Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-30
RECORD FOR ONE YEAR
Juvenile Court in Existence for
Twelve Months.
WHAT 1T HAS ACCOMPLISHED
Summary of the Work and Explana-
ton of the Results.
SUCCESS OF NEW TRIBUNAL
Best Interests Of the Children Consid-
cred Paramount-Protect Of
the Little Ones.
WHAT 1T HAS ACCOMPLISHED
SUCCESS OF NEW TRIBUNAL

the Little Ones.
When the Juvenile Court was adjourned
yesterday afternoon 1t marked the end of
the first years work Of the Capital citys
youngest tribunal. Those who have been
interested In the court, its work. it's pro-
cedure and its results. are said to agree
| that the court has been successful in meet
ing conditions with which it was intended
| to cope.
According to the records Of the court,
recently summarized by Bailiff William A.
Hickey, 1904 cases were heard, including
more than $3.50 Juveniles, and $50 parents
hailed in for falling to support their chill
dren, or an average of more than six cases
involving eight defendants every court day.
During the year there was collected in
fines or in collateral nearly $4,000, paid
over to the District and more than $4,000
was collected in the non-support cases and
paid for the support of wives and, children.
Measured also by figures, the success of
| the court is shown by the fact that only
ninety-eight of more than 1900 children
were before the court a second time. In
some cases. not recorded, however, children
were returned on the advice of probation
officers But the percentage of children
| who return second time will not exceed,
the officials say, 10 per cent. Statistics Of
the courts all over the country show that
| 20 per cent is the average. and 18 per cent
| Is the lowest recorded elsewher.
Some of the Results.
From the moral, physical and psychological
| standpoint the figures do not begin to rep
| resent the results Of the work of Judge
DeLacy and his corps of assistants it is
declared by those familiar with the work.
Homes are frightened by the return Of
prodigal son or daughter as useful and
| Industrious member of the family. Educa-
| ton Is extended through the compulsory
| methods adopted by the court of sending
truants to school; families have been
united; work procured for idle ones, and
lives Of crime and drunkenness prevented.
you tell the father Of this boy that the
most important work that he has to do in
this world is to look after that boy of his"
| Judge DeLacy has said many times. 1t ex-
plains the attitude Of the court toward
those brought within Its scope. and the idea
| which it impresses on the fathers and
| mothers Of this city.
The court was opened Monday, July 2,
| 1906, at 1 o'clock at its present quarters.
Der Of spectators. including Commission.
ers West and Biddle, Judges Kimban and
| Mullowny of the Police Court and Judge
Heisler of Baltimore Guard Stone of the
| house of detention presented the first pris
oners. During the sessions held daily ex-
| cept Sunday since then the guilt or inno-
cenCe OF ABOUT Z,SU cnllQren, representing
| every class of the city's population, has
been determined. When 1t Is considered
that the judge must decide whether the
stigma of a criminal conviction must be
| is naturally to be expected that each case
will be considered carefully and thorough
ly, and that is characteristic of the
court The defendants include those charged
with various offenses, from playing base
ball in the street to highway robbery and
| housebreaking, children regarded as being
do tfrrfn nf n IN no nyyNit
ted to various institutions public charges
or sent home after being picked up as fu-
gitives from their parents.
Best Interests Of the Children.
Judge DeLacey, it is stated. in making
dispositions Of cases always considers para
mount the best interests Of the children,
then Of their families and then the Dis
trict Of Columbia, and he has gone into
the minutest details to determine the en-
vironment and home life of the youngsters.
The majority Of the children adjudged
guilty Of some offense against the law have
been placed on probation, or, in other
words. paroled for periods from thirty days
to two years. During the period specified
Probation Officer Zed H. Copp and the as
sistant probation officer, Mrs. gertrude B.
Darwin. Not only do the probation officers
by the courts wards at least twice
month. The probationers must either at
tend school or have steady employment.
The number on 20 probation sa, fuctuates.
ton. and at the present time there are 225
boys and girls under the guardianship Of
the court officials. The others having served
their probation period, have received their
honorable discharge"
Another feature Of the work of the Juve-
nile Court during the year was the holding
exercises for the benefit of those on pro-
baton at the court building the first Sum
day Of each month.
Protection of Little Ones.
The Juvenile Court was established not
only for the punishment Of juvenile Offend
ers, but also for the protection of children,
and one way in which 1t exercises the lat
ter function is through the charges of nom
support filed against fathers, or charges
contributing to the delinquency of children
against adults. The number of the latter
kind has not been large, but more than $50
adults were before the court for failing to
supply the necessities of life to their chill
have paid an aggregate of $1,000 In sums
ranging from 81 to $40 per week. The
payments to insure the carrying out Of the
courts order arv made through Clerk Jo-
seph Harper, who turns the money over to
the mother guardian Of the children.
Each Monday and Tuesday morning from
the anxious ones whose daily bread is as
sured by the payments.
In connection with the court Is a free
library, in charge Of bBaliff William A.
Hickey. Books are distributed to children
as requested, the probationers being en-
couraged in good reading. The books were
donated by the Library Of Congress. In
cluded Is q newspaper" history Of the
court, made up of clippings in reference
to the court published in The Star.
A public playground has also been es-
tablished in the rear of the court, where
under shady trees on a velvet lawn chill
dren may enjoy themselves
Staff Of Officials.
The staff Of officials of the court is as
follows: Judge, William H. DeLacy;
clerk, Joseph Harper; probation officers,
Zed H. Copp and Mrs. Gertrude Darwin;
deputy United States marshal, ], j. Hoey;
bailiff and messenger, William A. Hickey.
Steps are to be taken during the COM
ing session Of Congress-. it is stated, to
nrovide for a deputy clerk and more nro-