Los Angeles herald., 1907-11-24

Now for the differences from this view of boy
mood, pregnant with such brilliant, fearful issues
Parents must appreciate more the true dignity
and Importance of their children The physical
and moral training of home is generally decisive
of the future of the boy. If home is what it
should be, half, and the worst half of the school
may be dispensed with. Neglect here entails dis
heartening drudgery the high-principed
teacher. High-principled, we say, because many
deficient here, where such qualities vital
to the destiny Of the pupil in time and eternity.
We often tax the instructor with the necessity
of doing the work which we have doubly neg
lected. There are bad schools no doubt where
moral diseases may be contracted, and there are
good ones too to which boys sent to spread
contamination who are filter for house of refuge
than school. 1t Is requiring too much of teach
ers to admit such Would any difficulty like this
occur If parents remembered in the proper time
their responsibilities in this matter?
The writer then applies his maxim to the
teacher. He acknowledges with pleasure the
change that has taken place in the estimate of
his Importance, usefulness, and value There is
yet something to desire. The cheapness of an
education is not to be rated, as it is apt to be,
it's first quality. Cheap education may be had;
but what will the boys be? AS the Scotch say,
the lads gang in sturks and come out asses"
they go in little donkeys and come out big DON
keys" But this description of school is compar
atively in country.
Much is to be learned before the magnitude of
their profession shall be realized. Teachers
should be able to shine in other orbits. Their
sphere is not sleepy hollow" We want no
tricksterS, humbugs, pretenderS, great on paper.
Education Is not cramming the mind with all the
knowledges At school, foundations should be
laid, the thinking powers disciplined.
But this development of intellect is not what
Bacon calls 'the farthest end of knowledge" so
not the best index to the teachers qualities. This
is to make knowledge and the thinking powers
subserve goodness, to make Of smart fellows
BILE fellows and good fellows. "The business of
the teacher, as of the parish minister" said Ar
mold, who knew, "is the cure of souls"
The writer turns to the boys at last The first
inquiry is, Haze we any boys nowadays? Some
deny it. But for his part, he thinks there are
boys, and ought to be to the end of the chapter
full of fun, not silly mischevouS; full of play,
yet idle; full of mistakes and thoughtess i'm
pulses but not mulish, conceited and intractabe.
For my part I had rather take off my hat
a fullgrown human; for see in him the making
of the highest style of mana Christian gentle
man. "Boys will be boys "you cannot look for
old heads on young shoulders" must not be en-
poyed maxims to apologize for vice.
We say little of smartness, learning, scholar
ship. We do not forget them, but, to acknowl-
edge the truth, we think them overrated in
systems of education Smartness Is not vr-
tue, and want of bright parts no fault-hardly
a misfortune indeed sometimes; for it often leads
to success If accompanied by diligence, which Is
apt to be the idol, and systems Of education are
in a measure accountable for it. But in the
ethics of religion high-principled goodness Is the
best greatness. The writer almost hear
the sounds of the strife Of life on which the boys
are soon to enter. On whose side, we ask,
benevolence and justice, in the company of the
wise and eood or moral towards who Skulk when