The daily tribune., 1904-02-08
Our Public Schools and Crime.

RHtnereu IN tHb metBonist cIturcu lhst
night to listen to the sermon on
''Our Public School and Crime. y
Mr.. Kruger took for his text
Train up child in the way he shall
go and when lie is old he will not
depart from It," Prov. 22:8.
He said that several things had led
him to the consideration of this theme
at this time. First the unusual
number of criminal offenses among the
boys of this city. Second the con-
troversy now going on in the Denver
papers. Third the constantly repeat
charging that they are immoral--and
Goddess training schools for
criminals.
BY way of introduction he asked
three questions. Is crime on the
increase in the United States? Are
pr than foreign born? Is crime on
the increase among the young espec-
ially among boys?'' From carefully
prepared statistics he answered all
these questions in the affirmative.
Many people lie said. would lay the
n Go hA
public schools The chief attacks
come from those who desire to see
established strong parochial schools.
He quoted some recent attacks Que of
which charged that the product of the
public schools was ''lusty set of
made to this charge, among which
that of President Schurmap of Cornell
was characteristic. He showed that
50 per cent of the freshmen who come
to Cor lell are members of some church
while only 56 per cent of those who
CoiBe lrOtn ueuonluhtluudi scnOOis
claim church membership.
When comparison is made be
tween the United States and other
countries England. Spain and Italy
tina United States gains much.
In illiteracy. crime, immortality, those
countries where church schools are the
order of the day easily lead the United
States.
The speaker had been surprised in
his study of pedagogy at the high
ideals placed before the teachers.
Also at the lofty ideals which the
teachers in the public schools set for
their pupils. The blame for the in
crease of crime cannot be charged to
the schools. Where then? Parents
are to blame. They are first of all
ignorant of the nature of their chill
dren aud of their claims upon them.
How many parents. he asked, know
that the history of their child is an
epitome of the race in its evolution
from the brute. through the savage,
into a civilized human being Yet
it is son. You laugh at his powers
of imitation, but this is the monkey
in him You chide him for his lazI-
ness, and thrash him for his petty
thefts. Yet this is the savage in
MIN. Parents buy books on chicken
raising and pig feeding-but spend
not cent on child study or education.
Parents are careless about their own
example. The speaker quoted the late
DR.. Talmage to show hCw broken
promise may mean liar in future
generations and how careful example
aud preoept may mean Whitefeld
or Washington in future centuries.
Parents neglect their children.
The boy longs for companionship.
Tha father is too busy or too tired to
give it. Perhaps instead of giving
the boy an evening the father goes to
lodge and the boy oees to the devil
Parents do not know what their
children are dong. The speaker
cited several instances which fully
illustrated this point. Bad social
conditions are also responsible. Many
cunning devices have been invented
10 cultivate the taste for liquor
among boys. The church fails rather
through lack of opportunity than
through neglect.
What America needs is more Chris.