CHARACTER.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4154, 2 July 1892, Page 2

CHARACTER.

[N.Z. Pubwo Service Journal] The craze for higher education is becoming so rife at present, that it is well to point out that the advanced branches of sohool knowledge are not what is particularly required in any Situation in life, be it professional, clerical, or mechanical, Given a lair amount of schooling, and any young man is properly equipped so far as panoply of; that kind is concerned, for 'entering life's tourney. Is it not a fact that the biographies of the large majority of our front men—successful in their business and in haying obtained the esteem and admiration of the world at largo-repeatedly disclose the fact that there is a something, quite apart from any scholastic training, which has enabled them to bring things to so successful an issue ? The possession or otherwise of" character" is the leading factor in a man's lite.

How often we find our prize-win-ners at school filling inferior positions in after life. Education is good, but the formation of oharooter is better j and the former should notbe obtained by ignoring the latter. The great secret of success in the life of any man, and the great oure for many evils in our social life, notably larrikinism, is a proper attention being given in youth to this essential lin true education. To think out things on our own account, to

arrive at a result after consideration, and having so arrived, to act promptly fearlessly, firmly, is the result of the proper formation of character, Without this we are" a degenerate type," content parasite-like to follow others' opinions, to allow others to take the initiative of action, to fear the adverse opinion of our fellows, and generally to take up what is admittedly a subsidiary position all along the line. Yet this is a very common specimen of our youth, And as there is no immobile point in Nature, so there is no standing still in t!ie formation. of oharaoter. We either ascend or descend, either become nobler or more degenerate; and, alas I fmlis descensus Averni I To ensure a goodresult the effort must be incessant, continuous,

The effect of the psychic or mental force of hostile or bad minds upon individuals of easy disposition is a factor seldom taken cognizance of. Yet we know that this lorce is powerful and effective, and needs a strong effort to repel it. To combat this we must educe "character" in our children, even although some scholastic training should suffer by comparison. Let us cultivate in our children self-control, and confidence in their own powers, In study or at play let us ever help them towards this end. Especially let us teach them to avoid slovenliness or effeminacy as deadly sins. If a job is set them, insist upon its being finished, and "finished clean"; if an errand is run, let the reply be dear and the return prompt; bringdown the sledgehammer of your condemnation upon exaggeration of all sorts; make it a rule that sohool books and play things shall both be placed in proper quarters after use; accustom them when young to household routine duties, which must be performed with thoroughness, precision, and regularity, It is not necessary, we trust, to exhort any parent to inculcate that higher moral and religious training, without which our efforts in a senular direction must be ineffective. And, lastly, we must perform what we preach. So will our children develop into men capable of acting upon their own initiative, trained in habits of industry and perseverence. Let us remember with what little stock of book-lore many of our noblest and greatest started life's journey. The most superficial analysis of their lives shows us that character with a big 0 was the vital motive force which pushed them through the millions of their erstwhile compeers, and rested not until it had attained for them the desired success.