The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-05-10


 In 1891 and 1892 Ethical societies were established on the Continent and in England. On a year leave of ab- sence, Dr. Adler went to Germany, where he was invited to give an ac- count of the American Ethical society, literature of which had come to them and created profound interest A German society was formed with Prof. Wilhelm Foerster president, and branches were established in leading cities.
 A London Society
 Stanton Colt, who had been associa- ted with pr. Adler in the Ethical SO ciety of New York, took charge of the South chapel of Moncure D. Conway's church in London, and soon after, in 1892, founded the West London Eth ical society, the most important so- ciety included in the English Union of Ethical societies.
 L'Union pour Faction morale, founded in France in 1891, became affiliated with ethical societies of other nations, and took part in the first Ethical conference at Eisenach in 1893 Subsequently, a society was formed in Vienna, under the presi- dency of Professor Jodi.
 The first Moral Education Confer ence held in London in 1908, at, which twenty-one governments were represented was called at the instance of the international committee of the Union of Ethical societies. The idea was developed of more scientific and less dogamtic moral education. In this year also steps were taken to bring about the Universal Races Con- gress which had been suggested by pr. Adler.
 This notable gathering was held at the University of London, from July 26 to 29, 1911. Fifty countries were represented Among the honorary of ta hiTfv parliaments, a majority of the mem bers of the Permanent Court of Ar birtartion at The Hague, the Prime Minister, and other Cabinet Mipisters of the United Kingdom.
 Men of Different Races s'I came into the room in which the preliminary conference was to take place. said Dr. Adler, "a room not much larger, than my study, and re- ceived one of the most startling inn pressions of my life. The room was filled with men of every color. There were nobles distinguished ed-loOking Hindus Europeans of all sorts, blacks from South Africa, Japanese, and American negroes, As looked about me I wondered whether, for men out wardIy so different, there were really things in common. And then, one af- ter another, these cultivated men rose, and they had only to open their lips for me to recognize how deeply we were alike. The first impression among men of different race and co1- or is repulsion- But have never felt nearness and close human broth erhood as I felt them in that assemb- 1age.
 t'Perhaps the Universal Races Con gress was the precursor of something that will take place in the future. When the war is ended we shall have to take up <our Humanitarian endeav- ors anew, and perhaps we shall be able to emphasize in some manner human brotherhood and community of human interests
 Of the achievement of the society and of it's members in New York city, those that stand out are the estab- Iishment of district nursing: the Guild for Crippled Children, to visit and teach cripples in their homes; "Feh- cia,'' a. summer home for children, maintained by the Young Mems Un- changed not only the spirit of the middle West Side, but it's physical aspect; and the Madison House Set t1ement on the East Side.
 But nearest to the aspirations of the Society and its visions of the future is the Ethical Culture School, founded in 1878 as a free kindergarten in Wen de11's Assembly Hall, in what was then the Gas House District of New York. Dr. Adler and the late Alfred R. Wolff went about among the employees of the gas factories and distributed hand bills asking that they let their little children come to Wende11'sf to be taught for nothing. The workmen laughed at the idea of ''babies'' going to tschool.
 The First Kindergarten Here.
 This first Kindergarten in New York city became subsequently, the Work ingmen's School of the United Relief Works for the Society for Ethical Gull ture and was moved to a private dwell- ing house on the site of the Hotel As tor. Later it was moved to a build ing in 4th Street, and thence, under the name of Ethical Culture School, to it's present @1te, at 63rd Street and Central Park West. It was the first school in the city in which manual training was taught children, the first also in which unsectarian moral in- struction was inparted.
 The composition of the Society for Ethical Culture is various. Its mem bers and leaders have come to it from many creeds and churches. Thus S. Burns Weston, leader of the Society in Philadelphia, had Unitarian antece- dents; the late w. L. Sheldon, of St. Louis, Presbyterian, and Horace Brid- ges, of Chicago, and George E. OD'ell, | of New York, Church of England ante cedents. William M .Salter's family were Congregattona1ists, and Henry Neumann, leader of the Brooklyn So- ciety, is of Jewish extraction. David 1 SavilIe Muzzey, of New York, had Con- gregationa1ist antecedents and Alfred 1 w. Martin, Unitarian, while John L. El1iott's family professed free religion. | Dr. Adler himself is the son of a rabbi | and was destined for the Jewish min istry
 ..Our purpose is Pauline,' said pr. Adler. 1t'the blending of the Jewish tra- ditioy4 with the Greek. Our work l has provided and was intended to pro- 1 vide a new meeting ground for Jew and Gentile.'
 Delegates from Eethical Societies in oi+ios