The Northman., May 20, 1920, Page 4, Image 4

4
is, strange to say, not only payless but
thankless.
THE NORTHMAN
time, when financial depression was
heavy in the United States and it seemed
A NEW INTEREST IN EDUCATION.
“a good time to go home.” Strong and
THE ENFORCED focus of public atten­ subtle influences were brought to bear and
tion on the schools through teachers leav­ many were pursuaded to return in the be­
ing the service of education is certain to be lief that they actually could do better in
productive of results greater than the mere the “.Old Country” than they could here.
raising of salaries to retain teachers. The ideas of King Oscar were advanced
While by no means neglected it has been by King Gustaf when he ascended the
the custom to give the schools scant at­ throne, and on its face, the idea appeals
tention beyond providing buildings and to reason as a most excellent one. Like
hiring teachers. Policies have been left many another apparently logical idea,
very largely to grow fair or rank as best however, it refused to develop.
they might with little attention to keep­
Many, after a few years in this country,
ing pace with the march of progress which return to the old home land for a visit,
has been almost phenomenal during the and many go with a determination to re­
past generations If ten per cent of the main, but they do not. They soon come
electorate turns out to a school election back to America.
it is considered good. Ofttimes it is but
Why?
half that.
The answer lies in all those intangible
The state campaign for education— little somethings that go to make up
elementary and higher—should be, and element and environment. The living
undoubtedly will be, supported. It must does not compare to that to which they
be borne in mind that the object is for the have been accustomed to in America. It
advancement of the children and youth of is not on the same plane, not only as to
today to qualify them for the greater citi­ the essentials, but the comforts and pleas­
zenship of tomorrow, in the greater state ures, saying nothing of the luxuries. To
of Oregon and the more perfect society.
the man who has been in America the
Let us reflect for a moment. Has it horizon of life is narrowed. The man who
ever occurred to you that we are prone to has breathed the spirit of American free­
lavish our best thought, care and strength dom chafes and frets within the limited
upon the artificial, while living, breathing bounds of the native land and the restraint
subjects are neglected? Go through the of ways and customs. In short they find
art gallery and note the work of the mas­ it quite impossible to adjust themselves
ters, old and new, and with what infinite to the old world conditions. “The old
pains and patience they have labored to home is not what it used to be,” not be­
produce the beautiful; go to the studio of cause it has changed, but because we have
the sculptor and observe with what dili­ changed.
gence he chisels out the fair counterfeits
of humanity. Go from one to another of
THE CUSTOM OF TIPPING.
those who labor assiduously among the
ideals that surround us to produce the
THE CUSTOM of tipping belongs to the
lovely-—laboring through weary years to
present a perfect figure on canvas or gallant period of the past when the world
carve it from a block of cold marble. For was divided between master and servant
weary months and years they labor, and in a state of semi-sl aveiy, and not to this
behold! on every side there are growing day and age when the lines of caste and
up immortal beings on whom is not be­ class have been broken and labor raised to
stowed a fraction of the time, care and the dignity which commands, and is ac­
patience that is given to producing the corded, respect and honor. It is arrant
image—the perfect presentment of the folly to pass laws to prohibit tipping, as has
outward form which is but the husk to been done in some states. Such laws are
the kernel. If such devotion could be not enforced and only serve to lower re­
centered upon the mind and soul of the spect and beget contempt for the work of
living, breathing being and directed toward well-meaning legislators and for the courts.
The superintendent of employment agen­
producing the ideal of human character
what a world this soon would be! How cies of the state of Illinois makes the state­
much of hell would be banished and how ment that tips given employes in many of
much of heaven would be realized! There the public service places, hotels and theater
would be developed a generation of pro­ cloak-rooms in Chicago, are not enjoyed
ducers, artisans, scholars, statesmen and by the recepients and do not remain with
representatives of the professions such as them, even in part, but must all be turned
few have dreamed—a glorified humanity over to the boss who gets them their jobs.
