The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1903-10-01
HINTS TO CHILRE N.
Timely Talk About Character Build
ing-fOrming Habits Which Mar or
Take For the Better Things of Life.
Winston-Salem Journal.

Nmston-Sale1n journal
Listen, children, You have had
your first week of school this year
Your states are still clean and YOU
may be pnzzling your troubled little
heads over the marks that you
should make on them, and it is right
that you should puzzle over that for
it means Il great deal to you before
the year is out The marks can often
be. rubbed out, but sometimes when
your pencil is a little gritty on the
point. before you notice it YOU have
made IL mark that has cut into the
surface of the slate. SOat the end OF
| the year your slate will show a vari-
over its surface, no matter how YOU
may rub it and scrub it.
That is II great deal the way wit
what we call character building. The
| character is so complicated that it is
hard TO describe. Habit has large
part III 1.-THE force that makes you
take Il certain side of the street when
you 90 TO school; that makes you
wind your top in IL particular way;
that causes you to carry your doll,
maybe head down, day after day;
that may lead you to be about two
minutes late ut school III the morn
ings.
| How easy it is to fall into II habit.
| You know that now, but as years 90
on YOU will learn it better, and the
mark the habit grit in your pencil
will make will grow deeper and deep
er, SO look out for habit, Be sure
that your habits are the kind that
will make a decent looking mark on
your life slate, for the mark may be
one that will never rub out
Make it IL habit to be on time
the rardv habit would make an ugly
mark Make it il habit to be cheer
ful-the girl or boy that is always
whining and ready to cry or get
angry will have Il poor looking slate
when the school of life is over. Be
unselfish. Think of the golden rule
your mother has taught you SO well.
act toward Others as you want them
to act toward YOU. It is awfully
easy to get into the habit of being.
selfish and there is nothing that will
| make Your slate look worse.
Work, work till YOU get tired-you
will sleep better. If idleness ever be
comes Il habit YOU cannot get rid of
| YOU might as we'll get off the earth
That doesn't mean no play, for play
is part OF the work of life But it
means that IL habit of sitting around
and doing nothing will ruin you.
Be truthful, not only in the words
YOU say but i'll the way you say them.
| There are lots more ways OF telling
lies than by mere words ard your
conscience will tell you what that
means. No one has much use for
il boy or girl that lies.
Don't be slow. Learn to do things
quickly. and it will soon be Il habit,
but remember that you should take
time to do them right. Don't be
''smart. . There is nothing that will
make people dislike you quicker.
Don't be loud, that is, unless there is
mighty good reason. The boy that
couldn't whoop it up when his ball
team is winning isn't worth much.
Bnt there are times and places for
such exercises.
There are lots more dOnt'S and
do $ but there is one hing that will
help you always to get along well
and grow to be manly men and
womanly women. DO you want tO
hear it? Remember your mother
Live SO that she will be proud of you
and don't be backward i'll asking heI
advice. Then if YOU always remem
Der that you are making marks
every day on that character slate o
yours. you will likely have it pretty
clean looking when the last day
comes. And, of course, you want il
to be clean.