St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1912-05-18
St. Tamnlany Farmer
May Is, 1912
THE RELATION OF PARENT AND
TEACHER TO THE CHILD.

When the writer was very small
child she was made very happy by
being given beautiful pansy just
ready to bloom in neat little pot
suited exactly to the size of the
flourishing plant. So eager was
to see the colored velvet leaves l
knew to be concealed beneath the
slightly crackd green covering, that
my childish feet could not refrain
from frequent errands to the little
plant, nor could my curious fingers
resist the temptation to assist nature
in unfolding the yet too tender pet
ais of the choice flower. AS result
when the pansy held up her proud
head it did not present the beautiful
face the mother plant expected to
give to view, but the petals were
twisted, bruised, torn at the edges,
and in every way sad picture Of
premature development. Yet as |
pass through the world l see this
imprudent act repeated daily; only
the flower is not a mere pansy or rose
but the fairest buds of promise ever
given-the boys and girls of our
American homes.
How often do we see these speci-
mems Of His handiwork, in all the
perfection of which His supreme
knowledge and wisdom is capable,
given to parents who allow them to
grow into men and women unworthy
of the name. You ask, Whose fault
Is this?" It is the fault of every
Nuh4 sv,nr IN lo writ h
child training; primarily that of the
parent and teacher. We seem to
have the erroneous idea that the iron
will, the leaden insensibility, the
brazen defiance and golden sincerity,
which exist in every child, will, if
put into the same furnace of appeal,
shaped in the same mould of in
struction and hammered at the same
: forge of argument, all conform to
the same perfect image; but the ALL
wise Creator never intend this, else
He would not have endowed each in
dividual with the inevitable birth
right, PERSONALITY. 49,.
When a child wakes up. and finds
himself in this world of perplexities
and uncertainties the only thing for
him to do is have your child resist
or accept what ever is presented.
Now, frankly, would you have your
child accept everything presented
even in the most ideal community?
Yet, when he shows signs of resisting
in early childhood he is "sat upon"
with all the force of parent or teach
er, who in sincerity thinks child the
worst possible culprit when it shows
any signs of anger, disobedience or
resistance. / make bold to say, how
ever, that there are times when all
these are signs of strength and char
acter on the part of the child. The
work of the parent is to see that
the kindergarten principle IS carried
out; that the right impulses of re-
sistance are presented, and that a
general transformation for life's
struggle is made on intellectual and
moral planes.
The basis of this proper unfolding
of child life is LOVE, not the blind
passion Of the over anxious guardian
but that love which makes one will
ing to probe into the depths of child
knowledge and get a keen insight
into child character, together with
hope of future possibilities and faith
In the divine plan which makes their
development possible.
Long enough have we sat weeping
at the dark sepulchre of ignorance
with our innate faculties in state
Of paralysis because of disuse and
our ability to know and Judge al
most seized upon by the leprosy of
nonentity. 1t is time for us to raise
ourselves to higher plane of knowl-
edge and usefulness and learn the
natural and statutory laws of child
rights and get clearer insight into
the responsibility of providing with
character the future citizens who are
to steer the helm of our ship of state.
And let us who have lost our return
ticket to that fair land of childhood
remember that our influence is potent
In proportion to the intelligent SYM
pathH shown. Psychologists have
long 4 since proven that wills are
meant to be guided not broken; that
any goodness and obedience worth
muck are voluntary; and that the
germ that causes many a delinquent
can be traced to failure to recog
nize these laws. The philosophy of
time has taught us that the prima-
tive wilderness of human nature is
very close to the surface in children
and that the thin vaneer which hides
1t is very easily SCARED; hence, the
necessity of teaching that honor, self,
respect and absolute integrity of
character must be preserved and con-
served for all future time
All action is retroactive and our
habits react not only upon our morals
but are mighty force in deciding
Jealous determination of character
or one of complete lethargy.
The parent and teacher is the
hero, the ideal, the fountain head of
wisdom, in the child's life, and if he
be deprived of childhood's heritage
and be allowed to breathe the foul
air Of discomfort from his elders his
ideals cannot be, very high. The
child is early fired by that subtitle
something in every nature without
understanding it's full import, with
an ambition to be what his elders
are And until we furnish him a
safe standard by which to measure
life, and so long as such inconsist-
encies exist and indulge in any maud
lin eulOgies on our great mission as
trainers it does not teach, please Or
move.
MRS. l. O. SILER.
SOME CANNING RECEIPTS.
Editor St. Tammany Farmer: