The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-03-11

before the true Aneaning of the words OF
Christ when he said. The harvest truly
Today lie doubtless would say, The fields
are ripe for the harvest and the laborers
truly are many No field In intellectual
training @ Necessary sn NOR FOR the % development @ Of
the higher moral virtues.
The principles OF integrity, of honesty,
OF undeviating truthfulness and Of IDEAL
virtue have seemed tQ be of secondary
Importance In the training OF the child
and youth. II IL no light responsibility
which VIII n., rests upon parents and teachers IN
minds committed 10 their care. In the
advanced light OF the present hour II Is a
responsibility which cannot be evaded,
which their duty 20 God and 10 man de-
mands that they shall Loyalty fuil. No
longer Is their intelligence clouded by the
false sophistries OF the past, they have
realize. as never before, the true value OF
character, and that the foundation for
this grand temple must be laid deep in
the virgin soil or the youthful mind, aye
upon the very bed rock OF his being.
In the past too great attention has
beer, devoted TO the physical and purely
sacrifice OF the higher moral develop
ment and spiritual attributes which are
the chief corner stones to a noble char
acter. Commissioner Stockwell has re-
Gently said that character building was
the first essential of the public school and
that the teacher was without doubt the
=
the character OF their pupils. III every
teacher would remember this their efforts
and influence would prove vital force In
establishing the highest standards of
moral ethics among men.
That many mistakes are made BY pa
rents and teachers no one can deny. An
ing faults and weaknesses TO the front
cannot be too strongly condemned. IL kills
sympathy and fosters a repellant attitude
that rejects all overtures, however well
intentioned they may be. II actually in
creases the very evils IL deplores by keep
ing them constantly In view. Parents and
teachers often make that fatal mistake.
anxious to cure habit, but thoroughly
unwise In their method. they harp con-
tinually upon IL. and keep reminding the
child OF its enormity and its dangers un-
I'll at length he comes 70 regard IL as a
necessary part of himself An expert
enced teacher has said that AN infallible
way 10 make a child absolutely stupid Is
10 assure him continually that he is so,'
and the same thing Is equally true of their
faults
only through good can we produce
good. and II we would truly help and inn
prove child we must endeavor first 10
find out the best that is I'm him and from
shat point develop that which is lacking;
Goodness and truth go hand In hand ana
TO welcome and emphasize the one IL the
surest way TO attain the other In It's full
ness.
This is equally true regarding the wo-
man or the man as or the boy and girl.
The same law applies to each alike. Ralph
Waldo Trine says: There is nothing more
true I'm connection With human life than
that we grow into the likeness OF those
things we contemplate. Life Is not for
mere passing pleasure. but for the nigh
est embodiment that one can attain, the
noblest character that one can grow ana
for the greatest service that one can rem
der TO all mankind. IL is in this direc-
tion that the trend OF individual effort Is
advancing today. In service In aid of hu-
manity and I'm ennobling character.
This effort Is not alone embraced In
the creeds OF the Christian church, not I'm
the vague theories of a fanatic. nor are
they merely the fads of the hour, but IL is
included in recognition OF the law of
right a genuine and sincere acceptance
of the teaching OF the Master and the
pra actical application OF the principles or
right action. right thinking and honest
living IL is the duty of every parent ana
OF every teacher to So inculcate these
divine qualities into the lives OF their chill
dren their pupils and their associates
that they shall become the governing ana
guiding rule OF life in whatever station
they NAV be called to occupy. whereby
they shall reach the most exalted heights
| TO which man may attain and win the
| fame which far excels that OF princes or
| of kings i'm having given 10 the world
| an iilustrious example of the true no.
| bility of character