The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-03-04

American children are far too much in the foreground. Their place Is mot where it should be in the happy pri- vacy of the home, for foolish parents trot them out and make them show their paces until they are pulled up with vanity and importanee. The pendulum In its swing fro mthe sever ity of an early time. has gone too far in an opposite direction. Children are rot happier for having unlip1ited liberty of speech Unless child be exceptionally stupid. and the enfant terrible as rule Is exceptionally clever, he does not put himself in evil denca when he ought to be silent.
 The parent in whose eyes truth is to be cultivated at any cost, rather brides herself on the candor of her offspring, when he tells a visitor that she has a wart on her nose or asks her why she wears such a queer bonnet. Do your teeth come out at night?" induires one of these little terrors, to the annoy ance of a bashful man, who does not wish attention called to his looks. And the child goes unreproved. because his mother Is afraid that reproof may tend to make him decei.ful.
 The fact Is that virtues and good qualities are relative and that in train ing children we must not lay the en- phasis on one point more strongly than on another. What we need to do is to teach children the aft of speak ing only the truth at all times. while at the same time they must learn the lesson that all truth is not always to be spoken. Neither has anybody, child or adult, the right to ask imper- tinent questions or make impertinent comments Truth is one item in home training, foundation stone in char aeter. Charity and courtesy are foun- dation- stones equally as Indispensable tx Sssef ffr,.a< <sar tt,fn A the family. of business and of society.
 
 One of the greatest misfortunes that can occur in chfld's life is the loss of a sweet and simple home-life. When children are bro ight up In hotels and boarding houses, are more or less ro- ticed by strangers, and accustomed to publicity. or when they are very much left to the care of servants, they are likely to develop the traits that make childhood unlovety We say of such children that they know too much, that too soon the exquisite veils or childish innoeence have been torn away When parents are forced to bring their children up in the glare in- stead Of in the shade. in hotels instead of In quiet homes, extra pains should be taken to keep them modest, shy, and silent in company. Certainly they should never be permitted to push themselves and their anatrS to the front, while their parents and friends await their convenience before going on with their own proceedings.
 Another specimen of the enfant ter- rible seems to have inherited the traits of the savage. This child Is far worse than the other. for he Is cruel to cats and dogs and takes barbar- ous delight lin Killing or maiming squirrels and birds. This child Is degenerate, and is taking the initial step on the road that leads downward to the criminal court. less hateful but not less unwelcome specimen is the child with a passion for hacking and destroying whatever comes in his path. He tears books. breaks furni- ture, uproots flowers and leaves the mark of his little hatchet wherever he goes. Happily. his energy being only misdirected. may be turned into safer channels; for him manual training is a boon, and he will probably emerge from his present state of vandalism in- to useful and attractive boyhood later on
 The cruel child must be taught in the only way that will appeal to him; if need be, he must suffer in his own person that he may learn what suf- fering means No parent is without blame who does not take the enfant terrible in hand and reduce him as soon as possible to good order.