The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1903-03-07
:&)oman's Department



The first great right of children is to
be we'll born, and the second is like
unto it; the right to have good
wholesome environment. The man
who said, "Give me child until it is
is seven years old, and will make it
what I WILL was not, after all, very
wise. Emerson, who said: II am a.
part of all have met" was nearer the
truth.
In my home town six boys under eve
ven years were arrested for throwing
railroad switch, and the police judge
gave thene some fatherly advice and
sent them hi1ne, because though the
sent them home, because though the
act was a, criminal one the state does
criminal, knowing full we'll that char
acter at that age is yet uniformed. I'M
pressions are easily made and easily
effaced at that plastic period of life,
and the more delicate, hot-house
care is given to the child the more
likely it is to go down before the rude
blasts 1t is sure to encounter later on.
There are talent forces in most of us
unsupported till some circumstance re-
veals them-sets them loose, as it were
and we find ourselves borne irresis-
tibly into strange waters.
The Elmira Reformatory gave the
world a splendid object lesson in dem
onstrating the possibility of transform
ing character all through the period of
adolescence, and the New Psychology
encourages us all by teaching that we
should discipline ourselves constantly
to form and to break habits as means
toward the ever-deve1oping realization
OF the good IN u.s.. The women's clubs,
the mothers congresses, and even the
despised female lecturer" are help
ing to bring the great mass Of mothers
to a better understanding of their du-
ties and their rights.
Percentage has been too long haphaz-
ard and ignorant on both Sides = If
child is to go into business or a pro-
fession we recognize the need of pre-
paration and training, but the highest
and hottest function Of human life is
considered an Improper" subject of
discussion or of education. The grow
ing interest in physical culture gives
promise OF better heredity; and the
slow awakening of our educators to the
fact-so succinctly stated by Oliver
Wendell Holmes, I believe-that the
whole boy goes to school, and that his
hands, his eyes, his ears, and all the
rest of his body need training in order
to give him a good mental equipment
gives greater hope for the development
of character.
If love, with all it's blessings, came
| into the world through the mother
| law is the fathers gift. Some fathers
have abdicated this right in family life
which is bad for the children; but they
still maintain it vigorously in public
affairs. Now, as in the days of Paul
| law is a schoolmaster; and it is high
| time to ask what are the lessons oul
growing youth are learning from law
| and it's administration. Are the repre-.
sentatives elected to this high duty Of
| character to serve as models fol
boys? If not, what can the mothers de
about It? Boys, you know; want tt
be men--do as men do and vote as mer
vote: and the mothers loving wisdom
can hardly prevent them.
That some of our wise women are no
exactly patient under their limitations
is quite true, and it is for the sake O.
the child that they are asking for wi.
der cooperation with men. The race
can never come to its best without thu
united effort of mem and women; Meth.
er one can escape the divinely ap.
pointed burden of parenthood withou
| irreparable loss to the child
| CARRIE L. CIRCUIT. in March Arena