THE PROBLEM OF DOMESTICATION 



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education of the schools in the dense than in the scattered 

 condition. There can be no doubt, however, that the practi- 

 cally complete separation of the most of our cities from all 

 educative contact with the ancient companions and helpers 

 of men bringrs about an omission of an element in culture 

 that may entail serious consequences. 



The question arises as to what can be done to diminish 

 the evils which come from the total separation of a laro-e 

 part of our people from the humanizing influences due to 

 the care of animals. How general this separation is may be 

 judged from the fact that so far as I have been able to find 

 in the manufacturing towns of Massachusetts not one child 

 in thirty ever knew what it is to care for any creature, save 

 those of its kind. And even in a well-conditioned place like 

 Cambridge, the proportion of those who have any educative 

 contact with animals probably does not exceed one in fifteen. 

 I do not reckon the mere chance playing with a dog or cat 

 as serving the need ; the real service is when the person has 

 a sense of responsibility for the life of the animal. To bring 

 about this relation in the ordinary conditions of a town is 

 usually impossible. Something can, however, be accom- 

 plished by various expedients. 



In the lowest state of townspeople it is out of the ques- 

 tion to give the children any pets whatever. Even caged 

 birds cannot or should not be accommodated in the cheaper 

 grade of lodging-houses. AVherever the animals are in 

 separate houses it is often possible for children to have some 

 contact with sympathetic animal life. In these conditions 

 our cocks and hens are the best creatures to rear. They are 

 the most attractive of all our domesticated birds ; they do 

 better than any other forms of economic value in narrow con- 



