Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1901-11-07
Bill Helps His Grandchildren 10 Solving
Them.
TOO HARD FOR THE LITTLE ONES.
Modern Methods of Teaching he Does
Not Like-The Children Must Have
Help at Home

old-fashiOned mind. for the rule ot
three is abolished and now methods
| adopted. | remember sum in the olC
Smiley six men can cut
acres of wheat in three days by
| working six hours a day, how many
men will it take to cut 8 acres in four
days and work eight hours a day?
lThese perplexing problems remind me
Of Judge Bob StronZer's charge to the
jury in a horse case, where the plain
tiff sued for damages because the horse
he bought had the glanders and was a
stump-sucker and wouldn't wark on
the off side. Fourteen witnesses haC
testified, some for and some against
| the horse, some for g!anders but moi
for stump p-sucking, some for stump
sucking but not for glanders, and some
| swore he was sound and some unsound
| Gentlemen" said he, IF you believe
| that the horse had the CHAMBERS but
didn't stump suck, or that he sucked
| stumps but didn't have the g'anderS
| or that glanders is an unSOundnesS but
| stump-sucking is only habit, or if the
| horse wouldn't pull when worked CT
| the off side and couldn't be cured OF
| it, though this court knows from eX.
| perionce that he could be cured of it;
or If you believe from the evidence that
| the horse was not warranted sound as
against stump-sucking and off side but
| only against such material things as
| glanders and swiney and the like, then
you must find for the plaintiff or the
| defendent according to the weight OF
| testimony"
My candid opinion is that some OF
these miscellaneous problems are toe
| perplexing for children not yet in their
teens, and If parents or grandparents
| or uncles or aunts or somebody don't
| give help the child would give up in
| despair. | have often wondered how
| those pupils got along who had nc
| help. Ny father helped me all my
| school life and my wife and | hav5
| helped our children. 1t is impossible
| for school teacher to give patient at
! tention to each ch Id where there are
| thirty or forty pupils in the grade. On
| ly five hours to teach in and four OF
| five different textbooks for each pup
and that gives less than five minutes
to each pupil and book, while it take3
me half an hour every night for one
pupil in one book. Hence it is that
only few pupils get fair education in
a graded school, only those who are
bright and willing and have help at
home. Parents that can't help or won't
help lose their home influence over
their children. Every phase Of their
education is turned over to the public
school, which is a free machine and
teaches books only. Morals, mOdesty
and obedience are not in the curricul-
um. Many little children are sent
there to get them out of their mothe:s'
way, for she has work to do or shop
ping or visiting or must go to the club.
Nevertheless, a few make good schOl-
ars and good citizens, and fer their
sake the system must go on. 1t is NJ
better in the colleges, for the most
charitable estimate is that not more
than ten in a hundred ever make a
creditable success in life. The ninety
had just as we'll not been born, but che
ten will save Sodom, and it will be
found that these ten got their best edu-
cation at homo. Good morals, good
principles, obedience, self-denial, in
dustry, kindness and good manners
are a better foundation to build on
than books. To make the home hap
py and inviting is the secret of all sue
cess The family is q more important
institution than the school, and love
is the keystone of the family. | scOld-
ed a little grandson the otker day and
he got mad and went off and told his
little cousin that grandpa was mean
and he was going TO tell his mamma
on him. Next morning he came to see
nd Il :--C
me and it made us both happy. lit
tie granddaughter was troubled because
her baby brother was sick and the doc
tor was sent for. She mourned OV"r
it tearfully and then Frightened uH
and said: well if baby dies l am going
to keep him for doll" The innocent
prattle and sports Of these children is
my greatest comfort, and it almost
grieves me that they have to grow uG
and encounter trouble and grief and
misfortune. George Francis Tain
may be a crank, but l had rather be
him in that park with a score or tive
of happy children around me every
day than to be Pierpont Morgan OF
Rockefeller. 1t is pathetic to look at
that man who is now past his sew MY
years, who has travelled all over the
world; lived in Australia, lectured in
England Ireland and the United
States to laboring men; written and
had published many books Of travel
and biography; and at last discarded
all contact with men and society ana
settled down to daily communion with
little children in the public parks N
New York city. Accompanied by
friend got quite near to him once, for
l wanted to hear his conversation with
the children. but he turned ana saw
US, and, taking up his little basket o.
dainties, walked away to another seat,
and soon had another crowd aroun1
him. and the only reason he gives for
his peculiar conduct is, For Of such is
the kingdom of keavea.
am again conforted with new
books. George Smith has sent ne his
last edition of his delightful and in
str11ctive book. The Story OF Ge0r-
gia." 1t is a contribution to the history
OF our state thai every Georgian
should have in the house. It Is replete
with the romances Of our revolution
ary history and the biography Of oar
noted men and comes down to the
period of the civil war, where Colonel
Avery and Senmes and Kell took 1t
ND. There has just been pubHsled
another Interesting and instructive
book by General S. G. French. The
title is Two Wars" an auto0iozr1-
ply being the part ne and his con-
mand played in the Mexican and the
wars. The author was
prominent factor in both, and he IS a
vigorous, pleasing and graphic writer
The book happily introduced by
Bishop Ellison Capers, OF South Caro-
tina, i 10 published BY The coa:e7e.
rare Veteran as Nashville, TeBHi II Ia