“THE FAMILY.”

Shannon News, 1 October 1926, Page 3

“THE FAMILY.”

j W.E.A. LECTURE. f The 24th and final lecture under the auspices of the Levin haunch of the W.E.A. was given in Williams’ Tea Rooms on Tuesday evening at 7.30, the President, Mr P. W. Goldsmith, presiding over a good attendance. The lecturer (the Rev. J. D. McArthur) prefaced his remarks by a reference to Benjamin Kidd’s “Science of Power,” wherein is stated that the centre of power is emotion and this power will centre in woman. His contention is that as the fighting male is the instant doer; he will not Avait for the sequences of life to develop and, because woman has the greater endurance, she must of necessity assume control. If this he so-, then the mother an the family Avill hold a still higher place than ever. The family in its moral aspects has one end, the common good of all its members, and this may he studied from three angles. 1. —Marriage converts an attachment between man and woman, either of passion or of friendship, into a deliberate, intimate, permanent, responsible union for. a common end of mutual good. It is this common end which lifts passion from the impulsive to the moral plane. 2. —The family is the great social agency for the care and training of the race. 3. This function reacts upon the character of the parents in evoking tenderness, sympathy, self-sacrifice, responsibility, etc. HISTORY OF THE FAMILY. There are lavo outstanding historical types: the ‘maternal’’ and the “paternal.” When a man left his father and mother to “cleave unto his Avife”—Avhen the man left his group or clan and went to the, woman’s clan, this had the effect of giving her continued protection and made the children belong to the mother’s clan. But when the woman goes to the man’s group—while it ■may mean a possible loss of fathers and brothers’ protection—a greater degree of authority may he vested in the husband, making for a greater permanence. The patriarchal hype of family at its best meant that the dignity and power of: the husband and father was enhanced, and the respective attitudes of “protector” and “protected” enhanced the claim of each for the other. At its worst it meant domineering brutality, and either abject submission, or the misery of hopeless injustice. Along with “father-right’’ came variations in the mode of obtaining a wife. When a man takes a Avife instead of going to a Avife, he may buy her, or capture her, or serve for her. In any of these cases she is something less than a wife—she is his property, considered under a psychological aspect. Th© subject must be studied under two heads: — 1. of husband and wife. 2. That of parents and children, brothers and sisters.

The complex sentiment, love, which is found in the most perfect family life is on the one hand a feeling of and a will. Both these are modified emotion, and on the other a purpose by parenthood and social and religious influences. If man Avere living whollv a life of Instinct, he might hunt "instinct as a guide in establishing a family. But since he is living an intellectual and social life as well, these considerations have weight. Modern society demands lifelong companionship between the tAvo and the care of the children just as long as they held it. Biologically the male is more variable and motor than the female and .while he has greater initiative and strength is apt to become hard and coarse Avithout the female; the Avoman, partly by instinct, certainly by vocation is largely occupied with the variety of cares. INFLUENCE OF PARENTHOOD. Parental affection is never present •until one’s own children evoke it. Nature takes only one step at a time. Were all the results of family life to be definitely forecasted and classed at the outset many would not venture into it. But at the outset the mutual love of husband and wife is sufficient. The love of parents for tlicir children lies an ' instructive basis. Those species of life that have cared for their going have had a great advantage in the struggle for existence nature selects them and is constantly dropping the strain of any race or set (which cares for wealth or power or learning more than for children. Tenderness, courage, responsibility, patience, (forethought are constantly being called out by th© needs of one’s own children. The instructive response is some developed into a much .broader content and one of the factors in compelling the parent to think is the habit of the child of asking questions. “Why must I always tell the truth?” is a question which may be asked l>y a child, and this may well exercise’ all the mentality and morality of the’ father to answer.

