The Savannah morning news., 1901-08-21
81. it Wen with the Child. 3"

Editor of the Morning News: Is 1t
possible to deal wisely with children,
keeping in that narrow path which
recognizes the rights of the little one
as well as the need for instruction,
guidance, control?
One of my friends. a young mother
but a wise one, says: MY little girl,
age 2, when she receives an order, re-
plies: Give me one minute, mother,
and after a brief interval obeys, but
the one minute is important, to her
vital, and l have learned the need for
it in my dealing with her. Instant
obedience is rarely positive need, and
l have also learned the wisdom of pa
tient waiting"
In the city recorders court last week
a man was arraigned charged with
cruelty beating his child, a boy of s.
Examination disclosed marks and
bruises; the neighbors testified that
they were annoyed by the cries of the
child, and judgment was given against
him and fine of $15.75 was imposed
which was reduced to s1O75, and paid.
Here the state rests, but question
arises: In what way shall the child be
protected from future assaults? The
matter grows more complex by the
statement made by the recorder to the
older culprit, Parents have right to
whip their children" So much being
conceded by the state we are confront
ed by the question, Who is to judge
what constitutes an act of cruelty in
the realms of child beating?
In this instance both father and
mother testified that the whipping was
not cruel, and that it was need. But
the cries of the child disturbed the
neighbors, and their view prevailed.
Probably the parents in the exercise of
their right" will in future silence the
cry of the little victim, and the work
of discipline will continue as before.
1t is an open question whether Solomon
the wise, has not done more of harm
than good, especially when men mis-
quote and misunderstood what he is
said to have said. Cruelty to children,
even in our cultured age, is the rule,
rather than the exception; not always
by cruel blows, yet this is too often
the case, but we fail to comprehend
the heart of the child, and in our
blindness inflict wounds which we have
not the power to heal.
A young matron told me recently, Il
attribute an excessive nervous condl-
ton by which / suffer to the frequent
whippings received in childhood. and
TO that greater az possible) evil the
ever impending threat, by which was
kept In dread, / tpembled when / heard
my fathers voice; yet he was good
man according to his lights, and quoted
Solomon as the embodiment of the
highest wisdom. The Twentieth Cen
tury is correcting much that is evil.
but the process is slow and the evil,
great!
The evil of ignorant methods In child
rearing comes out in later years, and
is the cause Of much that is lawless
and harmful Commissioner Glenn
tells me that in Bryan county there
are but few school houses, which may
in part, explain the existence Of law
lessness, as compared with adjoining
counties.
1 was speaking to an intelligent ne
gro man about the recent lynching. He
readily accepted my suggestion that
the reputable men of his race must
unite I'm successful effort to prevent
outrages by negroes, If there is to be
ever peace or the reign OF law He
readily accepted my view, and prom
ised cooperation in such EFFORT He
had received common school eouca-