The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1913-10-24
The Young and Vice.
(From the indianapolis News.)

The statements made by DIR. c. A.
Harper, secretary of the state board of
health of Wisconsin, before a legisla-
tive vice committee, ought, one would
think, to startle parents. They are so
extraordinary as to suggest that we
may be on the eve of a radical change
in our moral standards and ideals. Ger
tain it is that we are more free and
easy than ever before. That there is
an alarming disregard of the old re-
restraints by boys and girls We all
know. DR.. Harper charges that this
disregard has gone far. He said:
Take the situation among the stu
dents in the Madison high school a year
ago, when the community was aston
ished to find that twenty young girls of
respectable parents were guilty of in
discretions. 1t was charged that a CO.
terie of boys in the school had banded
together and ostracized from the social
life of the school virtuous girls who
would not sumit to their demands
Perhaps if we paid just a little less
attention to red light districts, and to
the more spectacular aspects of vice,
and more to home conditions, we should
be more successful in ~elevating the
general moral tone. 1t is at least as
necessary to save the innocent as it
is to reclaim the guilty. The, Wiscon-
sin expert places much of the blame for
the deplorable conditions in Wisconsin
on the parents. He speaks openly of the
social evil among the better classes
of citizens of Wisconsin, He attrib-
utes it to lack of watchfulness or the
part of chaperons. social ambitions of
parents, late hours, suggestive dances,
immodest dress, automobile rides, tel
ephones, stimulating food and drink,
and-most amazing of ll-''organiza-
tons of boys to ostracize girls from
society who refuse to submit to their
will DR.. Harper says:
1T is generally recognized that there
is a general wave of immortality pass
ing over the country. 1t is partly due
to our standards of living and a dead
ening of the moral sensibilities. We are
living too high. going too fast and dis
regarding the balances which make for
moderation and moral uplift."
Possibly to these might be added the
weakening of religious sanctions. Many
parents have turned their backs on the
church, and many others fail utterly to
provide any fit religious instruction for
their children.
1t is, in our opinion, high time that
our reformers were thinking somewhat
of the claims of those to whom, within
a few years. the business of running
this country will be turned over. We
do not mean that there should be more
legislation, or any widening of the
functions of the state. But surely
there should be voluntary efforts to
rouse public opinion and to develop and
strengthen home influences. What we
have to deal with is a social condition
that is ~already-at least in some con
munities. both disheartening and alarm
in. We fear it is true that there is a
decline of chivalry among boys anc
young men. and a growing sophistica-
ton and cynicism; but we should not
have imagined that there was such ar
infamous Organization among then
as that Of which DR.. Harper speaks.
One other thing we can do. and that is,
see to it that our city governments are
decent, and thus destroy the foul at.
mosphere that now envelopes them.