Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-09-15

business. The imp. covered with a
degree of accumulated dirt which
caused owen Webster to eXclaim OF
a London street boy on a similar oc-
casion. How is it possible in the shorI
span OF seven years." very likely
would answer your inquiry with Jaw
go on, you Joisey, watcher tink !
ann"
But the novice should not feel the
rebuff too keenly, because even I'm the
presence of the one he calls the "wise
guy" the man who knows all about
the street boy and the way to his
heart, the gamin is MOI abashed,
though to be sure his im~pertinence is
then a mark of favor rather than de
rision. A little story i'm point is that
told by Mr.. Charles ID. Hilles, superin-
tendent of the New York Juvenile asy-
.lum. who devotes all his time and en-
ergy to saving street boys from ship
wreck upon the rocks of crime every
where present in the slum life of tho
greater cities. Each boy sent to the
Children's village of the asylum is
taken before Mr.. Hilles TO be ques-
toned as a means of learning his indi-
'vidual traits. and as a method of es-
tablishing amlcable relations. This
particular boy had come into collu-
sion with the law upon numerous oc-
casions but with the cleyerness of
his kind had long eluded attempts to
bring him before the children's court.
When asked by Mr.. Hilles with what
offense he was charged, he replied:
81 was playin' a game of checkers
wild de cop. and It was my turn to
move and / didn't move and so he
jumped me, Sect His address he said
was 23 Lemon street.
If not according to the ethics Of
good behavior and these an
swers were at least friendly and only
unconsciously impudent from the
specialists point Of view. In fact the
boy specialist who sets himself the
task of dealing with delinquent child
rem of the city's manufacture must
realize first Of all that the gamln Is
in all ways abnormal. having lived
an abnormal life. and h a he Is 10
be Judged and weighed by no common
standards.
Even with the most modern sort OF
plant for making good citizens. such
as that OF the Juvenile asylum-with
its widely spaced cottages built to
accommodate no more than twenty
boys each. its hospital. farm. school.
trade teaching shops. merit system OF
marking which induces to personal
endeavor because II provides personal
rewards. It's huge playground ana ~
many acres OF woodland-the whole.
to be effective. must he vitalized by
the personal touch by h knowi-
edge 81 the boy specialist. According
u Mr.. Hilles-and experience viii
doubtless convince each OF us OF the
correctness Of his statement-no two
boys are by any chance exactly alike
In mind or body. Opportunity Is given
the hoy specialist by the cottage type
Of reformatorv who study each boy. -
that each NAV be treated a. an indi-
viduaI.
we regard each " our charges as
a eparate problem" says Mr.. Hilles,
and from the very first use every en-
deavor 10 merit not the boys fear,
which might easily be achieved
through strictly enforced arbitrary
rules and accompanying punishment
melted out By keepers. but his love
and confidence"
Something D. almost invariably ac-
eomplished during the first Interview
between the delinquent and the hoy
specialist. though often not without
difficulty. a boy recently admitted
10 the Chndren's village had not only
been deprived Of the guidance % botll
mother and father IN his light with
the world. but had also suffered the
loss o. one leg In a ride stealing cpl
sofe upon q freight train. He had
lived - begging and 50 was successful