The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1914-10-30
TRAINING CHILDREN.

cussed, and the problem is no nearer
solution now than it has been since its
inception. 1t is one of those perplexing
questions that furnish interminable ar
gument The mind of every parent
seems to be invested with his or her pc
culiar individual theory as to how the
seeds of morality, industry and intelli-
gence should be sown during the days of
adolescence that they may produce their
legitimate results at maturity. Years
and experience, which should afford us
the opportunity of comparing our pow
ers Of perception with those of others,
fail to correct the inconsistent expecta-
tions which arise from want of capac
ity and discriminative observation to set
the right value upon the responsible
task Of character moulding" 1t often
happens that the wisdom we gain in this
respect comes too late, and the object
which we sought may be absolutely un-
attainable.
Many parents begin at the wrong
end. The exercise of severe influence
is productive Of no good result and in
their efforts to implant in the young
mind the fearful consequences of asso-
citation with an immoral and vicious
world they unconsciously drift into ex-
tremes The safeguards of admonition
are regarded as too simple. too impo-
tent, and oral advice is not infrequently
emphasized by physical argument. A
rigid surveillance is kept over their ac-
tions; everything they attempt is met
with severe restrictive policy. The
panorama Of every day life is kept from
their gaze and study; they are kept aloof
from every thing that has semblance
of worldly pleasure, at which the young
nature finally rebels, and the influence Of
this dangerous restraining power is sure
to assert itself. The life Of child be
comes monotonous under this course of
treatment. 1t longs for liberty of
thought and action and like bird re
leased from its prison cages, when it
gets beyond the Threshold of home it
finds itself apparently in new world
a world of deceit, temptation and seduct-
i've inhuence-and in nine cases out of
ten it falls an easy victim
Still another method presents itself.
Some parents say: oh, let my child
sow his wild oats, it will settle down
after while. While this view of the
case frequently recoils with sorrow and
disgrace upon the parents. Left to fol-
low the dictates of their own minds. with
no restraining hand to check them, they
are suddenly caught up in the net Of
temptation and lost beyond redemption.
Youth, however, is not without its
guide, if it will take warning from ex-
ample. This is well; but you must have
someone to teach it, to watch over it,
and to impress it with the necessity of
cultivating those vistues that give char
acter and honor to manhood and woman
hood The foundation must be firm
upon which to rear the superstructure,
and it depends entirely upon the wisdom
Of the parent what kind of material shall
constitute this foundation.
A writer on this subject once peril
nently said: EVERY man wants three
sorts of education: one to fit him for his
own particular trade or calling-this is
professional education; two to teach him
duty as man and citizen-this is
moral and political education; three, to
fit him for his higher relations, as God S
creature, designed for immortality-this
is religious education y And it strikes
the writer very forcibly that this combi-
nation of virtues is pretty stable found
alton upon which to build up the char
acter of youth There is evidently too
much restraining power in the one case
and Indifference and apathy in the other.
The following has been handed to us
as prize definition Of good husband:
The bread of life for the moral heart of
woman is made of the -four Of respect,
moistened with the water of confidence,
raised with the leaven of gracious tenn
per, sweetened with the sugar of love,
seasoned with the salt Of common sense,
shortened with mirth and the whole
made palatable by the free use of the po
tntnps of for0ivrnesS
X \ ~
One meets few unworried peope
Most faces bear lines of care Men aud
W men go anxious TO their days work
and rush through the hours with fever
i,h speed, and at night have not brains
| and tunultuous pulses to disturb refresh
I inc sleep. This is not only most unsat-