Janus in Modern LifePetrie, W. M. Flinders (William Matthew Flinders)
Philosophy
Janus in Modern Life
Petrie, W. M. Flinders (William Matthew Flinders)
Civilization; Progress
We should need a Board of Health in each area of about 10,000
inhabitants, composed of three examining doctors. Every child on
leaving school, or at about fifteen, should be examined, merely by a
glance at the greater bulk of normal cases, but carefully in extreme
cases. The finest 5 per cent. both mentally (shown by school-leaving
certificates) and physically as well, should be premiated by assisted
higher education of suitable type. The worst 10 per cent. should be
remanded to a training school where physical and mental development
would be scientifically carried out, and as much profit as possible
made from their labour toward self-support. This would reclaim the
hooligan class effectually before they run amuck, and help on those
who need care and assistance to get a good footing in life. No course
could possibly be kinder for the weaklings. At the age of twenty a
further examination of both the best and the worst classes should
ensue. The best half of the most able should receive a certificate
granting them practically free support for all children they may have
after they have reached the age of twenty-five. The worst half of the
most incapable, or 5 per cent. of all, should be required to report
residence during their lives to the Board of Health of their district,
and informed that if they had any children they must pay a heavy fine,
or else go into servitude. This would practically mean the segregation
of the lowest class of the unfits under compulsory work. It would be
cheaper to the state to keep them thus at work, than to pay poor rates
to maintain this submerged twentieth and their helpless families.
In all these proposals there would be no Socialistic constraint of the
great majority, which is normal in mind and body. But such attention
to the unfit would be merely adding a porch to the poorhouse, the
hospital, and the asylum, and there sorting over the material which can
be possibly saved from a bad end. The nine-tenths of people who were
ordinary would be thus left even more free for individual growth than
they now are, when hampered by the inefficient residue.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account