318 INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF EDUCATION. 
atterly fails, as from actual observation it has been proved that instead of 
‘he slum children being morally raised, the usual scholars are considerably 
lowered by the association with their more precocious brethren, so much 
s0 as often to produce lasting injury, as children are more ready to follow 
an evil example than a good one; therefore the children of respectable 
sarents have also a right to be considered in this matter. 
Another powerful reason against mixing the slum children with other 
children is that the teachers cannot do justice to the ordinary pupils and 
at the same time pay special attention to a particular class, the result to 
che latter being that when the compulsory age is passed they return more 
completely to their wallowing in the mire. 
Schools should be established to take entire charge of neglected children. 
When it has been ascertained by the truant officers (not the police) that 
the homes of children are unwholesome, through the bad character and 
associations of the parents or guardians—upon satisfactory evidence of the 
same being given before legally constituted authority—such children 
should be committed to schools specially provided for the purpose, there 
to have a home, receive a sound education, and then be taught agriculture, 
;rades, or professions, as their several abilities may indicate ; these pupils 
to become, de facto, the children of the state or nation, and not for one 
moment to be considered as prisoners or paupers, or treated as such. 
They should be endued, as far as possible, with a spirit of self-respect 
and self-reliance, and pride in their schools and country, and encouraged 
at a proper age to sign an agreement to recoup their cost to the country 
when able to do so. Of course when such children prove refractory, by 
running away or in other ways, they should be treated in a similar way 
so that in which good parents treat their offspring—i.e., “He that spares 
-he rod spoils the child.” Surely it will not require much argument to 
prove that the proposition is practicable, and would, if carried out. result 
n minimizing crime by laying the axe at its root. 
The children of the drunkards, prostitutes, poverty stricken, and crimi- 
aals should have the same chances in life from an educational standpoint 
as other children, so that an opportunity be given them of becoming 
respectable citizens, and so benefit both themselves and the world. It is 
not their fault that they are born with unfortunate environments; there- 
fore it is not just that they should suffer through the neglect, misfortune, 
or vice of their natural protectors. Nor should the world be tormented 
shrough the wholesale manufacture of such pests to society, which, as a 
rule, neglected children become. 
The legislatures of the world have made enactments to punish law- 
breakers (who are caught). But in criminal cases the punishment seldom 
has a curative effect. But, as a rule, the culture and production of crimi- 
nals is allowed to proceed without restraint—i.e., the law only attempts to 
shut the door after the mischief is done, instead of taking effective meas-