Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-08-04
ABOUT PERT CHILDREN.


caused him the most establishment on
his arrival in America, a German pro-
fessor incidentally makes mention OF
little book which he kept somewhat In
the style OF diary. He divided his
remarks under three headings:
"Debits,' Doubtful Accounts" and
Credits.
In one place he makes the following
entry:
Debits--Children. Doubtful Ae-
courts-Men." "Credits-Women."
lie then goes on to say:
"This is a simple formula of what
we all feel during our Arst months In
the New World. We are all amazed at
the pert and disrespectful children, and
we are fascinated by the American wo-
man. Now and then a slight suspicion
arises as to whether these two things
can go together. II seems so much more
natural to expect that perfect woman
will also provide perfect education for
her child"
II these remarks are based on truth
the query naturally arises:
why should such condition OF
things exist in the New World?"
To answer this question fully would
involve too deep discussion.
The root of the evil really lies with
the parents. The saddest part of 1t all
is that it should be due to the social
conditions of our growing country and
to the foolish pride and overlndulgene9
of the fathers and mothers. which have
made the children of America more pert
and dlsrespectful than those of any
other country.
In that class Of society where wealth
has come suddenly to the parents, the
custom has grown year by year of leav-
Ing the children entirely In the care of
or under the supervision OF servants.
Naturally this tends to deaden the nllal
affection.
How can one expect to find a love
for father and mother in the hearts OF
boys and girls who have never known
a mothers caress or seen the man
whom they call father often enough to
become intimately acquainted with
him, or to learn to look upon his as a
confidant and adviser?
Tho man 10 Jlugipo opd JaI,tt,r Ia,
his Office all day long to make the
money for the luxurIes which his re-
putation OF millionaire call for. His
evenings are spent at the club 10 en-
large his social circle and his home
knows him least of all.
The mother has every moment of
her day and night occupied by arbi-
trary social duties, which she must full
fill in order to make her foothold in
the fashionable world secure.
The children were mistakes. They
happened early In the married life, be.
fore the parents became wealthy. They
must be trained like little machines
for the duties which await them by rea-
son of their parents wealth.
Love does not enter here, hence re-
spect is not engendered. The children
grow up to look upon the father as the
governor, who supplies the cash,
and the mother as the mater" who
provides entertainment for them.
Nine time out OF ten the children
are better educated and better bred
that the parents, and In the natural
evolution of things they come to look
upon themselves as being little bit
better in every way than their par
ents.
We find the same explanation for
this pertness in the lower strata of So
ciety, and more especially among the
foreign born population than among
the native Americans. 1t is really
very easily accounted for.
The men or women whose early lives
were spent in the treadmill OF peasant
life in Europe, and who, by emigrating
have bettered their condition, make up
their minds that the children shall
have something better. With this end
in view, they are educated and taught
to aspire to higher social station.
For this the man will deprive him
self OF every luxury in order to save
money for the children's school. and to
give the boys a trade. The mother OBJ
Iiterates herself and becomes house,
hold drudge, in order that the girls
may dress well, learn how to play the
piano and be real ladies"
The first result OF this misguided
course is that the children soon get to
be ashamed of their parents. Then
they begin to discover how lacking
they are in education and they feel
that the poor, flllterate old father and
mother are beneath them.
All sense of filial respect has been
deadened in them, for the simple rea-
son that the parents have looked up
to the children as something superior
to what they were, and taught the
boys and girls to look upon them. not