Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-09-05
THE TRAINING OF FUTURE PARENTS.
Some RegrettabIe Features of the Pres
ent Lax system.

A few years ago Frank r. Stockton
wrote an essay on 1.-The Training of
Parents" which although semi-satir-
ical, had in it substratum of whole
some truth. Briefly stated, his argu-
ment was that great change had
taken place in the constitution of the
family, especially in the United States;
that the child had usurped the former
prerogative of the parent, and, there
fore, that it was time for us to recog-
nize the altered condition and to give
to the children of the present day as
sistance and counsel in the judicious
training of their parents.
Among the rules suggested for the
government of parents the primary
proposition was that tilial control
should begin in the first years of pa
rental life, when the minds of the pa
rents would be in Il plant and molda-
BILE condition. If it should become
necessary to punish a parent the child
must not forget the importance of
tempering severity with mercy; that
once having taken the reins of govern
ment in hand it must never resign
them, but constantly keep a guiding
and controlling power over both the
father and the mother. In fact, all
the old-fashioned rules that were sup
posed to be applicable to the training
of children were used as illustrations,
the sum of advice to children being:
Train up parent in the way he should
go, and when you are old you will
know how to go that way yourself.
Allowing for the humorous exagger-
alton of Mr.. Stockton, it cannot be
denied that the Difference paid today by
many parents to the wishes and opin-
ions of their children has often seri-
oous effect upon their mental and
moral growth, and is directly RESPONSE
BILE not only for parental disappoint-
ment but also for heavy sorrow. The
Puritan sternness at one time in
vogue, the loveless and repellent char
acter of the creed, the constant iter-
alton of duty and the curbing of every
innocent and joyous emotion, simply
melted a longing to break such irk-
some bonds, and when the opportu-
nifty to do offered itself the other ex-
treme was reached and license took
the place of repression. And yet it
may be questioned if this ''keep-off-
the-grass" method of. training was
more hurtful than that which either
looks upon a child as delicate exotic,
too refined and tender to be brought
into contact with the less favored
mortals, or else abandons all efforts at
control, consoling itself with the we'll
worn reflection that the child can take
care of itself.
OF these two methods the latter
seems to be the most popular. The
feeling of independence and self-as-
sertiveness that is characteristic of
the average American mind is too
much, relied upon. 1t Is presumed
that the let-alone policy will stimulate
this spirit; whereas, ON the contrary,
the natural result is to bring into exist
ence feeling of disregard for the
rights of others and an obtrusiveness
and hardness which speedily degen-
crate into the worst type of selfishness.
In the streets, in stores and hotels, on
street and railrood ears and steam
boats, there can be daily seen the out
come of such pernicious training, the
most regrettable feature of the matter
being that the parents seem complete
ly Indifferent, or else lend tacit ap-
proval to that which thoughtful peo-
pie look upon with alarm. Pertness
is considered to be precocity, rude
ness is simply youthful exuberance,
while selfishness is held to be nothing
but an indication of progressive
business spirit which hold its own and
not allow itself to be cheated out of
its just due.
Never has the cultivation of the
graces of obedience, respect, reverence,
manliness, and womanliness been more
profoundly needed than now. These
graces lie at the root of all good So
cial intercourse. Like mercy, they
are twice blessed wherever they radi-
ate they illumine and beautify. Let
us try to cultivate such virtues in our
children. -PhiladeLphia Record.