The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-06-06
BY ESTHER GRIFFIN WHITE.

References to various matters con-
corning "our dumb animals" have
been made here recently.
Much interest is being taken in
their welfare locally.
So why not reanimate the Humane
Society.
Richmond had a very successful one,
with Mr. j. E. Tiff as its president, for
many years.
There is now to its credit in the
Dickinson Trust Company several hun
dred dollars.
Certainly an organization of this
character is needed.
Not only to look after the we'll be-
ing of the lower animals but some of
the higher.
For it is also a function of humane
societies to give attention to neglected
and abused children.
And certainly there is room for this
field of activity in this city.
More children are spoiled in the
making than by what they inherit.
You only have to read in the maya
zines and the public prints what can
be done with either promising or I'M
promising incunabula in the "vegeta-
BILE kingdom"
The exploits of Burbank, the Califor-
mia artist-wizard are known to every
one.
You yourself can, in your own gar
den, experiment with the development
of plants and through your own unset
| entific efforts make-or mar-some or
binary garden flower.
The writer knows of a woman who
had a wonderful long row of wood
| anenomes along her garden fence
the blossoms being twice as large as
their forest prototype, and grown to
this size through the careful cultiva-
ton of the owner of the garden.
All you have to do is to apply the
same methods with children.
Children need careful cultivation
and will develop unbelievingly in a
congenial atmosphere.
Unfavorable inherited traits can be
minimized if not almost eradicated
through proper training.
On the other hand they can be de.
neglect and abuse.
Children are as susceptible to their
environment as the earth the sun.
They are as initiative as monkeys.
They follow the lead of their elders
far more than the latter ever OBJ
serve or suspect
They copy their attitudes, tones of
voice, manner of speech, grammar,
personal idiosyncracies.
They adopt the air of their parents
| toward other people and the public.
| At a certain stage parents assume
the proportions of a god to the child.
And it is at this period that the lat
ter is either ruined or pointed the way
to happy state of gradual develop
ment into we'll rounded individuality.
| When you consider the manner in
which children are allowed to run to
waste, are beaten and kicked and
snarled into a state of stubborn rebel
lion, or INDUCED into selfish degener
acy, it is a matter of wonder that as
many of them reach maturity in as
normal a state as they do.
! In many states Humane Societies
are protecting children through police
and humanitarian measures and te
their activities has been due largely
the sentiment that is gradually matur
ing toward giving the child fail
chance at life.
To return to the local society, it Ii
interesting to know that, in it's ffteer
years of existence it accomplished
much in the line of it's usefulness.
Mr. j. E. Tiff was it's president dur
ing its entire time of existence-anG
is yet since the Society is an incorpor
ated body, although it has not met fol
several years-and other well known
people were prominent in it's councils
Mrs. Frank Clark, DR.. T. Henry Davis
Mr. John Robbins, Rev. l. M. Hughes
Dr. L. c. Hoover.
One of it's moving spirits was Rev
Father McMullen, for an extended pc
riod in charge of ST. Mary's Catholic