The morning call., 1890-12-12
HOME INFLUENCE.


1t Has Very Much to Do With the Train
ing of the Youthful Mind.
Editor Womdn's Column, Morning Cali:
"Our schooling does not train US to grace
full or even correct speech; even our colleges
often leave that uncouth," says W. d. How
ellis, anent the Bostonians. eFrom this asser-
ton it is evident that the denizens of other
cities besides our own are addicted to errors
Of speech. Here localismS. solecismS and
slang are so frequently heard that they seem
to have become the current language OF the
day "a currency in which there is
SO much and such base alloy that it is but
poor counterfeit of the original A we'll
turned. correctly worded sentence has be-
come the exception where it should be the
rule. The phrase "Talk is cheap" is al
most proverbial but perhaps if the warp
and wool employed were little finer the
fabric would be more elegant if not quite
so Cheap" Whal volume fragments of
conversation caught on the street, in the car
or at any public gathering opens 10 the one
having ears" and thus made an involun-
tary, perchance unwilling, listener! These
street fragments many times give correct
Keynote to the character of the speaker,
especially TO the one who looks beneath the
surface
Words are but thoughts cxpressed-the
thought being to the word as the soul to the
body-the one the unseen power which
moves or actuateS the other. While beaut-
personal property they can no more remain
SO than the odor of a flower can remain ITS
own-their fragrance, even as the fragrance
OF the flower, soon penetrating and affecting
all who come within its radius. One who
thinks with purity will express that purity
in words and actions, for "out Of the full
ness of the heart the mouth speaketh," and
blessed are the pure in heart, for they
shall see God" No one expects to draw
PURE WATER
From an impure well, and if the fountain
of thought in the heart be polluted the words
which issue from the lips will, also, be pol
luted and impure. Beautiful thoughts are
like butterflies. only lingering where there is
kindred loyelinesS, as the butterfly fingers
over proiuSion of flowers, while evil
thoughts cling with burr-like persistency to
whatsoever they touch. The art of CONVEX
sation might almost De styled one of the lost
arts SO Fare has it become, save with the
cultivated few.
Small talk-weIl and aptly named small
is met with everywhere, but instructive, re-
freShing conyersatiOn-and it is az refresh
ing as water to the thirsty souf'-has al
most become an unknown quantity. When
two with kindred tongues-and they are apt
to be kindred spirits" as well-meet what
"a feast OF reason and flow of soul' fol
lows. 1t is like meeting native of ones
own country on foreign shore. 1t is note
worthy and lamenrable fact-which |, as an
American. blush to own-that educated
foreigners who speak the English language
almost invariably do so with far greater
purity of accent and elegance CT dictiOn than
do those ITO the manner born" OF course,
occasional 'lapsuS lingue" may we'll be for
given, but the too frequent recurrence of
such unhappy accidents will mar the
t beanty not OF ,a amy speech Rs Many per-
children the use OF correct language, do not
recognize it when they hear it. Others
consider 1t speeds, OF aifectation, or put
ting on airs as they style it; still others.
while knowing better, acquire the habit of
Incorrect speech from evil or ignorant as
sociates. Verify, "evil associations corrupt
good manners" and good language as well.
Mr.. Howells apparently places the blame
for all this
UPON THE SHOULDERS OF TEACHERS
In schools and colleges, and while they. no
doubt, are greatly to blame, it seems 10 an
impartial observer that the root of the mat
ter lies deeper and that the fault lies with
the parents Said a mother plaintively to
the writer: Il don't see why my chldre en-
are so ungrammatical and use such bad Ian
guage. | try to teach them better. and l
always tell them not to do as l do. but 10
do as l tell them" Did she not give
the effect before the cause? With
many natures an ounce of persuasion is
worth pound OF coercion, and it is equally
true that the tiny seed of example, even
when sown in soil that is not fertile, will
yield much mere bountiful harvest than
VIII the larger but not so productive seed
OF precept, let the latter be ever so care
fully watched and tended Most teachers
soon realize low little the average child
really knows-fond mothers to the contrary
Notwithstanding making its first APP
pearance in school, and how much of
that little is erroneous and needs to be I'M
learned before any progress can be made.
Some teachers, despite their certificates,
never become aware Of this important fact;
another, however, having hopefully laid
the foundation of this new educational
structure. soon finds with dlsmay that the
home authorities Instead of working with
her are pulling down as rapidly as she can
eulld up. The result Is chaotic, and con
fusion reigns supreme" in the mind of the
pupil; the teacher almost discouraged vainly
tries to pick up the dropped stitches in this
web OF learning, and by gathering the
raveled edges together make a well-fiuished
piece OF work, but her best efforts are too
apt to be futile.
Keen eyed, initiative Childhood readily
detects and deSpises weakness in either
parent or teacher, and with that faint of
Original sin which all inherit turns TO the
str oDger, more fOreeful. if more evil, nature
as guide. After all, it is the home influ-
ence-the tender mother touch so potent in
developing the latent good or curbing the
latent evil ever present in the childish
heart-which is the strongest factor in max
ing or marring character. Then let mothers
remember that the cross which each human
being carries is not nearly SO repulsive to
the sight OF others, nor nearly so heavy for
the bearer, if wreathed with those sweet
flowers OF poesy," tender and beautiful
thoughts, and unlike most things in this
world these can be obtained without
money and without price," L. s.
December s. 1890.