The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1910-05-13
THE MOTHERS PART IN HUMANE
EDUCATION

gress does the humane sentiment OF
coming years depend. Not so much
upon these, though mighty and meas
ureless is their power, but upon you
oh Mothers, queens of the home-up-
on you rests the greatest weight OF
this mighty responsibility.
And as accountability is measured
by opportunity, of you therefore will
be required the strlctest account!
There is nothing in all the world
more wonderful than the receptive
soul of a little child!
Take heed, therefore, lest you be
not fully awake to the realization of
your powerful influence over your
children and lest in your eagerness
that they prepare to shine in mental
attainments you neglect the educa-
ton of the heart.
Much is said about Esperanto
the language that is expected to be-
come race-tie. But day Is coming
when another language-the lang
uage of kindness, the need of which
Is incomparably greater-shall have
spread over every land. By it shall
man and beast and bird and all liv-
ing things be blessed!
What part, oh Mother, will you
take for the Fastening of this glad
day, when cruelty shall be an I'M
known word?"
Power of Mothers Influence
I asked of writer whose wonder
full words in behalf of animals have
stirred the heart of the world, what
influence led you to become a friend
and champion of the dumb"
More than all else was the infu-
ence of my mother" was the reply.
"She laid more stress upon educating
the morals of her children than upon
the cultivation of the intellect. Her
name stood for kindness to all who
knew her.
A successful primary teacher said
to me recently: There is no question
as to the great need of humane edu-
cation in the schools; and the need
has been created largely by the lack
of such education in the home"
I heard little girl reproving a
boy playmate for having wounded a
robin and then beating it to death
against tree.
What would your mother say?"
she cried, seeming to think this the
most crushing reproof imaginable.
my mother!" laughed the boy
laugh not pleasant to hear from
boys lips-"What does she care?
She wears dead birds in her Sunday
go-to-meeting hats and dead animal
furs around her neck"
How and What to Teach Children
There are mothers who, though
far from being cruel or though tless
or Indifferent, plead the lack of time
and knowledge for the humane edu-
cation of their children in the home.
To such l would quote the words of
Ruskin: God never gives a duty
without giving the time to perform
it, And there are many things
which almost any intelligent mother
can do along this line.
Most important of all, be genuine
ly kind yourself Radiate the spirit
of kindenss toward all. Illustrate in
your own life that "All worldly joys
grow less to the one JOY of doing
Kindness"
Teach the children that the cry of
animals in pain is their only language
to plead for help; that because they
have not the human power of speech
or intellect, we should be their fri
ends and champions that all these
friends in feathers and fur" have
part in the great plans of the uni
verse the same as we.
And then, oh the power and magic
of the story! A mother who can tell I
good stories and tell them well has an
almost unlimited influence over her \
children. Read little books of ma I
ture stories and tell them to the chill
dren. Stories of flower and stream
and the sky, wild life of the woods;
of the birds and their relation to the
crop production; of the butterflies
and of the part they play in fertiliza-
ton of blossoms; of the queer-faced
but useful little barn owl and garden q
toad; of the: wood peckers who have F
no song but are the drummers in n
the bird orchestra; of the weather. n
wise muskrat whose little fur over r,
coat seems twice too big for him, and t
IF the bear who is far from being the W
fierce fellow the children so often k
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