Omaha daily bee., 1916-02-20
Prescription Calls for
Constant Association
Nth Youth, Which Means
Youthful Environment. %
DR.. Charles Gilmore
Kerley Declares

dignined, confort-ioving and resent intru-
sion or disturbance OF their daily routine
'Piace q child In home as described
above. and what change takes place.
not only In the home. but In the occu-
pantsl ! have repeatedly known the
advent OF an adopted child in a child
less home 10 cure neurasthenia, despond-
ency, and habituAl Crouch. particularly in
men. am able 10 give a very effective
prescription against premature old age,
and the prescription calls for constant as
ISOLATION with youth, which means youth.
full environment--and environment is the
great determining factor in human ex-
istence. not excepting heredity.
"The adopted child or children OF the
old young people will have friends and
associations OF similar age. BY this 40.
ISOLATION the parents are permitted to
see the world through the eyes OF youth.
There are the surroundings Of activity.
happiness. and noise. There are the
everyday plans and surprises. The old
young couple again become young and
are drawn together by means Of vital
interest in something outside Of their
own little narrow sphere with it, magnt
fed cares and troubles.
But IL IL argued that children cause
care, anxiety, and trouble. Surely they
DO. and q little trouble 10 good for most
people. II takes them out of them.
selves and removes the self-center. II
was David Harum who remarked: Pleas
are good for dog, because they keep
him from oroodin' on being dog The
home that never has been entered with q
whoop. q yell. or q bawl Is q sad place.
There are hundreds OF normal. At.
tractive children being brought UP in
groups In the stereotyped fashion OF chill
dren's institutions who would, II allowed.
be the brightest spot in as many dun
homes.
"a feature of no small consequence IL
the vast benent that would accrue to the
State II these children could have the ad.
vantage or private home caro-and this
does not imply in the homes of the
wealthy. There are hundreds OF good
homes for children throughout the coun.
try where wealth never enters that would
be ideal for homeless children. The sAv-
ing OF life alone would be very large.
Babies do not thrive well In infant
asylums and protectories OF various
kinds. Under the best of institutional
management NnoIe VIII always De q large
mortality, not because the children are
neglected or badly treated but because
they are living under conditions that are
abnormal for the young human being
When q baby enters q public institu-
tion, heavy handicap IN the struggle for
life is placed upon a.
There are many who feel the desire
for parenthood, with home associations
with the young, who are deferred from
taking q step In the direction OF adoption
for fear OF that great bugaboo. hsredi-
tary influences. John Rowlands, OF very
humble origin, was abandoned BY his
mother and placed in the st. Asaph Union
Workhouse, where he remained for sew
eral years As Sir Henry NJ. Stanley he
is known known 20 every school child
Stanley was adopted by an American
merchant. Henry Stanley.
"Al children, regardless OF their social
status, are very much alike at birth. Al
children are born depondent-immature
They do not actually become adults be
fore the seventeenth or eighteenth yeal
OF life. There is thus at least sixteen
years of growth and development, with
all that development entails. In the
lower animals the reverse is the case