DUTY OF H UMA NE SOCIE TY 33 



organization or interested person was behind it; but as soon as 

 that impetus was withdrawn, the subject was gradually crowded 

 out or forgotten altogether. After a painstaking survey extending 

 over many years, it was this fact that convinced the author of the 

 bill of its necessity. Active live interest, on the part of humani- 

 tarians combined with the effective arm of the law, should make 

 New York State the leader in humane educational matters. 



Let us consider some of the means by which humane societies 

 may make this law a pleasant feature of the school work — ways 

 by which the teacher often burdened with duties far beyond her 

 strength, may see in this a possible help — an inspiration — a 

 broader vision. It is a recognized fact that in many of our schools 

 some form of ethical instruction is a daily part of the school life; 

 either by the methods adopted by those who believe that children 

 should be taught kindness and justice, through the medium of 

 kindness to animals, or in some other manner, but it was to make a 

 common practice of teaching humanity that this law was passed. 



As a well known educator expresses it: "It is making common 

 justice a common practice. Humaneness is nothing more or less 

 than justice, and as justice is an invisible quality, there can be but 

 one kind for all creatures. It aims to encourage good thoughts and 

 feelings and the actual performance of kind acts, and offers many 

 golden opportunities for such expression. When the pupil grasps 

 all that this means, then he himself becomes a humane instructor." 

 It is by this method also that the teacher is reached. Find in her 

 that invisible something which spells humaneness and all who 

 come under her influence are unconsciously bettered. 



What inspires workers who are striving to prevent cruelty to 

 little children and helpless animals? Humaneness. What is the 

 spirit which builds hospitals and charitable institutions ? Humane- 

 ness. What is behind all the great effort that is being expended 

 on our Red Cross? Humaneness. And greatest of all, what is 

 the motive with which our country is entering upon this greatest of 

 all conflicts the world has ever known? The supreme act of 

 humaneness. 



Why then is it not the duty of even* teacher in every school, in 

 even, T state, in every country, to make this invisible quality so 

 much a part of the life of even- child, that the generations to come 

 shall be a greater, and a stronger, and a more humane people, and 

 world kindness as well as world peace shall be a reality and not a 



