The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1868-09-10
KENosHA WISCONSIN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER TO- 1868
School Reform.

/ EDITOR TELEGRAPH My attention has OF
e ten been called TO the reason qUhy there i
e such a lack of attendance at school BY boy
: between the ages of ten and sixteen years
My mind was again directed to that subject
by an article in late number of the TELE
GRAPH, entitled "School Reform" For ma
ny years 1 have been in Reform School
for boys-that is what its name implies
have had many opportunities to judge of the
class of boys sent to such school, and the
E reason why they were sent. Kenosha county
is my home, and every interest have in the
elevation of youth, making them educated,
: useful Christian men, centers in common
interest;there. I will first present some fig
Gres
i In the year 1866, there were received into
the Ohio Reform School SO boys. Of that
number there were five II years of age who
had never been to school, and four who had
never been to Sunday School, and six that
could not write or cipher. Four were com
mitted for grand larceny, three for burglary,
and one for arson. OF those u years of age,
several had not attended school of any kind
| Those IS years of age, three had never been
to school. and four had never been to Sunday
School three were committed for larceny
and one for burglary. OF those IA years OF
age, six had never been TO school of any kind,
| five that had been to school were just beyond
the primer, and but one of the whole could
write. Three were committed for grand lar
ceny, two for burglary and two for petit lar
ceny. OF those fifteen years of age, two had
/ -,
Sunday School, seven could not write and nine
/ could not cipher-all sent for high misde-
meanors. OF those sixteen years of age, two
had never been to school, five had never been
to Sunday School and five could not write or
cipher. Of those seventeen years of age, one
had never been to school, four had never been
to Sunday School and two could not write or
cipher In all twenty-three who had never
attended school, who were between the ages
OF twelve and seventeen years. The year fol-
lowing there were received into the same
school 112 boys of whom one hundred were
between the ages of ten and sixteen years.
their mental and moral condition being near
ly the same as those of the year previous. In
seven other Refugees, in one year, were re-
ceived 765 boys between the ages of twelve
and fifteen years, all criminals, and all in
nearly the same mental and moral condition
of the above. uss e
Now for some of the reasons why these boys
have been neglected mentally and morally.
Most of them are the children of poor pa
rents, who earn their daily bread by daily la
Dor While the husband works in the shop
or on the dock or in the depot, from early
morn till night, the wife is out washing, iron
ing or house-cleaning and the children are
left to shift for themselves often the elders
have to take care of the younger; and again |
when ordered to school they play truant, tell |
q falsehood about it and commit the first /
crime Another reason, 'Idleness is the pa
rent of crime" In city or village where
work is scarce, child rem grow up in idleness
and laziness; a lazy boy will never excel in
school, even if made to go. Physical indus
try is indispensable to mental progress; the
boy who plays all the time has no energy to
attend school, or ambitious desires, when
there, to succeed. Again, many of the chill
dren given in the preceding statements are \
of foreign parentage, and more of them are
of Catholic birth. 1t is perhaps fact beyond
controversy, that Catholic parents object to
their children attending protestant school,
or where the teachers and board are of that
faith. This is aUrong. In cities where there
are no Catholic schools, Catholics should send
their Children to the Free Schools. Why? Be-
cause il left in ignorance, they must, become
worthless citizens, if not criminals. All the
statistics go to show that this is so. Visit |
what school you may 0he Reformatories,) and
you will find this fact illustrated. tbs so in |
the school where am now. Two-thirds Of
them are of Catholic origin, and two thirds of
them had never advanced beyond reading |
only few can write, and nearly all of them
are of this city, and many of them the worst |
boys of the city. A few are orphans and have +
been in the Sisters school, but ran away
others never improved mentally, and yet we
have BOYS from ten to sixteen years of age.
l have given few reasons that know to
be facts why the free schools are not attended
more regularly by boys of the ages spoken of.
There might be many others given, but have
to be brief OF course there are exceptions
to the reasons I have given. There are doubt
less many boys of parents not Catholic or
anything else, and some of Protestant birth,
that are truants from school, and travellers
ON the road to ruin. I hope no personal or
UNCONVENTIONAL exception may be taken to
this, for none is meant. I propose two rem
edies.
Get all the children into the Sabbath School,
no matter what one that is the starting
point Not very many regular attendants at
the Sabbath Schools turn out criminals. Next
pesruade them to attend some day school.
IF necessary, let the Common Council pass an
act to compel parents TO send their children
to school. When that is done, rowdies and
thieves will become useful citizens, the Police
Court be out of business, the Jail to let, and
the penitentiary vacant.
St. Paul, July 81, 1868. C.l. ).