Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-10-21
Glove you!" repeated, with lovers
foolish iteration. Il love you!'
ITo BE Continued
IMPRESSIONS OF CHILDHOOD.
Once Formed They Last Through


Life.
Many persons of middle age recall
events. oftentimes the most trivial.
which occurred during the period of
childhood with greater readiness than
those of a few months or years pre-
yious
Impressions made upon the mind of
a child are often indelible, therefore
the utmost care should be exercised by
those who have them in charge as to
the conversation to which they are al
lowed to listen and the events in which
they participate.
A middle-aged woman recently Wis
ited Vermont town where she had in
childhood been pupil at an academy
which flourished in those days, but
which ceased to exist some years since,
the old building where its sessions were
held being removed.
The outlook from the windows of
one end of the school building had been
upon an ancient cemetery. and during
so wears of absence the visitor had re-
tained as the strongest impression of
her school life in the town the APP
pearance of an old slate headstone with
the grewsome decoration characteristic
of the olden time and an inscription
setting forth the virtues of one Mrs.
Experience. relict of Abraham Slater"
which always met her eyes as she stood
in class beside a window of the school
house. and which seemed part of the
lessons recited there.
During an absence of 30 years n
reminder of the school invariably
brought recollection of the head
stone, and during the recent visit she
found it still there in all its hideous-
| ness, all that remained of the old school
| life.
Thus impressions are often made up
on the mind of child by things which
have no connection with his real life.
but which stand out in bold relief
against the background of memory
with the same startling directness
noted by the amateur photographer
when he finds upon the developed plate
an object he had not intended TO pene-
trate.
Like a sensitized plate, recording the
slightest impression, good or evil, joy
GUS or the reverse, is the bRin of
child. Many strong prejudicesT Retained
I through life may be traced to some in
| huence received in childhood, some
word spoken, carelessly, perhaps, by
mature person in whose judgment the
| child had implicit confidence.
Therefore the greatest care should
| be exercised that the child brain should
| be subjected only to cheerful, health
| full impressions. Everything morbid
or sensational should be strictly with
held, and discussion upon subjects be-
| yond the comprehension of the imma-
| ture mentality should not be INDUCED
| in when the children are present.
Like the unfolding of beautiful
| flower is the mental development OF q
| child, and. like the blossom, 1t attains
| perfection only when all the conditions
are favorable. That blight or imper-
| fection OF any sort shall not mar its
| complete fulfillment should be the con-
| stant care of parents and guardians.
External vigilance" should be the rule,
| that the entrance upon the broader life
| of manhood or womanhood may not
be handicapped by impressions and
| preiudices absorbed during the forma-
| tive period, and which it is impossible
| to erase from the memory. Boston
budget