Editor’s Table: The Home and the Child

EDITOR'S TABLE. THE HOME AND THE CHILD. A reader of the Era in Los Angeles, writes to know why the Church cannot have a magazine for parents — we have them for the missionaries, the young ladies, the young men and the children, "but," he complains, "there is no organ for the fathers and mothers." Others, however, are inclined to view the subject in another light, and maintain that most of our publications are for grown folks, and do not contain enough matter suitable for young people . It appears to me that neither view is exactly correct. Our publications, mostly, are suited for both old and young, and if any class has cause to complain, it is surely not the parents. But our correspondent has reminded me of a topic suitable for fathers and mothers, frequently referred to, but which I think should receive their most earnest attention — the training of the child in the home. It is stated that hundreds of the children of the Latter-day Saints in the cities attend non-" Mormon" social organizations, because these afford better facilities for amusement and recreation than is provided in our ward organizations. It is maintained by some parents that there is no harm in this, because in these outside institutions no anti-religious teachings are permitted. In fact, I heard one good brother say, on being told that his son was affiliating with one of them, "Why, I would much rather have him there than on the streets." That is a remarkable statement. So it appears that it is necessary to have our children either on the streets or in some institution, club or place of amusement and recreation where they are turned over to be trained and taught and amused by people who are neither in sympathy with the purpose, nor in harmony with the objects, of the great Latter-day work ! What is the home for? What estimate do we place upon its power? What training, what teaching, what comfort and what amusement are we providing there for our children? I replied to

EDITOR'S TABLE. 301 my friend like this: ''Why, yes; if I must choosf^ between my child being on the street or in some such social organization, certainly I should prefer the latter. But must he be on the street?" Not if I have done my duty and taught him early and persistently loyalty to home, its true value, beauty, comfort and happiness. He will then not care for the street. It is no place for children; and a great mistake is made in ever letting them think so, in ever letting them go there for amusement or recreation. But you say: some recreation must be provided. Certainly; and it should be provided not only in the home, but also in our public ward and stake organizations, for which genuine loyalty should also be early taught. But you shall find even then, that there are many amusements, so called, that one cannot permit them to indulge in. You must draw the line, no matter how much you may grant, for there is still more that will be desired. You must say what is proper and what is not. You must provide for your children such attractions as they enjoy, as far as it is consisttent with jour means and the spirit of the gospel. This applies equally to the family and the ward and stake organizations. But let it be remembered that the Saints cannot supply their young people with card-tables, smoking-rooms, billiard-halls, drink and other accessories that light-hearted and thoughtless youth are so prone to enjoy , and often anxious to have provided and established among the Saints. After all, our young men and women must be taught to make a choice. They must be taught to freely and willingly sacrifice their irregular pleasures and inclinations to that which is right and proper. And this must be done, not altogether by our public organizations and teachers, but privately by properly trained parents in the home. It must be done there by precept and example; by prompt, energetic, firm, yet loving teaching. Children must be so trained there that they shall love the right, the faith and the counsel of their parents, more than error and the advice of others who are not so near to them. They must be trained to be loyal to the truth, to that which is legitimate, to themselves and to the Church — whether or not in such a course there shall come to them poverty or wealth, comfort or trial, ease or labor, good or evil. That is what our fathers did, and were; they chose the right rather than comfort and pleasure, but the

302 IMPROVEMENT ERA. fruits of their struggle resulted gloriously in strength of character and in temporal and spiritual achievement. And shall we and our children not have faith that a similar course will end in like glory to all who follow their example? But what are we doing in our homes to train our children; what to enlighten them? What to encourage them to make home their place of amusement, and a place where they may invite their friends for study or entertainment? Have we good books, games, music and well-lighted, well- ventilated, warm rooms for their convenience and pleasure? Do we take personal interest in them and in their affairs? Are we providing them with the physical knowledge, the mental food, the healthful exercise, and the spiritual purification, that will enable them to becogie pure and robust in body, intelligent and honorable citizens, faithful and loyal Latterday Saints? We frequently neglect giving them any information concerning their bodily well-being. In our cities we appear to be providing our young people too much mental exercise, and no physical diversion and work, while in our country settlements, we seem to be overburdening them with bodily labor, and in many cases doing little or nothing for their mental development and recreation. Hence, in the one case they seek forbidden places and pleasure, on account of too much mental exercise; and in another, because of too little. Now then, are we studying their wants as we do our business, and our farms and our animals? Are we looking after them, and if necessary bringing them in from the street when absent, and providing them in our homes with what they lack? Or are we to a great extent neglecting these things in the home and home training, and considering our children of secondary value to horses and cattle and lands? These are important points for consideration, and fathers and mothers should honestly study them, and as honestly answer them to their own satisfaction. We may well inv^est means in the home for the comfort, convenience, entertainment and training of our children. We may well give our sons and daughters some time for recreation and diversion, and some provision in the home for satisfying their longing for legitimate physical and mental recreation,

EDITOR'S TABLE. 3C3 to which every child is entitled, and which he will seek in the street or in objectionable places, if it is not provided in the home. In addition to this, and supplementary to the training in the home , it is to be hoped that our organizations will as soon as possible provide every arrangement for legitimate entertainment and recreation, physical and intellectual, that will tend to attract our young people, and hold them interested, loyal and contented within the ])ale of our own influence and organizations. Joseph F. Smith.