New Britain herald., 1927-12-15
PURITY OF PURITANS

Lawrence, professor of history ana political science at the Connecticut gation had showed the Puritans were not 100 per cent morally per- feet, but that they were no differ ent from the present generation, gives food for cogitation.
 It has come to be tradition to regard the Puritans as the ne plus ultra of straight-laced morality. There is a possibility, of course, that with the passage of time this opin- ion may have developed through false knowledge of the Puritan char acter Dr. Lawrence quite convinc- ingly tells us that the reputation for strict religious and moral living that has come down to us with the Puritan tradition referred only to the leaders; that the rank and file of 1 the Puritant community were sub ject to the same human frailties that still exist. Though nearly all of them dutifully attended church, that was because the leaders had sufficient power to force attendance. Away from the influence of the higher-ups in the communities, they were mot so pure" and about like us" according to the New London professor.
 It is doubtful however, whether We will change our idea of the Puri- tans following this revelation. It has become a custom to think of the Puritans following this revelation. It has become a custom to think of the Puritans as the last word in strict compliance with harsh rules of con- duct; and somehow we like to be- lieve it. Perhaps this is the same psychological trait, if that phrase can be used in this connection, that causes millions of people to believe implicitly that witches were burned to death in Salem, despite what has been claimed to the contrary. It is the same predilection which causes us to think that every early settler arriving on the shores of the New World was godly and upright man; the same urge which causes innu- merable minds to accept as fact the fable that settlers in Connecticut sold wooden nutmegs to the Indians. And perhaps there are a thousand other fables which the human race prefers to accept as fact because of their picturesque chara ctcr. h. deed, in some circles it is deemed a sure sign of lack of 100 per cent Americanism if a fable is not accept ed as gospel truth.
 We are indebted to Dr. Lawrence for his researches into early New England history. regardless of whether he succeeds in persuading anyone to believe in his ew-fangled findings. We fear the popular con cept of q Puritan will remain; that he will continue to be regarded a. man who could do no wrong never did wrong, spent a great part of his time in prayer. gave no heed to tho giddy hlandishments of life hated fiddlers as eniSsaries of the devil. was an extreme fundamental iSt in religion and act,iatod by a holy fervor to convert everyone else to his way of thinking. Also that he never bunked the Indians nor de fraudcd them of lands. It's a beau tful picture that Dr. Lawrence would desecrale.
 Obviously, some of us have a feel ing that Dr. Lawrence may be right; but then, the some of us" will re- main in q minority. To the average man the word Puritan will continue to come in handy when the feels irri'atcd about blue Sunday laws.
 An oyster containing n $500 pearl was tiShed out of q Scottish river by a girl who was sanrchjnc for a golf