The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1897-05-01
w. G.. T. u. COLUMN.

At the Mothers Meeting, held last
Wednesday in the Presbyterian church,
Mrs. Roberts read an excellent paper on
Home Rule" She thought that pa
rents should 50 train their children that
they will know the difference between
right and wrong, and will themselves
choose the right, even when not subject
to the authority of the parent. In the
discussion that followed, Que lady said
she knew children in this city who were
perfect little gentlemen or ladies when
terror whenever they were in a company
Of children, and who would not listen to
requests for more proper behavior when
the hostess felt obliged to urge less
boisterous conduct.
1t is reported hat at a social not long
ago some young peopla made such IA
noise up stairs that those below could
scarcely zeal each other speak. The
hostess said hat she had requested
those in the room above to stop dancing
or running as the plaster was loose and
there was danger Of its falling off on the
heads Of the company below, but they
continued in their chosen amusement
the same AS if she had not spoken. Nor
were these little children, but all were
grown up and at least one has been Il
legal voter for more than one year
though he and others there with him be-
haved like spoiled children OF scarce
three summers. Cake WAS put between
the bedding; towels and pillow cases
were thrown under the bed, and other
things done which it would seem as il
the youngest child or the most uncul-
tured savage would have sufficient good
sense to refrain from doing in O stran-
gers house.
A young lady afterwards speaking Of
tn at affair said: "That 10 the way they
always behave at socials here" and that
she would as soon invite a prize fight to
be held in her house rs a church social.
1t is therefore time that those who are
thinking of opening their pleasant
homes to such gatherings should be
warned as to what they must expect.
The evening to which reference has
been made property was SO injured in
the rude plays and in other ways that
the loss was greater to the hostess than
was the gam from the receipts to the
cause from which the social was given.
Visitors to our city sometimes express
surprise and establishment at seeing
we'll dressed young people throwing food
at each other at social gatherings. In
most places such conduct would be suf-
ticient to debar one from good society,
and 1t would seem as II no one OF true
refinement would ever be guilty of such
conduct. Who is responsible for the
condition that permits the children Of
apparently we'll bred parents to throw
cake soaked in coffee into the face of a
companion? First and foremost no
doubt is the parent and the lack Of
proper home training, though no doubt
many children fail to practice VIVA: they
have been taught, prefering to copy the
rude manners of a bright companion
rather thar appear odd by conforming to
the old fashioned notions of father or
mother that children ought to so be-
have as to be pleasant addition to any
company. Some parents and children
both act as if it were the chief duty of
the children to train the parents, and in
such cases the parent is usually more
easily trained" thar the ordinary child.
In a few years the parent will learn to
yield prompt obedience to every imperi-
Gus demand. A writer in Harper's Ba-
zaar a year or SO ago said that the pa
rents who had been trained by a modern
child could endure anything.