Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-02
JUVENILE COURT OPENS
ITS FIRST SESSION HELD THIS
AFTERNOON.
Judge DeLacy Makes Brief Address
The Court officials Sworn
In-First Case.

The first session of the Juvenile Court
was held this afternoon at the court build
| ing. 1916 street northwest, with large
attendance. Promptly at 1 o'clock Judge
| DeLacy entered the court room and took
| his seat. Seated near were Commissioners
West and Biddle and Judges Kimball and
| Mullowny of the Police Court; Mrs. Fred
Dubois, the president of the Mothers Con-
| gress; Miss Estelle Foster Of the board OF
! childrens guardians and many others as
ISOLATED In various charitable works Of the
city. Judge Heusler of the juvenile court
Of Baltimore was also present and later
took seat near Judge DeLacy.
The floral decorations upon the desk OF
Judge DeLaey were very pretty, particu-
larly one from the members of the Sarah
Franklin Chapter of the Daughters Of the
American Revolution. 1t bore the names
of Mrs. c. D. Merwin, the regent: Mrs. ].
w. Harbaugh. the vice regent; Mrs. Grace
B. Logan, recording secretary; Mrs. j. g.
Harris, corresponding secretary; Mrs. j.
l.. Carberry, treasurer: Mrs. j. E. Mulcare,
registrar; Mrs. Bessie Briggs, parliament
tartan, and Mrs. r. M. Pitcher, the histo-
rian, and wished the new Judge much sue
cess.
verse at the close attracted much al
tention It was:
80 many gods many creeds.
So many paths that wind and wind
When just the art OF being kind
Is all this sad world needs"
Judge De Lacy's Address.
Judge DeLacy called the court to order
and made a short address, during which
he said that during the period of his In
cumbenoy as the judge of the court he
would. to the best of his ability, attempt 10
elevate the unfortunate children who might
be brought before him. He said he would
impress upon them that they were in the
presence of a friend and that the court Is
to bring them back to a brighter and bet
ter life if they will only come to It, He
then read in part the act Of Congress Gre
ating the Juvenile Court, and followed by
| reading his commission as the judge of the
court.
Commissioner Macfarland, during which
the Commissioner said:
1T Is a matter of deep regret to me
that shall not be able to attend She open
ing session of the Juvenile Court next
| week because of my absence from the city.
had hoped to be present, because 1t will
be the occasion of the contamination Of
my hopes for years. In the specialreport
upon the care of delinquent and depend
lent children which the Commissioners
| made to Congress on January 6, 1904, all
our prior recommendations were summed
up and the system of dealing with those
classes of children which we desired to
see adopted was set forth, and of course
you know 1t, all turned on a juvenile
court such was provided for in thebiU
which the Commissioners sent to Con-
gresS, and which, with some amendments
has now become the law. under which the
court Is about to begin it's benficent work.
Having participated In every phase Of
the movement before and since that report
was made, / have seen with the greatest
satisfaction the progress which has been
made and am sure that the court viii
meet all our just expectations. You are
to be congratulated upon having the OPP
portunity to begin the operation of this
court than which nothing more important
of its kind is to be done in the District of
Columbia We may confidently look for
a great Improvement in the moral condi-
lions here and a better future for the de-
linquent and dependent children
officials Sworn In.
Joseph Harper, the clerk; Zed H Copp,
the chief probation officer; Mrs. Gertrude
Darwin. the assistant probation officer. and
William Hickey. the Janitor, were then
sworn in by Judge DeLacy.
The judge announced that the first case
would be called Assistant Corporation
Counsel James L. Pugh, who has been des-
conduct the cases in the Juvenile court, en-
tered at this juncture, and Fannie Johnson,
t small coored girl, was the first defendant
to answer to an information 1t charged
her with being incorrigible. Instead of
having the child listen to the reading or
the information Judge DeLacy picked up
the paper, and, having her brought to him,
talked to her for several moments in an
earnest manner He then announced that
she would be placed under the care OF the
assistant probation officer for the period OF