I've been delving into old books this week, harvesting old songs for the DT. One such tome, faded and warped from water damage, thus 25 cents in a library sale, is the Christian Parlor Book: devoted to Science, Literature, and Religion, published in 1854 by James H. Pratt & Co.

I thought you all might enjoy the following excerpt:

What Will Ruin Children

"To have parents exercise partiality. This practice is lamentably prevalent. The first born or last, the only son or daughter, the beauty or wit of the household, is too commonly set apart - Joseph-like.

"To be frequently put out of temper. A child ought to be spared, as far as possible, all just causes of irritation; and never to be punished for wrong doing by taunts, cuffs, or ridicule.

"To be corrected for accidental faults with as much severity as though they were done intentionally.-

"The child who does ill when he meant to do well merits pity, not upbraiding. The disappointment of the young porjector, attendant on the disastrous failure of any little enterprise, is of itself sufficient punishment, even where the result was brought about by carelessness. To add more is as cruel as it is hurtful.

"Parents who give a child to understand that he is a burden to them, need to not be surprised should they one day be given to understand that they are burdensome to him."