The record-union., 1894-04-26
TRAINING OF YOUTH.
The States Duty to Its Unfortunate
Children.
Faults In Our Present Educational
and Penal System Clearly
Pointed Out.
TRAINING OF YOUTH.


of Religions in San Francisco. Walter
Lindley, NJ. D.. superintendent of the
Whittier State School, delivered an ad-
dress on The States Duty to Its Unfor-
tunate Children" during which he said
The American mind is active and full
OF resources. Our educators tell us OF
new education and of the laboratory plan
OF teaching history and the natural
sciences, but crime stalks onward with
giant strides. New religions are launched
upon us, the Salvation Army lnvades the
slums, but crime and criminals still IN
crease in far greater ratio than the IN
crease of population. Temperance move
ments, moral revolutions and nineteenth
century Savonarolas all seem impotent to
stay in the least the mighty tide of crime
that is sweeping forward with unrelent-
ing certainty over this great republic.
Whether we look toward the poor Indian
who falls dead while playing poker in
Los Angeles Jail or toward the Yale or
Princeton student who is seen in Baccha-
nalian orgies that equal those of the noble
debauches of ancient Rome-in whatever
direction we look, the hideous form OF
crime is seen leaving its Shiny trail.
There is one thing apparent to all, and
that is, the right remedy has not yet been
efficiently applied. 1t is not through lack
of money, because in California we pay
out annually for schools, prisons and asy
lums over So, 100000. There must be
something fundamentally wrong in our
educational and penal systems. The pub
lie school system of the United States is
the cornerstone of our Republic Educa-
ton is the watchwOrd of the hour. With
out free and universal education hope
vanishes.
PRACTICAL EQUIPMENT FOR LIFE.
When we reach this point the theory is
right, the application is faulty. What
should be the object of public education?
The object OF education at the public ex
pense should be the practical equipment
of our youth for the great struggle of life.
Is our present system doing this? Over
Si0,000,000 is being spent in California on
her schools, and how many of our boys
| and girls are being prepared to cope with
the question OF earning their daily bread
1t is wonderful how large proportion of
our California boys and girls have good
public school education, but it is appalling
to see the immense number Of them who
can find nothing to do because they have
not been taught how to do anything.
You and propose to defend this public
school system against its foes-yes, de-
tend it with our life and blood if neces-
sary. Let us then fortify our position by
disincumbering this system of superau-
tiles and making it invulnerable. In
crime, are synonymous terms. Then let
US make our public schools hives Of
physical as well as mental industry.
There are nearly 100000 children who
are attending our schools, but not 100 are
being taught avocations by which they
can make a living. Even those schools
that have been progressive enough to
add manual training to their system
boast that they do not teach trades.
The spirit imbibed in our public schools
to-day Is an antipathy to trades and a
feeling of commiseration for the man
vino carries the dinner pail. Out Of the
S23, 100000 paid annually to mechanics in
the building trades in New York City,
less than s6,000,000 goes to those who are
American born. In other words, ST.
100000 of that American money goes to
| foreigners, and yet 3,0O0,000 are walking
our streets to-dayvainly asking for work.
Oh, no! 1t is un-American to learn trades.
The boys VINO are to fill the vacancies
that will occur during the next decade in
the great army Of skilled mechanics are
receiving their training in Italy. France.
England and Germany, and are the sons
of foreigners. The son of the average
American, after getting common
school education, learns to draw some,
sing little, and may reach the high
school and get snattering of Latin. The
son Of the Emperor OF Germany learns
trade.
SCHOOLS OF AGRICULTURE.
All experience goes to prove that the
boy who devotes a part of each day to
physical labor makes a better student
than he who devotes all the time to intel
lectual labor only varied by athletic
sports. Three hours a day is as long as
any child should be in the scnoolroom.
| The same number of hours should be de-
voted TO physical labor. Direct some of
the money that is being spent in school
| room education to training in physical
labor. A system should be developed by
which the product of these shops could
! be sold, ii they are not needed in the
schools, and in time the expense would
! be comparatively small. In the village
/ or country school district it would be
very easy TO make arrangements with an
! intelligent farmer and orchardist to have
] all of the schools come and receive two
| hours daily practical instruction in soils,
! fertilizers, varieties of fruit trees ard
their enemies. Every girl and boy
! should learn TO plant, bud, transplant
and prune. The wife OF this instructor
| III farming should be able TO teach sew
/ ing, housekeeping and cooking, that art
in which the American is so notoriously
/ deficient. We all enjoy music, but let us
teach our American boys the music of
4 the hammer and saw. We are inspired
by the tones OF the organ, but there is
something more inspiring in the ring of
the anvil as the young man YIELDS the
iron and shapes the molten piece into
some article of practical utility. Modifi-
cation in our school system is needed
who Will act? The teacher, principal or
/ superintendent cannot do it. They are
all under the Board of Education that is
usually controlled by ward politicians.
AS taxpayers you are responsible.
/ THE LIVERY or
Is the penal system of California pro-
/ tectlng society or reforming the individ-
| ual? In the first place what do we do
/ for our prisoners in our penitentiaries?
First. we put them in striped livery Of
degradation, and l.400 are wearing this
uniform to-day IN this State. Then after
SO dressing them they are sent to take