If the physical development of children is largely
dependent upon parents, the same is true of their intel-
lectual and moral growth.; for the first of these, parents
being indirectly, and for the second directly, responsible.
The duty of parents in regard to what is commonly called
the education of their children is usually plain enough, for
though they are frequently unable to give instruction them-
selves, they can almost always succeed in securing the
regular attendance of their children at good schools, and in
providing for them certain advantages at home. While a
mother is often too busy to teach her children even so much
as the alphabet, she can always see that they are properly
prepared for school, that they are punctual in attendance
suitably clad, that their books are kept in order and their
lessons learned, in short, can make their road to learning an
open way, and greatly simplify the work of those who
actually teach them. In the home life, too, the father and
ON HABITS AND MANNERS 131
mother can provide many advantages for children, at com-
paratively small expense, and it is the presence or absence of
these which make the atmosphere of home healthful and
elevating, or the reverse. To have a few pictures, prints or
chromos, well chosen and neatly framed, to take a good
paper or magazine, to buy a few good books, to take
children now and then to hear a lecture or to some similar
entertainment, are all of direct assistance in the mental
education of the young, and are no great tax upon the
means or energies of the parents. In most cases, the best
thing which you can do for your children is to give them
the opportunity and excite in them trhe desire to obtain a
thorough education, and thus to make up to them, so far as
possible,for the disadvantage which your own lack of educa-
tion must be to them.
As you probably know only too well, the time for
receiving the education which books give is in most cases
past for yourselves, and feeling, as you must, what the lack
of it is constantly costing you, you should be all the more
willing to make every effort to secure it for your children.
Your duty is plain enough, so plain, indeed, that but the
briefest statement of it should be necessary : Send your
children to the best school within your reach, and send
them properly prepared; provide for them at home, so far
as your means will allow, everything which will teach
132 ON HABITS AND MANNERS.
them or help them to learn, and by your own conversation
and behavior show them how important you consider the
work of education, remembering that the responsibility of
your children's ignorance is rather yours than theirs.
Page 59
Presented as published in 1888. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
If the physical development of children is largely dependent upon parents, the same is true of their intellectual and moral growth.; for the first of these, parents being indirectly, and for the second directly, responsible. The duty of parents in regard to what is commonly called the education of their children is usually plain enough, for though they are frequently unable to give instruction themselves, they can almost always succeed in securing the regular attendance of their children at good schools, and in providing for them certain advantages at home. While a mother is often too busy to teach her children even so much as the alphabet, she can always see that they are properly prepared for school, that they are punctual in attendance suitably clad, that their books are kept in order and their lessons learned, in short, can make their road to learning an open way, and greatly simplify the work of those who actually teach them. In the home life, too, the father and
mother can provide many advantages for children, at comparatively small expense, and it is the presence or absence of these which make the atmosphere of home healthful and elevating, or the reverse. To have a few pictures, prints or chromos, well chosen and neatly framed, to take a good paper or magazine, to buy a few good books, to take children now and then to hear a lecture or to some similar entertainment, are all of direct assistance in the mental education of the young, and are no great tax upon the means or energies of the parents. In most cases, the best thing which you can do for your children is to give them the opportunity and excite in them the desire to obtain a thorough education, and thus to make up to them, so far as possible,for the disadvantage which your own lack of education must be to them.
As you probably know only too well, the time for receiving the education which books give is in most cases past for yourselves, and feeling, as you must, what the lack of it is constantly costing you, you should be all the more willing to make every effort to secure it for your children. Your duty is plain enough, so plain, indeed, that but the briefest statement of it should be necessary : Send your children to the best school within your reach, and send them properly prepared; provide for them at home, so far as your means will allow, everything which will teach
them or help them to learn, and by your own conversation and behavior show them how important you consider the work of education, remembering that the responsibility of your children's ignorance is rather yours than theirs.