Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1910-10-13
EDUCATION VERSUS CRIME.
Views Of a Specialist Regarding Pre-
ventive Measures.

sity of Kansas in an address befor
the state board Of control on tn
subject Of public education as a pre-
ventiye of crime, made interesting
suggestions regarding the wide flel'
which modern education ought t,
cover. He said In part:
A new view is now coming to bt
common In which education meant
nothing smaller than training for all
of life. 1t is recognized by those who
hold this newer view that not only
the strictly intellectual processes,
but, with them, the feelings and
emotions, the likes and dislikes,
qualities Of Judgment and qualities
of will, direct equipment for family
relations, for industry and for civic
duties-that all Of these, as well
as the bare intellectual equipment,
are matters determined largely by
training.
1t is recognized, too, that the school
is only one among many educational
institutions; that with 1t are the
home, the church, the Sunday school,
the Y. NJ. G. A., the fraternal asso-
citation, and a great variety of other
social organizations, and It Is seen
that so long as we have social pro-
gress and the constant need Of re-
adjustment which progress entails
and, especially, SO long as our pop
ulation is a mixed one, in which diff
ferent groups are trained in very diff
ferent home and church relations,
the divisions between the functions
of the different educative institu-
lions cannot be drawn at all sharply.
Each institution will fill its highest
sphere only through the constant ad-
justment of its activities to the ca
pacities and defects Of the others.
Which then, of the features which
are now being proposed as additions
to the narrow traditional curriculum,
would make the schools more eff
Client in preventing crime?
First, the cultivation of health.
Among the means to this end are
sanitary conditions in school build
ings; play grounds; gymnaslums;
the employment of school physicians
and nurses to discover and remedy
diseases and physical defects and
to make sure that proper nourish-
ment and sanitary surroundings are
provided in the homes Of pupils; and
instruction in the matters of health.
Second, muscular and manual
training as a preliminary prepare
ton for Industrial efficiency.
Third, trade training as a further
step in the preparation for industrial
success. The regular habits Of In
dustrlal life, an interest in a skill
full worker procures, are all
good antidotes for crime.
Fourth, moral education The rou-
inc of the old fashioned school room
cultivated many useful moral traits,
for example, the ability to sit still,
persistence at irksome tasks Dronpt-
ness, obedience and regularity. But
forethought, initiative IN planning
and in acting, the cultivation of SYM
pathy and justice, practice in the
give and take of social organization,
these matters have had little place
in ordinary school room activity ex-
cept under teachers of exceptional
character. And they are Of supreme
Importance for life and they tend, all
of them, away from crime. To only
a slight extent can they be impaired
in formal lessons. But through pro"
viding for the informal discussion of
moral problems, through changes in
school discipline which give each in
dividual pupil more opportunity for
activity, for planning his own actiy-
ity, and for entering into social or
ganizatlon with other pupils in this
activity, and through participation
by the teachers in the play of the
pupils. the schools are finding pow
erful means for developing them.
Fifth, training for family and po-
litical relations. The great majority
OF criminals come from poorly man
aged homes or from homes in which
they are shockIngly irregular In
their own domestic attachments aft
err reaching maturity. The strength
enlng OF the family will diminish
crime. On the other hand, knowl-
edge OF the political community and
the practice Of looking at things
from the point q view of the city.
School classes in domestic economy
and in civics have already demon
strated that education in both these
branches is practicable.
Sixth. religious training. The belief