Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1905-07-20

To aid child to become himself
and n brother it is necessary to protect
him against the violent and destructive
action of the forces OF disorder. These
forces are exterior and interior, Every
child IL mcnaced from without not
only by material dangers, but by the
meddlesomeness OF alien wills, and
from within by an exaggerated idea
of his own personality and all the fan
Cies 1t breeds. There Is II great out.
ward danger which may come from the
abuse OF power In educators. The
right OF might finds itself place in ed.
ucation with extreme facility. To ed
ucate another one must have renowned
this right-that IL to say, made abne'
CATION of the inferior sentiment OF per.
sonal importance, which transforms us
into the enemies OF others, even of our
own children. Our authority Is benefl-
cent only when 1t Is inspired by one
higher than our own. In this case 1t
Ia not only salutnry, but also indis-
pensabh, and becomes In Its turn the
best guarantee against the greater per
II which threatens the child from with
in-that of exaggerating his own Inn
portance. At the beginning of life the
vividness of personal Impressions Is SO
great that to establish an equilibrium
they must be submitted to the gentle
influence OF calm and superior Will.
The true quality of the office of edu-
Gator Ia TO represent this will to the
child In manner rs continuous and
as disinterested MS possible. Educators,
then, stand for all that Is to be re-
sbected In the world. They give to the
child Impressions of that which pre-
cedes II. outruns 1t, envelopes 1t, but
they do not crush It, On the contrary.
The artificial life sngcnders artificial
thought and II speech little sure of it.
self Normal habits, deep impressions
the ordinary contact with reality, bring
frankness with them. Falsehood is the
vice OF slave, the refuge of the cow
ardly and weak He who Is free and
strong is unfiinching in speech. We
should encourage In our children the
hardihood to speak frankly. What dc
we ordinarily dor We trample on
natural disposition, level 1t down to
the uniformity which for the crowd is
synonymous with good form. To think
with ones own mind feel with ones
own heart, express ones own person.
ality-how unconventional, how rustic
oh, the atroclty OF nm education which
consists In the perpetual muzzling OF
the only thing that gives any of us his
reason for being! or how many soul
murders do we become guilty! Some
are struck down with bludgeons, others
gently smothered with pillows! Every,
thing conspircs against independence OF
character. When we are little people
| wish us to be dolls or craven images
when we grow up they approve OF us
| on condition that we are like all the
rest of the world-automatons; wher
you have seen one of them you've seer
them all So the lack OF originality
and initiative is upon lis, and platitud,
and monotony are the distinctions OF
today. Truth can free us from this
bondage. Let our children be taught
to be themselves, to ring clear with
out crack or mutlle. Make loyalty I
need TO them, and In their gravest fail
ures, II only they acknowledge them
account It for merit that they have no
covered their sin
TO frankness let us add ingenious
ness in our solicItufe as educators lie
us have for this comrade of childhood
tritie unclvilized, 1t is true. but $,
gracious and friendly-ail possible re
gard, We must not brighten y away
When II has, once fed II so rarely
comes back! righteousness is not sim
ply the sister of truth, the guardian O
the individual qualities of each of us
II is besides great informing and edu
eating force. | see among us too man,