Plainfield High School - Milestone Yearbook (Plainfield, NJ)

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14 THE ORACLE months, this institution is always crowded with little sufferers, and many a life has been saved through the kind ministrations of the able corps of workers. In certain districts of large cities, day nurseries and kinder- gartens serve to brighten the little ones’ lives. Clubs and societies have been formed for older children, to create interest in things formerly foreign to them. Summer outings are given to as many as possible and play grounds aid in keeping the younger children from the streets. As exper- ience has been gained from these various methods, the tendency has been to make the institutional method but an intermediate step in the develop- ment of the child. Indigents and orphans are placed in institutions for only a short time, and as quickly as possible, they are established in re- spectable families. This method has been found more adventageous for making good citizens from this class of children. The indigent youth of our cities are more carefully watched than in former times. If allowed to develop alone, they often make dangerous criminals and obnoxious citi- zens. Juvenile courts are now organized with special jurisdiction over children criminally inclined. Each child is given sympathetic assistance and a fair chance to improve his life. Probation officers are appointed to keep watch over each one, to study his case, and to make due report to the court. How changed this is from the former brutal treatment when such children were thrust into prisons in company with hardened criminals! Now, industrial schools exist where the useful arts are taught. For the incorrigible youth, reformatories have been’ established where the same training that is furnished in the industrial schools is given. The trend of modern charity methods during the last generation has been toward organization and co-operation. Keeping this aim in view, charity workers are now usually trained for their labors by special courses in social science. Modern charity methods have become preventative rather than corrective. It has been possible to cover but a few of the means and organizations by which an effort is being made to meet the great need of modern times. As some one has said, “The problem is most difficult and the help inade- quate, and yet there can be no more effectual way to banish a gloomy pessimism than by studying the methods by which our country is caring for its dependents, trying to reform the criminally minded, and helping the ‘Under Dog.’ There is an awakening sense of responsibility among the more prosperous to the ‘Other Half,’ and to the old question of where rests this responsibility, the spirit embodied in modern charity would reply, ‘I am my brother’s keeper.’ ”’

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THE ORACLE 13 spiring and encouraging it would be to follow one of them through her day’s labors as she goes into the tenement homes and teaches the people how to live! The same line of work is carried on by the Volunteers of America, an outgrowth of the old organization. Under the leadership of Ballington and Mrs. Booth, prison reform has become one of its principal aims. “The little mother,” for by that name Mrs. Booth is known among the convicts, is loved and admired by every poor fellow whom she has visited, and through the influence of her gentle nature, many have once again started life aright. In these days of revolutionized ideas, more attention is paid to the medical relief of the poor. The sick were formerly huddled together in filthy buildings. Now, each disease is treated in a separate institution or in separate wards of hospitals. In years past, poor-houses or shelter homes were never visited by physicians, but now, each institution has its own medical examiner. In medical relief, one of the most powerful organiza- tions is the Red Cross Society. Not only do its members perform noble work on the battle field, but they give assistance at all national disasters. A most prominent phase of medical relief is the warfare against tuber- culosis. Medical societies are accomplishing much toward preventing the spread of the disease by popularizing the causes and remedies of the ‘‘white plague.” Formerly, all classes of defectives were thrust into alms-houses, irre- spective of their several maladies. From this resulted great confusion and little benefit. Now, each class of defectives is placed in a separate institu- tion, and more rapid progress is made toward their cure. There now exist separate institutions for the blind, the deaf, the mute, the insane, the feeble minded, the epileptics and inebriates, each with its respective treatments. One of the most interesting and at the same time most worthy branches of charity work is the treatment of children. How changed it is from the old Spartan method! Then, defective and ill formed children were exposed on barren rocks, a prey to the storms and wintry blasts. As in the course of human progress men saw the cruelty of this practice, they took steps, crude and rough enough at first, to save the children. Even but a century ago, little diseased, misshapen tots were crowded into alms- houses and allowed to fare as best they could. Modern ideas have changed these conditions still more. Homes and institutions have now been established at points of greatest need, and these are always filled to their limit. At Sea Breeze, near New York City, there exists a home for children afflicted with tuberculosis. During the summer

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THE ORACLE 1s VALEDICTORY ADDRESS TOSTHE “GEASS. BY EDGAR WELLS FREEMAN. Classmates—As we stand together at the close of these our commence- ment exercises, | know no words that can fully express my feelings. But there runs in my mind the story of an ancient Greek myth, that seems best suited to describe my thoughts. There was once a sculptor, poor and unrecognized and not far from starvation’s door. He was an artist, how- ever, and one day there came to his shop a wealthy lover of art, who ad- mired his work, and ordered to be executed a piece of sculpture which must be of exceptional merit, no matter what the cost. The poor workman, eager for an opportunity to display the talent which he was sure he pos- sesst, undertook the task. He procured a huge block of ivory white marble, quarried from the heart of Mt. Pentelicus, and unceasingly he made the blows of his hammer and chisel to resound thru the little village. Grad- ually, as the dim outline of a beautiful female figure shaped itself in the gleaming marble, the sculptor worked more and more eagerly, for he felt his whole heart and soul drawn toward the wonderful work he was pro- ducing. The vague outline became daily more definite, the figure more apparent, and the humble creator marveled at the superb glory that smiled before him. Soon the figure stood out complete, and as the beauty and loveliness of this perfect human form shone out in a divine radiance, the master-workman’s admiration and love for his splendid creation surpassed all bounds. He had watched his idol throughout its formation, until he had grown to love it as a human being; and now that it was finisht, it was to be his no longer. How could he part with it, his hope, his life, his all? The same conflict of emotions possesses us tonight. During the four years that we have been together, we have grown in stature, and, I trust, in grace and understanding; certainly in love for our Alma Mater. We have knit together ties of friendship with each other, with our fellow- students, with our teachers, that shall last as long as life. But tonight, the stern voice of destiny calls us apart. As we go, let us not fail to cherish the happy memories and friendships formed during these years of fellow- ship, and let each one of us put into his work, heart and soul and that fine spirit, that the sculptor devoted to his greatest achievement. And now, until we meet again, my class-mates, I bid you farewell.