Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-04

THERE is, to my mind, no subject
- so vital about which one may write
as that on which | have been asked to
express my opinion. Children! What
would the world be without them? BY
them the perpetuity of the race is as
sured and on their upbringing the prog
ress Of the world depends. Although the
superlative importance of bringing up
children properly has been realized for
ages, there are no rules to guide the
young parent; the only principles to be
followed are individual ones, and the
mistakes of one generation are often
passed on to the next through an I'M
reasoning prejudice possessed by some
people against anything that is not odd
fashioned"
Every Child an Individual
OF course every child born into the
world has its own individuality; its own
twists of character. These have to be
dealt with as occasion demands, and
they should be the subject of deep study
on the part of the parent. But is it not
strange that, while there have always
been numerous instances of this sort of
thing, the average parent is inclined to
regard special mental twist as nothing
more nor less than a childish whim,
bothersome and annoying to the parent,
but not worthy of serious attention? In
fact, do not the majority of parents
nowadays absolutely fail to realize the
great responsibility that is theirs, and
are they not therefore to be held &C
countable for many actions of their off
spring in after life?
have perhaps passed rather suddenly
to the point of what have to say, but
it is point that has always been upper
most in.my mind when thinking of chill
dren. One who will. seriously consider
the possibilities of the proper training
of children and the decrease in crime and
Indebtedness such training would mean,
will agree with me that there is no other
topic so worthy of earnest attention
The next generation will be exactly
what the children of to-day are Should
we not strive with all our might to make
it better generation than this one
should we not seek all the aid and
counsel that we can obtain on this most
important subject?
Rules Possible
The statement that there are no rules
70 guide parents needs explanation.
There can never be a set of rules by
which children may be brought up, be-
cause there will always be individuality
to reckon with, both in the parent and
in the child. Of recent years there has
been tendency to advancement that
has much that is good and much that
is bad in it.
1t is absurd to think that every child
should walk at a certain age; that fail
ure to talk at the age of eighteen months
is sign Of lacking mentality. Never
theless there are many mothers who,
noticing that their sons do not progress
as rapidly as their neighbors', endeavor
to force progress. The result is none
the less disastrous because not realized
BY those who are responsible
Aside from such matters as these
here are many things that may be sub
iect to regulation. l have larger
family than the majority of women in
America, and | have always found that
in great many things, the same treat
rent brings about the same results, nc
matter how different the children may
be individually Before my first child
entered the world realized that I was
accepting a great responsibility, and for
that reason no sacrifice has seemed toe
great for me.
The Ordeal of Motherhood
| was, at least to an extent, prepared
tor the ordeal through which | was tc