The Dangerous Classes of New York, and Twenty Years' Work Among ThemBrace, Charles Loring
History
The Dangerous Classes of New York, and Twenty Years' Work Among Them
Brace, Charles Loring
Child welfare -- New York (State) -- New York; New York (N.Y.) -- Social conditions; Poor -- New York (State) -- New York
How gratifying when I enter the School to see the oldest of the
attendants, but a few years ago illiterate and totally ignorant of
everything around them, reading papers, and quoting, discriminating, and
discussing the topics of the day, and forming a more or less correct
idea of the state of things in the land of their adoption and in other
parts of the world! Gratifying, indeed, to see these children, but a few
years ago without any idea of patriotism, without any other principle to
guide their judgment and actions than the natural impulses of a degraded
selfishness, exchange intelligent views upon the moral standing and
tendency of the political parties in this and in their native country!
Many times I have been astonished at the extensive information and sound
opinions they display in commenting upon contemporaneous events. The
MORAL IMPROVEMENT.
which has been accomplished is still more extensive and sensible. At
first sight the visitor is enabled to draw a line between old and new
pupils by noticing the intelligent and clean appearance, quick
perception, and admirable behavior of the former, and the dull,
downcast, rough, and thoughtless countenances of the latter. It is
surprising that all these children were accustomed to wash their faces
only on Sundays, and it takes even now some time to induce them to do it
daily. Still, it is undeniable that, as a class, they possess an earnest
appreciation of good habits, only it is, to say so, an abstract idea as
yet with them, and needs development.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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