Lectures to the Laity; Dr. Milton J.E. Senn on the Art and Science of Growing Up; Part 2

[Senn] During the middle of the colonial period marked by the end of the war of independence, the gradual change in the religious and education status of the child developed. The moral and religious standards of the American child were modified, becoming milder in time and permitting more pleasure to come into his life. The philosophy of secular utilitarianism in American life began to be practiced. If good conduct was practiced, it was said, it would bring temporal advantages quite as well as rewards after death. Now, some books for children caution them to be good not only to escape the punishment of hell, but also in order to be prepared for a successful life in this world. In them, children were taught that learning to spell paid off in dividends and rewards of material things. Morality, paid off, it was said, in tenfold success. "How to Make Money" was the title of a book for children, which summarized the philosophy of Americans who are developing the resources of our country.

Even the poorest boy was reminded that he had a chance to become rich, particularly if he was educated, had a trade, and was morally good and of religious bent. The development of deism helped to remove the overtones of fear which were associated with so many of the thoughts and acts of the colonial child and his parents. By 1830, rules of conduct in child rearing followed religious principles less than examples of virtue, exemplified in stories of men and women who, through honesty, thrift, industry, and sobriety, achieved success. Standards of discipline changed. Parents became increasingly aware of the fact, which today seems commonplace, that coercion itself is not discipline. Reminiscent of present day child rearing practices is the concept expressed in the 1830s that parents should appeal to reason and

disciplining and molding behavior of their children and should spare the rod, this without danger of spoiling the child. Although the colonial education system was originally religiously oriented and to a great extent church-controlled, after the Revolutionary War, secularization began and after 1780 vocational training began to be provided in a limited way within the framework of the school system. This development was not accepted readily by many of the professional educators. But with the growth of towns and cities, better methods of communication and transportation and industrialization, public education changed also. Values attributed to recreation and to the function of play were modified only slightly from the beginning to the end of the period we are discussing. The early colonists asked that recreation of the young be lawful but brief and seldom.

By 1830 play was permitted for health reasons, being qualified by the age and sex of the child and being restricted to moderation. However, the area of child care, which received the least benefit of national progress and growth, was that pertaining to physical health. While the medical profession had made advances in studies of disease pathology and in the beginning, control of the communicable diseases, there was still abundant ignorance and superstition, both within and without the field of medicine. A beginning was made in public health as cities took over care of the water supply, paved the streets, and instituted drainage of houses. The pioneers in this public health movement were laymen who, more than the physicians, worked for measures of improving community health. The second great period of American history that I would like to review with you

extends from the 1830s to 1890. During those years, the colonizing process continued to develop new ways of life, and new values. But the Americans continued to borrow ideas and philosophies from the old world and then to modify them in keeping with their own needs. This is seen particularly in the field of industrialization, and in the areas of child rearing and education. In England, and on the continent, the Great Industrial Revolution had started. As this influence was felt in America, it changed not only the methods of day labor, but habits of family living, and child care, education, and the conduct of business. It was the forerunner of the age of scientific development. With the development of the factory system, the labor market increased and many youths at early age went to work outside the family.

Children had always been valued assets in the economy of the colonies, and now continued to serve as buffers against financial insecurity. The employment of children in factories caused no shock to the public sentiment because children had always been expected to work. Few people realize the difference between work on the farm, or in the home, and in the factory where they often worked 16 hours a day. There are reports, particularly in the textile and canning industries, where children capped 40 cans per minute, where children of seven and eight years worked 12, 13 hours a day, sometimes being kept awake by having cold water dashed in their faces. And in New York City, it was brought to the attention of the authority-- that the authorities, at one time that a four-year-old child was employed making artificial flowers. Children were exploited because of shortages of labor, and their parents

were criticized when they counseled adolescents against early marriage. Society had need of children, wanted large families, and aided in the early emancipation of child from parent. This was true not only for boys, but also for girls, because there was a great need of women, not only as the bearers of children, but as workers in factory, and on farm. The child was part of the economy. In times of labor shortage he was exploited, put to work early. In times of surplus he was kept in school longer, encouraged not to marry, and to remain living within the family. In spite of the need for many children, society did not have the methods of reducing the high mortality of children. Very slowly came a realization of the benefits of conserving the life, and health of children. In the field of child rearing, ideas of reformers rose to dominance. Having

cause to rebel against what they experienced and witnessed in inhumane treatment of children, and stimulated by the European writers Rousseau and Pestalozzi, American authors increasingly criticized the artificial and excessive restraint imposed on children by adults. As a result, greater freedom was permitted children. They were listened to, and attempts were made to treat them more as individuals, having a unique status, and as equals instead of as inferiors. They were accorded rights more in keeping with their immaturity. Although there was a great difference of opinion still about the proper methods of disciplining children, as there is today, more and more of the wisdom of those who oddly were religious dissenters as well, such as the Quakers and the Unitarians, this disciplining by more permissive methods was admitted to be reasonable.

