The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1911-01-06
THE TRAGEDIES
OF CHILDHOOD.

OF SF1ILDF1OOD.
When you were child were you ever
so miserable over an unjust punishment
or an unmerited rebuke that you hated
everyone and everything? Do you re.
member that time when you were sent
TO bed without your supper for breaking
The glass vase, and when you cried and
wished you dared run away?
Do you remember the time you, in
your innocent childish grief over the
fact that no one loved you, plotted to
run away where no one would ever see
you again? Do you remember the night
you cried yourself into fever and how
you tossed your small arms and Sobbed,
81 wish Iwere dead, dead, deadr' Do
you remember? Then you know some
thing of the tragedies of childhood.
Someone heard that wicked wish and
said: God doesn't like naughty boys
and girls" The hatred grew and you
Sobbed, 81 do wish it! do, do" and
someone then said: "Silly-go to sleep. ="
And that is about as much thought as is
usually given to these intense SufferingS
of our little people.
Some time ago, in one of the northern
states, man is said TO have held matches
to the fingers OF his little boy and girl.
The outrage was 10 teach them not to
play with fire. Do you think that those
little ones believed that their father
loved them? In their terror, can you
not believe that they might have wished
that they, too, were dead, dead?"
But there are other and lesser abuses
which are tragedies to the children that
we pretend 10 love and whom we are
bound by moral and civic law to protect
There are the sharp words, the blows,
the CarelcsSly administered punShmcnts
And, worse than any of these, there is
the threat which unwiSe fathers and
mothers hold over their children.
Sometime ago the editor remembers
reading of a pretty little girl running
away from her home because her mother
threatened TO punish her if she did not
''do better" in school. The frcnzicd
parents searched for her all day and finally
only found her with the aid of the pc.
lice. The threatened punishment was a
tragedy TO the little girl. Rather than
face punishment she ran away. Who
can blame her? Can you, you who re
member the tragedies of your own child
hood?
What if the little girl did fail TO pass?
Are the things learned from books so es-
Sential? Has it ever occurred TO you
that fathers and mothers often cruelty
apply the lash merely to spur a child TO
precociouSncSs, as qualification 10 their
own pride, their own ambitions? A
child should be kept in school. A child
should be taught the lessons in books.
But should not child also be taught the
love lessons of home life?
TragcdeS-and there are many more
than VIC have mentioned - lessen a
Child'S ability TO learn from books. A
child with hot hatred in his heart. or a
child in a rage, or one filled with fear of
punishment in case of failure, has not a
fair chance either in book lessons or life
lessons
Hank back into the years, O you
fathers and mothers who have forgotten
those heart struggles, those tragedies of
your own childhood. When about TO
punish or threaten your child, recall
that dark moment of your babyhood-
yes, or when you were half grown-that
tragic, hateful, horrible moment when
you Kissed out into the darkness, 81
wish | were dead, dead, deadr' Re
member and save your little ones.