Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1894-07-19
awhy Boys Quit School. +"
tBy another Mother.@


born AZ this is apparently a
rather farfetched solution to very
practical every day problem, per-
haps the next best method Of pro-
cedure would be, begin in the right
way, and as early as possible. 70
lay the blame altogether on parents
for the non.education Of their child
ren, be they boys or girls, does not
solve the perplexing question Of why
are our boys not educated IN equal
number to our girls.
To seriously find fault with the
curriculum Of our schools, or 70 ex-
pose the imperfec,ions Of the indie.
fatigable leaders Of instruction, will
no, help our children to grasp the
glorious privilege of obtaining a
good high school education. There
il something far deeper, much more
expansive, and extending over
greater area Of thought, and implies
a steiner responsibility, than either
OF ,hese defects can possibly include.
To say that boys graduate at the ay-
erage age of 10 years, is saying
nothing more than nature requires,
for girls attain that degree OF edu.
caiiyn at about the same age. 10
say boys leave school at the age OF
l6 or II years, because their services
ale required to support themselves,
CT help their fathers, is putting the
ease rather mildly, for any boy who
wants good education, is very
willing TO deny himself the unnec-
essaries of life, and assist bis father
with the home duties, as far as lies
in his power, that be may receive
board, clothes and books enough 10
keen him at school; and any man or
woman, worthy the name of father
on mother, will not deprive his or
her boy Of high school education,
for the patty sum Of few dollars,
or for the selfish desire of doing
less work that tife boy may do more.
To bring up the plea, that boys need
"extra spending money" in order TO
"keep up" or to treat his "girl
friends il not worthy Of consider
alton, for no boy who is anxious TO
obtain good education, will require
any other excepting up" and the
agirl friends,n who would expect a
boy of 10 or Il to provide her with
the unnecessary demands that shod-
dy society seems to expect, surely
belongs to that class of girls from
which this same boy had better
keen his distance. Boys of I6 or II
years Of age should never be led TO
entertain such ideas, much less en-
deavor 10 put them in practice.
We are rather inclined to thin k
the fault lies in the boys Intensely es,
backed by previous influences, and
encouraged by existing surround :
ings. The boys do not want to at.
tend school, and the cause for their
not wishing 10 do 80, lies in their
present, as well as past influences /,
and now comes the application Of
the remarks of DR.. O. w. Holmes :.
Children have not the privilege Of
choosing their parents, but parents
have the privilege and responsible
~, and il is their unflinching duty,
to select proper and elevating SUR
roundings for their children. This
could have been done il the parents
of one or two centuries ago had
considered the mental and moral
needs of their children, as they pre-.
sent themselves 70 US today.
The intellectual and moral status
of our youth, at The present time, is
deplorable in the extreme, and can
De traced back to the defects in the
foundati n Of our boosted and glori-
Gus republic. Any nation that u
based on the principle Of giving on.
~ half the number Of its adult
population the right 10 help control
the government, that half being by
far the less moral practically, and
not superior 10 the other half in
natural mental endowments, must
inevitably recede from a proper
standard Of morals. This world