Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-04-03
1.-THE GREATEST STUDY OF MANKIND
IS MANI

And woman TOO. Yes, aud so the
child, for the child Ia the miniature Of
the msn, and apes the man, the fathers
ways, if-so-be he has the fathers care.
II not he apes the rsbble, and whstso-
ever he obtains, In later years he sifts,
retains the good, or III, as suits his taste.
TO study msn we must commence at the
bottom, and follow from child TO man.
For an object lesson we will consider
the post office Of An afternoon In coun-
try village on the arrival OF the mall
There you will find an indiscriminste
collection OF humanity. Old men, young
men, young gents and ladies, and chill
dren galore. The old men are demure
enough, the young folks somewhat
"spooney"--is that the word?
When the mail 10 open there IL gen.
eral rush, a. though they had hsd no
mail for hundred years. and the young
child Is "a anxious for pspa's or grsndpa's g
mail ss any. The farmer from five miles
away, anxious to be home at chore time.
or the youth from the rural portions OF
the town, must walt, or crowd and crush
with men, children aud crinoline, until
they are possessed with u sense OF dis
gust with themselves.
The rural youth, be Il understood,
scarcely ever crowd, but with silent dig
nifty quietly wait the villsgers' pleasure
No spooning among the rurals, with
quiet dignity they wait. The horny
handed farmer sometimes asserts his
rights, and, In this world of "first come,
first served" this Is right.
Why not consider the rights of the
rursls? Why not adopt the golden rule,
and treat them as you would wish to be
treated under like conditionss IL Is be-
cause we do not stop to consider the
claims Of justice aud politeuess.
We should naturally conclude that the
youth brought up in village, with the
greater advantages Of education, would
excel the rural young 10 politeness, but
Il is scarcely so. The young men many
times are more polite and courteous TO
elderly people than the opposite sex, or,
TO put IL differently, one will notice more
young ladies "sll gone on themselves"
than young men.
Perhaps they are not so much TO
blame. They may have been TO board
ing school and acquired an exalted
opinion OF themselves, and this opinion
NAV have been sccentuated by parental
pride, TO the great disadvantage OF the
child. The child msy have heard harsh
comments on ueighbors from their par
ents, who for virtue stood head and
shoulders above their cslumnistors, but
the child Is unaware of this, aud Inherit
ing the narrow intellect Of the parent, Is
not likely to soon learn differently.
We all are 10 great need Of educators,
especially 10 the art Of politeness. or
this the writer Is individually aware, and
II thia one branch WAS more generally at
tended To in schools, OF what iucslculable
benefit II would be TO any community.
But when teachers are employed that
hsve no knowledge Of true politeness,
who will pass poor neighbor on the
street unnoticed, and smother one OF the
elite with smiles and caresses, what can
be expected OF the child?
Ia conclusion, we will call on the
youth 70 note our public men and
women, those who never allow the
smaller amenities TO pass, or pass un-
noticed the poor and lowly OF earth.
Please note In what esteem they are
held, compared with the naughty and
imperious man or woman. U KNOW.