The philosophy of moral suasion, appeal to reason, and training, and resourcefulness, and independence grew in acceptance. Although opponents of these views as now claim that it led to indulgence, and weakness of the will, and was the cause of not only impudence in children, but the delinquency, and national corruption of the time. The humanitarian movement, which was to gain great momentum in the next several decades, had its real beginnings in the movement for the abolition of slavery, influenced by the antislavery movement in Europe, and by the stand taken in this country, again primarily by the Quakers. Efforts of the abolitionists increased, not only at the eradication of slavery, but also for the improvement of the welfare of Negroes, and whites alike. When the 13th Amendment was passed by Congress,

reformers were free to turn their attention to such matters as temperance, woman suffrage, and care of the unfortunate. Financial panics and the increasing urbanization brought into the foreground now problems of poverty, slum living, public health, and child labor. During the winter of 1864-'65, New York City had more than 2,000 cases of smallpox, with 600 deaths. Philadelphia, in the first year after the Civil War, had over 700 deaths due to typhoid, and 334 due to typhus. These were followed by years with even greater mortality due to epidemics of these, and other communicable diseases. In 1866, New York City established a municipal board of health ,and efforts were made to clean up tenement houses, and to vaccinate the citizens. However, care of the indigent, prisoners in jails, and the mentally sick continued to be deplorable.

Children were not differentiated from adults, as all were thrown together in overcrowded institutions. Throughout the history of this time, one is particularly struck with the great advances made in New York City. And over the years, particularly the past years, one has been encouraged by the remarkable advance of the New York City Department of Health. It is with great regret then that I come back to New York City, and find this, this very admirable Department of Health, underpaying many of its workers, not doing the job it seemed to me it is able to do, and it is to be regretted, I think. This city, that has in the past sponsored, and fostered this development of health so admirably, is now not receiving the-- at least the municipal support it deserves. The first organized protection of children was the outgrowth of humane measures improving the care of animals.

In 1874, a girl of nine, beaten, and starved by her foster mother, was carried into court here in this city as an animal, and complained to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals because there was no law for the protection of children against cruelty. In that court was organized the New York Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children. Other organizations aimed at improving the welfare of children, were developed. Many of them were part of church and religious movements, such as the nondenominational YMCA. Private philanthropists sponsored the establishment of public libraries, schools, and colleges. However, social needs continued to outrun social provision in meeting them. This was partly due to the poor management of public institutions that were set up to care for the needy. An important development in the 1870s, was the setting up

of social agencies, which attempted to bring order, and good management to private and public charity organizations. Among the most prominent examples of social agencies dealing with children was the settlement house, known as Hull House in Chicago, which started kindergartens, clubs, a day nursery for children of working mothers, and a penny savings bank. Welfare workers could not avoid recognizing the fact that people that dealt-- that the people they dealt with were usually victims of social, and economic forces, which were inhumane. This led welfare workers, despite ridicule, and taunts, which labeled them socialists, anarchists, and atheistic meddlers, to support all movements of social uplift, such as the abolition of child labor, sanitary housing, penal and public health reform, and campaigns against municipal corruption. Throughout the 18-

90s. The people of the United States of America were imbued with a feeling that although the greatest of centuries was coming to a close, still greater were yet to come. The valuation of greatest had different meaning to industrialist, factory worker, public health official, physician, social worker, and the humanitarians in general. To the latter, it meant more opportunities to cure the abuses, and injustices of society. Life in America had become complex, as then Professor Woodrow Wilson observed in a paper titled "On Being Human," 1897, quote, "Once it had been easy to be human. but now, [inaudible], anxiety, preoccupation, the need to specialize and make machines of ourselves have transformed the once simple world." End of quote. As the twentieth century started, the paradox was apparent.

Capitalists, who are accused of greedy and ruthless exploitation of working men, women, and children, lavished millions of dollars on hospitals, libraries, schools, churches, and museums. You may remember the Gospel of Wealth of Andrew Carnegie. As he said, "The millionaire is but a trustee of the poor." As panic turned out hordes of unemployed, philanthropic efforts rose and the lot of the common man in general seemed improved by the multitude of new mechanical inventions. Through labor saving within the home, and in industry. Through improved plumbing and sanitation, fire protection, water, and food purification, and public hygiene. More schools were being built in the city and country, and a high school education was sort of a normal expectation. There was a deepening conviction that ethical and humanitarian measures had a vital relationship to economics.