Mexico weekly ledger., 1896-01-02
students NAV be turned at fun Iibertv

WoI VA<@ ~
amount of light and aimless stuff must
be read before the mind of the aver
age child can assimilate good compo-
| sition. 1t is not the indulgence of
trash which we need to bring our
children to an appreciation of thought
full productions. Before the minds of
| children become diseased by bad lit
erature is the time to begin work.
This can be done by placing choice
| literature in the hands of the child as
soon as he learns to read. Keep in
| close touch with their reading and
they will not only tell what they read,
but will come for advice concerning
what they should read. From the
first sentence in the primer to the last
book in college course, nothing but
what is pure in language and thought
should be offered TO the respective
minds of those who are to be the men
and women of the next generation.
This is the most potent way to incul-
cate that fine literary taste which is
the corner stone of a good education.
A-mind matured with such food will
not turn to sensational, low-toned lit
erature for sustenance any more than
civilized men would choose to feed on
husks.
We cannot expect great thinkers to
come from pupils who have made
light moral reading the rule of their
school days. Such young people are
the dullest in aspect and the most
vapid in conversation. The flavor of
individuality has been burned out of
them. God, by the very iaw of mind,
must punish those who kill time in
stead of cultivating it. For time is the
stuff which life is made of, the crucible
oil character, the arena of achievement;
and voc to those who try to fritter it
away. They cannot help paying great
natures penalty. The mind, like the
body, grows upon what it uses. A
taste for reading will Don develop
into habit, and what they read, rather
than the amount, should receive our
attention; when they will grow to
love the true, the beautiful and the
good, and to hate the false, the ugly
and the bad.
Boys and girls are endowed with
the ability tc think and imagine and
without cultivation will go downward
Just as sure as a field without cultiva-
ton will produce weeds. Reading
furnishes material for thought and
imagination, and is a blessing or a
curse, according to its character.
"Withhold not good from them to
whom it is due when it is in the power
of thine hand to do it."
Much of our best literature is now
sold at from 3 to 10 cents per copy.
He who delights in choice reading has
a potent safeguard against evilhabits.
Yet he may choose the evil way be-
cause they have not been influenced to
read standard literature.
The great object of school training
is to implant in the youthful mind the
germs of a liberal self-culture. But
this can be done only by giving chill
dren ready access to good books. Ii
the homes do not furnish the required
food for the child's intellectual growth
the schools should, and we believe
the most valuable part of a school is a
well selected library. Hence, l de-
sire to urge the gathering of a well
selected library in every public school
A good library, well regulated, SO the
pupil a use it, is one of the best
means to create a literary interest
The opportunities of self-education
are to be found in the crowded shelves
of we'll selected books, with a pains
taking teacher to encourage, stimu'
late and incite them to a love of goo6
reading. The teacher should be il
!, sympathy and in contact with current
affairs of the outside world. Have
somewhere in your school room s
!, desk or a table devoted to current
reading for the children. Magazines
+ papers and books may be left there
A weekly journal that fairly presents
3 all sides of every important question
a will attract and help entice the pupili
, of the higher grades, which will give
9 them practice and at the same TIM
instruct them.
Culture, success, and even the re-
:. ouirements of good citizenship de
, pend upon the knowledge of the Lit
erature of our own country. Put goo'
literature in the hands of the children
. through which they may be fed, pur
:, fled and ennobled. Keep boys ant
girls at something if you wish to saw
them.
No man or woman a afford tt
J plead ignorance, allied to such a rae
d and such a destiny. A duty sacre'
J. as our birthright confroEts us. Fo
this grand march there is no roya
d road. Directing hands and wis
q council may save years of hard climb
n ing, but mind and will find the com
9 mon source. AS the hidden gerr
o reaches toward sunshine and waite
q courses in springtime, so the patien
q reader reaches toward the life an
light of good books.
d The vital Importance of the read
q ing of standard books and magazine
of recognized merit, to keep abreaI
% of the current topics of the day, ca
~ not be insisted upon too strenuousl.
10 The habit and research in this trul
delightful field, begun in youthf'
T. days, pursued more earnestly ar
faithfully with advancing years, w
III yield untold satisfaction and pieasul
in the full years of maturity; n vine
~ old age with noiseless step is upe
Dc one, bringing inevitable decreptitnt
g. of bodily powers, pleasure will be II
I backbone, upon knowledge gained
nj favorable days and to each and evel
'r one will be apparent the truth: "h
'' mind to me a kingdom is"
Let us hope that wise dIBcrimin
ton and thoughtful guidance on Il
part of our teachers may overcon
the difficulty, and make the youth
= our country still innocent, vigoro
and pure; mighty in thought, moraii
and patriotism.
The great consulting room of t