Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 304, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 December 1912 — Ethel Rodman’s Family Saw Many Hardships. [ARTICLE]

Ethel Rodman’s Family Saw Many Hardships.

Ethel Rodman, the 17-year-old girl who suicided at Michigan City last week, - was buried at Hobart Sunday. The Lake County Times publishes a story of her hardships and discouragements. / Her father was a" small farmer. He suffered a stroke of paralysis and the burden of providing for five children fell on the mother, who took in washing. The fathfer -went to the poorhouse and died. The mother broke down with her work and went to her- reward last July. There was plenty of work and good wages, but nevertheless the Rodman family suffered because no one came to the help of the distressed family. “Don’t make them improvident by giving them aid, tqach them to help themselves,” was Hie implied attitude of the public. Ethel was pretty and a little aid would have rescued her, but the effort was not made and Ethel could see only the dark places in the future. The outlook discouraged her and she jumped from a bridge into the lake. A little charity might have saved her.