Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-17


| in the District of Columbia after the hour
| of 10 o'clock pm, from May l to Septem-
| Der 30 and after the hour of o'clock p m,
| from October L to April 30, unless accom-
panied by parent or other adult person.
| unless in the performance of an errand
| of duty or necessity under written author
| ity signed by parent guardian, the la
| not to apply to the street Immediately IN
| front of and adjoining the building where
| the child resides. 1t is also declared to be
unlawful for any manager of theater to
admit within its doors any child under SIX
| teen years of age unless similarly accom-
| panied or for any person to send child
| under that age into any diSreputable house
1.-The committee notes with pleasure that
a Juvenile court has been established in
this District in which more charitable
methods are in vogue, and that in the
plans for the new Police Court building
separate rooms are provided for the trial
of these youthful offenders. Attention is
also called 10 the fact that in other
cities the juvenile court is entirely separate
and distinct from the police court with
separate judges who have nothing else to
occupy their time and attention except
the best interests of the children who are
brought before them, and who, after a
careful study of each individual case, do
for the child that which seems wisest under
the particular circumstances. The com
mittee therefore recommends the establish
ment of a distinct Juvenile court in sep
arate building. and that adequate provision
be made for a sufficient number of proba-
IlOn O1IlcerS 10 care Tor the interests the
children coming under it's jurisdiction.
THE committee submits the results of an
examination of the District jail and says
there is every reason to believe the manage
ment of the institution is satisfactory. The
committee believes. however. that dining
room should be provided where the pris-
orers may be served with food as it should
be served to human beings. 1t recon-
mendS that:
Modern toilet facilities should be fur
nished at the Jail such as are provided at
the new workhouse. The present toilet ar
rangements while the best that can be
supplied with the means now provided, are
inadequate and barbarous.
The opportunities for bathing are ex-
tremely limited. These should be increased
and habits of cleanliness inculcated which
could not but be beneficial to the prisoners
after the eXpirat ton of their sentences,
In order to accomplish these reforms
either a new Jail building is absolutely
necessary, or else there must be an addition
to the present building"
In addition to the recommendations of the
report the chairman stated the committee
intended at some future meeting to submit
a report on the unification of the charities
of the District.
Resolutions Adopted.
Resolutions carrying out the recommended
tons of the report for establishing a jul
venile court and a hospital for the treat
ment of tuberculosis patients We're adopted.
Mr. Clephane stated that the District Com
missfoners thought the sentiment of the
community was not ripe at this time to
have curfew law in this District The
committee would not press the recommen-
dation on this subject but he stated they
had made an investigation in regard to the
operation of the law in other places and
found that its practical operation was
spoken of favorably.
Washington Public Library.
The report of the committee on public IL
brary was submitted by Mr.. w. A. Meloy
the vice chairman, and was adopted, and
the committee was authorized to take such
steps to make the recommendations eff
fective.
The report was as follows:
AT the time of the last annual meeting
or the Board of Trade our free public IL
brary' establishment had been completed
and, tentatively, at least its working or
ganization also, within the walls of its
beautiful and commodious home on Mount
Vernon square. 1t was then most appro-
pirate at that epoch that your committee
in making its annual report should set
forth in detail as it did, the main historic
features of this great and beneficent enter
prise. This needs no repetition There re-
mains to US merely to note. the subsequent
development and growth of the institution
so auspiciously inaugurated
During all this formative period the Ii
brary had enjoyed the services experience
and judgment of Col Weston Flint before
then librarian also of the United States
patent office, with such satisfaction that in
adopting the last report of this committee
the Board of Trade pronounced him a vet
eran and efficient librarian whose duties
and responsibilities place him in the front
rank of city librarians But, on the 31st
day of August last, Colonel Flint retired
from office.
After referring in a complimentary way
70 choice of George F. Bowerman as
Col Flint's successor. the committee states
ION the LIST day of November as vour
committee is informed the libra nv had a
total of 66379 volumes, an increase of
18Th subsequent to the last published re-
port in July, 1903.
The number of readers cards now in
force is 2J12S
THE number of books issued to readers
during the last year is 27S,1 Jos, or g. SAT
more than during the last previous year.
This in itself alone shows a most graft
flying increase of appreciation by the people
of the library advantages
Meanwhile many changes and improve
ments IN the arrangement and facilities for
use of the books have been introduced
Space in the open shelf room has been
made to allow immediate access of readers
to books other than works of fiction thus
placing before readers the resources of the
library as only and even better than print
ed catalogues would For the full accom-
plishment of this plan involving the dis
play of some 5000 volumes at a times it
VIII uouDtleSS De requisite to occupy the
room heretofore given over to the children,
and to have increased assistance for the
latter in the larger room originally design
ed for their in the basement of the
building
Aid is also being given through an as
sistant to readers who wish to consult and
refer to the present card catalogue Ex-
perience shows that in order to realize the
full benefit of a card catalogue one must
beforehand know what book he wants and
the name of the author.
Desirable Change in Rules.
"a very desirable change in the rules has
also been made which allows each card
holder the privilege of taking more books
than one at a time. In this way the stu
dent of a special subject may gather be-
fore him at his home all the desired books
on given topic for collation. and reference;
an incalculable aid to the best investigation
and study.
mo step has yet been made for opening
the library during some portions of Sundays
and holidays. The plan, however, of do
ing so under proper safeguards and restric-
lions is looked upon with more and more
favor, and provision is asked for 1t in the
library estimates for the next fiscal year"
The committee favors and takes occa-
sion to recommend the introduction of such
feature not for purposes of distribution or
of receiving books returned. but for the
use of the omen shelf and the reading rooms