Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 October 1893 — Subordinating the Home. [ARTICLE]

Subordinating the Home.

It is perhaps a necessary evil that goes with improved educational* facilities, both in week day and Sunday schools, that the parental r,nd home influence should be less thought of. There is nothing in the development of character that can fill the place of good parental example in the home. Yet because the school gives best opportunity tor training the intellect, many parents are inclined, through indolence, to remit to hired teachers the work that of right is committed to their own charge. If we sought only to train intellectual prodigies, the common method would be all right; but intellect without affection, honor and humanity is of little worth. Pure intellect, divested of love or care for nothing but self, has been aptly described as the best definition of the evil one. It is a tendency of some at least of modern educators to train the young without regard to moral principles and with sole reference to the intellect Seeing this danger has led to demands that the public schools shall be made more or less religious. That, however, cannot well be under the United States Constitution, which forbids favoritism to one religious denomination or belief by the States. Public schools are everywhere supported In whole or in part by the State. They m v st, therefore, be not

Irreligious, but rather non-religlous, else they will conflict with this wise constitutional provision. There are those who think that, if the elements of common morality are taught, this will solve the difficulty; that is well enough in its way, but the primal responsibility for religious training cannot be borne by the State. It must depend on the parents in their homes, and the more deeply this responsibility is felt, the better it will be for those who are growing up to be the men and women of the twentieth century.—American Cultivator. .