The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-11-11
Advice to Parents.

The Duluth News Tribune gives some
excellent advice to parents of young
girls. This is most timely suggestion,
in view of the tendency of girls in their
teens to be out on the streets at night
without proper escorts. The question is
often asked, do the parents know how
their daughters spend their evenings?
Do the mothers counsel with their
daughters as much as they should?
Many chic of a girl goes headlong into
evil ways, not because she wants to-,
but because her mother failed to give her
that excellent advice she so much need
ed. What The News Tribune says of
the many girls of that city who parade
the streets after dark applies with equal
force to the lasses of other towns.
"Young girls, with trim little tailored
suits and natty hats, with snooded hair
and fresh round faces, girls who ought
to be home with mother and father, are
to be seen upon Superior street without
escort or in groups of twos and threes
at hours long past curfew time on any
night of the week. There is something
in the round faces that grips little at
the heart, however, and there's too often
a swagger to the light-footed walk that
seems out of harmony with sweet girl
hood. "There's a quick retort and
flippant jest from lips that should be
repeating the multiplication table at
home, and a bold glance or brazen stare
from eyes that should be yelled in maid
en- modesty. Poor little girls, not to
know how much more precious than all
things born they are, when they properly
estimate their own worth and prize
themselves at it. Victor Hugo once said
that he was of those who fall speechless
in the presence of young girls and flow
ers' deeming them holy. And still they
come to be unprized by themselves, neg
lected by their proper protectors and
taken at their own estimate by the
world
Sand it isn't their fault. Most of
them have mothers and fathers who can
tell them of the pitfalls that lay in the
path of vanity and disobedience. Most
of them have homes that should be their
shelter after the sun goes down, and
most of them would listen to advice
properly given-and in time. The moth
er and father who thinks their duty
done in sending the young daughters out
to school dressed as well as the neigh
boris little girl will have lot to an
swer for some day, and they are lucky
beyond all reason, if they do not pay the
price of their criminal neglect in tears
of remorse and shame.
"It isn't to the police that on looks
for the care of the families of a city,
1t isn't with the school teacher that re-
sponsibility for character building lies
but at home with the parents. Many
an indulgent father and mother, who
are carelessly blind to The danger threat
ening their unguided girls, have heart
breaks coming to them. Many of them
are drinking their bitter cups now.
"Long ago statesman whose name is
engraved on the scroll of deathless fame,
said that eternal vigilance is the price
of liberty. Eternal vigilance is the
price of the young girls safety and
honor in this wicked world that ''has
no pity for blue eyes and golden hair"
The public dance, the street corner meet
ing, the chance looks and impairment
advances disguised under laughing
spirit of fun, are dangers that lure
young feet to the precipices.
Don't look to the police and the
teacher and the minister to take care of
your girls-fathers and mothers of Du-
luth, but look well to yourselves that
you betray not the sacred trust impos-
ed upon you in parenthood."
Thomas w. Hart has demonstrated his
ability nc a comnaiouor After ,u;nn;n,x