The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-06-16
WHYBOYSANDGIRLSGO WRONG
RESULTS or AN INQUIRY BY MIL
WAUKEE ALDERMEN.
Home Influences. Cheap. Places OF
Anus ement and Lack OF Opportunities
for Wholesome Enjoyment Given as
Leading Causes Remedies Proposed.

Tor wholesome Enjoyment Given as
Leading Causes Remedies Proposed.
MILWAUKEE. June l5.-An investigation
is being made by "A special committee Of
the Common Council to discover why boys
and girls Of Milwaukee 60 wrong. the
committee is headed by Alderman Emil
Seidel. a Social Democrat. who introduces
the resolution. II has come TO tbs oon-
olusion that the objectionable conditions
which prevail in Milwaukee are the result
of city life and are common to all large
cities.
Among the agencies which Milwaukee,
people hold responsible for the oorrupting
of young people and which they believe
are equally Rctive in other large dtes
are the following:
Undesirable home influences.
The indifference or the blind fondness Of
parents in many homes of the better sort.
The penny arCades, their tendency to
promote iirtations and the opportunity
which they present TO The petty thief.
The five cent theatres and other places
Of cheap amusement conducted without
proper supervision, not so much because
of the nature Of the entertainment itself.
but because they promote the habit of hang
ing about the streets and forming chance
acquaintance.
Sensational displays on the blllboards.
Poolrooms and bowling alleys which allow
young boys to loaf in them.
Lack of supervision Of boarding houses
which advertise rooms to let to young girls
The inadequate enforcement of the COM
pulsory education and child labor laws aud
of laws prohibiting the sale OF liquors to
minors. the sale Of cigarettes and the at
tendance of young girls at saloon dance halls
without their guardians presence.
inadequate laws restricting disorderly
| hOnsee and TOOr pnTprppn1pDt Of aVlph Ia va
as exist.
Lack Of opportunities for wholesome en-
joyInent. such as public Fairgrounds and
social centres.
As remedial agencies constructive rather
than %strioter prohihitive legislation 10
likely to be recommended to the council.
Give the boys a place where they can
play ball without keeping a lookout for ths
policeman" suggests u. H. Jacobs. warden
of the University of Wisconsin Settlement,
situated in the heart of the Polish district,
and you have taken a long step toward
the solution Of the problem. Give them h D.;
good club with gymnasium facilities under ;
intelligent and sympathetic supervision
and they will desert the gang which meets
in alleys and which is a training school for
thieves and worse ..
In this statement is found the keynots
of the majority of the recommendations.
EHil''6 wv l''l'''N''' N'~
following; 81
The erection by the city Of neishborhood
houses equipped with reading rooms, rooms
for games and dances and club work, bath
rooms and reading rooms. the houses TO be
in charge of experienced workers,
The opening of the public schools after
school hours "a social centres and gathering
places for supervised clubs.
The establishment of properly equipped
and properly conducted municipal play
grounds so located as to be easily accessible
TO the children, and the use of the public
school grounds as Fairgrounds open TO the
public after school hours.
The establishment Of q parental school !.
and of unGraded classes for backward pupils :
in each of the city schools.
A curfew law.
The esta blishment Of a municipal childrenS -
theatre where fairy tales and wholesome
juvenile plays may be presented. and the
abOlishment of the penny arcades and aues-
tionable ; cent theatres.
Strlctcr enforcement of all laws protecting
youth and of those providing for the punish
ment Of adults who contribute TO the de-
linquency n children. Additional ~restric-
tons in the child labor law. Segregation Of
sexes in factories or shorter working houts
for women. 50 that men and women do not.
leave together. =
instruction in civics. social hygiene and
home economics in the public schools. and
trade schools. with both day and evening :
classes.
Doctors, ~cleygymen, teachers and socio-. s..
logical workers are cooperating with the
Seidel committee in the investigation.
A pamphlet form containing a series Of :
questions was sent out by the COMMITTEES d;
and the answers are being compiled. Hun
dreds of answers have Lien received. -.
Miss Elizabeth II. Thomas, national
secretary of the Social Democratic party,
declares that social Icttlement work il -
like dipping up the Atlantic Ocean with q
teaspoon and bases her opinion on personal 3.
work done in New York and ~ Hull House,
Chicago, before she became 4 Socialist
She advocates lengthcning the school age
develop intellectually and lnornlly before
going out into the world. She does not 81.
believe in trade schools. ~
Winfield II. Gaylord. state organizer =
of the Social Democratic party. III the
contrary believes that the city should :
UP the line of work carried on by the
social settlements and should also conduct .
of trade. -
believes that the city should estah-
fish and maintain ncighhorhood houses, ~
more public play grounds. schools OF trade .
and parental schools, and declares that this
line OF work should have preference above
all other municipal imT roNements. Judge
4. G. Brace or the Municipal Court also .
favors all the lines of constructive work I
suggested.
MIS-. Jllld " NINEf ENI'l lli'''lI'iF" ~ ZIG
House Of Mercy. conducted
for unfortunate Young women, urges the :
establishment Of u municipal Children's
theatr". 9
Miss Mary Berry, matron OF he State In
iusirial School for Girls. suggests mu-
nicipal supervision Of %rooninG houses.
they are often traps for girls
The municipal theatre idea Is favored hv
Mrs. 4 j. Eimcrmanu, president Of the
Woman's School Alliance, She believes
hat the city should provide penny theatres
and abolish tho ones run hv private enter
,rise. In heT opinion the establishment Of
nunicipal uelghhorho"d houses Is the finest
hing the city could do with tho possibla Z,
Exception Of establishing + municipal
aundry.
II thoroughly believe ~ the movement
or the city 10 build ueighborhoNd centres"
writes tho Rev. Froderlck Edwards. rector
# 81 james's Episcopal Nlrch VI can
mend it's money ia no better PURPOSE IT,
gilI save II in .jqls and police hills Put
II every ward a cluhhousn and \ social
,entrc with tho couvonieuces for baths and
IN