Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-03-01

! pulnits Of many prominent CHURCHES In
: teTviewing the pastors Of these churches
social and charity workers.
She visited children In their homes, and
! thus familiartzed herself with conditions
surrounding child life In rural commuu-
ities as contrasted with like in n biz
citys tcnements, She also visited the
industries. 20 further inform herself on
conditions relating TO child labor. studied
and observed children on the streets. in
the schools and at play.
Later, not content with this study and
observation she visited homes and re-
formotories where children are kept
public charge On efforts TO reform, to
correct the evil of their minds). inter-
viewing those in charge OF these homes
and institutions. also officials OF child
rens protective societies and juvenile
courts. 90 definitely determine questions
/ for herself as to conditions affecting
child life detrimental. In effect, 20 the
child physically. mentally and morally.
Mrs. Lyons believes that many phases
Of mans injustice TO man, OF the law,
less methods employed In the business
world. OF tho spirit OF greed In the land,
can be traced to defects In the educa-
tionsl system. In private letter Mrs
Lyons says Youth is going TO waste
for the saving hand We talk OF economy,
yet We permit this waste of childhood,
this waste OF countless millions. IN vari-
Gus ways known to us all, and we cry
hard times. Is Il not time for our fed
eral government TO consider it's people.
its children. as an asset Of such value
that nothing else should take the place
"A fran "a nf fdar. Inn he oh
sent instructors around to instruct
mothers in those things they should have
knowledge OF II rightly instructed in the
schools. Why not inculcate right habits OF
thought with early childhood? The schools
have lost sight of this object. 'end the
results are painfully evident"
Mrs. Lyons slogan ls Save the child.
held the children In early life" She
goes to Albany shortly TO help her bill
and later she goes TO the Panama expo
sition TO speak OF the child as u national
asset. AS n teacher OF several years ex-
perience In both public and private
schools, Mrs. Lyons holds firmly TO the
thought that a smattering OF book
knowledge does not qualify child for
citizenship or for life.
She declares a great truth which seems
60 be utterly lost sight OF In our school
systems today, namely--that character is
OF greater Importance than book knowl-
edge; that II should go hand In hand
with education.
No one who studies our school system
I'm America can for one moment question
the truth OF Mrs. Lyons statements
Children are crowded with various kinds
OF knowledge obtained from text books.
and the result is a loss of concentration
and a weakening OF the memory when
they emerge from high school.
Added to this not one child In 100 who
graduate from the high school course
uses choice language In conversation or
even grammatical language. and not one
IN I.0o Is imbued with high ideals Of life
and conduct. Take any school In this
land of schools, at the noon hour or at
the recess hour. and let an eccentric
peddler pass. or an old man or woman
badly dressed. and an exhibition of UNI
kindness. bad manners and cruelty will
he given by the majority OF the children
which would sicken the heart OF Christ
they are taught TO reverence were lie e
return TO earth and hear them.
A little humpbacked girl In New York
city. on Fifty-ninth street, committed
suicide less than dozen years ago. She
left note saying that she was driver
20 this act because Of the ridicule she
received from her schoOlmates.
In his wonderful talk about the cause,
which send boys In the wrong path Jacl
Rose tells how he became a truant from
school through this same cause, and how
beins = truant drove him into the hous'
Of correcucn, and from the house OF cor
rection the path to the underworld &
easy. The conduct Of the majority o
school children outsids OF school hours OF
the streets Of every city In .Amerlc'
speaks badly for their home instruction
and for the influence of our system o
education. Surely II is time that a refor
f--''~a took place and i IL to be hope
that Mrs Lyons bill viii pass bot