fairer than marble figures carved from One man has the contract to operate the
Carrara’s quarries, more imposing than cloak-rooms of a large number of the fore­
colossal statues raised to the memory of most hotels and theaters. The boys under
our greatest and best—a generation of him receive a fixed wage of $5 to $7 a
men arid women whose minds would reach week, and if their gratuities do not aver­
to the realization and enjoyment of the age up to a certain standard, they are dis­
The superintendent estimates
more perfect justice reflected in the radi­ missed.
ance of infinite light only as the ideal of that, with fifty boys turning in an average
of $5 a day, the contractor’s profits
today.
amount to as much as $1,000 a week. This
tallies with New York’s experience. It
REPATRIATION A FAILURE.
was discovered at the time of the hotel
TT WAS the dream of King Oscar of porters’ strike last year most of these men
1 Sweden to welcome back to the father- worked for a contractor and turned in to
land many thousands of subjects who had him the tips received.
ventured into the land of opportunity in
In “the good old days of yore” when
America. He believed that they would hospitality was freely extended the pilgrim
bring back the American spirit, the Amer­ and wayfarer, little gratuities to the meni­
ican energy, the American enterprise and als of the host and to those who served
the capital they had made in America and him, was an expression of appreciation
regenerate his kingdom.
and of generosity quite in keeping with
The plan was launched at a favorable the times. It should be remembered, how­
May 20, 1920
ever, that the system of communal fellow­
ship commonly known as society, has
changed. Today the hotel guest pays for
the service he receives, as does the rail­
way traveler or theater patron—in many
cases, pays altogether too much, it is as­
serted,—but even so, there are many who
continue the custom and show their
generous spirit in tips, as supplementary
payment for particular thoughtful
attentions, and the practice is not wholly
to be condemmed, but there are too many
places where the old system will not mesh
with the new. The wealthy may give,
with discrimination, tokens of appreciation
for special services rendered, but the man
of the times, even though wealthy, discour­
ages the custom of indiscriminate tips, and
himself to be held up because he thinks he
must do so, should give some one a liberal
fee to show him where he is growing a
large tuft of moss.
Women sailors are guite frequently em­
ployed in Denmark, Norway and Finland,
and are often found to be excellent mari­
ners. In Denmark several women are em­
ployed as state officials at sea, and particu­
larly in the pilot service. They go out to
meet the incoming ships, climb nimbly out
of their boats, show their official diploma,
and steer the newcomer safely into the
harbor.
KINDNESS TO THE POOR AND AGED.
A BEAUTIFUL custom which existed
among the university students of Co­
penhagen some years ago, was that of en­
tertaining the poor and aged. Open house
was kept during the long winter months,
and many to whom life was a drab,* cheer­
less stretch on the west slope of life here
found a cheering smile, an encouraging
hand and pleasant entertainment.
For a long time the students quarters
for old people was in a large old-fashioned
building on Gothsgade and throughout the
long winter the old building was full of
light and music. On entering, the visitor
found many old people, all of whom,
though poorly dressed and evidently ac­
quainted with hard times, were cheerful
and happy, for the students did far more
than simply supply their guests with
warm rooms, comfortable seats and hot
coffee. They gave themselves. They
sang and played to their aged guests; they
gave them lectures and talks; they
mingled with them and learned to know
them. They were hosts in the best sense;
they made the aged poor of Copenhagen
their honored guests.
Under the law of Christian friendship
social barriers disappear. Rich and poor,
employer, employed, strong and weak, are
brothers. That other barrier—that which
unhappily so often exists between youth
and age—yields easily to the great law of
friendship, the students of Copenhagen
have proved. It is doubtful if, in all their
university course, these students learned
a greater'truth than this which they dis­
covered in democratic association with
the elderly folk in humble stations.
THE SIMPLE THINGS
To what extreme simplicity may man’s exist­
ence be reduced without impeding either the
body’s functions or the expansion of the mind. A
loaf and a cup of drink are necessary, to which
may be added by way of luxury, a book and a
fire that will supply light and heat. When these
are provided nothing is wanting that is indis­
pensable to the development of a great soul.
Willard Dillman.