Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-02

"a R&&R1A&xE4&2
Fed H. Copp, Probation officer.
| ing of child is a part of divine plan
| which must be strictly accounted for. and
| in which every other human being is vital
! y interested, then viii courts and charities
| and asylums and refo"ma tories cease to
| enlarge their borders. About SO per cent
of all offenses We're directly traceabe to
! this cause.
zach child is a treasure in which is
! hidden the power of useful life. Often
| this golden vein lies deep beneath an ac-
| curulation of poor heTedity and adverse
| environment, but it is there. The first re-
| quisite to se:f-discovery is 10 make the child
| to know his own true value. Then counsel.
| aid and advise until the character desired
| is deep-rooted and healthy Tie old will
| gradually atroDhy and finally disappear as
the new develops. A few lapses toward
reversi0n Of type should not be Gisc0uTag;ng
as long as the general tendency Is toward
the ideal. This thought should ever be
uppermCst. The child will become an
adult either to bear or 10 be borne, and
will positively grow into just what it wants
to become
Some methods of conducting the work
are better than others. The general line
that has produced the best results is first
of all to assure the child of friendly loving
intent. Let them know that uphesitating
and absolute obedience is expected from
them because it is for their welfare. gThe
two destinies from which they must choose
with its physical, mental, moral and social
relation, should be clearly marked out.
Then. the sculptor fashions his block or
the potter forms his clay. so should the
probation officer personally seek to bend
the energies under him to reach a high
IDEAL. The home of the child must be
carefully looked into and its deficiencies
corrected by frequent visits and judicious
advice.
"A boy can keep his word like a man. if
he is made to feel his responsibility and
hi tod fff,.p
he will rarely fail.
Ofenses Not Repeated.
The sight of the probation officer attend
ing the sessions of the juvenile court is
all that is necessary to show his fitness for
the work. He - truly a lover of children
and the young ones who are intrusted to
his care soon come to feel if they were
his own children. Many of them look upon
him their parent, and even when they
no longer come under his official at
tention by reason OF the termina-
ton of their probationary period they
still call to see him and show him that
they have not fogotten the good he did for
them He always refers TO the children as
my boys" and gives them advice in a
way that is calculated to win them from
the start. During the time he has been
probation. officer there has been a great
Improvement shown in the conduct of the
boys. There was time when the same
boy would appear in court time after time
but the records of the probation officer
show that more than so per cent of them
refrained from returning a second time
last year.
That boys appreciate an effort to help
them into useful manhood said the pro-
baton officer, lis evidenced by several
cases where they asked to have the proba-
ton period extended another six months
and living faithfully to the require
ments. In several instances boys who had
rot, so far as known, committed any Of
tense came to the Office, mpanied by
former probation boys, and asked to be
placed under the care of the probation Off
Ger, SO they would not get into trouble
Quite number came in for consultation
and advice and many parents brought their
children u be talked to and in some cases
placed on voluntary probation. This latter
feature should be enlarged and encouraged
ana made a regular depart m ant of the pro-
baton work"
While the probation officer deals with
poth boys and girls the greater number of
ms charges are boys. He looks after chill
dren under the age of sixteen wears when
they are in trouble of any kind and those
who have had dealings with him under-
stand fully that he is their true friend.
Each morning he receives information froro
the house of detention respecting the NM
Der of children who have been arrested
over night and early in the day he Is on
ms way to their homes to make INQUIRIES
ABOUT them before their cases reach court
MOI only does he go to their homes but
ne makes inquiries of neighbors and Others
pe1o1e he is willing to go into court and at
tempt to make suggestions to the presiding
Judge Searching questions are asked of
parents and friends and the children are
put through an examination
ana thefe is not one child in every
hundred who will tell an untruth" saws the
probation officer. THAT speaks we'll for
the children and shows there is plenty good
material among them
Following Up Cases.
When the officer enters a home and finds
conditions unfavorable for the proper care
or children he Immediately sets about to
remedy them. He is careful to inquire
ABOUT the schooling and church relations,
ascertalnS something of the habits of the
children, always being careful to ask about
companionship and If the child is permitted
10 Keep late hours and attend Improper
theatrical performances. When this infor-
nation has been obtained the officer Is then
able to go into court and make sensible
recommendations. When a child has been
turned over to his care by the court the
real work begins. Then it is that he be-
gins to give fatherly advice and explains
that the logical end of crime is the galloWs
The child is told that the question of
companionship is an all important one to
him; that the penitentiary is living tomb
and that society pushes him off a little
farther each time he does wrong. The
logical end of good life, he tells the
child, is a home.
Which do you want to attain" he asks
after he has finished his explanation, and
every child answers: Home"
He tells the boy that he is made up of
three parts, and explains that they are
the mind, body and spirit. The boy is
told of his obligations and he then has to
visit the officer twice a month. He is also