Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-05-04
with conscious pride as he is caressed by
his pleased instructor, who recognizes the
reward of his patient labor.

reward of his patient labor.
do not recommend corporal punish
ment in training. 1t is cruel and un-
manly, and it accomplishes no good to
whip child because it cannot readily ac-
complish physical feat. If an old boy
as we term them, got stubborn, / always
used either to snap the whip at him saw
agely or else dismiss him to get over his
sulk. If the boy was of tender years, then
little kindly talk would win his conf
dence and he would return to practice with
zest. But the average boy who wants to
become a circus rider needs no punish
ment, for he continually strives to outdo
himself, and the tutor must watch sharp
lest he attempt some foolhardy, breakneck
feat that will end only in disaster. The
latter is about the only kind of boy circus
trainers have to deal with. If child does
not want to learn the business no one tries
to force him to practice.
Oftentimes, too, for the encouragement
of pupil, have trained him at public
performance, explaining the situation to
the audience. One public training, if sue
cessful, will do more for the child's ad-
yancement than hours of private practice
" Is there in the ordinary circus any at
tempt made to protect and improve the
morals of the pupils" was the next ques-
tion put to the veteran circus man. .
Now you have struck vital point to
the issue in hand" was the earnest re-
sponse. "In every circus there are ladies
4 use the word in its fullest and most
and direction supervision over the young
sters of both sexes. These ladies teach
their charges manners, and incuicate NOR
ais, and any delinquences are reported to
the tutor, who passes upon the offender,
seldom if ever administering castigation
The usual punishment is shutting off of
pocket money or denial of privileges.
The circus woman is, as rule, domestic
in her habits, and true wife and fond
mother, who looks with tender solicitude
after the BARNS of the circus family. What
/ tell applies to the show of to-day, from
the largest TO the smallest
Years ago carried circus up and
down the Mississippi and its tributaries
on steamboats,. At one time l carried
band of forty children, the Viennese ballet,
so-called, and which termed the Creole
Troupe. Signor Vegas was their dancing
master, and had charge of the ballet,
while taught them in calisthenics. They
ranged in age from to IL years. They
went to school in the morning in the
evening performances came their lessons in
physical improvement, A whole-souled
matron had charge of the little ones and
guarded them carefully, seeing that religi-
GUS duties were not neglected. And now,
after training these scores of boys and
girls, it is feeling of fatherly tenderness
that l look into the past and think of
those youngsters, now men and women,
and l rejoice to know that all wish me
WELL"
Superintendent E. Fellows Jenkins, of
the New York Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Children, said:
Times was when we used to be quite
busy investigating stories brought to us
of the education for the circus. For the
past five or six years, however, we have
not been really able to locate any Offend
ers of the laws of this State. Public sem
timent is very much against the appear
ance of child on the bare back Of a horse,
and this was very emphatically demon
strated in one case that l we'll remember
SEVERAL years dSO. "A Iiucr, SoiSnOI LOW
ande, was performing in New York city,
and he was assisted in his exhibition by a
lad of not more than 10 years. He would
carry the youngster on his shoulders as he
stood on the horses back. The little fell
low would also stand in front of Lowande
on the bare back of the animal, and thus
perform various feats. The audience did
not relish the exhibition. From different
parts Of the tent expostulations were
heard, what shamep Take that child
awayp Its a pity to expose that boy to
such danger were the cries heard on all
sides. One of the agents of our society
was present at the circus, and he immedi-
ately notified the management that they
would have to cut that portion of the
performance which required the services
of the lad. This was done willingly
enough. for the circus people saw that the
spectacle of the infantile bareback rider
was most displeasing one to the audi
ence. Nowadays you never see children
doing any bareback riding in the tent
shows-at least not in New York State, or
in any other States for that matter Our
agents maintain careful inspection of
circuses throughout the country, and we
seldom get reports of their running across
any child riders"