St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1944-05-05


to Serious Problem Confronting
the Race.
49, By DAN GARDNER
Just how much has the urban
Negro lost in the disruption of
his family life that in former days
saw his children being reared in
the mould of discipline, respect for
others, and the fear of God? Has
the transition of the Negro from
the stern South to the liberal North
brought about a more or less COM
plete collapse of his family sys-
tenn? Have the dubious wonders
and vices of large cities worked to
the detriment of a race that can ill
afford to lose control of its chill
dren?
The question is serious. 1t is
grave. It's implications are more
profound than even the fight we are
engaged in for social, political and
economic recognition and equality;
for even if we gain these things,
we cannot reap the full benefits
from them if we persist in turning
our backs on what our children are
doing and committing the cardinal
error of not doing something about
it.
Stock Answers Plentiful
The subject is touchy. The pro-
fessors and educators who have
made long and laborious studies of
the problem have ready-made an
swers to fit each question. For a
while these stock answers sufficed.
But times move ahead. Still,
however, the experts persist in what
should be recognized as an approach
full of holes. Greater recreational
facilities" they will tell you when
asked what are the major means
with which to combat juvenile de-
linquency. The parents, they will
say, really cannot be blamed "be-
cause of the economic inequalities
they suffer on account of race and
color" To properly rear children,
to bring up youngsters that they
may dodge the discipline of the
scaffold or electric chair or peni-
tertiary cell, the experts demand
for every Negro a modern six room
house, running hot and cold water
in each room, automatic toilets, au-
tomobile, garage, swimming pool,
somebody to work the garden, a
maid, perhaps, butler, and sal
airy of not less than $3.50 week.
Truth is, the best remedy for
"bad" children is the old-fashioned
peach tree switch, or if you don't
live in Georgia, dads razor strop
applied with the same vigor that
grandma and grandpa used so eff
fectively in stopping the young ones
from lying, stealing, cussing, play
ing hooky, fighting, and so forth.
To date, no other remedy has been
as good. In those days the neigh
bors took hand in helping the
kids in the neighborhood and they
would apply the switch or palm Of
the hand as readily as ma or pa and
with the fervent thanks and sane
ton of the parents who were not
around when the offense was COM
mitted.
Those Days Gone Forever
Today, however, those virtues of
yesteryear seem to have been dis
carded. In fact, they are told of
to people who listen incredulously.
Everybody lives or tries to live
strictly to himself. Fierce resent
ment is voiced and expressed at the
mere suggestion of a neighbor that
child has done something wrong.
There is no common consensus that
the rearing of children is a COM
munity as well as a parental re-
sponsibility. Nothing is done to de-
velop this spirit of cooperation in
meeting a common problem. Home
punishment when it is administered,
is usually the result of personal
irritation, moods and whims. Such
irregularities, such temperamental
attitudes toward family function
that is fundamental as the business
of earning a living, are daily breed
ing trouble and woe for the entire
race.
The collapse of morale values and
standards among Negroes in metro
politan communities is deplorable,