The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1900-06-15
RIGHTS OF CHILDREN

1t is the right of every child to be
talked to in a sensible, intelligent man
ner, instead of being obliged to listen to
the sickening stuff called "baby talk, y
says the New York Evening TELEGRAM.
1T is the right Of every child that his
questions should have satisfactory an
swers. so far. as possible Yet. how often
are they snubbed and silen, ed when their
questions chance to interfere with the
comfort of older people? What other
way have they for gaining the Informal
ton that is TO make them intelligent, OBJ
serving, thinking men and women?
1t Is the right of every child to he cx-
cmpt from teasing in the home Why do
so many parents thoughtlcssly allow so
m !.! needless pain to he given to sell
Sltlvc little ones by those who do not un-
derstand the nature of Il child?
1t is the right of every child, as he
grows older. to have Il good supply Of
reading matter. intelligently and Judi
ciously selected. The old copy books
used to tells us Mature abhors vacu-
um" and if the minds of our children
are not stored with the beautiful thoughts
to be CLEANED from history, poetry, biog-
raphy and good fiction. they will surely
he filled with something less worthy
1t is the right of every child to be al
lowed regular attendance at school. 1t is
claimed that it is seldom the child of the
poor IRISH or German laborer or of the
widowed mother who attends school only
two or three days in the week. These
children are taught to realize the need
Of a good education, and are usually the
most dlligtnt ana pcrsevering in trying
to obtain it; and the children of well-to-
do parents certainly have Il right to the
same care on the part Of their parents.
The child has a right to place of
his own, to things of his own, and to
surroundings which have some relation
to his size. his desires and his capabili-
ties.
The child has Il right to more justice
in his discipline than we are generally
wise enough and patient enough to give
him.
The child has a right to expect cxam-
pies. He lives in the senses. nc can learn
only through object lessons, and we
must not expect our children to be bet
ter than the example which we ourselves
set them. No. nor even as good: vet
we demand perfect obedience. truthful
ness, and other virtues which we often
fail to cultivate in ourselves.
The child has a right tc lie taught
habits of economy and elf-dcnial by be-
ing allowed Il certain amount of pocket
money. Let him earn it. if possible and
be 1t ever SO little the fact of its being
his own will give it special charm;
and if taus ht to spend it wisely, AM, to
save and invest it when possible. with
the little account book that should be
kept by the childish fingers, the benefits
derived from this fright" will have an
influence for good throughout his life.
The child has right to enjoy the
company of his parent>-to be made a
companion of. Do YOU think your whole
duty done toward that little active mind
when you have provided playthngs and
perhaps child Of the same age as Il
playftllow. Every child has il right to
some period of time during each day
when he will not he met with Il haven't
time now. dear" but will feel at liberty
to unload his burden of observations
and expand his intellect in the genial at
mosnhere of friendly intercourse with
those elder and wiser than himself.