The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-04-23
ON THE PRAcTtcAL BENEFITS:
OF 4 cURFEW
LAW,
or VOICES FROM THE CITIES.
a MODEL ORDINANCE
is GIVEN.
A TIMELY PAPER ON THE SUB:
JEcT NOW BEFORE THE
FA1RMONT PEOPLE.
BY Mrs. Helen L. Brllo~k.)

The great question OF ph1Ianthrop-
lists to-day is: -ow can we save the
children?'
GIadstone's saying that ri is the
chief purpose of law to maze 1t as
hard as possible to do wrong, and as
easy as possible to do right" surely
applies to laws for the protection of
children.
Statistics show that We have IN the
Reform Schools of the United States.
10000 boys and girls, and ninety-eight
per cent. OF these are from the cities
towns and villages While spending
a few weeks in Indianapolis, Ind, re-
Gently, l was surprised TO see no chill
dren in the streets after eight O'Clock
in the evening. l called upon the ST.
perirtendent OF Police to :t.'certc!n
some facts concerning the practical
working of the Curfew Law. He said:
before this law was enacted two
wears ago, there was scarcely mcgn
ing that we did not have boys and
girls in the Police Cour. =wl.o had
been arrested during the night. This
is now a rare occurrence, and l can
safely say the Curfew Law has dimin-
ished crime among children eigi ty
per cent. We have no trouble in rn-
forcing this law, and fee: that it is
a great benefit to our city. The fol-
lowing testimonies are extracts from
personal letters written by friends OF
this law:
Captain Broader, chief OF police Of
St Joseph, Mo, said: This or0-
eighths of the people endorse it. Bum
mers and thugs only oppose it. My
reports of arrests and conn :tments
for twenty months before Curfew, and
twenty months under Gu lew. show a
decrease of twenty per cent. in num-
bers. and an equal Sizing in taxes.
j. S. Ostrander mayor of Richmond,
Ind. said: I'VE have ha1 the Curfew.
Law in operation for two years. Its
working has been eminently satisfac
tory, and it has come to be under
stood as SO much a matter. of course
that it practicailS enforccs itself The
moral effect is very marked. We are
more than satisfied with the law
Secretary of the Police lard in
Denver, writes: at seems TO be
great success here
Covineto Ind. reports that the law
there is working splen--~iy.
SUPERINTENDENT Of Reform Schools
certify that the Curfew ordinance, If
honestly enforced, will greatly de-
crease the commitments to their insti-
tutions More than 800 cities, towns
and villages in the United States have
the Curfew Law, noticeable among
them being Denver, Pueblo, Greeley,
Fort Collins, Boulder. Idaho Springs
and Leadville. Col; Lincoln. Omaha,
and North Platte. Neb.; ST. Joseph,
Kansas City and Maryville. Mo; Des
MONIES and Gldora, Ia; Leavenworth
and Lawrence, Kan; Dixon. Ill; In
diana polls, Richmond, Crawfordsviile
Marion and Logansport, Ind. In
few places steam whistles blow in
various parts of the city, but in most
cities the fire bell sounds to notify
the youth that the hour has arrived
tor seeking their homes for the night.
A Model Ordinance.
Section 1. Be it ordained by the
City Council of --- thai it shall
be unlawful for any child actually or
apparently under the age OF sixteen
years to 1oiter, wander, or stroll
about the streets, avenues. alleys. or
public parks of said city or village in
the night season, after the hour OF
eight p. NJ, from September first of
any year to the last day OF February
OF the following year, and af.er nine
p NJ from the last day OF February
until L.4e first day of the following Sep
TENDER, unless accompanied by pa
rent or other adult guardian having
legal custody and control OF such
minor.
Sec 2 1t is hereby made unlawful
for any parent, guardian or O,ner pei.
son having care and custody of any
child under the age of sixteen years.
to allow or permit any such child or
ward to go or be in or u. on any
street. alley, park or other public
places, within the time prohibited in
Section ] Of this ordnance
Sec g. Any policeman, constable or
peace officer is hereby auth cried to
arrest any such minor violating any
of the provisions of Section OF this
ordnance and for the first violation
to take such to his home and notify
his parentS or guardian Of said viola