New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-12
JUVENILE DELINQUENTS.
What Mornay Williams Thinks the Asylum
Does for Them

venile Asylum. has made interesting investf-
cations into subject Of juvenile delinquency in
Network. Taking the reports Of the immis.a
ton authorities for term OF years, and compar-
ing them with the reports of the institution Of
which he is president, he finds that year by year,
about per cent OF the immigrant children entering
this port find their way this particular asylum.
This institution is only Of a great number OF
similar ones It has 800 inmates The Catholic
ProtectOry has 300 the Hebrew institution 500 the
Female Guardian Society. The House Of the Holy
Family. the Five Points House Of Industry and
many others have several hundreds apiece At
this rate is be imagined what percentage of
the foreign born are becoming inmates Of institu-
tons Tor dependent and delinquent children
The majority OF the children come from the race
sending the largest immigration. That is. It is not
a matter OF nationality, but OF numbers. For
instance. during the first seven years after the
founding Of the asylum in 1853 over 100 Irish chill
dren committed annually; in one year run
ming TO 500. in others TO 20. Those were the
days OF the hoodtide of Irish immigration. From
that time 1t decreased. until in the last years
than Irish children have been COM
nitted 10 this particular institution in one
year.
Juvenile deIinquents," said Mr. Williams. speak
ing the subject. are OF three classes. First,
those whose delinquency comes from environment
Second. those with inherited procIlvties TO this
class. Third. ABNORMAL children. sometimes Of
good family and surroundings. whose tendencies
cannot % explained by anything known TO the
observer. This later class IS very small PraC-
placed in Of the first two classes, and Of these
by far the larger. II is made Up largely
OF what might call manufactured criminals.
children situated unfortunately that their early
surroundings turn them into the wrong class
This is the explanation of the large percentage
foreign born children juvenile institutions.
They worse than other children, naturally.
Generally speaking. all children have about the
Same tendencies The foreign born child gets into
the community. His father comes here with
ri4lIv Iia ~ifTs ar'ra1IL - ~ 49, Vt7sTa
30, -t-S - ne - 'el %llee
there under such conditions as he finds, Until he
or mis- descendants are assimilated into the new
environment the boy comes II touch with American
The street is not only the boys playground and
school It IS his home He may sleep. packed IN
he calls nome But his true home. where he nds
companions amusement and social life, is the
thing about II The street Furnishes him also with
his code-that he who fights and runs away may
live 10 fight another day that being caught with
the goods. IS the only harm in stealing; mat the
getAer with other simple but efficient maxlms
SUI me street IS the very portion OF his do
main which society exerts itself TO regulate. So
clsty does not pay much attention 10 his home, bur
!, Sl'Ss = 20 paFtoi tIe Stree anu sue
cey ana E EIe%Reqted,y the boy mos hi5SeiT IN
law Of which he knew nothing He has simply
been living the natural lie Of a boy-piaytng ball
throwing stones. doing hundred things which he
country And suddenly society seizes him and haIes
The boy is puzzled and frightened He has no
idea what he has done, and the common reply %
is usually true rom MS point OF vie% He may
be sent ~. 70 some institution for dvs DAYS Two
weeks, SIX months. year lie comes out Incensed
Isen.ar I'M parti,-.a- What he 5tf before in4o-
Gently and uuconscousy he begins TO do now de-
Loerateiy and Intentionally The making of
criminal has begun The juvenile delnquent al
most Invariably returns from his drst encounter
boy. Now IA begins 10 be 4 bad boy His parents
some hamlet 6r N6rth EaT6r c Si1t a8s t6e 9[
eiyez 70 me new, evinI,a,t yf,L s ;irtsrt 1I,iE
ness 70 furnish him with the instruction and guild
for himself learning America from the street ana
ru1-N 1g up against the law in the process
~ - my .dea Is that for his foreign born boy
does not pauper:ze and deurve him Of initiative,
home. which IL Inefficient or he would not be
where he .s II taxes him away from the street
and e3-Icate~ him for me new re ir - v-,y re
hours out ~ the twenty-four-rever can. II accus-
toms him to cleanliness. d.scinlins obedience regu-
York A:Jer Il has had aim long enough to accus-
home; "A good American home IN the country. A
hat can hap7e7 10 any b 5. IN fbe w1r th'nS
DID you ever notice that the most successful
noticed It. even with lawyers" Mr.. Williams
-Yo2e1as men from the country. green perhaps
certainty ineHp"riencet IN everything pertaining TO
FORK BOYS; when the New-York bows have ali the
advantages or acquaintance. business connections
and Wedge % CITY life That u.s. they will beat
them iu the lorg run. although they may have a
hard struggle ar first The first reason IS that
children raised IN the country lay VI 4 store OF
vitality ia childhood which enables them to endure
the nerve strain OF CITY life. CITY BOYS q pre-
coCious. unhealthy The fact OF the coun-
try boys longer. slower development an assur-
ance OF stronger maturity. And the second reason
is that the country boy comes 10 the city with
single aim-to rise IN life and he gubordinates
everything else 10 that end. while city boy
the city is simply the place where he has always
lived and always expects TO 1--we. The fact that Ia
is In the city argues special enterprise arlbi-
ton
The New-Y0-k Juvenile ASYLUM has found homes
for 6,iG2 children in the Middle West in the last
nifty years. The Dreponderating majority OF those
children have grown TO useful manhood and woman
hood and have been absorbed into the body polite
OF the great Middle States The Chiidren's Aid
Society tried for many the experiment OF
transporting boys directly from city streets 70
Western farms Now II has its own preparatory
institution in the Kensco Farm School ard is do
ing practically the work are Nv argl-
ment IS that the juvenile institution render
the juvenile offender unfit for normal life but is
useful and necessary medium for assimiatinE him
with it
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