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About Weekly Chemawa American. (Chemawa, Or.) 189?-198? | View Entire Issue (April 8, 1910)
COeeliBy gfremawa "American VOI... 12 APRIL 8, 1910. NO. 39 JUDGE LINDSEY ON MORALS, Judge Ben B. Lindsey, Juvenile Court, Denver y Colorado It is hard to lay down any rules in discussing so important a subject, I have long been brought to. the conclusion that all children are frankly and innocently unmoral. The child takes what he wants if he can get it, not because he is an embryonic thief, but be cause this is nature; not human nature, but nature itself, and I think we have found that nature is. seldom altruistic. The normal child is merely a healthy little animal to start with, and we must remember alwaya that hia morals develop, grow with his growth and strengthen with his strength, only "when he is guided in the right direction. Therefore, this being the duty and responsibility of the parent and teacher, we have a right to assume that when a child is immoral after that period of care and development that should have been part of his life,. the trouble must have been not so much with the child, but with those who have been responsible for directing the child; consequently we must put the responsibility where it belongs upon the home, the school and the church, These three great institutions are responsible for the morals ef the child largely; they are responsible for the direo tion of the child, In the home, the school and the church the child receives that precept and teaching that is necessary in the development of its character; but, I have found in my own experience that this precept and teaching counts for little unless it is accompanied by example, This example must, of course, be in accord with the teaching. It must be furnished not only by the parent and teacher, but also bv the citizens of the community. And I would go further, and say that it must be furnished by the community itself, by the public officials in the eomrnu. nitv. So it follows that if we are going to teach morality successfully, we must take heed. I think, of the very homely truth expressed by Mark Twain: "If you would train up a child in the way it should go go that way yottrself. " Now I want to urge one or two practical things. I have found in our court work that nothing helps more than little talks with the children. . Sometimes these talks are better delivered in private; in fact, I should say in most cases; sometimes with the children all together. I should say it is more important to have frequent talks upon such subjects as concern morals than to teach grammar, arithmetic, or geog raphy. I have just been advised tha' in California they have passed a law requir ing such teaching in the schools. Among the subjects I would recommend would be these, which I have selected at random for the probationers in our court, who (Continued on Tage Eight.)