The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-10-08

IRAN up child in the way he should
go: and when he is old he will not depart
from 1t. Proverbs XXI g.
From the freedom of action accorded
these days to many girls and boys in
their teens, it would appear that just
as many parents either give little or
no heed to the advice of Solomon which
is conveyed in the words used for
text, or else they are deficient as to
the responsibilities of parenthood. Ger
tain it is that if a considerable num-
Der of parents in each community gave
proper thought, or almost any atten-
tion at all, to the way their children
in teens are growing up, there would
not be so many and gravely perplexins
problems for Juvenile courts and So
ciety in general to handle.
The number of young girls who spend
their afternoons and evenings parad-
ing the busy streets of this and other
cities is patent to even the most
casual observation. 1t is no place for
them. Harm may not come to all Of
them who indulge in the practice. But
none of them get anything of good out
of it. Harm is the only thing that can
come to them. and it does to many of
NAStl eventually VI lHlSs lIlSlE par
ents are almost solely to blame. And Il
is these self-same parents who become
the most frenzied with rage when any
things happens that brings disgrace to
their families and ruin to their chill
dren. They rant and rave about the
inhumans who prey on innocent girl
hood, who lead young girls astray. But
they forget that so much of this in
describable vice and even crime would
not be INDUCED in. if the opportunities
were not presented. And above all they
forget that they are parties to the pre-
sentation of such opportunities in that
they do not watch carefully over the
goings and comings of their young
daughters. Some parents seem to
think that as soon as a girl is old
enough to do up her own hair and put
on hersown clothes that she is old
enough to take care of herself and
t,-cy raise no protest against her de-
sire to be her own boss Then, when 1t
is too late, there is much tearing of
hair, crashing of teeth and wailing.
Just the same sort of conditions pre-
vail among many young boys. Not
such a large number of them would
fall into vices and petty crime if theic
parents gave them the attention that
they need and that parental duty calls
for If many parents were as solicitous
in keeping track of their boys during
the hours after school as they are in
getting them to school on time there
would not be SO many candidates
among the lads for the humiliating
uniforms of reform schools, reforma-
tories, or the degrading stripes of
prisons.
Millions of words are being used
these days on the desirability of con-
serving the natural resources of the
nation. The greatest, the most import
ant of the resources of this and every
other nation are it's growing genera
tons, it's boys and girls who will be
citizens who will make the history Of
the future. And if the history of the
future is not going to tell of higher
and better civilization in all things, in
won't be worth telling at all. Upon the
parents of today rests the responsible
ity of conserving this great resources
that will make the nation of tomor-
row. More of them should be alive to
their full duties. They can expect lit
tie obedience from their children UNI
less they demand it. They can expect
no honor from their children unless
they honor them by bringing them UP
in a proper fashion.