The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-07-20

!, A Word to Parents

The duty of every parent to the
child is subject which has often
been discussed in every phase of the
later day doctrine, and is one that
should be given the closest atten-
ton, but probably one of the most
practical, straightforward and SIM
Pile solutions to the problem is adj
vanced by Major w. w. Cooley, of
Lake Worth, who, in a letter to
Marcus Fagg, superintendent of the
Children's Home Society of Florida,
sets down some theories that are in
teresting.
He says that while the government
has spent millions for the care of
hogs, cows, horses and other ami
mails, it has neglected the duty of
considering it's most important ami
NAL, the child. Children are brought
into the world. he says. without any
forethought on the parts of parents
as to whether or not they can sup
port, feed. clothe and educate them
and prepare them for struggle in
the world.
Many Unfit Children
He deplores the large number of
unfit children that are born and
reared in ignorance and poverty,
lacking the education and care that
are necessary to fit them for life.
He lays the fact that the world has
not progressed more to the quality
of the children that the brought in
to the world, lacking the advantages
they should have. The moral res
possibility of the parents is not al
ways felt by the mother and father,
he says
A portion of his letter. which is
very interesting, says:
For thirty years | have labored
with pen and tongue-and almost
single anded-to bring humanity
to the retaliation of the personal
responsibility of parenthood, and
while | have made many converts
among the relative few that I have
been able to meet PERSONAL---VERY. |
have not made even dent in the
solid mass of ignorance, Indifference,
and | might add superstitution, that
has held the race in thrall for at
least $500 centuries.
ITO bring a child into the world
and properly care for it for twenty
years, and fit it for usefulness, will
average $1,000. You cannot figure
on a lower average than this figure
| (can produce results of investiga
ton as needed). Taking this amount
as basis, then when a child arrive:
a first mortgage of $1,000 is auto
matically placed upon the power o
that family for twenty years. Be
fore second child arrives-or il
even considered mother AM
father should go over the matte
very carefully and determine wheth
have already assumed they cal
er. considering their income or earn
ing power, and the obligations the
clearly see their way to place SEE
ond preferred claim of $4,000 upo
their earning ability for anothe
J twenty years. If this cannot be SCI
: tied beyond reasonable doubt, the
it is manifest that the second chill
should not come
Y Major Cooley then compares thos
t who disregard this ethical code
G the robber of a bank, claiming thu
society, which has right to prote
itself, should show no distinction b.
tween the two crimes.
Unfit to Be Parents
Major Cooley says he is Statistic
; that So per cent of the men al
women in the world are totally III
fit for parentage-no because the
|. are not good, because, he claims,
A good man or woman does not a
! ways make good father or mothe
d He says that this is proven by Il
l. fact that many good men and womt
of the community are parents
poor and defective children.
What the world needs is few
children and better children. b
the world has disregarded this-ai
as a result we have gone on raisil
scrubs-mental and moral scrul
Our government has spent millio
to give better poultry, cattle al
hogs-but it has scarcely begun
pay attention to the most importa
animal we raise
In commenting on the theory a
vanced by Major Cooley, Mr.. Fa
says that his experience in handlil
thousands of homeless and desert
children in various walks of life h
convinced him that this doctrine
true and is probably the solution
the worlds problem of improvi
the quality of its people.-Jackso
\ vile Metropolis.
Il | - -