Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-29
MESSENGER SERVICE
ARGUMENTS AGAINST PERMIT
TING BOYS TO ENTER IT.
Discussion Before Meeting of. Confer
ence Glass of Associated Charities
Other Matters Considered.

The bi-weekly meeting of the conference
class was held at the Office of the Associated
Charities last evening, at which a num-
Der of interesting addresses were delivered.
These meetings are open to the general
public and were planned by Mr.. Charles F.
Weller. secretary of the Associated Chart
ties. in order that a fuller knowledge might
be obtained of the conditions existing in
Washington involving the health and NOR
ais of large part of it's population. and to
to make known the opportunities that exist
for those who are DESTROYS of doing charita-
BILE work. They also give an idea of the
manner in which the operations of the
organization are conducted
The meeting last night was presided over
by Rev. John Van Schaick, Jr., pastor of
the Universalist Church OF Our Father.
vice Rev. ]. r. Mcguire, who prevent
ed from attending by illness. The subject
for discussion was Compulsory Education
and Child Labor in the District of Column
bia.' Rev. Claudius F. Smith. rector of
Epiphany Mission, southwest, was the first
speaker, and dealt with the condition of
the telegraph messenger boys and special
delivery carriers of the post Office, his topic
being the "Iniquities of the Messenger Boy
System. He mentioned the small pay the
boys received and their environment.
Il am not ranter." he said, but con-
Tess II were man unable to support
my family / should move to the country
rather than allow my boy to enter a mes
seneer service in this city, He then dealt
with the treatment of the boys at the city
post office Il was appalled, that no fit
room was provided in which the boys may
wait for their turn to carry special deliv-
cries. 1 felt the injustice of the way the
government clothes these servants The
carriers have long, nicely lighted room
to read in when not on the street They
have uniforms which indicate that they rep
resent something that has power behind it.
why should not the boys have the same
provision?
INDUCES in Reproof.
II was ashamed of my country when
saw boys coming in with old caps which
had gone to seed long ago. This govern
ment cannot afford to be saving in the
matter of properly clothing it's employees.
The minister expressed the opinion that it
would be better to employ men for this
work and spare the boys from the democrat
tzing influences with which they are bound
to come in contact. He believed no boy
under fourteen years of age should be en-
ployed in this service.
Mrs. Mary c. Rugg, agent of the Asso-
ciated Charities in the northeast said that
MI Smith had not pictured strongly enough
the evils of the messenger system. She
declared that she trembles when mother
In one of the needy families under her no.
tice proposes to put her boys in the mes
senger service. She would rather place
boy of hers in a smallpox hospital, she
said, than allow him to come in contact
with associations which make the boys ia
miliar with all the vices of the most dis
reputable parts Of the city.
Compulsory Education.
DR.. Emily Young OBrien then gave "A
Statistical Study of Truancy." She made
evident the need for compulsory education
and advocated the passage of a law provid-
ing attendance agents to bring into school
the $500 between the ages of eight and
fy1o tafr ir, Z, IA,
A letter was read from A. T. Stuart, sup
erintendent of schools, from which 1t was
learned that law such as Mrs OBrien
had suggested In her address had been I'M
der consideration by the Commissioners
but had not yet been submitted to Congress.
There has been some discussion he said
as to the propriety of the enactment of a
compulsory education law when we have
not yet adequate school room provided for
all the children. But Mr.. Stuart favored
the prosecution of such legislation, because
there are many places in the schools where
Individual truants could be accommoda ted
and also because the increased pressure
upon inadequate accommodations would
help to impress Congress with the need of
additional schools.
The discussion was participated in nv
Mrs. Charles F. Weller. Mr.. D. A. GLASGOW,
Mrs. N. W. Hankemeyer, Mrs. Woodbury.
and Mr.. Charles F. Weller. The latter said
ne was more impressed with the destruction
of boy life in parts of our city than he had
been in the neediest sections of Chicago
and he thought the fundamental question as
to whether democracy can continue to be
satisfactory form Of government depended
to large extent upon the surroundings
and influences which are allowed to bear
upon the lives of young boys and girls.
The Chief influence.
He said that in his experience the chief
influence that keeps $500 out of school in
Washington is the Indifference of parents
and the indifference of the community in
which they live.
Mr.. Weller argued that the compulsory
school age should be from six to fourteen
years instead of eight to fourteen. He had
found great many Washington boys be-
ginning habits of cigarette smoking, corner
loafing and even liquor drinking between
the ages Of six and eight years, and the
good influence of the school should be
brought to bear on these az soon pos
sible.