The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-15
INTERESTED IN WAITS
BOYS AND GIRLS NATIONAL HOME
ASSOCIATION IN SESSION.
The Attendance a Mere HandfuI-Cur-
few Law and Other Remedies Dis
cussed-The Mayors Welcome.


opening in Y. NJ C. A. Hall yesterday
morning, as the attendance was small. Dur
ing the day, however good deal of inter-
est was shown in the work the association
has before it and the various topics that
were discussed. Last night Mayor Taggart
delivered an address of welcome, to which
Alexander Hogeland, president of the asso-
citation. responded.
At the forenoon meeting addresses were
made by c. L. Martin, Rev. B. F. Rawlins,
c. D. Meigs, d. NJ. Geeting, d. K. Goss,
Mrs. Sperry and others. President Hoge-
land explained the work that mas been ac-
complished by the association. He said that
it had inaugurated legislation to prevent
boy trampng, to separate adult and young
prisoners, to protect children with vicious
and degraded parents, beside which en-
ployment bureaus have been established
and laws to prevent children roaming the
streets at night have been passed.
In the afternoon Mrs. May Wright Sewall
and Miss Celia Smock discussed plans for
preventing gambling and rioting among
street boys and to prevent either boys or
girls from staying upon the streets late
at night. Mrs. Sewall spoke very strongly
in favor Of curfew law as the best thing
to keep boys and girls off the streets at
night Miss Smock also looked on curfew
laws as valuable in keeping children out of
evil associations. Another thing that would
keep children off the streets would be more
attractive homes. She thought the many
young peoples associations could do no
more noble work than look after the young
girls who roam the streets. During her re-
marks Miss Smock referred to the work
that is being done in the Junior Republic
at Freesville, N. Y. A. M Wright, of the
department of public instructions, Albany,
N. Y. spoke quite extensively on the work
that is being done in this novel community,
where the boys and girls from the slums
of New York city play at self-government.
While much good was done and the boys
and girls appreciated the consideration they
were shown, at the same time Mr.. Wright
said that such experiments must be pro-
ductive of danger unless they were held in
complete control by powerful hand like
that of Mr.. George. Mr.. Wright said he
came expecting to receive information
about the curfew law, against which there
is some opposition in Eastern cities.
INDUSTRIAL TRAINING.
Mrs. M. c. Smith made some practical
suggestions with regard to plans for secur-
ing homes for orphans and dependent chill
dren. She asserted that children should be
permitted to spend portion of each day
In Industrial training schools, where prac-
teal work could be taught in order to fit
them for places in desirable homes. ]. Cum
ming Smith, pastor of the Tabernacle
Presbyterian Church, looked upon the in
dustrial training school idea as closely al
lied with the curfew. He spoke of the
great work that has been done by the ladies
who manage the Saturday afternoon school
at Tomlinson Hall, and expressed regret
that 1T is not located in permanent quarters.
Alice B. Graydon, superintendent OF the
Boys Club, answered negatively the ques-
ton: Should dependent boys and girls,
when able bodied, be supplied with clothes
and food gratuitously, without first giving
them a chance to earn these articles?"
Miss Graydon spoke in general way OF
boys tba beonr TO the c nb Meetnes for
mothers are held each week and. practical
talks on making their homes more attrac-
tive and pleasant are given. The mothers,
she said, are willing, and all they need is
to be taught. When the boys are physically
able to perform some sort of labor they are
required to earn the clothing which is given
them This seems to create a feeling of
self-respect and independence.
Mrs E. J. Foster and Mrs. F. A. Potter
both spoke in favor of the establishment
by the different States of agricultural and
mechanical schools for teaching and max
ing useful tbo men out of the boy ramps
out of the city were Mrs. j. S. Sperry, of
the State Board of Charities, Pueblo. Col:
Z. Is. Gardner. DeS MONIES, Ia. e. Il. Mar
tin. of the Newsboys' Home, Louisville
KY: Ellis c. Anderson. of West Virginia;
the Rev. B. F. Rawlins, Rising Sun, Ind;
Milton Gray, city councilman, Muncie, Ind;
Joshua HI. Enos, mayor of ShelbyviIle; Da-
vid l.. Wilson, ex-mayor of Shelbyville.
MAYOR FAVORS THE CURFEW.
At the evening session, after the devotion
al exercises, Prof. Arthur NJ. Wright, of
Albany, N. Y, was chosen to preside. There
were but thirty people present, and upon
taking the chair Prof. Wright remarked
that he had come a great way to attend
rather small gathering. He had always
understood that the people of the West were
very enthusiastic in attendance upon gath
erings in the midst of them. However, it
was not always numbers that attained re-
suits, and he hoped to see the influence of
the gathering spread all over the country.
Mayor Taggart was then introduced and
made brief address of welcome. He said
came here and began his work for the re-
form and salvation of boys and girls by
obtaining for them homes and employment
He had worked very hard in the cause, and,
though it true that the attendance was
not up to his expectations, the colonel, al
ways cheerful was certain there would be
moro present on the morrow. He agreed
with the chairman that the number in at
tendance did not always measure the infiu-
ence OF a meeting Much depended upon
the heart and energy that were thrown into
the work. He believed the curfew was
one OF the best ana most necessary reforms
to which public attention had been called.
He had been writing to the mayors of a
large number of cities, and from all had
come the response that 1T was an excellent
thing. The government of the future rested
with the children of to-day, and credit was
due this association for recognizing this
fact and endeavoring to take care Of the
children. He knew that boys of from eight
to twelve were on the streets in droveS
after night. If curfew ordinance were
passed he would take pleasure in signing it
and assisting in its enforcement. In closing
he babe the delegates welcome to the city,
and hoped their meeting would prove a sue
cess in every respect.
Colonel Hogeand responded briefly to the
address, declaring that he had been received
with great cordially in this, city and the
pulpitS had been thrown open TO him. He
then read his address upon the origin, aims
and results of the association. He showed
by statistics that crime among youth was
confined almost exclusively to the cities
towns and villages and that only about one
fourth of the urban population was negli-
gent in the care of children. He told of
the method of the association in sending
out blank circulars of inquiry to the police
authorities through the executives of the
various States. He regretted that out of
four hundred sent out this year only one
hundred replies had been received, but these
showed the arrest of 1871, 600 boys and girls
during the year. Ihe association had drawn
up and recommended five different laws
of which he regarded the curfew ordinance
as the most important He gave statistics
and the expressions of law officers of many
cities showing the benefits of the curfeW
law After Colonel Hogeland's address a
number of brief talks We're made by dele
gates present.
--@-O-p-
Eastern knights Coming.
Maj. Gen. James r. Carnahan yesterday
received from Col f O. PhillinS IF Roqfon