Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1906-05-05
JUDGE
FRAZER'S
ADDRESS
He Talks Sense About Child
ern Just Like the Horse
Editor Does

u
versity chapel last evening when he
addressed the Salem Women's Club on
the training Of children. Judge Fra
zer was introduced by Justice HALEY,
Of the supreme eourt, and began his ad-
dress by a reference to his boyhood
/ davs spent in Salem. Those were the
days when character was formed, and
he got the lasting impressions Of his
life. 1t was during this time that he
ran the streets Of Salem as one of a
gang Of boys, and got the experiences
that enable him now TO judge a boy
brought before him in the juvenile
eourt from the boys standpoint.
Judze Frazer was appointed to the
,rvszils court last June and since that
tine has had between 200 and 500
eAIarsn brought before him for delin-
sgsnty. many Of them for small crimes
Es believed that the fault rested no.
IN che child II il became delinquent,
but In che training received from its
parents, the care OF want Of care given
it. aud the associations surrounding lis
life Nineteen twentieths Of these
children were 10 worse than Others,
excepting as the result of undesirable
home surroundings and the want OF
care.
From TO years in ehild's life
was the important period Between
these ages il must be taught obedience |
and self control. From to IL was
the period Of greatest activity, when
it lived entirely the life of a child. |
and paid but little attention TO adult |
life. From 70 to IL was the danger
period, when associations and example
had the greatest influence. About &c
the better nature asserted itself again.
II the child passed the age Of 16 with.
every child at some time transgresse'
most of the Commandments and some
Of the laws), he, would be safe from
a degenerate life. The greater number
brought before him were between the
ages Of 10 and l6. The greater par;
OF these had no fathers, or else
drunken fathers. In the prisons of
this country more than half the inmates !
were under "a, and in the peni;en;iary
at Salem the average age was 90.
In children the maximum age Of IL
eorrigibility was II. II safely pas:
that age, a child will not become in.
eorrigible Fifteen Was the maximum
age for petty larceny, and other small
crimes. Sixteen was the maximum
age at which q boy began a career Q.
larceny or burglary. If he did none
Of theses things before these ages, he
was safe from life Of crime
Eleven was the age Of best behavior,
IA the worst, and at IS the behavior was
good again, and four points higher
than at II. II it were 10; for inertia,
ineAPaeity every regeneraie boy o.
girl could be reclaimed. Judge Frazer
did not believe that any adult was ab.
sOlutely beyond the influence Of re
elamsiion agencies, but that il was
exceedingly difficult 70 reclaim the
adult. The actual experience with tie
children was that e5 70 81 per cent
were saved 10 good citizenship by the
Juvenile court and other state remedial
agencies Nine-tenths Of all the deliu.
queney coming before the court was
caused by home influences OF home
training. The judge paid high trib-
ute 70 the state reform school ard the
results being achieved BY Superin.
tendezt and Mrs. LOOney at that iE-
s;itution.
In Portland the eour; has found
that the best means Of reclamation is
10 provide active physical exercises
for its war $, and to this end was organ,
iIing baseball teams, equipping play,
grounds AHd gyEnAsiunS II had a..
most completely cleaned up the saw
mill neighbOrhOOds Of North and South
Portland BY simple dressing rooms,
where the boys could change their
before ''gOin' swinmin'"
During the evening the band from
the reform school furnished music TAs
Andisnss showed its appreciation Of the
b0ys' playing by eHeOring them.
In the course Of his address judge
Frazer made strolg plea for the
state to adopt the cottage system in
the reform school. As under that sys
tenn the h0ys get home life, impossible
under the present dOrmiiOry system
And the training in properlx cnnAnrtAa