Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1911-03-29

condition In our own handS-that OF
directing his energies into channels Of
usefulness and of service to his COM
munlty. There are two ways IN which
this may be done, one working in
conjunction with the other, first by
the establishment of playground
system and second by organizing a
Junior Civic League for the training
of the boys and girls in municipal
government, giving to them the man
agement of some wo1k belonging to
the city administration.
find fact peculiarly true: that,
while the children of the first two
years of the high school are positive
in their opinions as what constitutes
patriotic service and political purity,
the boys and girls of the senior classes
have reached state of cynicism which
taints their whole a til Gude towards
their duty as citizens and future
voters. They have heard too much of
the political scrambling, fraudulent
methods and clever manipulations,
while they have seen too little of
actual neighborly and city co. opera
tion for the benefit of ALL Community
service has grown to mean to them
service which is largely dictated by
selfish interests.
These young people have energies !;
they have leisure time; they have
tremendous willingness and freshness
of spirit. Yet all these are allowed
to lie idle or to be turned aside to
wasteful employments which can do
careless citizens, whose duty to their
community lies in seeking selfish ad-
\ vantages.
Now. for this condition, we are
responsible. We ere no longer living
under conditions which provide hourly
occupation for the child under his
parents supervision. In the social
organization TODAY, the child is the
idle factor and he is so, because we in
our community life have not provided
a place for his energies, his ia Tents
and his devotion. We have not kept
abreast of the situation, and because
of our negligence, we touav find it
possible to say, The race is degen-
Grating in the old-fashioned virtues of
honesty. diligence and self sacrifice,
Civilization is destroying the child. .
Why should we look for anything
else? Our government is one of
grown ups by grown ups and for
grown ups. We leave the child as
helpless under our present system in
his search for amusement as in his
search for work. AS a result, we have
loafers. seventeen year -old-cyn1cs, stO-
lid members of community and
Indifferent citizens, where we might
have had active, energetic progressive
young men and women, working
whole heartedly fer the public well
fare.
[ believe this will come only
through training for citizenship from
|
leaving it to your schools and they
provide for you a few weeks in the
eighth grade and eighteen weeks of
Civics in the Junior year, beyond the
fragmentary impressions the students
gather from their work in history and
from other sources, all without
practical knowledge. All the average
child knows is a scattering collection
of class teachings, street opinions,
home convictions and political or per-
sonal prejudices At twenty one he
becomes voter and so far all in the
nature of political service he has
learned is the art of staying on top.
Your schools have not prepared him
for citizenship; your home has not !;
neither has your church. Who then
must do it, No other work, calling
or profession in life expects of it's
workers an intelligent service without
practical preparation In actual doing.
Citizenship is a work-a calling and
professionally mbined-the high
est God-given work any man can do
Loving thy neighbo1 as myself. "
For that service, boys and girls must
have preparation, active participation
in municipal work and administration
Teach them their duty to their fellow
men and then give them a chance to
put their ideas into practice before
they become mere preaching. Give
them definite work in the town to
do, and hold them responsible for it
organize Junior League giving to
them the management of their own
administrative body, subject to APP
proval by the city authorities; provide
them with Fairgrounds or make it
possible for them to provide them
selves with such, to keep them from
loafing on the street corners or play
ing in the Streets and to give them