New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-23

snied topics, and they are prepared to bestow
time and trouble upon a solution of the prob
lens connected with probation The sole pur-
pose Of the members OF the commission, be-
Nsye, Is TO raise the standard OF probation work
and to give the public the best possible service"
The way Miss Smith came to attract the at
tsntion Of Mr.. Rockefeller IS interesting. She
has been & member Of the Fifth Avenue Bap-
list Church for many years, and also a resi-
dent Of the West Side Neighborhood House at
50th-st. and 1oth-ave. This was built by Mr..
Rockefeller. As a Settlement worker Miss
Smiths labors lay largely IN the police courts.
Her earnest efforts in behalf OF unfortunate
and erring women were brought to Mr.. Rookie
5eiiers attention, and when in 1891 she re-
ceived her appointment as probation officer by
Judge Cornell Nfr. Rockefeller made himself
responsible for her salary. The money is paid
TO Miss Smith through ". s. Richardson, who
IS In charge OF MI. Rockefeler's Bible class in
the Fifth Avenue Baptist Church
When asked about her work. Miss Smith
smiled at would be hard to trace all the
ground I go over IN day" she said "Yester-
day I was very much occupied over the case
Of q runaway girl. who was found by an officer
in the street at 2 o'clock in the morning.
although the Office OF probationer was inst-
tuted TO care for first offenders, we take what
ever old offenders as well as young girls are
given TO US. Sometimes woman VIII say
= know I have been arrested before judge DuI
give me another chance and III promise to DO
better And upon examination Of the conol-
tons the magistrate discovers eXtenuatlng CIR
cumstances and decides to parole her IN our
care so she comes TO Us.
IF woman has been deserted OF coiie0
court IN want I am often able to tax VIII iieA
and find cut much that can be done for her'
raT7TZ9
seems the best agency 10 invoke. sometimes II
Is another az the great charitable organizations;
IF a woman is stranded here l can pe " ~
great help 10 her. Many Such cases cO 20 4bai.
homes in the country, thinking they Cait fi,1G
work here for the asking, and nave pTe.I 49,
by an officer walking the streets d. " 11'0
or have given themselves up , 49, so-,,11, IF
Sometimes there is sickness In tne an sick
q probationer, and then try 10 s9' Liz
member into a hospital or home. =, q o,o,oclx
And then. I have to be in court by . Q c5oGT
every day I have missed only three Eoui IieIt
all sutamer Sometimes l have 10 go LIio - a
beforo also and make an investigation OF d
An one who has done this work realizes thaG
there is not a position in the CITY I4at , 49,
nearer reaching the homes and the peopIe2 80 70
the probation officer You have the emu Id
institutions and to private homes. ,pnr+ance
rnent Is taken in matters Of grave lIhPU Ji. -
Eew-York is a great. generous cltg sC5nnce
reach out and help wherever - ii ittie cripple In
Only the other day found "A ItliS - &c
an institution where she had no Ilght 70 o,
sat down and wrote 70 phliahlhigJp tfongbt I
saying that if I had the money l 5il ngitdrar
could get her into school for crippled et,,
where she would DO better AIIioSL - for
mail came a check TO pay the child $ boa oar III
three months in advance lIIiIleii : 80, In
tanned the child's discharge. ana sLe ~ - ~ 60
the school progressing finely: II Nlult t,,e IN
PIE so ready to help that makes one ailH -
have only the best people in the ser -. oeda6
According 10 Miss Smith, Boston - Sti 20
by most experts in charities ana COZ I5I 80
have the closest approximation TO an luehi pa
baton system - l., ,,ra c+ical
Boston is very much ahead or US IN Pi e.oi+I,
facilities for this kind of work, SAID MISS 70
For instance the probation onIceIS 1-T, en-
their own Office in the courthouse ana the Cor
theirs Each IS able to call on lle o IN u-an
help which is very important where lIl ne, 20 81.
have many abandonment cases, as they can I1ot
the women TO go into the families ana 90 "'iN
10 man could DO - -,r;cb
Boston also has house Of detention 70 Nha nr
al women prisoners are taken The women a are
not mixed UP in the dock with men, nor I, 1a
they visible 10 the spectators. II IS an -, III
more dgnifed and refined than IN New Ioi
With probation officers It IS the persoattIrh
the character the magnetism that counts. az
probation officers own life should De an Istd
sDiration TO the probationers. IL Is sPiense
manhood or wonaanhood that hold these ptbe
pie whether in the Judge. the ofilcerS VI '--o
probation officer