Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-09-20
PARENTS ARE AT FAULT.
They Are Usually Responsible When
the Children Go Wrong.

AEtE al FAULT.
They Are Usually Responsible When
the Children Go Wrong.
"Nine-tenths of the parents who have
incorrigible children are responsible
for that condition themselves"
Van B. Prather, probate Judge of
Wyandotte County, who is in charge
Of the Juvenile Court in the West Side,
had this to say recently when liked
whose fault it was that children 8 or
8 years old were sent to the reform
school at Topeka almost daily, says
the Kansas City Star.
"A mother and father come into this
court with a boy he continued. They
say they can do nothing with him. He
refuses to go to school, he stays way
from home until late at night, he steals
from the neighbors and sometimes from
stores. They ask me to send him to
the reform school.
Now, I hate to send a boy to Jail.
That is what it amounts to. So I ask
the boy a few questions. He is usual
ly a bright little chap. Does he smoke?
wv 1OCo hC ollLh : 1NOs LIZ LIS DdIs5
ents ever ask him where he goes at
night? No. Would he take a chance
to be good If some one would, take an
interest In him? Yes, he would. They
all want to do better, but don't know
how.
II then parole him. He is put under
the charge Of a probation officer. This
officer sees that he is put into school.
He gets a report from the teacher con-
corning his attendance and behavior.
In addition the boy must report here
to me each Saturday morning.
"But the parents are the most tan
talizing people to deal with. They will
not take the proper interest in the well
fare OF their children. mother, Ia
the evening, Is tired. She allows the
children to wander around after dark
without even asking where they have
been. Very likely the father Is away
from home, too, playing poker in some
saloon and drinking. Pretty soon the
child gets into mischief-is bound to
do 70 under such conditions. Then the
parents cry here In court and say they
have done their best, but failed. Bah!
l haven't the slightest patience with
them. Why, not long ago there was q
boy in here because he shot q bullet
from 3 target ride through a windows
His parents had given him the toy.
Show me the child who won't play
with any article which a parent gives
to it,
children, as q rule" Judge Prathef
said, ARE easily handled II only ona
can get their confidence. Most of them
wish to be good. But they cant be-
cause they have never been taught how.
A to the facilities for handling In
corrigfble children" Judge Prather con-
tinued, there isn't much to encourage
me In q work In which I have grown to
take much interest. It Is either to
send a child to the reform school, to
Jail or to put him on parole to live
with the same old shiftless parents. We
have no homes Of detention, no grassy
spots, no farms provided by the State
where we can send these u~nfortunates.
/ tell you 1t makes my heart sick some
times to see them begin the downward
journey with nothing In sight to help
them mp. But I have nothing to back
me up II I wished to make ! light to
redeem these youngsters The people
OF the county cen to take no interest
in the retaining Of these young
rogues. If / could convince them that
1t would save them all money IN the
long rur am sure they would find
some way to help me out"