Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-02-26
PARENTS AND CHILDREN.
Interesting Lecture by Rabbi
Schreibcr at the SynagOgue.

CSkhAA AcObuEC ny Ub0 DDk
Schneider at the synagogue.
Rabbi Schneider delivered the third
and last lecture of the course on Ly-
curgus and Moses at the Synagogue
on Friday evening. The division of
the course was entitled parents and
Children" The text of his lecture
was as follows:
The secret bond of love of parents
towards their offspring, and vice versa
of children towards their parents is so
well founded in human nature that it
could not fail to exercise its ennobling
influence even upon the rudest ma
tions of antiquity. By a kind of an
instinct placed by Divine Providence
into mans heart, parents and chill
dren are drawn as if by magic force
and invisible ties to each other. Even
dumb animals have for a limited time
this natural instinct of affection.
This love Of parents toward their
children was, tits true, among the un-
civilized nations of physical 'charac-
ter only, but it existed all the same.
Now, incredible as it may appear, the
legislation of Lycurgus actually aimed
at the total eradication of this natural
feeling. 1t had not only no place
in Spartan laws, but was
regarded superluous, yea dan
gerous to the interests of
tue Government. Starting from
the principle that all children are the
property of the State-of the commu-
nifty at large-the legislation had the
tendency to discourage, to check, yea,
to nip in the very bud, every germ OF
parental affection. OF the many dis
graceful and heartless laws in this
respect l will only mention the fol-
lowing: All the children had to
undergo severe public examination
as to their health and strength. So
far so good, but mark what follows:
All children who were found to
be ugly, weak, or incapable
of hard labor were-I can hardly
bring it over my heart to repeat it
mercilessly exposed in a cave near
the Mount Taygetus, in order that
they might die there Of starvation or
cold. The strong, healthy ones, and
all those boys who were free from
bodily ailments, were returned to
their parents, who had to take care of
them until their seventh year. 1t
was, however, understood that this
education was to be as severe as pos
sible. As soon as they had
passed their seventh year the
boys had to leave the parental
roof, and were given over to the pub
lie education by the government.
Mind, at the age OF seven, when a
mothers sacrificing love and care and
a fathers watchful eyes are most
needed. What, then, constituted this
public education in Sparta? 1t was
simply the practice Of bearing the
most outrageous hardships. The boys
had to go barefoot, their hair closely
shaved, and, naked, they were COM
PEELED to engage in prize fights with
each other. In order to harden
them still more, all boys had to
once year at the
altar of Diana, where they were most
mercilessly lashed in the presence of
their parents and OF the whole COM
1t was a by no means rare
occurrence that children lost their
lives in consequence of this proceed
ing. They had to bear such treat
ment resignedly without even utter
ing a sigh. When covered with
wounds and blood and about to die,
their parents had to admonish them
to suffer it without q murmur to the
bitter end. In order to get them
used to all sorts of strategic tricks
and to sudden attacks, they were per-
mitted to steal from one an
other whenever an opportunity
arose, and only he was punished who
was caught in the act, because he was
not successful.
When twelve years old the boys
were promoted to higher grade,
which meant that they had to I'm
dergo still severer discipline and
that still greater hardships were in
store for them. From now on they
had to fight regular battles
with their hands, feet, teeth and
nails with such stubbornness and
perseverance, and that some of them
lost their ears, eyes, noses,
yea, were killed. before victory was
decided; but even girls had to be ed
ucated with the greatest seve rity.
Now, I ask, could, under such cir
parental love or respect
and honor of children towards their
find favorable soil in Spar
ia?
And was the treatment of children
much better among other natives Of
antiquity? By no means. Children
were regarded even by the cultured