The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1905-12-28

Asserts That the Country Is the
Best Place For Growing Children.
Compares Little Ones to Posies In
Development.
Following along the line of former
expressions on children and the i'm
provement of the human race, Luther
Burbank in speech delivered in Santa
Rosa, Cal, recently gave his ideas of
the training Of children in order that
they may attain the higher standard
desired, says the San Francisco Exam
liner. Burbank spoke on the subject
"Our Flowers, the Children He said
In part:
1T is natural that we should associ-
ate flowers and children, as they are
so much alike in many respects, and
they should in some points be treated
very much alike. In dealing with flow
ers we are obliged to somewhat adapt
ourselves to them; so with children.
'All flowers cannot be treated alike.
: They have their peculiar habits and
tendencies, and utter failure would be
at once encountered if we attempt to
treat them all alike. And another fact
applies to both. You must be sincerely
honest with them if you would expect
the best from them. Plastic child ma
ture intuitiyely aesorbs your intent,
not your words 1t is naturally respon-
cfu nd w cfriv fn q
facts and the truth, and any deceit,
though perhaps aiding your own selfish
purpose, will only react on yourself
later.
81 believe in the barefoot boy. The
country is always the best place for
growing children. London statistics
show that no child lives in that great
city whose great-grandparents were
born there. The country must con-
stantly be drawn upon to furnish the
brain and Drawn for the city. City life
and our forcing educational methods
are the most destructive agencies Of
normal physical and mental growth
and perfection.
Education should always be the
guiding Of a natural appetite for facts,
never a Fastening, forcing process,
which is the surest means Of procuring
a uniform product Of nervous wrecks
and a painful lack of the power to
grasp, digest and assimilate and make
use of the facts Of life which always
surround them and to which they must
learn to adapt themselves and to make
the best use Of.
"Our educational system is perhaps
the best in the world, but it will in time
adapt itself more to the individuality
of the children. The quaint remarks
and straightforward honest questions
of children usually strike at the very
heart of things. Subterfuge and deceit
in dealing with them will in the end
bring regret to all concerned. Let us
make them as joyous, bright and happy
as possible. Teach them by example
that it is safe to trust you always, ev-
erywhere and ON all occasions
1.-The training of boys and girls
should in all essentials be the same.
Outdoor exercise does not make girl
any less sweet, gentle or tender, while
it does give physical integrity, sound
health, beauty and happy, serene
nerves. Children should have some
thing Of their very own. 1t is not
sound business policy or fair treatment
70 give boy or girl a pigeon, lamb,
rooster or calf and then sell it and
put the proceeds in your own pock-
ct 1t does not provoke a tendency in
children to follow the Golden Rule, and
it seldom enhances their admiration
and respect for you.
Children and plants should If possi-
bic have nourishing food. Only by a
well balanced ration can they develop
normally. If you will notice, hoodlums
are generally i'll nourished. Lack of
nourishment produces unnatural, pre-
mature development, with a dwarfng
of the intellect and with abnormal
tendencies of all sorts.''