The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-02-06
DEMOCRACY HAS
ORIGIN IN HOME,
SAYS SSTE ERNHEIM
Teach Children to Create Own
Bank Accounts,
ADVOCATE OF EUGENICS
Urges Physical and Moral Exam
nations Of Prospective
Parents

The Forum address last eyenln
IN the Second Congregational churcI
by DR. Emanuel sternheim OF Bos
ton, on Twentieth Century Parent
hood seemed to meet the genera
approval Of the audience. Thert
was hearty applause az the close
aud very lite questioning in the al
ter period. Nobody was disposed I,
take issue with the main points which
were made not alone from tleoreti
cal study Of social conditions bu
from an extended oXper ence in edu
cationa charitable and religious
f. Wolh.
/ Or. Sternheim was for a number OF
I years connected with Toynbee Han
and was a member o. the London
School Board for six years lie holds
degrees from oxford University
aud the University OF France Pastor
OF Jew sh congregations in this coun
/ try, notably IN Sioux City, Iowa. and
/ then N charge Of settlement work in
c eveland. Ohio. Tor the last several
years he has given his entire time to
lecturiug from the platform and
teaching In summer schools.
me- main point OF the address was
that we can not build social demo
lC.acy uniess we buid I through the
institution o. the family.
Dr. Sternhem is an advocate OF
eugenics lie believes IL is impera-
! tive to enact better marriage laws
There should be required certificates
OF both physical and moral fitness
for MARI age He did not 90 into the
tprcb em Of divorce but strongly en-
phasized the placing Of elementary
safeguards about marriage. The
,propagat on OF the insane and the
diseased ought not TO be allowed
II discussing the principle and law
of the family DR.. Sternheim made
much o. equality as the foundation ol
democracy in the home. Parents
have not a property right in their
children any more than men have a
property right I'm their w.yes. Re
'spect for individuality. mutual atfec-
ton. consideration OF the rights oil
AN. these motives and practices
should govern in the relationships o.
the home.
DR.. Sternheim Is an advocate OF
sex education. not OF formal teaCllne
in the schools but of intelligent ana
hlghmmded instruction In the home
Like other speakers in the Forum
course he thought that II not so I'M
pOrtant to trpusm.t a bank account
10 our children as Z was that We
should hand down character that our
children so .ar as needlul might gel
q bank account on their own initid-
tive.
The novel Main Street came ~
for an appreciatiye comment II eA-
,negerated somewhat, u was an essen
iiallv true picture OF much OF com
mmity lfe east and west, m SINAI
7, own and large. But we must under
stand we cannot raise the level OF
common life until We lit the idmllE'
Parents can't be educators unth
they are themselves educated.
There Is serious situation III p2-
uttral life becauee q. the lack ot edu-
son Of politicians. 1t is said that
only fifteen per cent of our legisla
tsrs have more than high sehooi
education. But we are responslne
for this. We send them TO the seat
of government and keep them IleIe'
IN is an indictment Of ourselves.
DR.. Sternheim finished his aaure5a
with n statement OF some aXiomaue
IN nrs MS he called them. 1t was
tho = ght of every child TO have plN
socia ly supervised; children shQuli
nroduce their own toys and games,
household duties should be reQu'reu
in every home of each member OF the
family: there should be participation
in civic enterprises through the
school. also in a esthetic product on
beauty being loved for its own sake
and ant for its. there shou oe par
tcipation in philanthropy ana Ie
form. ~
emf words about the charity that ue,
rjns at home ond ends there ana
.ehout the expenditure al money az
NED to our children without civ
sne them their d secretion in the mat
ter We ought to audit their ac
counts not as judges but as rPa' auu
tors. giving help and guidance pu' n
not exercising autocratic lnr'SUlo'
tion ....
Altogether this address was Ver'
Wholesome and practical and an N
teresting variation from other au''
dres ses in the course
MIR. Spargo viii be the speaker
next sunday evening at the Baptist