Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-02
DISCUSSES NEW
TRUANT SCHOOL
SUPERINTENDENT E. C. MOORE
OUTLINES PLAN
Attendance officer Ayers Makes Valu.
able estions--Deelares Child
Labor in Los Angeles Is
DepIorable Thing

IT do not wish Il to be understood
as a dumping ground for parents who
wish to get rid Of their children" said
superintendent 70. G.. Moore when
speaking yesterday afternoon regard
ing the proposed new parental home
for truant public school children.
"There will be a Distinction" con-
tinued Superintendent Moore, between
children going to an orphanage and
the Parental home"
superintendent Moore was asked yes
terday afternoon regarding the pros
poets of the proposed new Parental
home to be built on a tract of land
purchased for that purpose. The plot
of nearly eleven acres, near Elysian
park, was secured some time ago.
Bonds calling for 100000 were voted,
which amount will be expended for
the home improvements
Continuing regarding the plans, the
superintendent said:
II think that the plot of land Is one
Of the best that could have been Sc
cured in Los Angeles. While the plans
of the building are not fully deter
mined, we expect to put UP a good
substantial building which will be
nearly square, with twenty-five dor
mitories for boys on the outside 1t
will be a wooden structure and we
wish 1t not to appear as an institution
but a plain home for truant children
in the care of teachers of large per-
sonal experience among children.
Truants Not Criminals
"For a long time 1 have been in
favor of these parental homes for tru-
ant children said Professor Moore.
"And some time before I came into
this office 1 met with superintendent
Foshay and others at dinner and thor
oughly discussed this project The
outlines were made at that time, but
the plans were not definitely marked
out We expect that the plans will be
adopted and bids authorized at the
meeting of the board next Monday.
"This parental home will be the only
one strictly of its kind in the west.
There is an institution in Seattle which
forms a combination between a deten-
tion and a parental home l do not
approve of the mixture and do not
think that the results can be success
full. The criminal element in the de-
tention home should be kept entirely
distinct and separate from the merely
truant boys, who are not classed $
criminals.
"I am heartily in accord with the
movement for a parental home in Los
Angeles and I think it will be the
means of saving many boys from
growing up to manhood with records
of criminality and becoming prison.
ers."
Arthur c. Ayers, the attendance Of
ficer, is one of the very busy officials
in adjusting affairs regarding the tru-
ant public school children. This was
Indicated yesterday afternoon when
placed before him on his desk were
numerous papers covered with names
of truant public school children
Regarding these parental homes,
commonly known as truant schools,
Mr.. Ayers said:
1--WE have two special parental homes
in Los Angeles. One is situated on
the Vernon avenue school grounds. 1t
is in bungalow, and the grounds are
separat ted from the school by a fence.
This school is taught by L. J. Baldwin.
The other one Is run in a room of the
Salina street school building, and
taught by l. P. Thurston. These
schools are at the outskirts of the
city, which / think Is of great advan-
tage to the, truant children compared
to their attending school in the central
part of the city, where there would
be much more temptation.
DepIores Child Labor
"It falls upon me to investigate all
the truant cases and request the par
ents to place them in the schools and
if they refuse to comply, the boys are
compelled to be at the mercies of the
courts. 1 have a case today of boy
who has a warrant issued for his ar
rest for running away from home as
a truant.
Yes. I certainly believe in heredity,
H,,k 7 hfrnlr no environments
the boys are largely responsible for
their actions. In my investigations of
the names of some of these unruly
runaway boys must confess that had
been placed in their positions,
should have been tempted to do as
they did.
"Certainly 1t requires more than the
mere knocking at the front door OF
a home to ascertain in any degree of
accuracy with what "a boy has to
contend. A thorough investigation has
to be made regarding the mental and
physical conditions of his parents and
the influence of environment. A boy
is often blamed for the faults OF his
parents.
"These schools for the truant boys
are expressly intended as means or
saving them from beating further into
criminality They are taken in as
checking them from going deeper into
degra dation, to at last find them
selves behind the prison bars. They
are kept in close contact with the best
of teachers to infuse within them the
qualities of strictly moral principles to
lead them to upright SmanhooC.
But there is one thing that pains
me much, and that is the illegal en-
ployrnent of children in some Of the
business houses of Los Angeles. find
it distressing necessity to warn them
of the law, and if they do not comply
with the child labor requirements, they
must certainly suffer the penalty of
arrest"