils of that district by their earnest,
faithful teacher. A library and the in
PRODUCTION of good reading in the school
room tends to create love for good
reading out of school.
The reading which moulds character
is usually done in early life. How very
important is it then, that those who have
the direction of the young people should
seek to place in their hands such reading
as is entertaining sand elevating in its
nature and influence.
EVANGELINE.