The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-04-10
JUVENILE DELINQUENTS.
EORTY YEARS, EXPERIENCE IN THE
HOUSE or REFUGE
superintendent Jones's Observations or the
Causes or NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
ana Improvidencc the Founaatio"-BoSs
shut Out by Labor ORGANIZATIONS.

ofllco as superintendent OF the House OF
Refuge on R.ndals Island. Ho has boen
connected with tho institution for forty
years. Ho was country boy and was edu-
Gated In the common schools OF his native
State Connecticut. Ho began to teach school
mt the age of Ii. In 1851 he learned that
an assistant superintendent was needed
ut tho House OF Rofugo. and as no
WIS acquainted with tho superintendent then
; III oitce-.Iohn W. Kctchum-he was chosen
BY the Board OF Managers for the position OF
assistant After the death OF Mr.. ketchum. in
1888. he was made Superintendent. The
House of Refuge is under the direction OF the
Bssrd OF Managers OF tho Society Tor the
Reformation of Juvenile Deinauents. which
grow out OF the Society for the Prevention OF
pauperism. which was .estaDis he'd in New
York In 1917.
+ "DuEing the forty years that have been
connected with tho House Of Refuge" Mr..
Jonos said. "thcre have been upward of 10000
dolinquents. boys and girls. committed to the
institution The girls department is under the
Immediate caro- OF tho matron. and have not
had an intimate acquaintance with the in
mates OF that department. but sufficient to
know thor gonoral characteristics. With tho
boys have been moro intimate. and for many
years was directly with them. constant in
their care during the day and night. These
boys camo from various conditions in life. Tho
most OF them. rs tho statistics show. camo
from poor homes. Very few Of tho parents had
AM property beyond tho scanty furniture
which they called their own. As u rule. they
wero thriftless and inclined to bs improvidrnt.
That, undoubtedly. Is the foundation. in u
largo degree. OF the delinquency Of their chill.
dren. This thriftlessness and. improydenco
led to many orher OWLS: undoubtedly tho
use OF intoXlc ants. in n large measure. has
t.,i fN iyl,ttf I.ltv. Itn
MOST OF these chiidren have been raised.
"Ananer Source Of juvenile Delinquency
narsnts putting thor children very y'y early in
life IN such occupation Us viii bring in an I'M
are, suoh us to require ali tire ai
tint they can got got from any source; and
arc very limited and. in many et them. the
tendency is to demoraiization. Thoy associ-
that restraint. and control which is necessary
for htldren. they arc likely to assume contro!
thought. speech. and action which. tend to do
moralization and debasement of character.
a1ss
becoms He" with tho Saross notions traks.
they keep. aud IT, " have little relish for npv-
thing that is substantial or ecvating or which
children very often compose a considerable
part OF tho outlying sunday schools OF tho
various CnuroneS. ana IL Is observed that tho
COST lust preceding the time for excur-
si}ns in the sumner winner and hsv for holiday
to relish for nttea e School for tho
purpose of learning the Scriptures. and. thore-
g HG Sss
also. very largely from the people with whom
f1sy G aep M these
sssEs sSs various !IP %st5ods Pssesssa t. his
ample. The boys, become q little confused as
70 the tS thsp G hands, w Mbsh
they ' have an opportunity to N fllc INT It
they G {, it. Is easier ipr them t. take property
habit Of pilferInG.
tions cease t. nave much attraction for them.
enter upon u little wider line Of employment
En- sittes they naturally seek sec trades And such
at the outset their deficiency IN education.
when Q boy has an ambition to learn q trade
he will overcome those deficiencies by tho
extra application no will make, at tho night
schools, the mechanical schools. and other
means which are afforded SO freely for u boys
improyemont. But they also, find that the
the absurd and unreasonable exactions and
prohibitions of the labor organizations: they
which the public are deeply Interested 1t
cannot be denied that any trade or occupation
aas nh In sriah to Its
such rules and regulations as are reasonable
and proper to secure that end. But they mai Ike "a
prohibition SO that nobody else shall obtain II
position which they themselves can keep only
for q short time.tor the productive life Of a
years. leaving as he goes off the stage OF ac-
ton. An opening for another For this reason
OF tho water have found it advantageous to
come oyer hero. and the supply Of mechanics
which should naturally come from the appren-
lea In 0nn frv ntNn frnI n olnr
OF mechanics and skilled workmeu that como
from the other side. and the boys OF our own
OF late years this disadvantage has. In a
mSsasuFe been n the trade schools
has made It possible Tor this q ass Of Young
men TO become mechanics. He has opened IN
9dmtrnble trade i School in the upper part of
ure. Of overcoming tho disadvantage under
STl Which, IL these es" young men men labor The Pratt
in this direction. Tho plan of giving mechan-
zeal or technical instruction IN the public
sufficiently developed so that we can predict
with any certainty what the result VIII be. but
there is Grent Lope that lead to
not sufficient. These enterprises provide for
only a, fractional part OF those who would
cations, When all, these schools, nrn filled
IA or 10 years OF age to 10 or 20. who can have
no opportunity whatever, to avail themseiye.
OI tnCSe advantages, ana SO became 'tuullIleu
fora Dettcr occupation in life A hcttor reno
dy. or supplementary and enlarged remcdy.
to Iberlly open their ran!is for tho training
OF young apprentices: that these boys
SHOULD DO kent ~ APPRENTICES. receiving
port until they become thorough me-
chnncs, In the TRADE schools there is
gets ali the theory Of q mechanic no cannot
get tho practical part which il really neces-
sary to mako lin a lirst-class, olkman: ~.
n M Dtin nat pnnt 81 a . M Iar
IN every part. Tho labor unions. in this ro-
speet. should be liberal and takein their ranks
all TINT seek employment In their respective
trades and encourage thsm.
THE opportunity in these reformGtnries OF
thoroughly teaching child a trade is limited.
and. we may say. impracticable unless the hos
should he detained for fIom four 10 six years
and Tor that purpose, hecause his reformation,
hit IL eoin: to be- effected ut all. will be So
cured IN less time than that; Therefore, if he
IL detained longer han that time it must be for
the purpose Of completing his knowledge of a
trade. Now charity must DO Just as wei rs gen;
erous Charity Is not as plentiful III the world
as to mako it possible 10 bentow It liheraily
and probably upon unworthy objects. In this
country we do not want to incucate Il feel ing
Id any class that they can draw their suppic5
from the public treasury, and that they Will b5