The Washington times., 1907-12-01
Too Few Officers.

Hy experience IS that the school
Tendance officers are doing q great
..c.l for the boys Of Washinguon--
said Mr. Weller This IS under tae
direction Of MS. Edna Keen Bushce.
who has Two assistants. one each for
tle white and c0lored schools The
system is handicapped on account o.
20 lew officers. but there is nothllA
,laJ prevents juvenile crime like CON-
uuiSJry school attendance.
This view is shared by SupeTsuLeu-
dent William T. Chancellor OF the pub
lie schools
Il am glad TO be able 10 say some
llinE on tie sID Get The Times is
irtaung. said DT. Chancellor II
- indeed most opDortUnt that the peo-
pie should become awakened 20 what
Is being done and what needs 10 Ice
done for the boys OF Washington As
suggested. school attendance ls q great
hing. Compulsory education has ac-
-OmpEsLeG wonderful results IN re-
lucing the IuleueSs among the boys
and auythiu- that Curtails idleuess
hildtrs crime. AS / nave said ~ C.
recent r--oI endauon 10 the scnOOl
b0aru. We ar. handicapped By the lack
OF dtteu is.l..- otEcers, having only
three. 7 haNt asked FOR at least Two
additiCus which hope VIII he
-rdntev
The Ii.licum institute OF George
town. with its fraf n tghl school opened
.wO weeks ago. i= doing a great work
among boys. Ttas. however Is an
other institution exercising rather
preventive Office, as its numerous stu
dents cannot be ClIsse1 as bad boys.
and every influence thrown about those
who attend. tends to preveu- them ever
becoming .. The institution Is one
OF the oldest in Washington. having
been. endowed and established many
vears ago through r Lnrnicum, for
fr-cNFFrrra T.
Another Georgetown institution en-
aged in good work Is the Boys -.-
mortal Club. designed especially lor
taOse boys in poor cirCumstances. Iii.s
is one of the more thriving OF i.,it
class Of clubs heretofore neltl H-Il..-
Beyond its social ana religious f---
lures the club maintains cNcelleu-
reading rooms endowed by Mrs. M-r-
s.4ret Dtfpont Lee A great many boys
who might naturally be deprived OK
the advantages of wholesome aSs2-
ciatiOn and home influences, md IN
cubs of this kind a home as well as
church and school.
The National Junior Republic home,
situated between Washington ana
Annapolis Junction, cares for an aver
age of about seventy-hve boys Wno
are homeless. or whose parents
through reduced circumstance are
unable TO care for them. The homo
has for directors a number OF charit-
able washington men and women anu
is supported By public subscription
It's influence upon thar class OF boys
whose environment is such as TO make
them habiues OF the alleys. cannot
be overestiHateO
All in all. considering the fact that
I'D 10 five years aSo, the greatest re-
form agency. the Juvenile Court had
not been established and boy-niscre-
ants faced the courts alongside OF
hardered criminals OF every kind, The
results accomplished to date ars wen
derful.
There seems TO have been an awak-
.ning upon the part OF all those n
.-arge OF such matters, and concert
20 EFFORT IS being made TO keep down
idIeness as the root Of all boyish evils.
4 tightening OF the reins Is shown
ain along the lire. In the school
system. the Juvenile Court. and on the
uart OF the Associated Charities and
irs agents. who are in touch With the
ctty's poor. The patrolman u ron tie
beat Las taken up the warfare and its
move on, little man; get a Job or SO
20 school. You mustn't hang around
and slaolle cigarettes"
Tne churches and private agencies
toO are ar work. and judging from the
Interest now displayed and the results
so far accomplished, those boys who
deserve the characterization Of Dad
from now on must blame nothing Save
their own perversity-