Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1868-03-12
For the Herald.
Thoughts for Parents--N l.

THoUGHT ONE.-I was forcibly
struck with one special item which
l noticed in the prison statistics of
Ohio. 1t was this: Of the 425
convicts admitted into the Peniten-
tiary the last year, 324 attribute the
cause of their being led into crime
to the fact that they were not under
parental control in early life, or be-
tween tie ages of ten and twenty
one-a large majority Of them hav-
ing 'run away from home" / be-
lieve that it is anotorious fact, that
not more than one boy out of a
hundred, thatruns away from home,
ever makes an honest, intelligent
citizen. Add to the above number
about twice as many more equally
criminal, but who have as yet es-
capped from Justice, and we have a
startling commentary upon the re-
suit Of disobedience, andthe exceed
ing danger to young people, arising
fromthe lack of being under parent
al control, and away from the sweet,
refining, saUtng influences of home.
There is an awful responsibility
resting somewhere, and criminal
failure to properly and promptly
meet that responsibility.
There is, in the above fact, an
ominous warning to boys, and a
startling alarm to parents, l will
ldd that, perhaps, when child runs
lway from home, the community in
! majority Of cases, lay all the blame
lpon the child Numberless op-
,robiums and epithets are heaped
lpon him. Is this generally just
S the child alone to blame? /
hall carry this thought no further
It this time; but, reader, do you
larry it ont in your own mind
THoUGHT Two.-In the. same re-
,ort we find another startling
hought. The regular attendance
t Sabbath School number only
fteen. Comment on that is not
eeded.
THoUGHT THREE. E.-Parents, here
J another thunder clap thought for
on. OF these 425 convicts, only (,
Ia received "liberal education"l i
md this corresponds with the sta
sites Of all the Penitentiaries in {
ie Union. "Sixty,seyen," says the
sport, "cannot read or write SO
an barely read 145 can barelyread !
ld write; 10 have a common Eng
sh education; 10 a good English
s a liberal one, DC" A 6
olume of commentaries on this '
ould not increase the force of the q
Ievitable conclusion which must be
.awn from these facts, In
Where rests the fearful response 4
lity in this case ? And that, too,
Ohio Ohio, that justly prides Il
srselfin her school system, and in s
e enterprise, intelligence, and
oral character Of her citizens--in {
II wealth and political import k
lcel E# a
THoUGHT FoUR.-My young v
lends, here is a thought, in this +
port, especially for you as well as S
+ your parents. More than half S,
these convicts were led into d
ime, and landed in prison, thro' ?
e influence of bad company, by
cir own confession. Truly, "Evil M
mmunications corrupt good man l
rs. 4is.; ss, #
Ail0 HON3 III SVilOiuolVi, = NpAo D,
,saY to- those persons who are St
optical as to the conservative,
wing influences of the Day School
d Sabbath School, please ,remem- d
r that facts are stubborn things" p
d if you will only take the time W
d trouble to compare the prison
Itistics, to say nothing about the =,
her sources of information, las Il,
J records of Criminal Courts, Pc
buses of Refuge, Five Point Mis-
ms, &C., you cannot avoid being in
inverted, your skepticism will be III
,lted away, andyou will be apt to
gin to doubt your being very tit
cd citizens so long as you oppose H
sse institutions, perchance yield G.
I'm a cold assent, or an uncertain, tic
ubtful support. Il speak as to Gu
Sc men; Judge ye" th
srag j. H. l. S. A,
JEFFERsoNvILLE, o. 10 iG'