Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-02-25
INTERCHANGEABLE.

A warm welcome was given to Mr..
George ". Stone. who delivered an
interesting lecture on .'Tae Pilgrim
Era" before the .ciub Monday evening
week. He emphasized The differences
between the Pilgrim AMI the Puritan i
settlers 10 Massachusetts, difference
which has not hean generally recng-
nized. Only tbeother day in Plymouth
itself, Pilgrim Ghgcrhor was spe ken
of as jealous Pufitan, Such ignor.
ance is DO longer. ezcGsable since the
early rscordS hase heen searched and
abundant light. tarp@n ion the subject
In recent years.. Tue Pilgrims belonged
to tho English sect Of Scparatists. who
after passing period of exile in lioi.
land. for Religions cake came 10
America in 1920. Tho Puritans fol-
lowed in 1923,
We have failed to acknowledge the
deb. we owe 10 Holland. The Pllgrims.
horn and breli under monarchy,
reached ihers about the close OF the
long war that lett it the Dutch Re.
public. and the political lessons learned
from its people greatly influenced the
iirtle band of Englihhmen, unssilled
ID the art Of government, and who we're
mostly poor men and artisans In the
cor pact made on board tho Mayhower
in lG2N was pure Tepubticanism that
we. after three centuries Of political
experience, are unable 10 improve
upon. Ii WAS little colony Of strong,
solf-rnliant Englishmen, feryent. but
not fanatical in an age OF super
stition. People everywhere believed in
astrology, alchemy, and Eitchcraft,
but the last did not find such credence
hero as in the Puritan settlement at
Salem. Two trials only, marked the
beginning and end of its sway at
Plymouth, and the punishment for it
was limited to fines. Religion was the
chief thing in life for the Pilgrims
and sens Of duty the commanding
trait in their character. They lived
as in the presence OF an awful Majesty,
| that must be oteyed. Soemnity, fear,
and awe were the sentiments most
| familiar to them. The Hebrew heroes
of the Bible we're their models. In
their revolt from priestcraft forms were
an abomination to them, and thore was
/ no place for art In their spiritual
| worship. Funeral services were un-
known. They hurled their dead in
perfect silence. except wher at mill
| tary burials the train band fired a
yolley over the grave.
| OyerburGened with debt incurred in
the Maytiower expedition, these brave
men and women worked out their own
financial salvation and maintained the
| financial honor of the coleny. The
debt was divided into shares. and
assumed by the heads Of families with
tho knowledge that if they failed. a
debtors prison awaited them. They
bad a nice sense of Justice; their
jurisprudence was significant for its
Intelligence: their spirit of liberty
was transmitted to the men of 1776.
They were never overmatched by their
wealthier neigh bora, the Puritans oil
Massachusetts Bay, nor outwitted by
the willy sayages. Their success with
these was the result of honorable
treatment. 1t 10 the custom to jest
about our Pilgrim forefathers; MARI
Twain said "they first fell on theil
knees, anu then fell on the Indians, ;
hut they did not take life except il
self defence, and they prosecuted nj
one. We owe what is best 10 our lift
TO those men WHO loved the fatherlant
much, but their religion lnure, enough
to brave for it tho rigors of new
cold country, whera they must make |
! desperate struggle for existence.
The Puritans were men of NOR
| wealth and OF higher social grade
, who were non .conformists. but no
separatists, and who at first esteemed
it an honor TO cali the church OF Eng
: land. mother, and emigrated that the,
might be divided from her corruptions
; not from herself. But new condition
and the influence of the Plymouth
settlement were too much for them
. They too, became independent, as onl
so could they guard their religious an
civil liberty.
Among the subjects treated at th
Current Events Glass was an accom-
/ OF the workings of compulsory edu
J cation in England as stated by Grahar
Wallas. 1t is there required that chi
! dren be sent to school from 5 to l2l
} years of age. In spite of penaltie
eXacted, some parents still neglect
: send them, or tho children play truant
. 10 meet this difficulty. truant schoo
q have been established in Liverpool an
! elsewhere. where the children must G
J and stay from 1850 a. m. to q p. II
They are given three substantial meal:
D The policeman is sent after those VIII
t do not come. Manual training foru
much Of tns instruction given, an
! play il substituted whenever possible
! for punishment. The children al
: usually much improved, and in fe
o months can be sent to the ordinar
Q schools There are also boardir
: truant schools where children may /
: kept for six weeks, fed and clothed ;
d the expense OF city. They are the
, brought before the heads of the d
d partmsnt and asked IL they will atten
Il tho common school. Usually they col
: sent, but if not, are kept for anoth,
a term. The expense of this is not {
4 great as might be expected. Inco
d rigibles are placed in industrial school
! Encouraging notes on the advance
u education in America we're given Go
lego professors and schooimen work t.
n gether, and from kindergarten to CO
lcge. all work is dono in accord. Pr
e fessors are increasingly regarded
0 students mora as fountains of i
= struction than as hindrances to ease.
y -
4iBOVR THE LIMIT.
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