The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-22

his boys best friend. let him know
what his boy is interested in. let nam
be a father and friend TO the child
OF his flesh. let him do his share in
making home. and then we shall not
have to send the boys to the shows TO
see things that we are ashamed to tell
them about because OF false pride
1t has been my privilege to deal
with children for the last twelve
years, IN reformatories. in jail, in
homes. rich and poor. and say
frankly that the children that have
given me the least trouble are those
children who come from homes were
father and mother are doing their best
TO make home, whether II be one
room shack or a stately palace, and
not from those homes where father
and mother have the idea that their
responsibilities can be delegated to
dozen different people and that their
children are to be raised and register
ed and haIl-marked like so many prize
pigs and fancy chickens by the city
and community" Take your father
or your mother out of real nome
and you have not got a home at all,
take your children out of your home
and turn them over to the city and
community" and you break up the
greatest institution, the backbone OF
this and every other great Nation, and
that IS family life with family re-
SpouSibility. If fathers and mothers
dren that they bring into the world,
II would be better for them to recog-
nize that fact and stay single
social Leaders Pitiful.''
Let the people of this community
once learn 10 mind their own business
in their own homes. and We shall not
need so many men and women politi-
ciarfs to make laws to regulate the
lives of the children that they them
selves have not got the time to look
after because they are TOO busy but
ting into" other peoples affairs Moth
ing is more pathetic than TO see some
social leader" running around town
doing this thing and that thing, and
neglecting the greatest gift that God
can give to her or him. or to them as
Father at the club. mother at her
bridge party, and the child going TO
- because the city and commu-
nity'' are to be responsible for the
child that they have not time to look
after.
No, am not a grabbed old bache-
Ior. but I am young man that looks
back to his own life and realizes that
the greatest possession that ne has or
can have, Is the memory OF that nome
life across the seas, that is now broken
for ever because his parents have been
called to their reward. It has been
that memory that has enabled me to
steer clear OF the bright lights and
the glitterinG pathways" and has given
me an insight into the lives of children
in dozens of cities, that I could not
have had without that memory It
has been that memory that has helped
me to consecrate my life to the service
of Gods children be they rich or poor
bcause fathers and mothers have
failed to do what they themselves
ought to DO. above all things, and that
is TO make the home the center of the
chiId's life. until such time as that
child can take his OF her place in the
community and make home for
some other child
1 hope the people of Topeka will
agree to make their homes the social
centers" of the child's life and not
delegate 1t to this person or that per
son who gets tired of trying to do
that thing that only parent can do and
ought to do.
HERBERT HAWKINS