The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-03

CULTIVATION or ndDltS or thought ana lnQuS-
try. The steady pursuit of an object en-
crossing his attention and demanding all
ms ability produces readiness OF mind
and hand, a concentration of power along
given line which enables him to work in
diligently and effectively on whatever he
undertakes. His education qualities him to
do things, and he has such grasp of mind
and breadth of comprehension that he is
able 10 give good account of himself even
When put upon wholly unfamiliar ground.
he mas been trained in habits that make
degree.
This is truism and the only excuse /
have for repeating it is that 1 think we
who have had the benefit of training from
infancy, and to whom it came as naturally
as the air, md 1t difficult TO conceive the
CONDITION OF thousands of our fellow-citi-
zens who have grown up and are now grow
ing up without any We do not realize how
deVold they are of the most ordinary habits
that are essential to the existence of So
clety. We regard education more in the
light of an acquisition of information than
in the incubation of these habits, which we
presume come naturally to every one as
they came TO us. We do not realize that
many children never gain an idea of order,
OF respect Tor authority, of obedience, OF
cleanliness, of courtesy, OF self-contro of
decency even, unless they receive it in the
ohiy place where they can be educated--the
pupAc school. They get no such training
III the nome or on the streets. If they do
not get it in the schools they never get it,
Il believe that vast ma jority of inteH-
gent people utterly fail to realize the exist
ence or large class that live as the beasts
we aosu classes from which the army OF
paupers and criminals that make such an
enormous charge upon the community is re-
cIuILeQ, put they do not understand that a
1rlghttully large number of children are
coming up each year without training or re-
schoos Of tb Amy sort Why there are the
spend on education; how great the school
I F,ln Is now many are being educated.
everybody in this glorious country has the
oPPRIoILuIHty OF getting primary education,
az least. If any one neglects it he is incor-
f fbs1o And And if shown that many do fail
incredibly. and dismiss the whole matter as
one beyond remedy governed by unknown
id VI i IL me men are poweress to affect.
pie to establish a system or adopt a law
aGd expect It to carry out its purpose I'M
I5eetS'eu Inc same reasoning would ex-
steam. Given, therefore, a School sys
tenn open open to all, and innumerable
nus are not received equally by the
Maoie community. They forget that now
e. ~ a. lacIor human nature. with its abili-
ana which must be always taken into ac
count IN dealing with markind
THE NEGLECT OF PARENTS.
nave said there is a large class that
I'VE as the beasts that perish. We are not
now concerned with the various causes of
It's origin That it exists to an appalling
extent is easily demonstrable. There are
parents who have no more conception of
the obligations of fatherhood and mother
Iood IMAM a wild cat has. Perhaps this is
SANDER on the wild cat, for some men
ana women lack even the animal affection
that cares for helplessness They have no
thought for themselves beyond keeping the
pouy comfortable and providing Tor the in
duIgence of appetite. They have no Thought
LOT tnelr chlIuren beyond this and even
When tnere is species of affection for them
IL takes no form or improving their condi-
Iioll Iney are concerned only in getting
tCCu ana warmth. When the children are
teo niue 10 work or beg they are left to
40 as they please. They have no govern
nent unless angry blows be called such
9nd When they get big enough 10 emanci-
pdIe themselves from this they do entirely
as they please. The only fetter is the law
ana the restraint In that case is only one
o1 bllnd fear. Ii they can break il with
out detection the act is a source of pride
ana an evidence OF shrewdness. The chill
aren are not sent to school. The system
does not reach them. Why should it?
w nat is the use?' say the parents. We
never went to school, and we have got
along. What is good enough for US is good
enough Tor our Children The advantages
that we see IN education these people do
ROT comprehend. Our point of view is as
inaccessible 10 them theirs is to us The
idea that it is a duty to provide for the
future and to better the condition of the
children and to work steadily to do this
Is unknown to them. and would be ab-
horrent ii it were known. TO work as lit
tie as possible and as lightly as possible
IS their motive. Why slave and lose a good
time Tor some vague expectation? They
have no torethougnt, that quality which
makes the fOrehanded and pushes the
world forward. They take life as il comes
Its events are beyond their control. The
only thing is to make it as easy as posi-
Die, and easiness means laziness, shittless-
ness ana poverty, and the three as an her
ttage for the children.
This class is larger than most of you
think, 1t is found IN the country, as in
the cities, though for obvious reasons 1t
is in the latter that it is greatest and
most dangerous. If you think l am eXag-
gerating 1 appeal for confirmation to many
of the pubic SchOolteachers and to any
worker in charitable societies who
has has had even a. limited eX-
families they can take you to will convince
the most skeptical that this is the truth.
Go among them and you will find they have
no knowledge of the laws of life, no ambi-
tCn, no hope, no care. And this class is
being added TO rapidly both by natural in
crease and by additions from those who
fail in life or are hampered by physical
disability and who sink gradually into pau
perism though they may retain vestiges of
self-respect and traditions of better condi-
tions, which make the lapse slow.
These people have the same political
rights and individual power as the best citi-
zen. Their vote counts just much as
any other mans. But they contribute
nothing to the welfare of society. On the
contrary, they are it's enemies, charge
upon it. If this class could be segregated
and its growth curtailed the danger would
not be so alarming. But 1t cannot be. Its
influence is COrruptlng TO all VINO come In
contact with it. One bad boy or girl in a
neighborhood is as harmful as a rotten APP
pie in a bin. The evil is sure to spread,
and it spreads rapidly. 1t is spreading
daily before our eyes in Indianapolis. 1t is
in this class that child marriages are so
frequent Boys and girls marry and repro
duce the homes and surroundings of their
parents and bring forth children doomed
to misfortune of body and soul in pursuing
again the lives of their parents
THE work of the Charity Organization
among these people in our own city has
emphasized the fact discovered long ago
that little Improvement can be expected
among the adults under the most favoring
circumstances. Work is not hopeless, but
as q rule it is not encouraging. 1t is like
the task of Ssyphus But with the chill
initiative Habits are not hardened and
tendencies may be turned. If they can be
put under restraint and discipline; If sur
roundingS are given in which self-reSpect
may be engendered and ambition aroused;
if the faculties can be trained 20 limited
extent even and an idea of forethOught and
responsibility be instilled in them they may
members of society. They may cease to be
a charge on and menace to the com
munty and become a support and strength.
Experience has shown that much has been
done and can be done for children by an
attention that seems disproportionately
small. The course of life in many instances
can be changed by a little effort and a
by the schools. For several years 1t has
been a part of this society'S work to get
these children into school. 1t has used
every means in its power to that end, has
visited them continually, plead with the
parents, persuaded the children, given them
4 I'D i