The million-peopled city
Garwood, John
1853
The especial Claims of Girls.
It must not be, however, understood from previous observations that are only for boys. The number of girls is as large. Fewer by far of these have been, or are likely to be, in prison. But this is not because they are more free from the sin of theft, although they are probably not so adventurous in stealing large amounts. But | |
82 | the public is more unwilling to prosecute girls than boys for theft, under any circumstances. And the breach of the eighth commandment with girls is so almost universally associated with a breach of the seventh commandment also, that the fear of exposure in the latter particular generally causes those who are robbed to prefer with quietness to submit to the loss. If, however, the public welfare, so far as the expense of punishment is concerned, is less interfered with by criminal girls than by criminal boys, it is in other and more important respects imperilled to a far greater extent. , the authoress of "" who for the last 17 years has devoted herself to this class, with a zeal which may put to shame most of those whose zeal to their Redeemer professes to be founded on a recognition of his essential Deity, has observed on this subject:- |
"I greatly lament that there has not been as yet that attention paid to the condition of girls which I think to be exceedingly necessary, for although girls may be considered altogether, as rather more virtuous than boys, if they are kept out of temptation, yet when they do once fall into vice, they are even more dangerous to society. It is, therefore, very important that greater attention should be directed than has hitherto been done to girls, especially when we remember that they are to be the mothers of the next generation. I have known numerous instances in which a family has been well brought up, with a bad father and a good mother, but I have NEVER known an instance of a family being otherwise than vicious with a bad mother." | |
Nor has less success attended the efforts made for ragged girls. The same authoress states,- | |
"In 'the perishing and dangerous class' girls are very far sunk below boys. Nevertheless, when we can get | |
83 | them under influence, and we have at times collected in the school some very miserable ragged girls, there has been a more striking and perceptible effect produced upon them in a short time than upon the boys. Therefore I believe that proper influences brought to bear upon them before they are fixed in sin would prove very efficient." |