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Show -t ; . Doesn't Believe in "Kids" Courting. "After twenty years' experience in the confessional confes-sional I have come to some certain opinions on the question of dancing and courting among the you::;; people. I know that the practice of 'keeping company,' com-pany,' as they call it among children below p promotes pro-motes immorality and leads to intimacy that ought not to exist. Boys should be by themselves and girls also by themselves during their school da,. They will attend to their studies much better. So said Father Lochman, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes church, Marinette, Wis., in an interview inter-view regarding his recent sermon upon courting, and dancing, which has caused a profound impression impres-sion in this city and led to the publication in local papers of many expressions of approval. "I have seen the young people going home." he continued, "the boys and girls hand in hand, thinking, not of the things that ought to. occupy their minds. These love affairs also disturb the work of the classes and generally have a demoralizing demoral-izing influence. There cannot possibly any good come from it. It is seldom that courtships formed j in school result in marriage. The young people soon become tired of each other. AH courting ought to be with the end of marriage in view. Therefore I do not believe the time of the young people should be taken up during their school days in the manner I have spoken of. "And just as demoralizing is the custom of school children in attending dances. They ought not to be kept up late hours. The time they spend in the dance hall might better b? put on their studies. It is my observation that many a young girl has been corrupted by the evil influence of the dance. It is soon enough for the young people to think of dancing- after they leave school, and I believe they would be as well off if they never danced. "If the mothers and fathers, who think their children entirely innocent, could listen to some of the things that come to my ears as a priest they would shed bitter tears. I have nearly .V0 chil: dren in my parish school, and I intend to enforce to the letter the order that there will be no courting court-ing or dancing. The first one that breaks this rigid rule will be expelled without a hearing. I have taken this stand after a long consideration of the subject, and I. believe it is the one that will benefit bene-fit the children most and assist in maintaining the discipline and scholarship of the schools. 1 am intrusted as much with the spiritual as the mental welfare of the children, and I am taking the action ac-tion that I consider necessary. j, "I believe that if the testimony of teachers m other schools was taken they would coninoido with, me, and, lastly, there is another practice which condemn strongly, and it is that of school dren running the streets after dark. They otigW to be home at that time, and it is on the streef' that many of them learn the things which result in their moral downfall." |