The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-06-15

training, ans is dosed with bad-tasting
medicine when ii doesn't feel WELL and j.
as often subjected to amisconstruction of
motives when its stomachic or other
troubles interfere with its apportioned
duties, including school attendance OF
the comfort of the family,
We don't believe in depriving children
or grown folk of anything just for the
sake OF deprivation. We think that
when they find out abou. it the salutary
elect OF the sacrifice is entirely
lost. Ii the circus parade is a
luxury that may be indulged in,
just as we'll as not, why let us have that
luxury and all other luxuries as easily
had. Our forefathers lived stern lives
ana missed many things that we enjoy
To-Day simply because they were not 10
| be had at all or not so easily as they are
available to Us. If they had denied
themselves unnecessarily we should
say they were chumps and
would have had little respect for
their horse sense. Our childrens chill
dren with advantages for comfort
and convenience that we cannot con-
ceiye OF willpity our own hard conditions
at THIS end of the century. To chasten the
nesh unnecessarily is a heather indul-
gence-and it is just an indulgence, too,
and a luxury, for it fills with pride and
seif-conceit the self-constituted martyrs.
We have no patience with them. Some
folk like to be miserable, and they get
as much delight out of it as the rest Of
us do in being cheerful.
Weneed not be alarmed about any pre-
cedent that may be established in permit
ting the school children to view the cir
Gus parade. The arrival of the circus is
aneyent of great interest and importance
to the town. If a-circus came to town
every day it would cease to be anovelty,
and the children would not banker after
1t. And there are no other public func-
tions of like interest, except on DAYS
tnat are holidays. We don't know
whether the children who did their duty
ana went 10 school, the other day, and
obeyed the school ma'am like SO many
CAsABIANcAs on the burning deck, will
outrank their colleagues in the future or
not. We should say the sacrifice was
OF a character that would engender too
much bitterness TO be of educational ad- |
yantage--especially where the sacrifice |
was made in schools through the open
windows of which the strains of the |
steam calliope were borne into the rooms |
on the mellow June breeze.
But we hardly think this important
question is within the pale of discussion.
The fact Is the children make protest
in a practical way that disarms argu-
ment. They don't so to school-es-
pecially when the school is on the line
of march. They play hockey, and there
are so many of them, and they are
such determined lot of young ami
mails, that all the truant officers
in the universe could not drag them
from the circus parade and back to
school, Neither could they be punished,
for no adequate punishment could be
imposed by wholesale. The only young
sters that suffer punishment are the
CAsABIANcAs who stick to the school
aud shed bitter tears while the parade
goes by. These get all the punishment
here is going, self-immolated on the
altar OF duty. The school authorities
simply wink at the truancy of
he unruly mob and vast sum is
expended in postal cards to notify
he parents that such children were
'ut Of school on such and such
orenoon-a transparent mockery Of a
junction, under the circumstances. We
loubt If any measures will ever prevail
o keep the children in school. As
President CLEVELAND has observed in
elation to a far less important matter
han this. :" it is condition not a
heory that confronts u.s." We
hink the school authorities
etter surrender gracefully, simply be-
ause they are helpless against the wish
the army of young folk.
Which is why we decline to discuss
he moral or educational aspects of the
use with our esteemed correspondent.
We should, however, like to hear fur
ler from our readers on this engr ossing
opic.