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Riis, Jacob A., 1849-1914

"The Making of an American"

I am not going to discuss here plans for
mending this neglect, but I can think of three that would work; one
of them does work, if not up to the top notch--the public school.
In its ultimate development as the neighborhood centre of things,
I would have that the first care of city government, always and
everywhere, at whatever expense. An efficient parish districting is
another. I think we are coming to that. The last is a rigid annual
enrolment--the school census is good, but not good enough--for
vaccination purposes, jury duty, for military purposes if you
please. I do not mean for conscription, but for the ascertainment
of the fighting strength of the State in case of need--for anything
that would serve as an excuse. It is the enrolment itself that I
think would have a good effect in making the man feel that he is
counted on for something; that he belongs as it were, instead of
standing idle and watching a procession go by, in which there is
no place for him; which is only another way of saying that it is
his right to harass it and levy tribute as he can.


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