The Meeker herald., 1906-09-22
ON THE BRINGING
UP OF THE BOYS

IL ~O = ~
I A boy should have some stake n his
hons. Country boys Who have chores
a. they are called, daily tasks In feed
ingahs farm animals. In bringing homs
the cows. milking them. chopping
wood. wedding gardens and going on
errands. have . decided advantage over
city boys who are never called upon to
perform . single duty in the practical
management Of the house. A boy
should take his share in whatever hap
pens to b necessary about the home.
and II u sometimes worth while for
mother to devise errands and en-
trust . son with messages and tasks
when 1t would be easier for hsf to do
without his assistance.
.
In bringing up boys. It should b
remembered that they are entitled to
courtesy rs their sisters are and ~
their elders are. A boy ought not to
be snubbed when he expresses an
opinion. OF the late Thomas K
Beecher. who for many years was in
nuential a. the pastor of one Of the
hrst institutional churches in this
country. was said that ~ boy he
often wrote sermons At the dictation
Of his father. Rev. Lyman Beecher.
DR.. Lyman Beecher was . very great
preacher. and one OF the famous men
of his time. The boy Of is was called
upon to write many things with which
he did not agree. Father" he would
say. Il don't think rs you do on this
subject" Instead Of checking him
or commanding him to be silent. the
great divine would talk the matter
over - automatically ~ With an
other man. sometimes convin cling.
sometimes failing to carry the point
with his youthful antagonist. but
! never obliging him to feel that he
was out of his proper sphere in ven
turing to have an opinion Of his own.
We have no right to treat . boy a. II
he were an idiot or slave. The best
development comes in the line of
training that recognizes and respects
individuality.
| The proud boast Of Americans used
to be that their manner to women In
public and private was always cofer-
entail and always unselhsh. That
boast can be made no longer. Any
woman who has periled life and lims
in Rad struggle to secure entrancs
to . car on. let US say, one OF the
Brooklyn bridges. or in the ehort to
get safely into a New York subway
car. knows full well that three-fourths
OF the masculine passengers behave
like brutes. They have NO respect for
| age. no liberation for weakness, NO re-
gard for anything except their own
claim to transportation.
A few years ago . woman with white
hair or woman carrying an infant
was sure to have seat offered hsr BY
three or four men at once. Last week
saw . slight woman. pale and wan.
holding heavy child with anether
tugging at her skirts and = car hlled
| with young men. able-bodied and Wig
orous. allowed her to stand. Tbs so
called ladies' cabin of the ferry boats
are thronged with men who TRANQUILITY
occupy all the seats while women
stand unnoticed by the lords Of crea-
ton. For this unhappy change do
not blame the men. as boys they have
been very badly brought up by women
/, who ignored in the training OF the
child that spontaneous courtesy that
every small boy should be taught to
show to womankind. When q mother
points to vacant seat and tells her
small son to take it and keep 1t while
women stand, she Is giving him his
hrst and most lasting lessons In inciv-
flity and boorishness. II the men OF
the next generation are to be polite.
to be helpful to women, and kntghtly
in their demeanor. there must he
change from the highest homes in this
land to the lowest. and women must
take the thing in hand in bringing
up their boys.
| Possibly nothing is more important
in the training of boys than to insist
on their being exact and accurate in
everything connected with money. A
boy should have an allowance At an
early age and should keep within 1t.
He should not be taught by example
or precept that money making Is the
greatest thing in life. but he should
be made to feel that he cannot cheat
or gamble or borrow without paying.
An adherence Of debt should be in
stilled into 4 boys mind very early
| in life. We would have fewer ahip-
wrecks Of honor. fewer entertainments.
fewer ruined names and blighted
| homes II strict integrity were the cor.
| ner stone Of home education.