Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-04

posite direction. Children are not happier
for having unlimited liberty of speech I'm
less child be exceptionally STUPID and
the enfant terri lie as a rule Is exceptional
ly clever. he does not put himsel in evil
dence when he ought to be silent
The parent in whose eyes truth is to be
cultivated at any cost rather prides her
self on the candor OF her offspring when no
tells a visitor that she has 4, wsrt on her
nose or asks why she wears such A queer
bonnet Do your teeth come out at
nightY inquiries one of these little terrors
10 The annoyance of a bashfuI 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 deceitful.
The fact is that virtues and good quail
ties are relative and that in training chill
dren we must not lay the emphasis on one
point more strongly than on another. What
we need to do is TO teach children the art
of speaking 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 impairment uues-
lions or make impertinent comments Truth
is one item in home training, a foundation
stone In character. Charity and courtesy
are foundation stones equally as indispen-
sable in preparation for the intercourse Of
the family, of business and of society.
x
One of the greatest misfortunes that can
and simple home life. When children are
brought up in hotels and boarding houses.
are more or less noticed by strangers, and
accustomed to publicity, or when they are
very much leftIit to the care of servants.
they are likely to develop the traits that
make childhood hnlovely. We say of such
children that they know too much, that
too soon the exquisite wells Of childish in
nocence have been torn away. When par-
ents are forced to bring their children up
In the glare instead 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 them
selves and their affairs to the front while
their parents and friends await their con-
venienee before going on with their own
proceedings.
Another specimen of the enfant terrible
seems to have inherited the traits of the
savage. This child is far worse than the
other, for he Is cruel to cats and to dogs
manning squirrels and birds This child is a
degenerate, and is taking the Initial step
on the road that leads downward to the
criminal court. less hateful but not
less unweicome specimen Is the child with
a passion for hacking and destroying what
ever comes In his path. He tears books,
breaks furniture. uproots flowers and
leaves the mark Of his little Ratchet wher-
ever he goes. Happily his energy, being
only misdirected, may be turned into safer
channels; for him manual training is a
his present state of vandalism into useful
and attractive boyhood later on.
The cruel child must be taught in the
only way that will appeal to him; IL need
be- he must suffer In his own person that
he may learn what suffering 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.