The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-05-07

institutions where individualism is neees-
sarily stihed, and the inmate made a little
machine. He placed forty-six that year.
and since then New York and Pennsyl-
vania have tried the plan with their state
wards and found it good.
The first hearing a, child had In the
courts of the United States was under the
full complaint was filed on the form used
for dogs. Jacob Riis tells the story of
this little Mary Elton, how her SCARED
body was released from its horse blanket
cover that weeping jury and white-faced
spectators could see just how brutal a
father could be, and how from that incl
dent there sprang a sentiment that has
made the protection of children a law on
the statute books of the state. Societies
Of philanthropie men and women work
with the state in the enforcement of this
law and help protect and educate the
younger citizens of the great metropolis.
The child criminal, the pitiful product
of a careless state of society, had no
chance nine years ago He was tried
convicted and thrust among older Offend
ers making of him a complete loss
morally, an expense to the state, and a
menance to It's happiness. Chicago was
the first to meet this need and in 1899
became the pioneer in the establishment
Of Juvenile courts. The preceding year
had seen 1918 Juvenile offenders in her
iails. In 1903 there was seventy. OF -
children paroled by the courts of that
city in 1901 only forty were ever brought
again before the bar of Justice. The
others had made good" the spirit of
latent citizenship had been awakened, and
they were saved from the upbuilding of
the nation Twenty-Five safes now have
some form of legisla tion for juvenile Of
tenders, and thirty eight cities have juve-
To- - nFff
cheney. Canada, Australia, England and
Ireland are following the lead of the
United States In this matter
A test of self-government and a proba-
ton system for Juvenile offenders was
made twelve years ago when that unique
establishment, the George Junior Repub-
lie came into existence. 1t was an altru-
istic attempt to help a boy make a good
citizen of himself, stimulated by the en-
couragement of society. The delnquents
who came out under parole made the
laws, elected the officers, and controlled
the republic. They made the farm pay,
they learned trades that fitted them for
citizenship, and went back among their
people with clean record, and with
ideals that ment an effort twoard right
living.
The Kindergarten and graded school
teacher and moving picture man have in
vaded the Sunday schools, and the chill
dren of today are given more practical,
enjoyable doctrine than the one learned
in the stiff pews of the old catechisnl
days. The crippled and blind are being
cared for in hospitals and homes that
dot the ways from Rockaway Beach and
Indianapolis to the Pacific and the Gulf.
Through kndergartens, night schools and
missions, the spirit of progress is reach
ing the ignorant parents of many chill
dren, and in the general uplift that must
follow such an influence the twentieth
century bids fair to bring about the full
fillment of the old Biblical prophecy-"a
little child shall lead them"
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Stories"