The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1909-03-26


reighbors' remotest ancestors are
said to have been guilty and so they
come to entertain a feeling of con-
tempt instead of respect.
Although the old-fashioned among
us still, in our hearts, cling to Sir
and ma am" as proper replies, no
enc could object to being answered
yes, no" by child if the reply were
made in a courteous tone. There may
be, doubtless there are, children
whose minds and hearts are cultiva-
ted enough to render such replies
courteous, but | have yet to make
their acquaintance. Usually the
monosyllables are expelled with force
enough to startled or else given with
quiet contempt. The cnildrens ia
vorite salutation sounds like ''Hod
doc" and is given alike to childhood
and old age. The first time | was
greeted in the street with "Hod doo''
(condescending inflexion) by the lit
tie child of an acquaintance, | received
a shock which after years and many
doses from many children has just be-
gun to wear off.
AS for obedience, that is indeed out
of date for most children obey only
when they feel so disposed. Looked
at from the standpoint of the chill
dren one can almost sympathize with
them, for 1t must be great nuisance
to be compelled, by some one for
whom one has no respect, to do what
one does not want to do and can see
no reason for doing. If neither par
ents, teachers nor any other creature
are superior, not even in point of
judgment and experience why should
the children obey them? The fact
that harsl. criticism is deserved no
more by the children or the illiterate
and ignorant than by many of those
whose parents claim enlightenment
and culture makes the whole matter
worthy of serious consideration.
Said an able and experienced teach
er recently, raising her hands in de-
SPAR, "The children are simply run
ming wild. All punishment of them
in school is practically forbidden and
they know it perfectly we'll. Many
parents admit to us their inability to
do anything with Them yet, they ex-
| pect miracles of us. Day after day
go home, from school, almost exhaust
ed by the constant eXertion of ner-
vcus force lnecessarytdo restrain my
pupils. To exert a continual moral
Esuasion't over 30 or 40 needless chill
dren, each of different, complex ma
ture and each coming from differ
ent environment is indeed a hercu-
lean task With older children. who
have learned some seIr-controt and to
whose pride and selfTespect one can
appeal, the task is more simple"
The epresent-day theory of educa-
ton is very beautiful NJ-TiiThe child is
Ia tender plant and must be, sheltered
from every adverse, Wand; the child
is lump of wax and beYeTy5 impress
sionoMpon it, must 'beiFery carefully
made" That ,isithe truth but not the
wholentruth. For besides resembling
such delicate objects,& the child is
usually ia1wild, iunbroken colt and
! iIG6uSi anu iIOIiCsUlb lQpllifPlli
him; the child is often hard, tough
hickory log upon which maui suasion
| is far more effective than moral sua-
sion.
If unQuestioning, perfect obedience
to authority is considered absolutely
essential to the proper training of the
soldier who may or may not be called
upon to fight his countrys enemies,
how can such obedience safely be dis
! pensed with in the training OF chill
| dren? There is no doubt about the
battles they must fight, the enemies
they must conquer or fall victim to
inherited weaknesses, acquired vices,
careless habits, temptations without
and within.
The times and the manners are con-
stantly changing and the children of
each generation hear the days of their
grandparents lauded until the good
cid times" become synonymous in
their minds with the times of the
! good old fogies,' But for all that
there is within the breast of every
thoughtful person feeling of pride,
respect and tender regard for the few
remaining ladies and gentlemen of
the old school" They were brought
up under such maXims as these:-
Children, obey your parents. in all
things for this is we'll pleasing to the
Lord" Train up a child in the way
he should go and when he is old he
will not depart from it" Spare the
rod and spoil the child These ideas
Of course, were obtained from the BIZ
BILE, but many of the up-to-date par
ents are now quite willing to leave
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