ELEMENTS OF TENSION. These arise from a multitude of courses. The man’s work so often takes him out amongst ihis fellows, the woman’s so often means that she must stay at home. His so often means system, which means that a good deal of it can he done automa : tic-ally, tier's resists system, and this •means that she is ■'constantly on the stretch.” His may be tested and appraised by a standard, that of comparison with others her’s has no such professional stimulus, and it the members of the household are lenient, it is easy for her to lower her standard. The man comes into contact with others in an abstract way—they are customers, clients, patients, etc., and can be, and are, handled very largely professionally; this means that personal effort is not expended to a very great degree; the woman cannot do her various tasks in ’a professional way, she has to give attention to ealch detail and this means the expenditure of nervous energy. Frayed nerves due to monotony and exhaustion-are the result arid it is easy then for friction to show itself. Difference m

ages between parent and child also means a continual readjustment. The parent is set, and is not likely to alter unless a good reason is forthcoming. The child is experimenting and is apt to seek fresh channels. The conservatism of the parent .and the impatience of the child often come to grips and there is conflict—between order and change, reason and impulse. Some parents'do not realise how early the sense of justice is developed in their children and fail to realise that oftentimes their decisions from the viewpoint of j the children are utterly unjust, and I therefore resented. Elements of frici tion are induced through the economic change—many industries former--Ily carried on in’ the family—bread, soap and boot-making, * tailoring, spinning, weaving, iron and woodworking—are now carried on in factories. Men and women are now employed in the factory and this means that for long hours at a stretch the children are deprived of the association of one or both parents. This also means that where formerly the wife—as a joint agent in production had her share in the wealth of the family—now the husband gets the wage and has formed the habit of thinking that because he supplies the money for household expenses, he is now “supporting” ‘ his wife and children. . To adopt this attitude is just as if a manager claimed to support all tile staff under his direction. The end of the family is not one of economic profit, but of mutual aid and the continuance of.the race,, and in this there ought to be no sense of superiority or inferiority. Added to the influence of the family in production, we must not overlook its influence as consumer. The mother has not only to buy economically, but with due regard' to conditions under which the goods are made. She must pay attention to books, plays, pictures, to decent wages to. reasonable hours of labour, and sanitary conditions of factories. Not only this. She must teach her children to want these things- also. DIVORCE. This is a symptom of a disease which may have a variety of causes. As the skilful medical practitioner ! to-day aims to give greater “resisting power’’ to his patient, so the stuI dent of social welfare must aim at removing the causes of disease in society. Among savage peoples where the paternal type of family exists, there is greater freedom of divorce for- the husband than for the wife. He may commit a breach of } moral law and escape any penalty, j the wife, however, may run the risk I of the death penalty for the- same ; offence. The dual law exists even in', i this country—this must be attacked j so that what is sauce for the goose * must also be sauce for the gander. Poverty, crime, social injustice, etc., must not be regarded as necessary evils, the causes that make for divorce must bo isolated and eliminated. With regard to the future, we need have no fear. The constant remaking of values, the setting up of new ideals, the outgoing of sympathy alone—all these have their influence. If we “prove all things,” and hold fast to that .which is good” \v e are safe. As mail was the last created and the best, he stands in a summit with nothing between him and God. As long as he counts God in all'is well; as soon as he adopts any moral system which ignores God then it is -foredoomed to utter failure, and he to grievous disappointment. CLOSING SOCIAL. After the lecture the meeting decided to recommend to the executive that the subject for study N for next session be (1) Sociology; (2)' Appreciation of Music. 1 During the course of his valedictory remarks the president (Mr Goldsmith) spoke of the spirit of goodwill and co-operation -between the students and tutor and of the success of the session. Hie also moved hearty vote of thanks to the Press, the County Council and the Borough Council for their help towards the work. Mr McAllister moved a vote of appreciation to the tutor for the ahle manner in which he had dealt with the subject for study. These remarks were endorsed by the secretary and. other students. Th tutor replied in a few well chosen words and thanked the class for their assistance and sympathy. Mr Gayne, on behalf of the studends, thanked the secretary (Mr W. , G. Bishop) for .the efficiency of the general arrangements. At the conclusion of the business a very pleasant social hour was spent, during which a number of most enjoyable vocal and instrumental items were given; those contributing being, Miss Astridge, recitation Miss Hutton, pianoforte solo; Miss J. Mottershead, accompanist; Mr Mottershead, solo; Messrs Jones, . Denton, Taylor and Mottershead, quartette. The social ended with the singing of “Auld Lang Syne.”