The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1911-02-03
TRAINING THE BOY
By B. W. RICE, of Caldwell

II the outside shape governed, or
held control of the character. then
it would be pious idea to get molds
made into which we could put each
newborn head and fashion 1t exactly
( as is desired. We could raise them
up in front, widen them out behind
the yes, fill out the low places with
depth, and thus create wonderful
capacity by the wearing of set OF
molds we might purchase at any drug
store. The female head could be
brought out to be lover of home
and children, of flowers and religion,
Of constancy and modesty, while the
male head could readily be made to
follow bravery, strength of character,
and desire for purity, real manhood
with all its virtues and sterling hon
esty. But alas! there are no molds
Of this kind.
Since it is the INSIDE shape of
the head that counts, we must turn
our attention to molds which will
operate there.
Now, Sue has no talent for music,
yet her dear Mamma gets the idea
that Sue must shine as an artist
in the line of song. The child must
be drilled and hammered and bang
cd, and scolded and conquered, until
an untimely marriage comes to her
relief, and she drops the burden of
her life
Joe cannot get arithmetic through
his Uranium at all. The teacher
discovers that he is very deficient
in this branch, and she bears down
the harder. His parents are inform
ed of Joe's low force in this direc-
ton, and again he gets a roundup.
Every energy is put into requisition
to develop Joe to the point of math-
ematical power, but no avail-the
idiot remains dull in this study
He DOES have wonderful talent
for training animals, however, and
three days association with hog or
hen has it doing just as the dun
my" dictates The cows love Joe,
and the fillies follow him around
the farm lot, and the sheep come
and look through the cracks in the
fence and want to get nibble at
Joe's sleeves, for they are dead in
love with him. Over at the school
house the teacher is bearing down
harder and harder to see If she can
teach the boy to find the area OF
spheres and solids of irregular shapes
and names. 1t is all Dutch to the
boy, and the boys gift from God is
just as much Dutch to the teacher.
But the teacher and the parents
KNOW, you know
One of the first serious mistakes
the parent makes with the child is
when the progenitor concludes ne
must decide what the lad is to be,
and do in life. He has had friend
who was successful preacher, and
himself always choked off desire
to follow the same honorable walk
but unfortunately he was married
young and before the spirit issued
his call distinctly. And so Joe must
preach. Now, we will say for illus
tration, God has not called Joe fol
that line of duty, and Joe KNOWS
it. Joe isn't religious at all, and
yet on every occasion possible this
spectre is presented to his view
His Mamma wants people to under
stand that HER child would natur
ally be supposed to want to preach
from his earliest juvenility. The
story is told in few words, the par
ents stamp the boy into the ministry
and every time he ties the tails o.
two cats Together and throws then
over the clothes-line, he is pu
through the grilling machine to the
tune Of extremities.
The "gun-age" comes to ever!
boy The fiddle age to every man
No healthy lad ever yet passed thu
"gun age" without wanting a gun
and there comes a time in the lift
Of every man when he wishes HI
could play the fiddle. That time
may not be of long duration, but i
does come When the "gun age
comes to the boy he needs help.
Now let's get down to the poin
of the text: The lad in the countr.
is under the test glass; He has
gone with his father to town oftei
enough to see the great buildings
the stores, hear the ringing of tn
many bells, the footing of the whist
les, the going to and fro of thu
pedestrians, and is inspired with tn
bright faces and the new clothes
u ~. Ii