Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1912-03-27
HOUSEHOLD
The Power of Example.

A great many persons who deem
themselves good parents. fall far
short of this ideal. It is true that
they may exercise close watch upon
the health and general conduct of
their children. They may teach them
to observe the ordinary moral pre-
cepts; they may see to it that they
eat properly and that they are prop
erly clothed: they may insist that
they take the necessary amount of
sleep. All these things are impor-
tant, but they do not represent the
parents entire duty toward the child.
It is not enough to do this, if this is
all that is done. In addition, the
child must have the advantage of a
good example. rot only in the more
common affairs of life. but in some
things that are too often neglected.
Nothing is of more Importance to a
child than to learn the Importance of
telling the truth. Here example
plays vital part in the work of edu-
cation. Without example. of what
use can it be to preach about truth
telling? The child has merely to keep
his eyes and ears open to see that the
father or mother teaches one thing
and practices another. And there a..
so many ways in which we can act
the lie. So many little demands are
made upon US that we wish to evade,
and to escape them, we say something
that is not true, often without regard
to the fact that youthful eyes are
watching US, that youthful ears are
drinking in the thoughtless words
that stamp US as untruthful.
A child's conduct toward other per-
sons will exert a strong influence for
success or failure in later years.
There is the ability to control his
temper-the marks of courtesy that
count for so much in life-the little
acts of unselfshness and thoughtful
ness that make the possessor loved.
All these things may be taught by
word without making much impress.
sion upon the youthful mind, but
when they are taught by exampie-by
personal acts on the part of the older
members of the household they leave
an impression that is never forgotten.
So far as intellectual development
is concerned, child is destined to be
shaped to great degree by the books
he reads. The school life - even
though it may be carried through the
university-can be nothing more than
a work of preparation for the real
life. If proper advantage is taken of
the educational opportunities that the
schools present, the child may learn
how to study, but the actual work of
development begins when the school
days end. Then it is the tendency of
the child's mind that counts, and. if
the love for reading has been cult.
waited, the child's mind has been guild
ed in the right direction, there is no
limit to the possibilities of growth.
1t is here that we have one of the
grave parental responsibilities. and,
unfortunately for the children, this is
the phase of the educational question
that is too often neglected. Reading
nothing but truth themselves, parents
do not exercise any judgment in sug-
costing books for their children. l
know of homes in which the children
are never urged to read-in which
they are permitted to select their own
reading matter-where no comment is
made, however injurious these book S
may be.
Health counts in child's life-ethi-
cal ideals count-courtesy counts but
if the child is to b come successful
if the most is to be made of life
the matter of intellectual develop
ment must not he disregarded. In
this, as in everything else, example
counts for more than precept. You
he knows that you yourself are not
ideals set for him-there is mighty
little chance that he will follow your
advice. New York Globe.