The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1899-02-02
MANlTOwoC, WIS. Jan. 20, 1900

1 q ENf EafEO' ~ me LIEOI.
My DEAR SIR:
In the issue of the Milwaukee Journal of
January 10th, ] read a notice that a move
ment was afoot in this city to tfy and res
surect one of the old new England Blue
Laws, namely the ''Curfew Law That is,
bell with blue coat attached, who is to
ring this bell of ancient times at nine O'Clock
each evening. Upon the sounding of this
bell, called a Curfew bell, the boys and
girls must be off the streets and HE them to
their holes, or else an arrest follows (pro
vlding, however, there are policemen around)
and they are placed in the Cooler. The next
morning the parents ale cited before the
Municipal Coult and punished. What for?
Why simply for the crime OF having been
The parents Of these Migrants. Nothing
more. That a petition of this kind was
actually being circulated, | only learned this
morning. An esteemed citizen Of our city
called upon me this afternoon to interview
me and get my opinion and ideas on this
matter. | think he was inclined to be in
favor of such an ordinance. | highly re-
gard the gentleman and expressed myself TO
him openly and above board on the subject,
giving my reasons for not wishing to see
such antiquated dead letters brought TO light
again. For those of your readers who have
no access to works giving the meaning of
Tho Curfew Bell or Curfew law, | quote you
here the Encyclopaedia Britannica, which
says:
Curfew, signal, as by toling bell to warn
the inhabitants of town to extir guish their
fires and lights and retire to rest. This was
common practice throughout the various coun-
tries of Europe during the Middle Ages especial
ly in cities taken war. The curfew is COM
monty said to have been introduced in England
by William the Conqueror, who ordained, under
ppualtIRs that at the ringing of the
bell at eight o'clock N the evening all lights and
fires should be extingulshed. Is seems probable
however, that he merely enforced al exlstir and
very common police regulation to that effect.
The absolute prohibition of lights at er the ring
ing of the curfew- bell was abolished by Henri 1,
in 1100 The practice OF toIing a bell at f1ed
hour IN the evening, still extant in many places,
is a survival of the ancient curfew. The common
hour was at first seven and IT was gradually ad-
yanced TO eight, and IN some places to nine
o'clock. In Scotland ten was not an unusual
hour. As precaution against conf1agrations,
the curtew was most useful regulation, at a
period when 1t the custom to place the fire
IN a hole in the middle of the floor under an
opening in the roof to allow the escape of the
smoke. When family retired to rest for the
night, the IRE was eXtinguished by covering it
up and hence the term couvre-feu, or curfew.
But this saluiary regulation served another i'm
portant end. since by obliging people to keep
within doors, nocturnal brawls IN the streets
were IN great measure prevented There is
popular tradition for which no historical
thorlty can be assigned. that the severity exhib-
dlence to the curfew, WIS more particularly de-
signed to prevent the English from assembling
in secret to plan schemes of rebellion against
himself. The ringing of the pray er- bell' as it
is called, which is still practiced in some Pro-
testant countries, originated in that of the Cur
few bell.
Henry the First seems apparently to have
been very liberal minded ruler when he
abolished a law 500 years ago, obnoxious to
himself and bis people as compared to the
Of hsa, h. e
claiming their personal liberties, or are the
duties of bringing up boys and girls Of their
own production too arduous that they wish
our city daddies through the exertous of the
city police 10 bring them up and mould them
into good citizens? 1t would take one police
man for each boy or | do not know boy
nature.
Some OF the reasons given by me were:
Ist.-By passing such an ordinance Mani
towoc City would assume rights and re-
sponsibllitles in bringing up children that
belong primarily to the parents. 1t may be
argued that if parents neglect their duties
the state or city has right 10 step in. There
is some force in this argument and if society
could get at parents who are remiss in their
duties, some good might be effected. But
in reaching these parents through Curfew
laws as heretofore enacted, all homes are
interfered with. Therein lies the weakness
Of such blue laws.
2nd.-The Curfew interferes with the
personal liberties of parents and children.
Take the case of exemplary parents who
keep their children off The streets after dark.
| These children are classed alike with those
of parents who don't care whether they raise
them properly or not. Picture now the
| aldermen in their official capacity abridg
| the liberties of these children. A drunk
man has the right OF way in this city and
! always has had, and SO have the women Of
/ the town, and no police Interference takes
place, but a child playing on the streets in
| front of its parents home shall be arrested Oh
be obliged to 60 into its home when the
/ Curfew bell rings out the hour of nine Great
Caesar, what a law. This to a citizen loving
| his freedom and liberties seems obnoxious.
| For the children this is degrading.
5rd.-Such law would have banefu
effect on parents. 1t virtually says to par
ents ''you can't be depended on TO do the
best thing for your children, SO we will at
tend to part of your duties. Thus parenta
responsibility n those quarters where it is a
discount already, would be diminished
still more. The city might go just a steI
farther and say to parents as did the Ancient