Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-07-31
A CnILDREN's nOME.

Every effort TO redeem from misery
moral and physlcal-ihe portion OF
this human ismiiy that by circum.
stances has been placed in the depths
OF society 10 worthy OF encouragement
| and emulation. There Is still 30 much
10 be done by way of huma nizlng
human beings that there Is room for
every energy,every influence that can
be Brought to bear in that direction.
An iniefesting effort for the benefit
OF children has recently taken the
form of home for the little once.
IL is called tho Lotus home and lie
situated at Pleasant valley, on hill
overlooking the Hudson, amid most
beautiful surroundings. Tits presided
over by Mr.. Williams, as ex-slergy-
man, and ia notable on account OF the
entirely new methods prevailing with
regard 10 discipline and training. 1.
may be regarded, probably, 80 an ex-
pertinent, iand The result should be- OF
great Interest from q philanthropic
point OF view.
Some details Of the home, furnished
by the New York World, will give an
idea of lis methods. Only n fortnight
ago twenly-one little street arabs were
taken care of and given a home by Mr..
Williams. AT that time they were
ragged, dirty, unkempt and uucivil.
lied. They had. apparently, as the
Wotld puts II, but one form OF ex.
pressing their emotions PHI slcalIy,
ana this consisted OF weII.oirec,sd
blow from either hand or foot, ss the
occasion seemed to demand. All
their language was mostly confined to
epithets varied with the less elegant
than forcible assurance. "I'll smash
your face" Psndemonium was loose.
Here were demons to exercise, to cast
out. or the first dinner In the new
home the following graphic description
10 given:
When that feast was announced the
youngsTers fell upon and over one an
other and fought like yonng Turks TOR
first place, while the general, [ss Mr..
Williams is called with the Precipitation
pouring down his face and determine
ton in his eye, resortod to military dis
cipline. Suddenly in his loudest and
most oratorical tones heshouted:
"Thero will be one moments silence in
this house before any one can have n
mouihful to eat.n
In utter astonisbment, the children
were dumb. The general raised his
Il
liz to prepare us TO live in love and gem
tloness with each other. When il is
over we will 20 to tho dining room, and |
each will try TO show that the silent |
moment has not been lost"
Order was inculcated in the band of |
hoodlums through the inspiration OF the |
silent moment, and its effect has been a |
revelation of The power OF one mind |
over the scattered matter Incorporated in |
u score of typical east side stree. |
youngsters.i
The work Of keeping the home In
order is divided between the children.
There ID a housekeeping departmen
under the command OF Col. Mamie
Doyle. 1t Is further divide into the
company, tho broom
brigade, and the bed-mskipg company,
and so on. There lie u ground brigade
and other departments.
One feature OF Mr.. Wllllnms's edu.
cational experiment Is his system OF
correction. From the first corporal
punishment. was abolished. The
proper seli-respect OF the little es was
not to be crushed TO death. On this
point the account says:
The sternest discipline in vogue at the
theosophicsl home consists in the delin-
quents each holding one end of a slick |
measuring about five feet in length. 10 |
an outsider the sight OF two little
offenders standing in utter and ablect
misery with tho fatal stick grasped in
one little hand is u long lesson in the
power and beauty of real gospel OF hui
manity. To hold the end OF stick in
silence for 1--WE minutes is a punishment
BETTING any crime, according 10 The code
at Lotus House.
The proper treatment Of childrsp
both in the home and In the
sckools, not TO mention charitable
lie a subjec. OF general in.
tgreai. 1t Is not believed that any
method or system covers all Individual
cases of children. Successful trainer,
and educators depend largely upIn
their own resourcop rs the occasion
demands. But as long as there is AN
pie room for Improvement Ia the edu.
calIopal work, any idea put to a
practical test lie very well worthy OF
attention.