Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-03-22
Home Amusements.

Public journals daily record the vices
and crimes of society, which seem to in
crease from month to month while the
better portion of communities look on,
and wonder if the devil is to have full
sway in spite of the efforts put forth by
religious and philanthropic organiza-
tions. To what are we coming?
cries one give us the enforcement OF
the lawsl" says another. THE fault is
with the police and judicial officers, Z"
says third and so on, through whole
catalogue of reasons which may be cor
rect to q degree, and yet which do not
strike deep enough.
What the republic needs at this mo-
ment is more home training, home
amusements, home education and cul-
ture: and until fathers and mothers can
be convinced of the necessity for these
requisites, and urged into the adoption
of them, the carnival of dissipation and
crime will not abate, the young will go
astray, as they are now doing, and peo-
pie will hold up their hands in horror at
the degeneracy of the age. The youth
of the United States go to perdition
more frequently from neglect at home
than from any other cause.
The mechanic thinks he has not time
to look after the habits of his children.
He clothes them, feeds them, sends them
to school and to the Sunday school Per
haps he occasionally drops words of re-
proof and advice, in which he is Joined
by his wife, and they call this home train
ing. Now what more does the business
man do than the mechanic? Scarcely so
much. There is difference in the
quality of the clothes, of the food, and
the schooling; but it cannot be said
that, as rule, he devotes any more at
tention to his children than the artisan.
Admitting that the associations of his
offspring have the benefits of refined as
sociations, do not daily occurrences
prove that moral delinquencies are quite
as frequent among the rich as the poor2
But what should be done2 Weventure
to assert that if one-half of the parents in
the United States would give their atten
ton for the next years to home amuse
ments for the children, amusements
which should involve heathful, rational
enjoyment the coming generation would
be stronger men and women than those
of any preceding generation
As people, we know comparatively
little of the philosophy Of amusements.
Parents discuss politics and fashions,
scandal and crime, during their leisure
moments at home, while the children sit
by longing for something to make time
pass more pleasantly and rapidly The
latter are sent away to devise their own
sports, while fathers and mothers devote
themselves to social enjOyments or per-
sOnal ease. sea ..
After time the boys find their amuse-
ments away from home, perhaps in
places Of questionable repute; end the /
girls suddenly assume the air Of young |
ladies, and devote themselves to late /
hours, receptions, senseless small-talk, .
and to beaus noted more for their fasci- /
mating manners than their good morals. /
SO matters 90 on quitely. until society is
startled BY the announcement Of unex- I
pected crime or awful disgrace Such 1
dramas are being enacted every week Of /
the year Would not parents be repaid /
by devoting more time 20 the amuse-
ments Of home, and less TO business and /
social acknowledgement Journal