Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-03-06
WHAT Is TONE OF YOUR B
IF 1T IS PEssIMISM. HOME
WILL PROVE A FAILURE,
Talent for Encouragement, Healt
Interest and Optimism . Price
less Gift The Corner
stones of Character.

l. is a priceless gift. that talent for en-
couragement. for healthy interest and OPP
timism. 1t is one of the highest forms
of love. The mother, the teacher and care
taker who surrounds her little flock from
day to day and from year to year witt,
this golden ether takes a most potent step
in the way OF making great and, better
still. good men and women
To make a plant bloom we set II upon
a sunny windowSill. II q child in after
life is to become Il good citizen. lover and
friend, he must begin life surrounded by
the gentle optimism OF love. Great souls
have come forth from homes in which. as
children. they met with continuous misun-
Outstanding and disbursement. But this
happened because the soul was especially
great. and not that the encouragement
was profitable
There is too much crushing of chiIdren's
aims and ambitions. A handful of disheart-
ening words and some little fancifui brain
structure is overthrow. Some little idea
and ambition comes topping down about
the ears. Too many ambitions cannot top
pie without an effect on the character OF
the child-an embittering and a discour-
agement.
Mother. there's a poor man at the door.
who wants something to eat says Goldl-
locks, with enthusiasm Can 1 make him
Heavens. no." IS the answer. 18th men
who go about like that are all tramps. They
1uSt want a cnance to steal somethinS-'
Encouragement number I for GoIdiiocks.
Mother. I think III take a try at that
word-contest- All the fellows are in for it"
Nonsense. child What figure would you
thing you are especially weak in it is just
that"
And again the child's confidence. which
should be preserved as a tower OF strength,
is shaken.
This encouragement steadily undermInes
the character. The growing boy and girl
should form habits of t-horoughness and
continued persistent effort. The woman
who discourages will have many l~ife-faiI-
ures laid, justly laid. at her door.
1t Is not once in a decade or once In a
year even. but every day. that one hears
Young girls regret the system of training
which prevailed in their homes. Continued
doubt and i'll confidence discouraged them
from every undertaking. Every aspiration
was nipped pitilessly in its little bud.
In the end If the maiden is iron OF will
and purpose she may come forth unscath-
she may be. has lost all confidence In her
own powers There is no tyrant so relent-
less as that great can't which rules su-
preme in too MANY good families.
encouragement is not fattery; it IS rather
a KIND interest and a willing ear. How
pretttly Mrs Burnett describes her first
childish efforts at literature. and her sweet
mothers encouragement of these in her
photographed sketch: THE One I Knew
Best of AL" She listened kindly to each
never made 1t seem that the writing of
stories was remarkable in so young a child.
although she probably so considered il.
But she gave the tales the kind ear which
the tiny author crayed and all the praise
required.
Flowers to he sun and the sun to Ihe
flowers.
Confidence and high ideals make better
cornerstoneS Of character than timidity
and doubts.