Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1920-10-06


State.
. Paper by Mrs. Lizzie Saunders at
meeting OF Hancock Pomona Crangel
From the earliest days, child
training has been a subject foremost
in the minds of the people. The
home is the most important agency
In the development of character. 1t
is here that the child comes under
the influence Of his parents, receives
/ his4eariy moral training, and forms
his first ideals
In the home he spends the greater
portion OF his life during his child
( hood and youth, and here his habits
OF life are largely formed, and even
/ his choice OF life work is made. The
{ school has the child for an average
of six hours a day from six TO nine
months in the year. while the home
( has him the remainder of the time.
We can see at once that even the
( best school cannot accomplish as
much as the home in the develop
ment of character.
/ Home conditions are much differ
I ent now than in the early settlement
9 q
went about from house to house and
/ taught the children. Later school
houses were built where all could be
taught together This naturally
developed the class: out OF the class
/ grew the grade; from the grade. the
/ graded school; from the graded
, school, the graded school system by
! which more than fifteen million
& aN,E
! are taught to-day. The school.
/ then. in all its greatness. is the out
I come of the home
! The subject OF moral training in
I public schools has received attention
ever since schools were established,
+, and in all systems OF education it
has occupied a prominent place, and
should receive more attention than
is given Il.
II Is not TO our credit that we are
, foremost among the nations OF the
world in our disregard for the laws
upon our statute books. both state
and national Very many Of our citi-
zens look upon the observance OF GER
tain laws as a matter of convenience,
of commercial advantage. or of pub
lie sentiment. Evasion OF law leads
to disregard of law, therefore our
schools should impress upon pupils
the sacredness OF law and the obliga-
tion Of all citizens to obey the laws
under which they live.
The lack of consideration which
American children show for the aged
is very much to our discredit as a
nation, and the public schools should
do all in their power to correct this
evil. But reverence extends beyond
proper treatment of the aged. Chill
dren should learn and be led to feel
reverence for all created things.
the laws and forces of nature. and
above all for the Creator Himself.
We should not forget that the out
door world is full of mysteries to the
little ones, and il the parent or
teacher looks upon all life as the
handiwork of God, II she is naturally
kind to every living thing, IL she
sees and can lead the children to see
in every creature its perfect adapta-
ton to the life it is TO live. she
awakens in them that wonder for the
Creator works which leads 10 reyer.
ence for Him as the author and
giver OF all good.
We, as parents and teachers
should encourage a child In his el
forts TO do, not criticize him for hi.
faults. We criticize a child in I
way that no adult can stand. and
then expect him to be happy and nat
sgal. Surely. mistakes should b,
corrected, but in a tactful instructiy,
manner
Which mark on the report care
should be commented upon first By
= the parent or teacher, the excellent
or the poor? The excellent, by al
| means. We can make him feel that
| those studies are a credit, and that
| II is pity that the others should
| be low and encourage him to try
harder next month; or we can make
so much fuss over the low mark and
overlook the high mark that he NAV
not try to improve.
The fact Is, there are more angels
in stone than that fashioned BY
Michael Angelo into the statue OF
David out of the marble that had
been reposing for years on the scrap
heap. Just as industrial companies
have made large profits from the
utilization of waste matter. so a
proper treatment of children ap-
parently without talents may result
in great benefit to the world.
Parents and teachers have no
more important duty than this To
put heart into the children, and as
much as possible avoid such treat
ment as will take the heart out Of
children.
l took piece of plastic clay
And idly fashioned it one day.
And as my fingers pressed It. stin
1t moved and yielded to my will.
! came again when days were past.
The bit Of clay was hard at last.
The form ! gave II still it bore.
But could change that form no more
l took piece Of living clay