Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-15
ENVIRONMENT AND nEREDlrY.

The character OF individuals. as ~
Generations, is determined by hurcdity
and environment OF the two. environ
mont az the present time Is
the stronger factor In human
lifc. This II owing simply to the fact
that We have tried environment to some
extent. and have Ignored herCdity II
~ possible to overcome In part, ur on-
tirely, tho cvil tendency u Il bad hcrcd
ity, by the right environment. There
are Instances WHORE a dopravcd hcrcd-
ny dciioa whatever may be done by en-
vironment. hut they are rare. While
no one who has had large experience in
charitable institutlons, where children
nre removed from aluma and the Vile
puflicue of elites 20 cleaner purur aud
more ethical surroundings and who has
watched the results Or the change for
years. but has come 10 believe nightly
IN tho omnlpotencc Of good environ
mrnt
was az Hampton on one occasion.
IN the days OF General Armstrong. when
a party ~ fifteen or twenty Indian boys
and girls were brought In. fruah from
tho reservation. They were Just from
the wlRwum and were respondent in
the glory ~ gay blankets ana mecca
sins. ana were trlCked out With beads
and indian urnarncntati0u. Unable 10
speak u work OF English, utterly for
cign to the ways Ut civilized llfe. and
loss 10 understand how thclr training
was to begin. General Armstrong en-
lirhtpncd me.
We surround them with civilized
life" he said, $50 that they cannot es-
cape from II. An Indian attendant
speaking their language, who has been
attached To the institution Tor years,
takes them to the durmitury. whcru
beds. nlEht-clothing and toilet uppl-
nnceH are assigned them, and their uses
explained The same with the dining
room. school room aui chapel. Not ono
OF the noW-coiners VIII sleep ~ pcd
tonight. hut all viii w. on the floor
wrapped In their blankets. Grave aud
tnciturn az table, they viii at frat eat
only what they are allowed 20 take with
their fingers, an the while furtiNoly
watching their trained companions use
knives, forks and spoons. iiut soon
their environment viii tell upon them.
ana by the tlmc they have bern here
three months. they viii be- the greatest
ftickitrH for Individual tooth ana hair
brushes. and Tor orderly behavior nc
table, that we have w the establish.
mcnt. You see. he added. 1--WE surround
thrm 20 completely with civilized us
ages. and civilized people that not a
luophuic II opon FOR their return tn
savage wnya,'
While there are many agencies ~
good environment. the most important
and the most influential 10 a good home.
For hero the very foundation ~ laid
FOR future good ~ ovll. The nrat step
away from nnimnllsm IL taken when "a
human being, young or old, ig eatnh-
liHhed IN d Wull-nrderof home. Indeed,
civilization has but this one ond IN View
tho pcrpctuation % the race and It's
Improvement, The maintaining of Euv-
crnments. the planning Of institutions,
the founding ~ schools ana colleges,
hsa AZ Ill IN
| rearing OF fnmlllcs-ure all but means
/ 10 this end. As Humboldt said. years
ago, Governments, property, religion,
| books nnd homes ARE but the fcnffold-
/ inR to build men. Earth holds ny "a
| her Master no fruit but The finished
4 man. MARY a. i.vermorc, w Frank
Lcsile's Popular Mofthly for December