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Published: 2015-07-13

Total Pages: 72

ISBN-13: 9781331321071

Excerpt from State Normal Magazine, 1899, Vol. 3 As the piano responds to the touch of a master as if it were but the extension of his own organs of expression, so man responds to this silent voice of whatever is about him, not by any conscious effort, but by spontaneous and even unconscious fealty. The piano gives out any kind of music, harmonious and sweet, or discordant; sad, bright or majestic according to the skill and taste of the master, so the music in the man's soul depends upon the character of the forces acting upon him. The Greek is but a photograph of his country - his spirit of freedom and independence, the voice of the mountains - his art and literature, a reflection of his own bright skies and beautiful scenery. Everywhere the sensitive spirit of man is affected by whatever passes before it. In the home the life of the child is continually being influenced by its surroundings. Place him in a home with happy, industrious parents surrounded with birds, flowers, and music, and he will he happy - will look on the beautiful side of life. Place him in a home with idle, discontented parents surrounded with only the material things of life, and ten to one he will be lazy, discontented, and blind to the beauties of nature. So lasting will these impressions be that they will color the whole disposition. Later in life place these same two people in the same house, looking out of the same window, upon the same things, and they will see things very differently - one will be made unhappy and wretched, while the other is made to sing and rejoice; one will see only tall chimneys, dingy roofs, black unsightly buildings, while the other will see in these, life and industry, and looking beyond to the glorious sun slowly sinking behind magnificent trees will be reminded that "The heavens declare the glory of God." How many great men of history had great, though perhaps unknown mothers! How many speak with the tenderest love and reverence not only of the mother, but of the home, however humble it might have been! Were they not there unconsciously forming the ideals, the ruling principles of their lives? Our own Judge Gaston, who lost his father when three years old, declared that whatever success and distinction he had attained in life was due to his mother's counsels and admirable management, and that but for her he might have been a vagabond. This unconscious tuition goes on not only in home, but in school-room, in social life - everywhere. As steadily and as unconsciously as he exhibits it his pupils are affected by every phase of the teacher's character. Many teachers have been an inspiration to their pupils through life. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.