The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. II., No. 9, August, 1836Various
History
The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. II., No. 9, August, 1836
Various
American literature -- 19th century -- Periodicals
Another fault, common in both boys and girls, is to behave towards the
masters and mistresses of boarding schools, as if the payment of a
pecuniary compensation for board and tuition actually absolved the
payers not only from all obligation to observe the ordinary rules of
civility and politeness towards the receivers, but also purchased the
privilege of using or abusing, at their pleasure, every species of
property possessed by the latter. In the school-creed of all such
pupils, it would really appear to be an established article, either
that there could not well be any manner too rude, nor any conduct too
unjust to be exercised towards the keepers of boarding schools; or,
that the nature both of justice and politeness changed according to
the characters and occupations of the persons with whom they had
intercourse—having nothing in itself, invariably either right or
wrong. The greatest evil of this juvenile, but highly culpable
practice, is, that either rudeness or injustice indulged in early
life, even although confined at first to keepers of boarding schools,
is apt to become habitual, and deeply to injure both the manners and
principles of youth in regard to all other persons, after these
thoughtless offenders arrive at years of maturity. They should ever
bear it in mind, that politeness is not a holiday-suit, to be put on
for particular occasions only; but is a decent, becoming, most
appropriate every-day dress, without which they should never appear,
either at school, at home, or in general society.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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