Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-07-24
HUMANE EDUCATION.
A Plea for Kindness to Animals
Teach the Children.
To the Editor.

To the Editor.
The public schools Of this state
shan be taught in the English IAN
guage. and the school board shall pro-
vide to have taught in such schools the
branches specified In section 10 Of SAID
chapter, and such other branches oil
learning IN other languages as they
may deem expedient, including hygiene,
with special reference to the effect OF
ALCOHOLIC stimulants and narcotics up
on the human body, and shall cause 70
be given In each school week Two les
sons Of not less than 10 minutes dura-
ton each on the subject OF humane
treatment OF animals. section SPACE
63. School Law, as amended 1901, Laws
Of Colorado.
The above is a bill passed by the leg
islature OF Colorado two years ago.
Humane education Is the foundation
of ali reform ana il 1t were universally
adopted today poverty, crime ana wal
would be greatly diminished. we aiso
agree that the chief object OF schoo'
education is good morals. Then let US
reach out and take IN humane educa-
ton. Too many Of us are buried IN
text books; too many are mechanical
hearers OF lessons; are mere word Jug.
glers fact peddlers mind stuffers'
believe there is a great defect In our
system OF education. In our public
schools today It Is quite as possible TO
deyelope the heart as the intellect.
Where so much attention is paid to the
cultivation Of the intellect and 50 little
to the cultivation Of the heart That our
system OF public instruction has failed
in this Is proven by the fact that for
years We have been spending thousands
upon thousands OF dollars on our pubic
schools, yet crime has been continually
on the Increase until today statistics
show that It's Increase is more than
twice as rapid as the increase In our
population, and our prisons today are
filled with educated intelligent, skilled
criminals, and It would seem the more
highly educated the more llagrant ana
atrOCiOus the crime. We have for eN-
ample OF this such cases as Durant IN
California, a few years ago. In our
purblic schools today are the men and
women OF our future, perhaps side by
side may sit the future criminal and
the Judge, The Importance then OF SOW
ing the seed OF mercy and justice, Of
touching the heart while tender, make
the young have pity for the beasts that
suffer and are dumb, and later he Will
reach higher work-the moral obliga-
ton OF man, as the superior TO protect
the weak ana defenseless and so VIII
proceed until the highest sphere IS
Mans duty TO man. A child
who has learned TO protect and love
dumb animals will never De cruel to his
fellow creatures. When a child is
speaking or acting kindly. whether 10 Il
playmate or an animal, he Is develop !
ing and strengthening the tender and !
noble side Of his character When |
thoughtless and cruel the lower and |
brutal elements Of his charac- |
ter An eminent French teacher /
says: Every patriotic citizen should |
give careful consideration to humane I
education as remedy for national de-
tcrioratlon. Kindness TO animals Is not /
a mere sentiment, but requisite ~ |
even very ordinary education. Moth |
ing in any study Is so important for a
child to learn as humaneness II de-
Yolopes consideration kindness and self /
control, and makes pupils more |
and kind TO one another"
In England, where humane education
originated 80 years ago In one of the
public schools In London where 1000
pupils were carefully trained In kind
ness 20 animals not one Of them has
ever been arrested for a criminal Of
Tense and with every European nation
II has become a matter OF statistics
that humane education lowers the
criminal records.
So lei us put heart as well as brain
IN our work, Let us become character
builders and send forth an army OF
girls aud boys that have been careful
" taught that kindness Is the highest
attribute OF man and sweet mercy Is
aObiity's true badge
j. w. Cottrall general superintendent
" the Detective Association Of Amer
ca, says: Within % years experience
as an officer / know OF but very few
who were taught 10 love ami.
mails and searching for the cause Of
rhine We always find that the lack OF
aumane education f. the principal one
4 cruel disposition unchecked, VIII al
NAYS lead 10 crime"
Years ago it was the effects Of hui
name education that made It possible
.or a little Quaker colony in Pennsyl-
iania TO live IS years among sayages.
WIN no other protection than a few
Humanity means civilization. Cru
'lty Is barbarous As the world ad- !
'ances this fact Is more and more re-
Ilized And, fellow teachers. as the
public school Is the cradle OF the Amer
can nation, let us make our teaching
lronger and richer. Let us reach out
more. Let us reach out and take IN hui
name education.