The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1900-05-03

the wrong course is taken. He who acts
promptly from force of habit has put the
temptation away from him and is safe.
I'm the formation of good habits There
is much common ground for the work of
parent and teacher. Punctnality is re-
quired of the pupil by the teacher; it can
be secured only by the cooperation of
the parent. Lack OF it is one of the 'im.
moralities' that seem to many people to
be of little Importance; one of the
teachers whims is TO insist upon her
pupils being at school in time that she
may not he disturbed in her work by
their coming in late. Why do they rot
realize that what was at first but rope
OF sand is day by day becoming a chain
of iron-that a bad habit is fastening it.
self for life, that a crumbling stone is be-
| ing laid in the very foundation of the
character structure? We all know how
bad the habit is in after life, that it oc-
/
opportunities and an endless amount of
annoyance and vexation. Why, then,
do we not see that the habit is not
formed? Teach the child TO be prompt,
not only in bis attendance at school but
in all other things as we'll Let one OF
his cardinal rules of action always be
immediate attention to the matter in
hand whatsoever it may be-attendance
at school or church, work, play or study
let it all be done at the appointed
time. If this is taught from earliest
childhood there will result the ready,
prompt decisive man of business, the
woman whose household affairs are al
ways well in hand, the teacher whose
program goes off like clock work-in
short, order and system instead of chaos.
Children are perhaps, naturally
truthful, rather than otherwise. Truth
fulness, then, is habit for whose growth
some one is responsible. The child is
initiative can the people to whom he
looks up with all the love and reverence
OF his nature be untruthful without his
folio wing their example? The trouble
lies just here: we are not alwas careful
to be strictly truthful in the spirit as
we'll as the letter, and perhaps the lack
OF it in the one case has as much inf1u-
ence oyer the child as i. would have in
the other. And then, positive untruths
are frequently told him. He is fright.
ened into obedience, when too young to
know any better, by 'bogie' stories
which little later he finds to be untrue
he is allowed, or encouraged, to give false
excuses to his teacher for absences or tar.
dness he is prevented from confessing
or made 10 deny fault by fear OF pun.
ishment; his teacher threatens what she
does not execute, promises what she
does not perform, pretends to an extent
OF knowledge which she does not pos.
sess, and so on till it il small wonder
that the habit is formed and that il
grows and strengthens daily. Who is
responsible for this unlovely trait Of
character We all know how uulovely
it is-we can pardon much in the child
who tells us the truth concerning his
fault. while we turn in despair from the
one who habitually lies.
Dishonesty, as far as taking the prop.
erty OF another, is not very common
among children, while perfect honesty il
perhaps still more rare. Why do they
discriminate between the dishon.
esty OF taking money from another's
pocket and that OF copying from his ex.
animation paper? II they can be taught
that the one is wrong, W by not the other
They easily recognize the fact that steal
ing money is wrong, but the Spartan
idea seems to prevail with regard tc
stealing information-that it is all righ
90 long as one is not found out. Is ther.
not some way in which We can teach i'm
pressiyely the principle of perfect hon
esty?
"Habits OF industry are necessary t.
the coming man and woman. How are