The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-01-30
CROP OF
BOYS AND GIRLS
A Kansas Professor Would
Teach Art of Matrimony
In the Schools.
IS FOR BETTER CITIZENS
HE PLACES THE BLAME FOR
CHILDREN WHO BECOME BAD
ON THE PARENTS, ALLEGING
THEY NEGLECT THEM.

Topeka, Kan, Jan. 29.-The prob
lem of the undesirable citizen
those bad boys and girls who are
found in every section, may be solved
sooner or later if the ideas of w. a.
McKeever, professor of philosophy at
the Kansas Agricultural college, are
carried out.
Prof McKeever believes 80 percent
of the bad boys and girls are the re-
suit of incompatibility in the parents
and the lack of honest, careful home
training. To remedy this he would
provide in the public schools of Kan
sas course in matrimony.
In bulletin on "A Better Crop of
Boys and Girls" issued by the agri-
cultural college Prof. McKeever says:
We have scientifically worked out
cards for the scoring of cows, pigs.
and chickens. but how about scoring
young men and women who are candl-
dates for marriage instead of prizes as
perfect specimen Ola breed What
are the correct standards of form and
symmetry of the body, of physical
health, and of knowledge as to the
care and instruction of infants? What
are the marks whereby a young wom-
an whose hand is sought in marriage
may know a good man when she sees
him and those whereby a young man
may know a good woman?
Too Much Left to Chance.
"All these important matters are
| left to chance and accident because
we have been laboring under the fool
ish belief that love is blind. Young
men fall in love with superficial
things, as big basket shaped hat or
mincing gait, and young woman
with fashy neckties and glisteninS
/ rings, partly because they do not
know from intellig mt instruction what
to look for as evidences of real worth
in the opposite sex.
1--WE provide advanced courses OF
instruction for those who would dc
we'll and improve the breeding OF
horses, cattle, hogs and sheep, but we
do nothing for course in training or
any standard of requirement for those
who are to engage in the complex and
difficult task of raising children ano
improving the race.
The government is spending vast
sums in studying the antics of the
sportive clam, but there is no public
support for the scientific study of the
interesting behavior of little children
playing around the family fireside.
The state and government are
spending thousands on. scholarly dis
sertations on how to develop klndll
ness and good will in the recrean
mule and how to bring up an orphan
calf. but those in charge of the rear
ing and development of the human off
spring must grope in the dark for ;
successful way.
For Prospective Parents.
There should be instituted for pro
spective parents course IN matrl
mony. Let there be obtained by care
full inquiry body of information a
to what physical and mental and nor
al qualities are most satisfactor
promises Of efficient parenthood AM
> what types of temperament may b.
regarded as compatible. Then teacl
these things to young men and womel
and they will be guided intelligent
in a search for a true and likewis
intelligent companion Of the soul.
I'VE often find boys, who through
lack of any we'll planned exercise o
the experience of persistent work ar
without the moral stamina necessar
to enable them to answer the man
imperative calls for we'll dispose
young artists and artisans. Girls, too
> there are. approaching the age of won
anhood whose minds are nourishe
chiefly on the airy dreams of comm
out parties, pink teas, and the ultr;
fashions in clothes.
This course in matrimony ought
include, besides the experiences {
thousands of fathers and mothers
=, child rearing, complete course
the psychology of child culture. Such
course would do more to save th
=, boys and girls than any other disc
, pine that can be offered. After "
=, have worked out a body of scientif
literature on methods of rearin
r children let every human pair WI
o would receive license to marry. fir
O pass a satisfactory examination in tt