The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1892-05-19

Onc of the greatest mistakes which
mothers. rs we'll as law-givers, make
is TO expect uniformity of result from
different individuals. Children, like
communities. must be regarded accor-
ding To their needs and individual
characteristics. Two children of the
salnc surroundings may develop diamet-
REALLY opposite characteristics and need
a Numerically opposite course OF train
ing. II is unjust to lay down rigid law
embodving what We believe should he,
according To our iinate kno" ledge, and
expect to mould people to it, Our con
illusions are apt To be rs narrow as
that of the Scotch scloolmastcr who re-
marked To Burns father that Gilbert
was Il bright boy, but Robert WAS clean
daft and good for nacthing. II l. not
giVeu Ia Us Ia comprehend the abilities
even of those bound To Us by the near
est tics. The lad who fultil> the conNen-
lonal type of II bright boy may be but
u commonplace fellow beside his duller
brother when he arrives at maturer
years. II We cannot then tell the differ
cncc between the dull and the genius,
how much less should we presume 10
Law ont careers for our children to fol-
how. only the .Al-wisc Father. who
gives to each his gifts in his degree, can
do this.
The utmost that the fondcst and Wis
est parents can do Is To watch the de
vclopment of their children. notice what
their tastes are. what interests them. in
what branches they seem proficient. II
is in this way that the child Is started
best and at the earliest time on his most
congcnal and therefore his most useful
start in life. II is by kindly but intel
ligcnt supervision of this kind that in
vcntors. architects, engineers and ora
tors are started on the careers that
most tit them. 1t is painful to think OF
the waste of time To which men of abil-
uv have been compelled by foolish iudg-
mcnt of parents in forcing them into
studies and callngs for which they were
untitled.
At the same time parents must not ex-
poet too much of their children. II Is
natural to eXaggeratc the bright sayings
and dongs of those we love. But it
may be carried to such an extent that
keen disappointment will result when
the child of whom so much is expected
develops only into the commonplace.
sensible, everyday citizen. instead of
genius. Men and women of great talent
are rare. and the mass of us must eX-
poet to walk in the humble paths of life.
Nothing is more dangerous toa childs
future than 10 foster its vanity by eX-
aggeratcd hopes of its future. Excel
lent service to the child and to the world
in which il lives is done by making of il
n good, practical citizen. Let the pa
rent watch the bent of the child'> incli-
nations and Judge from them only what
calling he seems most fitted for In the
vast majority of eases where it is eS-
sental that the child should be Il bread
winner is soon as he attains Years of
discretion. il may be necessary for him
to do much work that is irl>somc and for
which he has no special adaptation
before he can choose Il calling of his
own. The man who is compelled by
prnuiy to carve out Il career for himself
acquires Il rugged strength by the means
that often enables him to out-tlistance
his rival who has moulded his life from
more plastic circumstances.
The time has gone by when wise pco-
pie Judge the young in the MASSES. and
when the quantity OF workers is of more
consequence than the quality. These
are the times when only the individuals
who are specially adapted by their abili-
ty for the calling they have chosen are
likely to make IA mark. 1t is not enough
that lad be educated to a profession,
but he must have natural adaptation to
his career. or he will be "A failure; and it
is far better for II lad that he he Il sue
cessful mechanic in the hImblcst walk
of life than a lawyer without a case or ii
physician without PATIENTLY Y. Trib-