The record-union., 1897-01-27
PROTECTION FOR CHILDREN.
Monthly Meeting Of the Local Society
Last Night.
Difficulty as to Its Duty-Necessity
For a Temporary
Shelter.

The monthly meeting Of the Society
Tor the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
met last evening at the office of Superin-
tendent Erlewine The Board OF Di-
rectors met first at o'clock with Presi-
dent Herrick in the chair.
Secretary Simon made a long and
deeply interesting report that included
many cases in which the deepest SYM
pathies of the directors were at once
enlisted Others We're of a character
that are clearly cases for criminal
courts, others for commitment to re-
form schools, others in which all that is
needed is a home for unfortunate chill
dren, who if not removed from atmos-
pheres of crime and vice, Will presently
be charges upon society and burdens TO
government.
He reported that Alice Hogeman, aged
IA, has been secured guardianship OF the
society, and now wants a home where
she can work and earn her living and
lay by something of her wage. She is a
strong, good girl, befriended by the
society. A case of children needing re-
moval from cruel influences was re-
ported from Placer County. He had re-
ferred it to Placer authorities. The de-
tails of the late conviction of the Greek
assailant of a girl were given.
The case of a girl of who appears
to be almost irreclaimable, though so
young, exercised the board very much
AT present the child is in good hands,
but cannot long be kept there. What to
do with her is puzzle. The case of the
Nichols children was another one that
was complex. The Dean children had
been disposed of most happily and with
fine promise for their future. The Roy
Gould case was reported on, and that of
Chester Gould was given, as on hand.
the boy being in Jail awaiting action.
Several other cases were reported.
in which names are withheld. Treasurer
Erlewine reported total receipts S3OS,
disbursements sos 30
The Secretary reported that the City
Trustees had generously allowed 500
month toward paying the special officer
of the society, as the association is doing
good work for the city, and he advised
appealing to the Supervisors for aid in
that direction, as much of the work of
the society is in the county outside the
city limits and related to saving county
cost by preventing children becoming
criminal and dependent charges.
At s o'clock the society met. there
being a large attendance, especially of
earnest women. The advice of the di-
rectors was adopted rendering Daniel
Healy $50 a month to serve as special
officer so much Of his time as he can
devote for that sum, with the promise
to make it larger as soon as the So
ciety is able and he can give his full
time to the work. Mr.. Healy accepted
for the time being This Will relieve the
society very much, and leave its small
regular income for pressing expenses.
officer Healy then made his report.
He went over the same cases reported
to the directors by the Secretary, with
details as desired and several other
cases besides. Five of them he was in
structed to proceed upon at once and
push to the end. Others he is to more
fully examine into and act upon, under
advice of the Secretary and President.
The officer reported his diversion of
two female children who We're being
taken by their mother into the place of
the notorious Lynn late at night. The
report aroused much indignation among
the members and an outburst Of feeling,
but it seemed impossible to order any
thing done in the matter Certainly its
details cannot be printed.
In the middle Of his report the officer
raised the question. What am | to do
with children that ought to be detained
for a time until they can be well dis
posed Of. Complaint is made about our
putting so many children in prisons fer
even temporary detention, and about
trying to send so many to reform
schools for the county to pay fQr?"
This question brought on a fine dis
cussiOn Of the question as to just where
the line should be drawn, if at all, be-
tween strict duty of the society and
cases where, however much they may
quicken its sympa thies it should not
act. but leave the subjects to the off
GERS Of the law to follow or neglect.
Mr.. Woodson felt that the simple
question Of what is cruelty to children
should be decided once for all and de-
terrnine the line of action. The society
might be in dagger of undertaking tasks
that ii viii be impossible to perform.
Is ii it's duty to constitute itself an
agency to reform all the criminal chill
dren in the county and care for and
dispose of the incorrigibles. or rather
to save to good uses in society those
who are unfortunate. deserted, or
phaned and cruelty used? Does cruelty
relate to possible effects upon the child
by reason of it's environment, or rather
to lnfringements upon the rights of
children by bodily pain, starvation,
deprivation of shelter and care teach
inc to beg 10 drink liquors. and 10
steal?
Mr.. Erlewine thought both body and
soul were involved in the work. The
several hundred citizens in the society
are there TO help save children save
able. to Sequester those dangerous To
be at large and TO succor those in need
of protection from environment as well