The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-02-08
HELP FOR
THE POOR.
It Will Come Only
Through Education.
SO PRES. ANDREWS SAYS.
Poverty Can Be Abolished by Rails
ing Their Condition.
50 PRES. ANDREWS SAYS
FREE LUNCHES FOR THE PUPILS

President h. Benjamin Andrews spoke
hall at Lowell OH the subject of 1.-The
Public School System as an Instrument
tality of Social Advance. The lecture
was given under the auspices of the Md
dlesex Women's Club ard was attended
by about 800 persons, including the most
prominent educators and citizens of the
city.
President Andrews said that be never
feared the influence of woman in any
walk Of life. Poverty would be abolished
by elevHting the conditions Of living. GBy
united action only are men able to get an
advance in wages and then are enda n
gered by many who ara willing to work x
for much less. People would not work
for certaiD.waRes If they knew that the
standard of their children would be low
cred by II. III the ideals OF lie were car
ried out, much that Is dangerous would
be done away with. If the nigh ideal can
not be reached then poor humanity must
remain where IL is in spite Of all the
churches can do. The church saves those
IN the upper ranks, but there is the vast
majority tthat needs cleansing. Only
two plans for the benefit of the laboring
people have been seriously considered.
believe in giving them up and substitut-
inS education.
Compulsory attendance at school must
be insisted upon. Every healthy child
from tNo and n half to sixteen years old
should be in school at least ten months
in the year. Kindergarten instruct. .on
laws the foundation for accuracy and ex-
cellence Their infiuenos is good.
Continuing, he said: L believe In the
Test schuols. high salaries and pensions
for school teachers Moral and aesthetic
training must be inculcated. The teach
ing of music and drawing should be ex-
tended. School rooms should DE made bt =
tractive and should contain works cf art.
Luncheons should be furnished without
charge To pupils. This statement has
been cI iticissd since first made IL.
have been trying 10 find way TO de
crease laziness and poverty l have had
letters from some of the wisest men in
the country c-mmending the suggestion.
All agree that free text books are neces-
sary to best results In education. | con-
slider free lunches equally essential fer
their health.
II all the ideas oil improved education
were csrried out thers would be great
increase in the level of living. There
would be no underDdding Union work
men, no clash bet ween laoor and capital.
only unity OF purpose Is needed to
Il ach the ideal state.
At first the now system would meet
some opposition from the Catholic
church. but in time its benefits would 20
so apparent that IL would come int1
favor Catholics might place their build
ings near the schools, anu at scme time
In the day the children migat go there
for religious obstruction.
The Benefits from the new education
could not Lc ignored by the Catholic
Church. ana the benefits to the members
of their satin would be- so apparent that
] believe some lIo,estants would object
! am not one Of that number.
President Andrews was warmly ap-
plauded at the close "a his lecture.