The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-04-02
BOYS CLUB VISITED
BY YOUNG LADIES
They Were Pleased With the
Work Being Done
JUDGE FEAGIN ON BOYS
He DepIores the Inconsistencies of
Law and Society That Neglect
Homeless Urehins-Dls-
cusses Local Affairs.

Miss Haley Miss Kennedy and Miss
Callen, teachers In the Alabama Girls In
dustrial school st Montevallo, were In the
city Friday night and visited the Boys
club at the city hall. They were accom-
panied by Mrs. McConnaughy of the
Woman's Federation club. who is devot-
ing a great deal of her time and atten-
ton to securing scholarships for worthy
girls in the school, and in other philan-
thropic work
These ladies were very much Interested
in the Boys club and the good moral eff
feet 1t Is having on the boys of the city.
They were met at the club room by
Judge Feagin, who explained the OBJ
ject and methods of the institution, and
were escorted by Mrs. Jeffries and Mrs.
Bissell
They were pleased to find the boys
pleasantly occupied with innocent amuse-
ments and apparently satisfied. Judge
Feagin explained to the ladies that since
the establishment of the club not one of
its members had ever been before him
on any charge or had been sent to the re-
form school, whereas before they had
been constantly up on petty charges.
Judge Feagin Talks.
Judge Feagin talks very interestingly
of the good he hopes to attain In this
work for the homeless boys of the city.
He claims that if the tendency to commit
crime can be checked in the youth the
courts will soon cease to be burdened with
murders. thefts robberies and like crimes.
Judge Feagin is sending as many of the
youthful criminals as possible to the
country, securing for them good homes
on farms, where they have an opportunity
to breathe wholesome, moral atmosphere
and are divorced from the evil tempta-
lions of the city.
The Judge said in talking to an Age
Herald reporter on the subject: do you
known that the law and our modern
social arrangement is all wrong in its at
titude toward these unfortunate Great
ures? We leave their young lives, charac-
tiers and souls in the hands of a class
of people, not one of whom the law
would allow to handle inheritance fall
Ing to one of those boys.
Associates of Street Urchins.
who are the associates of these home
less street urchins? Is it the best people
in tho town? l say, no. The best people
are engaged in their respective avocations
and are on the streets only on their way
they have no time to consider the ragged,
dirty-faced boy on the street corner sell
ing papers. The boy is left to the COM
pany and the tutorage of the idlers, vag
rants and criminals who are on the streets
all day; and this, to, during the periods
of the boys life that is most impression
able. The boy absorbs everything about
him like sponge.
IF that boy commits an error against
hn Ia lie a a
does p, he is not dealt with child, but
as a grown adult, fully responsible for
his acts. He is confined with hardened
criminals where he is made worse. not
better
III one of these boys on the street
should fall heir to some money, the law
would not allow him to come into posses
sion of 1t until he had reached the years
of manhood. He would have a guardian
appointed to take care of his money until
he was old enough to be able to take care
of it himself What Is money worth
more than the boys soul and character?
We must appoint a guardian for his mon
ey, but we leave the preservation and
forming of his character in the hands of
hood3ums. Migrants and criminals.
II take great interest in these unfor-
Inmates, for in them we have, to a great
extent. the manhood of tomorrow. If
they are ever to be saved from criminal
lives, IL must be done IN the lmpreSSlOna-
BILE stage of childhood and young man
hood ] am securing homes in the coun-
try for these boys whenever l can.
Peculiar Case.
81 had a peculiar case this week" con-
tinued Judge Feagin. with a panied look
On his benevolent face. II had a small
negro boy before me for the second time.
The first time had released him on prom
Use of his father that | would never be
troubled with the boy again. He was be-
fore me again this week Now, | have
discovered II to be fact that If boy is
found guilty of two or three offenses
against the law he has the making of
confirmed criminal and must be checked
or he is doomed. / had a chance to give
this boy a good home with a liberal-heart-
ed farmer living near Jemlson. The man
was here, and wanted to take the boy
with him, but the father fatty refused to
consent to the arrangement There being
no law sustaining me in the matter, was
compelled to heed the fathers demand to
keep the boy in town. Now, that boy must
pay fine or work on the streets. If the
father pays a fine for him, the boy is not
helped. If the boy goes on the street he
is thrown with the worst criminals in the
city and his life poisoned.
ssT-bav Pov'e club seems he dining