Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-08-30
Parents.

Parents.
Mail and Express.
In New York City at least one thOus-
and bright-eyed, quick-brained little
children attend daily the same kind of
school as did their ancestors in Jeru-
salem two thousand years ago, and it
NAV be as far back as the time of the
Prophet Moses. The children are lit
tie Russian Jews; the teachers are
usually poor rabbis from southeastern
Europe and are known as "minders.
AS one Of these little ones explained
it to a lady who questioned him, You
see. daddy takes US there in the morn
ing to the minder for him to mind us
All day and for us to mind him or else
we get licked"
Nearly all of the Hebrew immi-
grants from the SlavOnic country are
intensely devout. Thanks to their ex-
perience. they are fearful and SUSPECT
Gus. Thanks to their inheritance, they
love education. glory in the history Of
thier race aud desire to start their
children higher in life than they did
themselves. The men Of other nation'
alities in the same walks of life are apt
10 grow hCpesless and to neglect their
offspring. but it is not so with the
Russian Hebrews, They would r"''-
fCr.o the best dishes oil Lnv,r poor table
than not to bring up their children as
laid down by the Law and custom Of
their race.
NECESSARY INSTRUCTION.
Their child must be instructed in
the Torah. or the written laws Of the
race. He must have some familiarity
with the Talmud or the tradition Of
the elders. both the Mishna, or text
and the Cemara, or commentary.
He must also read, write and cipher
He must recite and sing or chant. The
wise IsraeItic mind displays no anxi-
ETY. in regard to a knowledge Of Eng
lish because it knows that his child
will pick up that language anyhow,
and it has also a deep regard for the
great public schools Of the city, the
State and the Union.
So the urchin must so to some insti-
tuition where these things are taught.
This would demand a singular enough
sort Of school, but this is not all. The
State supplies no such school and the
father has no money to engage a pri-
vate tutor. He is 50 poor that his wife
usually works with him, and in most
instances both father and mother pass
their days in the lofts or tenement
work rooms Of a sweater of their own
race. This neoessitates some place,
dav nursery or the like, where the
children can receive some attention.
the absence OF the parents:
AN OLD CUSTOM.
The demand must be an old one
and the condition OF the poor Hebrew
must have been very much the same
in the past as it is to-day, because
there is a class Of men who make
living. and a very poor one, by doing
the things which their father requires.
These men are the minders. Most
of them are men who have received
what regard as a good education, but
who have not prospered in life, and
who are compelled to make living the
best way they can. Some have had
influence once. and even position, but
these they have lost. il may be by
folly. it may be by dissipation. it may
he by sickness. Others were born with
love fer study. but with a poor body
and nerveless muscles. There are
many of them in Russia and many in
New York. They are TO be found on
Allen. stanton. Norfolk, Suffolk, Es-
sex. Hester and other thoroughfareS on
the east side Of the Bowery. Some Of
them are single. some are married and
a few are married and have a large
brood of little ones
tt is a long day for the minder. His
customers are up early, indeed. They
make the simple meal, which consists
Of strong tea or weak rye coffee and
huge slices Of dark-colored bread,
sometimes treating themselves TO such
delicacies as an onion, piece Of cheese
or a fragment of cold meat left over
from the day before. These also make
I'D the luncheon which father and mo-
Their will carry to their work.
COURTEOUS CONDUCT
II there children are over six these
are carefully admonished to so to the
Hebrew school or public school as the
case may be. and then taking the little
ones. the parents, or one Of them, so
TO the hinder The Hebrews are very
courteous in their domestic relations.
While the Italian labOrer struts proud
" behind a cigarette followed by his
wife with a baby in her arms bum
die on her head and q load on her
MaEEETEIgM