722 TRAINING OF CHILDREN. 



yet we consider that the former the sound body and healthy mind 

 are of even greater and more imperative import. The indulgence of 

 a child's appetite, under the erroneoub idea that the parent's love for 

 the child can not bear to deny the child what does not seem so very 

 hurtful at the time, is really the same as slowly poisoning the child; 

 it is laying the foundation for future dyspepsia and ailments and 

 oftentimes premature death. True love would never, knowingly, be 

 guilty of such a deed. It would rather sacrifice its own inclination to 

 give the child present pleasure in order to secure its future welfare. 



So, too, in teaching the child by example in the many duties of 

 everyday life; in kindness, in gentleness, in politeness, in the use of 

 good language, in tidiness, in the formation of habits, in cheerfulness, 

 good nature, helpfulness, thoughtfulness for others, in all the higher 

 and more desirable phases of life, the parents' duty is absolute. The 

 future of the child, his capability in life, his happiness and his success, 

 depend very largely upon the training he receives from his parents. If 

 the child adopts bad habits from its companionship with other boys, it 

 is the parent's fault if he does not use means to counteract it. And 

 this is best done by forestalling the danger in teaching the child before- 

 hand in regard to these evil habits. Secret vice will never be followed 

 by boys whose parents have taught them all about it and its terrors be- 

 fore they can learn it from their fellows without hearing of its evils. 

 Profanity can be largely prevented by teaching boys the folly of such lan- 

 guage and insisting that they say "potato" or some equally silly word, 

 every time they feel tempted to use a profane word. This was Prof. 

 Wm. Waldron's method of teaching boys to avoid profanity and it 

 proved effectual. In all the follies of mind and heart the boy's best 

 safeguard is knowledge, imparted in the way of information, by the 

 parents, before this information can be gained on the streets or from 

 other boys. 



