The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1910-10-07
Public Education As a
Preventive of Crime.

the State Board Of Control.
A new view is now coming to be
common in which education means
nothing smaller THAI training for all
of life It. Is recognized by those
who hold this newer view that not
only the strictly intellectual pro-
cesses, but, with them, the feelings
and emotions, the likes aud dlslikes,
qualities of judgement aud 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 train
log.
1t Is recognized, too, that the
sch0ol is only one among many
educational institutions; Il a with iJ
ore the home, the cnurcn, the Sunday
school, the Y. NJ. G. A, the fraternal
association, and great variety Of
other social organizations, aud 1t is
seen that so long as we nave social
progress and the CONSTANT need of re
adjustment whicn progress entails
and, especially, so long as our popula-
ti1n is miXeG one, Ia which diff
ferent gtoups are trained in very
d tfeTent home and church relations,
: In vi cin hnt l.n "a, l.,
Of the different educative institutions
cannot be drawn at all SHARPLY.
Each institution will fill its highest
sphere only through the constant
adjustment of its activities tc the
capacities and defect of the others
Wnicn then, eff the features which
are now beng proposed as additions
to the narrow traditional curriculum,
would make the schools more efficient
! 10 preventing crime?
First, the cultivation of health
Among the means to this end are
sanitary conditions In school build
ings; play grouud. gymnastics; the
employment of school physicians and
| nurses to discover and remeoy
diseases and physical defects, aud To
make sure thai proper nUurishment
and sanitary surroundings are pro-
vided Ia the homes of pupils; and in
structlun in matters OF heath
There is not the slightest quest ion
that illhealth tends to immortality
and to crime, and that good health
tends TO morality.
Second, muscular and manual trair-
ing as IA preGn inary preparation for
Industrial efficiency.
Third, trade training as a further
step 10 the preparation for industrial
success. The regular habits Uf in
fnstrial life, an interest in a skillful
trade, and The wages which skillful
worker procures, are all good anti
dotes for crime.
Fourth, moral education. The
routine of the cd fashioned school
room cultivated many useful moral
traits, for example, the ability to sit
still, persistence at irksume tasks,
p emptiness, obed ,ence and regularity.
But fore thought, initiatiye in plan
ming and In acting, the cultivation o.
sympathy aud justice, pract ce ia the
give and take Of social Organization,
these matters have bad little place III
ordinary school-room activity except
under teachers of exceptional
character. Ard they are Of supreme
Importance for life, aud they tend,
all of them, away from crime, To
ouy a slight extent can they be i'm
parted intormal lessons, But through
providing for the Informal discussion
OF moral problems through changes
in school discipline which give each
individual pupil more Op )ortunity fer
activity, for flaming his own
activity and for entering into social
organization with other pupils in his
activity, aud Through participation
by tile teachers in the play of the
pupils, the schools are tiudlDg power
tuf means fer developing them.
Fifth, training for family and
political relations. The great ma
jJrity ef criminals come from poorly
managed homes or from homes in
which one or both parents are lack |
luv, aud they are shockingly irregular |
in their owa domestic attachments |
after leacning maturity. The
stfengthing of the family Will dimin-
Ish crime. On tie other hand, a |
k.uwledge OF the political community |
aud the practice OF looking at things
from the point or view of the city !
state and nation, are e4ceediugly |
effectual preventives OF crime,
School classes in domestic economy |
aud in clvics have already demOL-
.trIted that education 10 both these
branches is practicable.
Sixth. religious training. The be-
-