Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-04-20
Heredity or Training.

n woman reader of The National Daily
asks the following difficult question: IF
you were going to adopt a child for your
very own, would you consider it import
ant that it should be of good birthf Or
do you think almost any child. if taken
young enough and given proper care and
training, would stand an equal chance
with the well-bOrn child of growing to
noble man or wonmanhoOd? Or, in other
words, which has the most influence on
the characte: of the child, heredity or
trainingy'
1T is almost impossible to correctly an
swer the above question. Observation
has shown me that many children with
the very best blood in their veins have
gone the pace that kills: fallen as low as
IT is possible for human being to fall.
The environment of these children was
all that could be desired. and yet neither
blood nor training could save them.
Again, l have known children of plebian
blood. with proper home training. to
grow into noble man or wOmanhood. On
the other hand, | have known children
with a streak of bad blood in them, but
the very best surroundings of a good
Christian home, to turn out wrong.
Again. have heard of just such chill
dren, with the Tery worst possible envi-
ronmentS turning out well. This is Il
rare thing, however. Undoubtedly Ell
vlronment eXerts powerful influence on
children. In spite of this they often
turn out bad. No one can tell Just how
they will conduct themselves in after
life. 1t depends largely ON the DISPOSE
ton of the child. And vet they
may have what we call good
blood in them, and still have
mean disposition or an inclination to be
wild and reckless. | have always be-
lieved good blood will show itself in peo-
pie as well as in horses and dogs and
other animals. Why shouldn't it? If |
We're going to adopt a child l would GER
tainly select one with good blood in
him. Surely there is not 50 much risk
to run in a child of good blood as one of
plebian origin. One can never tell how
such things are going to turn out No
more than one can tell which way a flea
will jump when you endeavor to place
your finger on it. However, it can not
be d drawback or hindrance TO a child
to be of gentle birth. At the same time
it may have inherited a weakness or
tendency to sin, while that of the pleb-
ian child may have escaped those ten
denotes. 1t is chance work after all
with chances decidedly in favor of the
child with good blood. We can only do
our duty by bringing up a child in the
way it should go and leave the result
with God. These Things are mysteries
beyond the finite mind to comprehend.
have known mean mothers to have good
daughters, and good mothers to have
mean daughters. These daughters may
possibly have gotten their mean DISPOSE
ton from the other side of the house,
or it may have jumped a generation.
missing the mother and descending to
her children. When a child has good
blood in him. and his life is Safeguarued
by every good influence and example,
and still he goes wrong, one can begin
to realize what slim chance there is for
the boy or girl with plebian blood and
evil surroundings. My advice would be
to select a child of gentle birth by
all means. The chances are in his favor
Though, as | said before, it is something
like a lottery, and you may draw a
blank in spite of every thing you can do.