CERS.

The officers of the family government are the father and the mother.
They were made officers when they were married, so that the rulers of
the family are also members of the family. The office of a parent is a
holy office, and requires wisdom for the proper discharge of its duties.

POWERS.--The parents have power to make rules, to decide when these
have been broken, and to insist that they shall be obeyed. They make
the law of the family, enforce the law, and explain the law. They have
supreme control over their children in all the usual affairs of life,
until the children arrive at the legal age--twenty-one years.

DUTIES, RESPONSIBILITY.--Parents should be firm and just in their
rulings; they should study the welfare of their children, and use every
effort to train them to lives of usefulness and honor. It is the duty
of parents to provide their children with food, clothing, shelter, and
the means of acquiring an education. There is no other responsibility
so great as the responsibility of fathers and mothers. They are
responsible for themselves, and the law makes them partly responsible
for the conduct of their children. Therefore, one of the highest
duties of a parent to his children is to exact obedience in all right
things, in order that the children may be trained to true manhood and
womanhood.

[1]To the teacher--Do not assign to the average class more than two or
three pages of the text as a lesson. Make haste slowly. When each
chapter is completed let it be reviewed at once, while the pupil's
interest is fresh.

See that the "Suggestive Questions" at the end of the chapter are not
neglected. If necessary, devote special lessons to their
consideration. Assign the "questions" to the members of the class, to
be answered on the following day, giving not more than two "questions"
to any pupil.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.

1. Name some of the restraints of home life.

2. Why does the welfare of all depend upon the family government?

3. Why do rights and duties always exist together?

4. Name some bad habits.

5. Why should children abstain from bad habits?

6. What is true manhood?

7. Are disobedient children apt to make good citizens?

8. Should a father permit his bad habits to be adopted by his children?

CHAPTER II.

THE SCHOOL.

INTRODUCTORY.--When children reach the age of six or seven years, they
enter the public school and become subject to its rules. We are b