But she is drifting--drifting more and more rapidly farther and
farther downstream. Now and then she looks back, remembers all the
ideals she once dreamed to reach and makes a feeble struggle to resist
but the current bears her on. Only some mighty Power can save her.
To the girl who "means to," and "intends," to the girl who dreams and
waits and dreams again, to the girl who has let go and is in the current
this chapter throws out the challenge--_Act now._ You can! There is
help. Take it.
IX
THE GIRL WITH HIGH IDEALS
Ideals make men and women and the process of ideal making begins in
childhood. A great deal has been written and said about the value of the
early ideals born in the home, but too much cannot be said, and the
value of the influence of good homes and parents whose ideals are high
cannot be overestimated. The girl whose home life during the first seven
years has not brought to her the high ideal must struggle all her later
life to build up and intrench in her mind what might have been hers
without conscious effort. Very early in her life the little girl reveals
in her play, in her conversation, in her countless imitative acts, the
ideals which are being formed.
One day a little four year old told a lie in my presence. Her mother
looking the child straight in the eyes, said, "Did Esther tell true?"
For a moment the child wavered then nodded her head and said, "Yes,
Esther tell true.
Pages:
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86