The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-11-02

few years OF his life than in all his afte
life" II this is true, or anywhere nea
true, may ii not be that we shall lay
to 60 back to the very earliest year
of our children TO find out the frs
and great cause of the "lawlessness o
our youth'f
The twigs or the children, are already
bent and inclined long before they come
under the restraining influence of eitheI
our schools or churches, and when they
enter these the restraint becomes tor.
ture to many of them, and like the
young saplngs they are, when the re,
straint is removed they swing back to
and even beyond, their natural and nor
NAL bent. and lawlessness is the result
This trait OF human nature is repeat
eddy illustrated in adult life. When a
man is restrained temporarily, by social
etiquette or any other cause, from smok-
l ing, drinking or swearing as soon as the
restraint is removed ne usually makes
! up for lost time" ! am convinced,
! therefore, that to reach the first and
/ great cause of the lawlessness of our
| youth we must have some general svs-
TEN of training and disciplning that viii
reach back to the very fountain head
of the children's lives which will shape
ard mold them during the soft and PHI
ant years of their infancy.
The ndergarten is one OF the near.
est approaches we have vet made toward
supplying this need. What we want to-
day il to have the kindergarten, or some
kindred system, that will reach back to
the infancy Of children-to that period
OF their life when they can neither speas
nor fully understand but are simply
looking and listening. II Is during this
period Of the child's life that deep and
lasting impressions are left on mind and
heart And what must these impress
sions be in many homes7 The poor
mother, bending over the wash tub, or
the ironing board, with burning BRAN
and breaking back Is in no condition
to properly care for the children. The
fashionable mother-tne pet or society,
whose home is only a sort Of lodging
house and whose children are often con-
sdered nuisance. is far less fitted to
properly rear and train children.
II is during this period of child-life
that the utmost care should be exercised,
for impressions are made that no future
training can change Children In imam
CIV are rs impressionable as clay in the
hands of the modeler, and they learn
more in these first few years of their
lives than in much, if not all. of their
after life. and il is these early impress
sions that are never forgotten. How inn
portant, therefore that these early inn |
pressions be of the right kind.
AZ r.
union. what are known as day nurseries, |
| believe there are now about 200 of |
these in the country. They are all. so !
far as | know, the result of private |
and are supported by vo-un-
tary contributions. This movement rec
Ognizes the need of making provision for
the proper care and training OF children
Turing these early formative years. and
| believe these day nurseries should be
established in every large town and city
# the union and should become an inte-
gral part of our public school system.
An ounce of prevention is WORTH
pound of cure"
1t viii be Of little use. however, to
tart at the fountain-head with chill
lren unless we follow the stream of their
ives through childhood and youth up
o adult life. This is being done 10 some
xtent through the boy scout movement.
he Knights of King Arthur, and vari
MS other organizations. Much has al
cady been written concerning this Phase
Il the subject. and | shall only mention
ne or two things more which appear To
ne most prolific in producing the spirit
( lawlessness in children.
| would put idleness first in the list.
believe more children are ruined by
ileness than BY any other one thing,
nd ! say this notwithstanding all the
forts that are being put forth to pre-
ent child labor TODAY. A boy Is like
mountain stream. full Of energy. You
iay build n dam across the stream, but \
GU must provide a way of escape Tor
he surplus water. The mere checfs and
astraints Of obedience are not enough. Z
owever thoroughly operative they may ]
e for the time being. Tho pemt-up
,rees in the boy must escape. There are
vo courses through which the stored
2 energy must end outlet-one through
,e channel Of recreation. the other
trough the channel Of industry The
N needs. must have. both The great
i0ritv Of our boys are not provided
18th work OF not required 20 do il when
j. prov ded. Work 20 be of any
ilue from the standpoint Of discipline
ust be- regular Spasmodic efforts and
,rasional tasks viii not answer the
srpo-e. There l. no substitute for the
seinliue - industry. II is as intis-
.usaila 81 ohelieree An obaylient idIer
a contradiction Of terms.
Another prolific source Of iawiessncss
that 81 great evperfations. Many
.rents are struggling and sacrificing to =