The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1899-07-13

and executed by legislators and Judge
taken from the people. The purpose o
legislator and judge ought to be TO met
out equal justice to all men. The onl
guarantee that they will do so is thei
conscientious convictions. II these con
victions are not stronger than tn,
temptations TO betray their trust the,
will betray It. The religious obligation
of an oath spoken of by Washington ar
based on the belief in a personal God, t,
whom men owe service, and who will
reward and punish in another world
The sanction Of an oath is these reward,
and punishments; without them it is
meaningless. To form this conscience
in the individual, and through the indi-
vidual to build up public conscience,
man must be taught to make conscience
paramount to every other characteris-
tic. The private school where these
principles are taught along with secular
knowledge is the nations strongest bull
wark."
Bishop Montgomery was followed by
Professor George w. A. Luckey of the
University of Nebraska, who spoke on
the development of moral character
Prof. Luckey said in part:
Progress in civilization is the result
of mans continual effort to realize him
self in higher and nobler conceptions of
life. Change is written everywhere,
stability nowhere. 1t is well for the
individual ii through all these changes
he continues in harmony with the high
est conceptions of his age and brings his
efforts to bear in the direction Of true
progress. All education should tend to
make the individual more of q man as
well as more efficient and more useful
both TO himself and to others. For this
reason whatever be given as the true
aim or ideal of education, the develop
ment of moral character will always
play an important and ever increasing
part. We often hear it said that the
character OF the people is becoming
weaker, that the men of ouI times lack
decision, purpose, courage, persever-
ence, discipline and religious convic-
tions. But before accepting these state.
ments as final we should consider the
age in which we live. Ideals and condi-
tions Of life have changed. We are liv-
ing in different age, under new sky,
and breathing a different atmosphere.
Civilization has carried us forward. We
could not go back ii we would and we
would not il we could. II character
really means the distinguishing quail
tiles of individuals, the personality, the
originality, the independence of thought
and action, the nobleness of purpose,
the persistence OF effort, the faithfulness
10 duty and the loftiness of ideal, then
there is a greater degree Of character
manifested today than in any other per-
iod OF the worlds history. The char.
acter Of every community as well as of
every nation depends upon the charac-
acter OF the individuals OF which IL is
composed. II can neither be better nor
worse. As to the time when we shall
begin TO develop the character of our
children, agree in part with Aristotle
when he says that the state should be-
gin the education OF the children before
the marriage OF their parents. Before
birth and before prenatal life the forma-
tion of the character OF the child rightly
begins. Common sense in selecting life
companions, proper cultivation of mind
and heart, cOngeniality of home sur
roundings and careful observance of the
laws OF health all tend TO strengthen the
character of the offspring. Passing TO
the next important period of the child's
life, the one extending from birth TO at
least the fifth year, we enter upon the
first period that is usually taken into
consideration in the education Of the
child. During these first five years the
individual has lived faster, learned more
and established greater degree of char
acter than will be possible again in any
other five years of his life. The years OF
childhood come but once, but the lessons
they teach and the experiences they give
can never be eradicated. Character
like morality and religion is not some
thing that can be assumed or rejected al
will. 1t is the very essence Of the in
dividua's life. Would you establish
noble characters in your children begin
by laying the foundation for strong and
healthy bodies. Not only the ph 'sica
features but all the muscles Of our bodie
come 10 indicate the lives we have led
"Teach the child to become a careful
observer Of the phenomena OF nature, I
classify and remember the important
features, 20 dispresent relations and in
vent new ones, 10 make accurate geneI
alizations, and finally 10 express hi
knowledge in clear but terse Englisl
and you will have given the foundatio
for strong character. In all educi
tion the teacher must be guided in h6
efforts by the interests OF the child.
. must be a growth from within rath'
than filling up from without, an a
similation and an appreciation rath'
than the mere accumulation OF know
/ edge. The great step in the develol
ment Of the viii is TO surround III
| child with proper conditions OF lif,
, Sufficient nutrition and healthy a,