Street Education by Mary Alice Hare Loper

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jul 6, 1915

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 42, No. 26.

Street Education

By Mary Alice Hare Loper

Effect on the Career—Begin Early to Prevent It

By Mary Alice Hare Loper, M. S.

The age when illiteracy was easily tolerated has gone by, and to-day the compulsory-education idea is raising the standard of knowledge among the people. The twentieth century has various systems of education, from the university to the private tutor—colleges, normals, public schools, private schools, parochial schools, correspondence schools, etc., every one of which is supposed to cover a certain demand for useful knowledge, which is for the uplift of the human race. But there is never a good that does not have its counterfeit, and the school idea is no exception to this rule.

MOST INFLUENTIAL EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

There is a system of evil education, well established in all parts of the world, that is doing a work the extent of which far outrivals that of all other systems combined. This is the great street school system, with its representative institutions in every city, and branches in every village and hamlet. It consists of all grades, even to the primary and the kindergarten, and is especially prepared to meet the desires of all those who wish to fit themselves to engage in any line of disreputable business.

Not only in the matter of enrollment, but also in the number of hours devoted to school work, this great institution stands without a rival. Its learned principal—Satan—keeps a large corps of competent instructors, who work in shifts, the school being constantly in session, day and night, with no vacations. Pupils of all ages are accepted, every inducement being given to those of tender years, there being a possibility that if they do not enroll while young, they may be forever lost to the school. Nonprofessors of religion, as well as representatives from every denomination, find a hearty welcome. Satan is especially pleased to secure the patronage of those who once opposed his teachings, but who, having given up faith in the Bible, have finally joined his ranks. Multitudes who fail to improve the opportunities afforded them for the acquisition of useful knowledge, patronize instead this counter system of evil.

The textbooks employed in the street school are always up to date in crime and immorality. They consist of yellow-back novels, exciting adventures, infidel and atheistic writings, biographies of evil men, police findings, obscene pictures, comic Sunday supplements, etc., covering the demands of those of every grade, from the postgraduate to the kindergarten.

IT HAS MANUAL TRAINING TOO

Nor is the street school by any means lacking in the matter of manual training. Here students become skilled in the manufacture of intoxicating liquor, cigarettes, pipes, counterfeit money, burglars' tools, implements of torture—every device that will promote wickedness. Thorough instruction is also given in disobedience to parents, smoking, drinking, gambling, lying, forgery, robbery, murder, graft—all kinds of immorality and crime.

The street school sends out many graduates every year from its various courses of study, some of which require longer time than others. The commencement exercises are usually held in court rooms, the chief address being delivered by the presiding judge. These graduates all find positions,—the academics in reformatories; and those taking higher degrees, in penitentiaries. Many of these after a time return to their Alma Mater for postgraduate work, and thus often secure still higher degrees in criminology, some graduating several times during a brief term of years.

MANY CHRISTIAN HOMES REPRESENTED

It is a sad comment on the neglect of parents, that so many children from professedly Christian homes have their names enrolled as students in Satan's world-wide educational institution. Those opposed to children's attending the street school, especially its night sessions, have established in some places a curfew ordinance, which is a hindrance to some extent. While it is deplorable that parents so far neglect their duty as to render it necessary for the civil authorities to look after the welfare of their children in this manner, what a blessing it would be if children were forbidden to loiter about the streets during the day also! For if pupils can be instructed thoroughly during the day, they will be quite sure to join the night school when they become older.

Children who once enter the street school, find it very agreeable to be punctual in attendance. To them the endearing name of home gradually loses its attraction, their affections being transferred to their street companions, and finally home becomes to them little else than a place in which to eat and sleep when a more attractive resort is lacking.

Just how many of those who to-day look out from behind gloomy prison walls took their first step downward when they learned their first lesson on the street, we know not; but we do know that since this system of education has become so far-reaching in its influence, crime has been fearfully on the increase. The evil results of allowing children to run the streets at will, cannot be overestimated. Those who are never allowed to form this habit, are saved from many a snare laid to entrap unwary feet.

STRANGELY ASLEEP

Parents sometimes are strangely asleep to the interests that should lie nearest the heart. If the family horse or cow is missing, immediate search is instituted, and is kept up until the missing animal is returned. But if a child is absent—no telling where—that by many parents is not considered so serious a matter; they may even feel so little concern as to retire at night knowing that a lamb has strayed from the fold. It is so consoling to know that he always has come back, and to believe that he always will; that “my child” would not remain in bad company; that “my child” would not misbehave. But the fact is, “my child” is human clay, just like every other child; and how dare one presume that he is fortified against the attacks of the enemy?

It is unsafe to rest in the thought that children have been so well trained that they will not do as others who have become entangled in the snares of Satan. The enemy of all righteousness is always ready to take advantage of every neglect of duty on the part of parents.

The mother who is awake to her responsibility will seek to know the whereabouts of her children at all times, realizing that if a child is in bad company even for a short time, damaging experiences may come to him. He may unnecessarily be led into the wilderness of temptation. He may be among the rabble, or he may be induced to join the conspirators against Christ. Sowing good seed in children's hearts is not sufficient. They must be watched over and tended with diligence; for at an unexpected moment, the enemy may sow tares sufficient to choke out the good seed, and bring to naught the grandest work of life.

DILIGENTLY TEACH THEM

After God had given His commandments to Israel, He emphasized the importance of proper child training by saying, “And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” Deut. 6:7. If such constant care and diligent instruction were necessary in the time of ancient Israel, surely they are no less necessary in these days when crime is rampant, and when intemperance in all its forms is numbering its victims by the millions. If parents to-day would heed the instruction to teach children diligently the truths of God's word, both by precept and by example, every hour of the day, very many might be saved from the power of sin. Precept is not enough; one must be what he desires his child to be.

Children who are permitted to run the streets become so accustomed to freedom from restraint that they feel quite independent and able to care for themselves. And along with the spirit of independence is developed a boldness which is by no means an ornament to childhood. Little girls talk about their beaus, and little boys talk about their sweethearts, and their minds become so poisoned by evil education that nothing but the grace of God can ever purify them from its influence.

After a child becomes accustomed to being absent from home during the day, it is not strange that the street should become attractive to him during the evening also, and far into the night. But woe be to that child who is permitted to follow his own wayward inclinations when thus tempted.

IS HARD TO CONTROL

“But,” says one, “my child is harder to control than other children.” Every child is different from every other child. The parents should study the individuality of a child from infancy, and govern and train it accordingly. If a child is especially hard to control, there is the blessed assurance, “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” Rom. 5:20. When human efforts fail, how

precious is the privilege of seeking with the child divine help! “Prayer is the key which unlocks heaven's storehouse,” and it will do for a child what scolding and punishing will never accomplish.

Avoid trouble later by teaching a child from babyhood that the street is not to be his playground. But see to it that home is made for him the most attractive place on earth, because of its congenial atmosphere, where he always loves everybody, and where he knows that everybody loves him. Teach him early to catch the spirit of the beautiful thought,

“Be it ever so humble, there is no place like home.”

So thrill the harp of childhood with endearing home melodies, that the reverberating echoes will bring sweet harmony into all the varied notes of after years. Strew his pathway so thickly with flowers of righteousness and personal sympathy, that he will learn to love righteousness and to hate iniquity. Surround his home life with such a radiant halo of blessed influence as will light up the somber pathway of earth, and guide his feet even to the portals of the eternal city.

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Prov. 22: 6.