St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-05-09

Some one has said that the education
of child begins the generation before
it is born. While one may not go so
far as that, the time at which a child's
training should begin is much earlier
than many mbthers suppose. This is
The way a bright woman in the Phila-
delphia Times talks about the matter.
The question of Touch not. taste not.
handle not" as concerns children and
their relation to books, bric-a-brac and
Sundries, is one having more than the
proverbial 1.-TWO Sides"
1t would make long article to fully
cover the subject from even one point
Of view; and suppose there are about
as many points OF view as there are
people.
Barring sickness, there is no period
In a child's life requiring more patience
On the part of the nurse than the months
in which it begins TO walk, and to in
yestigate its Surroundings through 9th
Hr senses thanjsight. 1t is good plan
to place fragile or dangerous articles
out OF the lItlb toddler'S reach, and to
allow it TO acquire a familiarity with
them by DEGREES, and under the careful
supervision ofiolGer people. The most
meddlesome children are those who are
never permitted in their own homes to
handle anyth Ing that is valuable or
delicate, and Whose natural curiosity
leads them to take advantage of every
occasion, wher restraint is removed, to
indulge thems elves in this respect, or
even to do so by stealth. The
mother whose motto is strictly
'hands off" should reflect that her
child, reared thus, will be awkward and
Ill at ease among artistic objects as long
as it lives. while the tell-tale stare or an
unbecOming eagerneSS to handle such
articles that is sure to ensue upon the
child's visits from home will probably at
some time greatly annoy her.
All children are not equally neat and
careful any more than all are equally
docile and intelligent. The difference
may be theirs by right of inheritance in
either case, though 1t is quite as often
the result or education or environment.
To correct the tendency of some chill
dren toward wholesale destructiveneSs
requires difcrtnt methods III different
eases. and mothers would do wisely to
study the peculiar natures of their little
ones more, and to give less thought to
kl4N llltNhlNl vi IlIClI 0BDoiCI' 1LNCI a ,
very young child will, with reasonable |
care, learn to touch things gently and !
only with clean hands.
! call to mind two little ones whose
greatest delight was to examine a col |
lection of photographs, OF, better still.
to look through the family Bible. They
readily learned| that they would not be
allowed to do sd with soiled fingers or
without express permission. They
were never found to have injured
the Bible. which they held in
reverence, ort to soil the Photographic.
These children are today careful with
books and pictures, yet perfectly at ease
with them, which certainly would not
be the case mad they, when small, been
to touch them. An open
piano is no temptation to them. either |
at home or abroad, because they are
permitted first looking to the state of |
their hands-to play softly upon their |
mothers instrument at any time.
In another family there are equally |
bright children whose renown for de- /
is so widespread that their |
in 4 house is the signal for |
the expeditions removal of everything |
likely to catch their fancy. These |
children were not victims of too close |
adherence TO the "lOuch not" system. |
In theiI case the trouble lay iii an in |
judiciouS Observation-Disclosures because |
not tempered with training in the man. |
ner of handling.
In yet another family Of my acquaint- |
ance there are little ones who are over |
eager to eXamiae books, etc, at neigh |
boring homes, and who are much |
dreaded because of the disorder that |
ok fpI hOi
parents Of these little ones are Well-tO- |
do people who live in comfortable but |
bare-lOOking house, and who are wait |
ing till the children ''get old enough to |
take care OF things" to add the many |
little accessories which so brighten a
home. An ample bank account Will be |
but poor compensation TO these sons
and daughters for the injustice done
them through this mistaken policy.
However, this education of children
regarding their relation to their sur
roundingS is done but Penelope fashion
IT it Is undertaken by rule alone; and no
amount OF punishment OF persuasion |
will effect as much towards the end in
view as may D4 undone by lapse of care
or by the intludnce of inconsistent prac- |
tees on the pa1t of the person or per
sons in charge. Children are so imi- !
tative that it bfhOoveS their elders to
call halt on t heir own shortcomings,
else will they be shamed and non
plused by seeing them mirrored in the
little people. Irecept may sometimes
work independent Of example in the
case of grown people, but 1t will not suf-
flee for chiidre1. Given a contiictiugex-
ample, all the precepts in the world may
be cast to the four winds for the good
they will do child.