326 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



your own young and strong for the duties that constantly fall to you ? Are 

 you fulfilling your mission by caring for the body only ? You keep the boy 

 well clothed and fed, his body in a perfect physical condition, the very best 

 possible state for mental activity, and then give him no means for working it 

 off. He is thrown upon his resources such as they happen to be, and upon 

 those of others whose home life is not so fortunate, and you in your thought- 

 lessness or ignorance wonder why you, who have used every care to furnish 

 your child with comforts, should find him so ungrateful, leaving his home for 

 the company of those, if not low and vicious, at least wild and undesirable. 

 His mind and body must be filled with employment, and if that which is good 

 and wholesome is not furnished he will find that which is otherwise. Perhaps 

 you have laughed at or discouraged his love of the beautiful in music, flowers 

 and art as effeminate, unmanly. Don't do it. It can only lead to higher 

 thoughts and show out in his life, for "thought is father of the deed" and if 

 his thoughts are pure and ennobling his deeds will be good and true. 



I say teach children the lessons of childhood. You know what I mean; the 

 baby stories. 



They can not be learned in a single lesson. They must be repeated over and 

 over and over again, and your own hearts will grow young in teaching them. 



