The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-11-08

responsible for all bad children and tho avenue creditable for all tho good, and why?
 "The infant with the bluest blood in Alabama in it's veins will, If placed among the Indians grow up to wear blanket and decorate itself with red paint, or if vanished to the Feeiee Islands may leave off the blanket and become a cannibal.
 '"rhe well bred child does not always come from the finest house. nor what we delight to call our best families. Right home training is more important to the in dividual and society than heredity. A kindergaGtner In Il large city lost her mind after two years work and In speak Ing of it a friend said: I suppose she was working in the dreadful sums, and the reply was No. She had the most exclu- sive private Kindergarten on Maple Ridge, a fashionable suburb
 Some one has said this Is the age of obedent parents. I don't know now that may be but 1t seems to be the age of disobedient children and obedience and re- spect for ones elders are as old fashioned as the stage coach and the tallow can dle-you can go a long way without find ing a relic of either.
 Tt is wise to a certain degree to win childhood to study and obedience by kin , dergarten attractions, but in the earliest years q child needs to be trained to do things whether he wishes to or not, sim ply because he is told to do so.
 Tn the reaction from the old days when children were reared by a hard and fast rule we have gone too far, and have so confused our ideas of love and affection for our children with a false sentiment that we have forgotten the absolute neces- sity of obedience in the life of a child.
 Because of this, the best results, per- haps of any philanthropy come from the social settlements and university settle- ments
 'They reach the home and the whole family. Institutions are necessity, but are only effective for temporary help, and ] hesitate to endorse any movement that removes the child from the home for betterment
 Next to the home, as a corrector and saving agency, is the school. When we shall have established a good public school system with manual training through the various grades and backed Up by compulsory education laws, we shall have gone long way toward solving the problem of the child in the alley.
 Tn the up-to-date school, well furnish ed the walls covered with good pictures. and good books where the hand is train ed and the mind developed by careful teaching, the child of the alley has his chance, and may become the wel-bred child and man, whose children in the passing years are quite likely to be the children of the avenue.
 Then, there Is always the personal equation. Have you ever spoken to one of the neglected children on the street? Have you ever tried the power of a per sonal interest in one of them and seen them change from a careless impertin- ence to a respectful attitude and a quick
 h of the ragged cap from the un- eombed hair.
 Some of the workers of Birmingham are trying this method In the Boys club and dull faces are taking on new express sion and bad habits are giving way to good. Some are trying 1t in the Mercy Home and have seen the little faces there grow brighter and seishness take the place of brightness.
 This is the best way" concluded Mrs. Spencer, for it is the Christian way, and 1t conquers through the greatest of alp Love"