The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-04-10
MORAL CULTURE Fur CHILDREN.

MORAL CULTURE F6R CHILDREN.
In all parts OF the United States,
perhaps OF the world, the more en-
lightened people are awakening to 3
realization Of the partial failure Of
the school system. It is safely as
serted that We now produce men wn'
are giants IN intellect, but pi. mics in
morals. The corruption OF Office
holders, politicians OF all classes, and
the clergy; the great extent OF mari
tai in6delity; the disrespsot OF chill
dEen for parents, may all be traces
10 8 measure, to the lack OF system
atic course OF moral training in tht
pablic schools. The bstter class
religionists look with adherence OIL
the degradation, but In macy cases
are poEerlesl to act, In the last
number OF the North american Re
Uieio Bishop McQuaid asserts that the
contention between Catholics anc
Professionals, With regard to the uatur
of school training, resulted in giving
the schools into the control Of non
reIigionists. AS such people ar
liable to be deficient in respect foi
the laws of God. the youthful mind
is forced to be- the srfIsrer. So many
of the citizens of the republic hsvt
come from the lower grades OF tb'
Old World society tina! they hav'
little Or no idea Of thu require
ments of purify and houesty
At home the children receive little o.
no attention, and "a numbers o.
houses are not large enough to &C
commodate al their inmates, the
elder children are sent into the street.
70 do as they please. Street oue,oms
dress and language are uot general,
of an enpobling nature, and wheI
night throws her veil to screen from
inquisilive eyes. all restraints are fer.
gotten. Young men and boys allow
their bsser qualities to cDntrol, and
smoking, drinking. obscene Iangual {
and disgusting scts basten them b, :
yond the realm OF reason. With boys
il is bad enough, but when girls and
young women are allowed 70 partiC-
ipste in portion OF their acts, the
possibilities of shame greslly increase,
and az result We have so many
cases Of dishsnored virtue.
It ia not exaRgerstion to say that 8
large proportion Of the people even RI
this territory do not know where
their sons and daughters are or what
they are doing from dark until 10 Oh
II O'Clock nearly every night. From
this license TO youth We may trace tbs
origin OF our hoodlum element, which
bids fair to be uncomfortable in some
places. Ii is very rare that boys and
girls who are at home, or whore theil
parents do not object to their going
are found among shs low street brig
AIDES. The parents do not reslize
what is needed for the welfare Of
their young. and With the tempts-
tions to vice that are always
found, they soon fall. This apathy
on the part of parents is most in
furious to those in whom they should
take the deepest interest; and also To
all with whom they come in contact.
As most OF the fathers and mothers
are too old to re-educste. remedy
muat be found elsewhere.
At thiI junction it is natural to
turn TO the Sabbath schools; but here
We Are met by some obstacles. While
great and noble work sdoiug there.
the schools lack system and do not
accomplish the good they miglt.
Some methods employed in day
schools could ssvenisgeous!y be
adopted, and result in much improve
ment. Besides this, however, ii
seems impossible in one day . week
to impress the moral lessons With
sufficient force to endure for SIX
days. Since then the parents
will not, or cannot, and the
Sabbath schools fail to instill
the proper aesthetic culture, there is
but one recourse-the public or dis
trict schools. In any community 10
this territory it is impossible TO adopt
6 course of religious instruction thai
would be acceptable to all, aud since
oar schools are partly supported by
tsxatiou, which comes from all creeds
alike, purely religious training can
not Justly be considered.
As basis for the lives oil all en-.
lightened and virtuous people may
be found certain laws, received
primarily from the Creator for the
good Of man. Those principles do
not interfere with the dogmss ef
eny sect, and SO could be taught
without ofense. As TO the manner
of doing this We have not time to