New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-13
TELLS Of CUCKOO PARENTS
Roosevelt Adds Them to His
Modern Word Paintings.
GIVES REAL PICTURE, ALSO
Acts in Behalf Of Giver, Alfred
Mosely, Who Sends It
from London.

from London.
Ex-Prestdent Roosevelt added new
member yesterday 10 his modern gallery,
which already includes the mollycoddle and
the malefactor Of great wealth. The new
member is the cuckoo parent. who is de-
scribed as the father or mother who de-
posits his child in school and goes of with
the feeling that all the responsibility for
the moral spiritual and Intellectual well
fare Of the child now devolves upon the
teacher"
In painting his portrait Mr.. Roosevelt
added two pictures to the collection Of the
Board OF Education. the other one being
Am I Ny Brothers Keeper? by J. c.
Dollman. the English artist. Mr.. Dollman s
painting was in reality the gift OF Alfred
Mosely, of London. but the presentatio
speech was made by Mr.. Roosevelt yester-
day afternoon at the De Witt Clinton High
School. The painting represents six out
casts. five men and woman with a child
in her arms. passing the night on a stone
bench on the Thames Embankment. It
was given by Mr.. Mosey, who was the
sponsor for the English educational COM
mission that visited this country as an OBJ
iect lesson in the needs OF vocational in
structon in the public schools.
In the letter that accompanied the pict-
ure Mr. Mosely said:
AS YOU will see. the painting depicts one
of the saddest sights 10 be seen In the
world. viz. our unemployed sleeping on the
benches Of the Thames Embankment In the
fog and cold-homeless and penniless-
sights that unfortunately may, be seen
any night here in London, not isolated lltue
groups but by the thousand. These people
are the victims either OF no education or
of education on the wrong lines. ana they
represent with us an ever sweiilns mass vi
unemployed. unskilled laborers, who fast
become in consequence OF their desutuuoh'
unemployable.
Nav venture 10 hope that the occasion
may be made Of some service 70 you IN I'm,
phasizing the necessity for the United
States TO beware in time: otherwise SIM
ilar condition Of things may grow up IN
your midst.
In accord with the purpose OF MT. Moseiy
IN making the gift the vocational SCHOOLS
Of the city had the principal part in the ac-
ceptance. and vocational instruction was
the theme OF the speakers. The speech or
acceptance In reply TO Mr. Roosevelt was
made bv Miss Olivia I.eventritt. chairman
NJ the committee on vocational schools and
industrial training Of the Board Of Educa-
ton.
I'VE become the keepers or this great
nicttlre and hang IL in our halls, mindful OF
its sombre lesson" she said. we realize
that this gift comes 10 US not merely 10 De
contemplated from the point OF view OF the
art critic. but from the standpoint or the
educator and the social worker. who, while
he must say that IT is an unpleasant pict-
IRE welcomes IL as a text and an insplra-
ton.
Il am afraid that for the adults as t-ey
appear on that wind-swept bench we can
no longer do our duty. but there Is Inc
close pressed child still held in his mother
arms. In rendering Mr. Mosely our thanks
we would have him know that the deeper
purpose OF his gift should not, as far as we
are able. fail OF fuflment.'
Mr.. Roosevelt said that he supposed that
every one who paid any attention TO edu-
cational affairs must have seen the need OF
a great change in the general system IL II
was going to do the good expected from IL
The early educational system Of this coun-
try was fine. he said. but II must De
changed to meet the needs OF the future.
II was imperative to change the system so
as 10 train toward and not away from the
shop and the factory. II he were In the
country he would say toward and not away
from the farm.
There are two kinds OF education
needed" he continued They are the
purely cultural and the vocational educa-
ton. Cultural education is needed as a
foundation by every citizen. Every boy
and girl needs a certain quantity Of cultural
education. and there is a certain proper
ton OF boys and girls who should carry 10
a high degree the cultural education. But
the average boy and girl need TO superim-
pose on an elementary cultural education
a technical, an Industrial. a vocational
education. To turn the average boy and
girl loose with only what was considered
fifty years ago TO be the necessary educa-
ton invites and lnsures the reproduction In
America OF all the misery of the great con-
gested centres OF European population
Turning 20 the children in the audience,
Mr.. Roosevelt said: You are preparing
yourselves for hardship il you are not
trained for the serious things in life.
would bitterly regret IL If you were not
trained to enjoy life, but your enjoyment
must come as an incident In a life OF sue
cessful effort"
The poorest economy that could be prac-
tised in municipal government was TO cut
down the salaries Of schoo! teachers, he
told the parents OF the children, and said:
The mother who brings up ner children
well is in the front rank OF either men or
women who do things"