CHAPTER XIII 



THE FAMILY 



It is a truism to remark that the welfare of 

 the child is closely bound up with that of the 

 family. Any influence that weakens the status 

 of the family and the home is at once disas- 

 trously reflected upon the developing child. 

 The necessity for strengthening and conserving 

 family relations, as far as possible, in all indi- 

 vidual and social endeavors is not only shown 

 in beneficial practical results but has a deep 

 philosophic reason as well. The family stands 

 at the foundation of the complete fabric of civ- 

 ilization. 



John Fiske elaborates this thought in his Out- 

 lines of Cosmic Philosophy, and it may be of 

 interest to quote some of his words, — *'The 

 feature by which the most rudimentary human 

 family group is distinguished from any colloca- 

 tion of kindred individuals among gregarious 

 mammals is the pennanent character of the 

 relationships between its constituent members. 



IS7 



