Morals in High Schools.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume XVI, Issue 4, 1 October 1925, Page 6

Morals in High Schools.

A Committee on Character Education, appointed by the Board of Education of N"ew York, has recently completed a year's survey of moral con? ditions m the high schools. In its report the Committee points out that conditions have so changed ; in the last twenty years that the character of the student body is entirely different* A cosmopolitan high school is really; a cross-section of the great! city itself, and includes , representatives of every class, raee r creed, and color. This means that the iclass of criminals is also represented, and the school' disciplinarian must often call on: the < police, for help, and must often feel, the! need of training; m detective : work,: as well as ipsychiatijistsj psyf chologists, fiflger-rprintexperts^ and so>

•ori^ for. assistance, m his coijnpiicated ;prpblem. Of course, thi£ element coji^' •stitutes but [& fraction of the whole' «tudeiit body, but their moral standards are not confined to their own .group.

The large majority of the students; are bright energetic, interesting young , people, full of enthusiasm and responsive to leadership, as well' as loyal to the ideals to which they , have given their allegiance. But^when the Com; mittee began to examine into their moral codes it received a great shock. It was found that their' moral rules :seemed to consist m doing whatever they pleased, so long as they could '"get away with it." Thieving is common, forgery is a simple way to save a lot of trouble, cheating m examinations is, perfectly proper if they are not caught, as is copying homework. Cutting is to be recommended, with the same proviso. They have no respect for authority, whether parental or that of law.

This characterisation does not, of course, apply to the whole group of students, but it does represent the moral standards of a large percentage. The Committee finds that not having been trained to high moral standards, or m fact to any moral standards, they have simply adopted the code of the streets. To correct this state of things the Committee urges moral training m the schools as part of the regular curriculum. Positive instruction must be given as to the difference between light and wrong, and the school programme should provide opportunity for frank discussion of matters of conduct and behaviour. There should be developed clear-cut perceptions of the positive virtues, and principles of right living that should govern boys and girls m. making- decisions. These should be stressed, instead of negative commands. The fact is also emphasised that heretofore the schools have placed too much importance on intellectual attainments, to the neglect of character development. Along this same line the " Literary Digest" for March. 25th published ■. conclusions regarding the seriousness and increase of juvenile crime; drawn 1 . from questionnaires 'sent out to vari- ■.'■ ©us prosecuting attorney^ throughout the, country. Most of the replies deceived indicted the parents for neglect, indifference, and failure to train their children morally and religiously. Mr D. E. o'MenfCity Prosecutor of ■ the city of Omaha, says that m his eipenence he Has docketed 8000 cases, and tha£,.,.of all the cases of girl offenders that he has investigated, less thair three ;per " cent: ha 3 ever had any r^i^ous training.': ; An:-^ 1 •other opinion Ms" tUait the^ causes of criminality rnattttJHg I 'yottng 1 '■ people Vere greater; bppdrtonity 'for

wr^^fdoiliE? and less - : moral discipv liAe 1 ! ih r ttieMbibme. ;