Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1894-01-06
DUTIES OF A MOTHER
ESSENTIAL TRAINING THAT IS TOO
OFTEN NEGLECTED.

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Mother sheaid Proceed 90 Protect Hsr
childrsn 1T n Time ef Life when I'm
turtpus Habits May Ne Formed.
The mothers first duty Is not TO feed and
siothe the bodies Of her children. but 90 s~e
10 IL before God that those bodies are kept
free frum pollution the child II passed
over into self keeping. after n full maturity
Of powers. without enfeeblement or false
bias and unhealthy desires The arrange
ments designed by nature are the best pos
sible-home. mother father and slow do
velopment OF the child. What could he
better plannesif Yet we allow our parental
care to be outfinnked by all sorts Of cor
rupting influences ant home to he invaded.
IN our houses are fortresses against law.
they certainly ought 20 be against lAwlcSs-
ness II II, | am free 10 say. utterly inex
cusable that our children shall be got Al
by debasing influences We can prevent
II, and with wills Of the right sort we shail
prevent t.
.what shall we do about itf' you say
shall we turn cur houses into monaster
les and shut our children up In cellsr
Madam, your question In foolish and you
do not even desire To give yourself 10 true
child culture. You are, | suspect. trying
TO excuse your selfishness by asking non
seasical questions. | have seen children
brought up with tenderest sympathy and
fully guarded against corruption. and yet
you would never have thought OF calling
those homes prisons. jails. or monasteries
or nunneries. The only difference be
tween them and ether homes was that
there the first influence and effort was TO
train and educate and save the children.
Il was not the second or third purpose. but
the first purpose. To that everything elne
bent. The result was most lovely and low
able characters and happy homes and sat
isfied parentage
INSTRUCTION PROM MOTHER
wis recently In a house Of different
sort--a home In which both parents truly
| ionged for noble children: but the father
cared for business first and children second.
and the mother attended 10 u half dozen
| hospitals and homes first and children SC
end. The result was two children out OF
six have come on unsoiled, and two are
very badly scared, and two are physically
enfeebied by premature and false knowl
edge picked up loosely. Half OF their edu
cation was away from parental control.
Excellent people every way. except home
was not first In mind
"what sort Of policecraft do you sug
gestf" None at all for you, my dear won
an. you have evidently made up your mind
TO whole catalogue OF lies. and argument
would be lost on you. You would quote 70
me, But the child must see the world
must he nots" And IN soon as | had an
swered that there is every reason why HI
should not see some part Of the world. you
would begin again with. well, every chile
must sow his wild oats" Then | shouis
say TO you that he must also reap what h'
sows. But you would tell me at once tha
II shut up my children they will breHl
away as soon NJ possible, and go 10 th'
bad an soon as possible. and should an
swer that do not intend 10 act rs iaile
but as mother, and that the question be
tween us was one OF extent OF love ans
guardianship, for you also believe In Ger
tain degree and kind Of discipline.
Then you would say. But how shall
child ever know how 10 20 into society
kept awkwardly shy when youngf And
would say. THAT Is nonsense for no chill
; need be kept shy or made awkward In
fine home. with noble friends and enoug
10 do and think about; and M for profei
> sional society, II that Ii what you meal
! God save my boys aud girls from ever fee
ing taste for such sickly lie" Nc
would you be satisfied yet. but would sa,
children and my neighbors-" And woul
answer, There Is only this need OF bar
? that you have the grit to sacrifice anythin
to the purity Of your children"
: WHERE MOTHERS ARE cARELEss.
Then you may very justly say, "But NJ
. TO consider my children better than oths
folks children, and will they tolerate m
conceitf" And will say: Madam, thel
In a vast amount OF that conceit anon
9 parents who let their children run loos
+ and are very free with them. II Ia this a
y sumption that somehow your children al
y souiathing wonderful that makes the mi
v chief II instead you frankly say the
are not remarkabie-oniy weak and lab
10 be spoiled, which you do not intend
permit--then You will see that your neig
). bors will not feel so bad about II" B'
y you persist: They must have society. M
A. IL Ii natural II would be wrong TO &
20 clude them" reply: THAT is 80 exactl
a Now do you see that they do have societ
q and enough Of the very best; only that
10 not natural society which Is out OF yo'
p sight, or Ii artificial In dress and fashion
le But no need Of further discussion Y.
and are determined not 70 agree You
,e not mean to adopt safeguards enough
rr make sure OF your children; ! do. b
In with some mothers ] can agree. and o.
b, chief puzzle is first how to go TO work
m accomplish what we desire. For when '
look about the woeful fact stares US In {
rs face that nearly all the children are q
be rupted before school life is over II !
ie want sweet souls and clean minds he
90 shall we get themf
lie soMR THINGS TO OBSERVE RiGIDLy.
~ On no account fall to study your be
he and girls and see what one special thi
en- they delight in; then let each one. from
al first manifestation Of bias, have that
do. IL the child is naturally an artist
ig sure he Is furnished with art material q
- q studio II he be a mechanic let him hH
h. tools and shop. Don't dare TO think y
sr can afford q sealskin saeque and cam
X, afford all the tools he can use II J
no have book lover let him follow bis b
with only rational restraint.
~ Be sure on no account 70 allow your ch
&C 70 sleep with his friends at their homes
ed 10 have ecompanions to spend the night W
or him. Even day association may be aim
nd wholly In or near your presence. II you y
ng take the trouble 10 overlook such comp
np ionship generally.
an Take special pains to train the old
u child to eompanionxhip and accustom h
I'D or her to q wstchful cooperation in qua
Ia ing with you the younger ones. The old
he child is wonderful power for good or
evil.
Blessed be the father and the mother q
have devoted themselves to their childr
Ice and have learned that no higher Office
Ith ists In the universe Mary x Spencer
an I n \ Cl.st.s.