The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1914-10-22

Gus: better air, better food, better
temperature, better safeguarding
against disease; yet babies in these
surroundings just pine away and
die. It's almost impossible 10 bring
up an infant on an institutional sys-
TEN. The infant death-rate Of these
well-mcaning places is so appall-
ing that nobody dares 10 tell u pub
licly. And IL is so, simply because
there IL no one TO play with the ba-
bies. The nurses haven't the time,
though they have the instinct. ]
tell you, the most wonderful, mystic,
profound thing in all the world, 10
me, is the sight OF young girls
intuitive yearning 10 dandle every
baby she may see. That's the un-
iversal, world old, world wide,
deep-rooted genius OF motherhood,
which antedates the humankind,
stirring within her and impeling
her To keep the race alive-by play
ing with the baby"
"H'ml I hadn't thought OF IL in
that way" confessed Grandma
Sharpless. There may be some
thing in what you say, young man.
But by the time children reach
school age guess they've learned
that lesson"
Not always. AT least, not prop
erly. always. Let's consult the
Committee on School Of our house
hold organization"
He sent for eight-year- old Julia.
Question TO lay before you. Miss
Chairwoman,' said DR.. Strong.
How many Of the girls in your
grade hang around the hall or door
ways during recess?"
"Oh. lotsl" said Julia promptly.
Are they the bigger girls9 or the
smaller ones?"
The Committee on School consid-
cred the matter gravely. Mary
Kinks, she's tall, but she's awful
thin and sickly," she pronounced.
dot Griswold and Cora Smith and
Tiny Warley-why. I guess they're
most all the littlest girls in the
class"
DR.. Strong nodded. Sure 10 be
the undernourished. anaemic, leth-
argic ones" said he. They're for
getting the lessons OF their baby
hood. lnsensibly they are losing the
will TO live. But there's nobody 20
tell them so. A thorough medical
inspection service would correct
that. II would include school,
nurses who would go TO the homes
Of the children and tell the parents
what was the matter. Such a sys-
TEN might not be warranted 10 keep
epidemics out OF our schools. but IL
would stretch out and flll out those
meager youngsters brains as well
as bodies, and III them TO combat m
ness II il did come. The whole the
DRY Of the schools attitude toward
the child seems TO me misconceived
by those who have charge OF the
system. II assumes too much in au-
thority and avoids too much in re-
sponsibility.
Take the case OF John Smith, who
has two children TO bring up under
our enlightened system OF govern
ment. Government says 10 John
Smith, Send your children 10
SCHOOL, Suppose don't wish tor
says John Smith. You've got to-
says Government. IL isn't safe for
me 10 have them left uneducated.
viii you take care OF them while
they're at school says John Smith.
I'll train their minds says Govern
ment. What about their bodiesg
says John Smith. 'Hmr says Gov
ernment; that's a horse OF another
color Then I'll come with them
and see that they're looked after
physically says John Smith. You
will notr says Government. I'm in
loco PARENTS, while they're in
school, Then you take the entire
loco OF the PARENTS, says John
Smith. If you take my children
away on the ground that you're bet
ter fitted TO care for their minds
than ] am, you ought 10 be at least
as ready to look after their health.
Otherwise, says John Smith, go
and teach yourself to stand on your
head. You can't teach my children.
Now" concluded DIR. Strong, do you
see any flaws in the Smith point OF
view?"
Just plain common sense" ap-
proved Grandma Sharpless.
Clyde" said DR.. Strong, with a
twinkle, III you don't stop rubbing
a hole in your chin, I'll have TO re-
pair you. What's preying on your
mind?"
Il am trying" replied Mr.. Clyde
deliberately. ITO figure out, with re-
ference To the School Superintend-