The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-09-10
Street Life.

Street life and it's influence is shaping
the character of the children of great
city has been the subject of much study
by the University Settlement society.
Frederick A. King who has investigated
the condition of East side life personally
in a report submitted 10 the society
gives the result OF his observations
Aside from the mischievousness OF
youngsters from which the shopkeepers
and push cart peddlers constantly suffer,
small crowds OF boys and girls are not
infrequently guilty OF pure righteousness
I'm their actions. az, for example. I'm close
ly following and abusing some intoxi-
Gated person who passes through the
streets. The effect upon the boys and
girls OF the vulgarity and all the unspeak-
able sights and sounds of the streets
reflects itself not only in their actions,
which are partly excusable because Of
their surroundings but also most re-
markably In their language. The chill
dren certainly can not realize the mean
ing of much of the language they use.
and this fact only heghtens a certain
element of grotesQueness which one often
finds In their speech. In one of the poor
ar neighborhoods a child OF years was
overheard to say 10 his mother. who had
threatened him with paternal discipline;
III papa touches me --" and then fol-
lowed an expression which was simply
astonishing coming from so young
child The mother remarked TO an on
locker Oh, amt that awful the way
he's cursin', an only a little while ago
licked him 50 for IL ! had TO pay 81 doc
tors bills afterward And this answer
shows plainly the kind OF discipline by
which only too often a parent expects TO
control his child, both i'm the home and
En Ia aNW u.
that the evil effects OF the vice OF the
streets upon the younger boys and girls
and their own attitude toward such vice
are simply heartbreaking 20 one who has
seen such conditions as they actually
exist
Among fellows OF II and over shoot
Ing craps on the street corners T. a COM
mon falling which often leads to the
commitment OF the offender TO n tuve-
nile asylum. or at least makes n easy
for him 60 take the next step. which Is
gambling at cards, iu the numerous cafes
of The district. Rolling the bones Is
0 serious evil among The older fellows
ahd allowance or sunday money often
given by the parents. as well as the
Week wages, may disappear IN an even
| lug \ most serious eVil iu the street
| life OF the older BOYS and girls is their
| behavior toward one another Many
| tenement rooms in the summer are al
| most unbcarahle ou account OF the heat
! dhd are oNetcroWdcd at other times. and
| AS result boys and girls and young
| men ahd women uf respectable families
! are alm"s uhlgct to carry on many OF
! their friendships and perhaps their love
! making, un tenement stoops or on street
CORNERS ll is easy Go imagine the result
Wneu those VINO t.. inclined toward vul-
| gar ard improper relations take advan-
| iage or such "a condition OF affairs. and
| also to Imagine thr counter effect upon
! those or respectbael character.
! n most important factor in street life
/ ana one which easily escapes the chance
| observer. is The tough gang These
| gangs are made up uf fellows from & an ,
| Goo -u years of age who are populary
J known us 'Erattors 0r pl,kpockets The,
| are th. element which Iu time recruit IA.
| ranks oi The clty s loW criminal classes
| ana odd tO the unstable bodt of uuaktuea
| labor which contributes sa l4rRoI, to th.
| populations of prisons and poorhoti.ss
| Vie members of tho Tnugh. gang ,ithet
! come nom the poorest homes or from
homes where pleut, pf money Ii eiysr
! them hN their parents and where ther,
is e corresponding lack of Incentive or
| their par Co earn an honest living Tbsu
hauEouts are ou the street rorners H.
| alley WAYS end iu poolrooms fre1uontel
only bN boys and youue men. wher,
gamhlug ~ cards goes ON ononlv
| crowded street cars and public psrks
are fruitful nclds for Erafting n T. !
ieNoriie trick for n sans ~ start fake
street hght between tVo OF It's memberi