Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-06-17
Conference Of Charities
and Correction.
Interesting Sessions in Annual
Convention at Portland.
Son of Southern Slave Tells of Earnest
Work Among CoIored Brethren
Telegraph Messenger Service De-
nounced by New York Woman.

Portland, Nc, June 16.-The National
Conference of Charities and Correc-
ton is divided into seven sections To-
days meetings were taken up by two
sections, THE Treatment of Crimi-
na!s' and "Children." The former was
under the craftsmanship OF Rev. Fred
crick Fl. Wines of Upper Montclair, N.
j., who was assistant director of the
census of 1900 and is one of the vete-
rams in correctional reform.
The section on Children" which was
under the craftsmanship of Amos w.
Butler of Indianapolis, was of interest
for at least two reasons. Manual train
ing as an educational lever in dealing
with all sorts and conditions of chill
tiren was taken up. Theodore F. Chaplin,
superintendent of the Lyman school,
WeStboro, Mass, told what it means in
work with white children, William E.
Benson, superintendent of the Kowali-
ga Institute, Kowaliga, Ala, told of
its results with the cOlored boys and
girls of Alabama, and Hon. William
A. Jones, United States Commissioner
showed how the present-day papoose
grows up to the full stature of an
American through this addition to the
reservation school house.
Mrs. Florence Kelley of New York
City. Secretary Of the National Con-
sumers' League. told of the progress
in the child labor campaign. Juvenile
court judges and probation officers
from half a dozen different states de-
scribed the work Of the childrens
courts.
Quoting the statement that a single
sentence to the chain gang TO matter
how trivial the OffenSc, usually makes
the victim q criminal for life, Mr.
Benson made plea for educational
measures of the right sort in prevent
ing crime among colored people. He
presented a study of conditions in u
small Alabama community where two
thirds are negroes apparently fatty
contradicted the old charge that among
them. education and criniinality go
hand in hand.
I'm the distant rural communities
of the South" said Supt. Benson,
there are no organized charities, no
institutions for rescue work. no juve-
nile reformatories for colored children,
consequently the schools and churches
must be the source of their moral up
lift and inspiration. Negro boys who
are criminally inclined must either find
their regeneration in private schools
or eventually or the prison farm.
Therefore, the necessity for systematic
preventive effort is pressing because
when they once commit crime, little
discrimination is made in their pun
ishment. 1t is melted out according to
their crime rather than their record.
The young and careless mischief-mak
is imprisoned in the same cell and con-
fined to the Same prison farm as the
old and hardened thug"
The section on Children" was called
to order by Chairman Butler. The top
les discussed were Municipal ReguIa-
ton Of Newsboys," by Myron L. Adj
ans. president Welcome Hall Social
Settlement, Buffalo. N. Y: Summer
Outings" Ernest p. Bicknell, general
superintendent Of the Chicago Bureau
Of Charities: Estate Care Of INDECENT,
Crippled and Deformed Children" DR..
Arthur J. Gillette, surgeon of the Min
nesota State Hospital for Crippled and
Deformed Children. st. Paul. Mimi,
and Compulsory Education" Fassett
A. Cotton, state superintendent Of pub
lie instruction, indianapolis, Ind.