The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1907-07-26
CHILD IDLENESS FILLS TIL
PRISONS

PRISONS.
Regulated child labor is one of the
Legislative issues of the day. But
one OF the most important branches
of the subject receives such scant at
.tention that it is not yet practically
considered. Arguments on child
labor and the latest laws relating to
the subject are concerned with the
protection of the young from harm
full employments and drudgery that
Injuries them in body and mind.
Mines, factories and many other oc-
small children, yet to rear children
in idleness and without any indus
trial training endangers their whole
future as moral and useful citizens.
An article on this matter. written by
Thomas Speed Moody. pardon attor-
ney of Missouri, in the North Ameri-
can Review contains valuable infor-
nation based on accurate knowledge
of the class from which the prisons
are filled. BY the last census three
fifths of the 1884 convicts in the
United States were ignorant of any
trade. In France the prison record
| Is much the same. Apprentices 10
any trade are never among those
taken to boys reformatories, nor
have such prison recruits any skill in
| any sort of reputable occupation.
lConvicts are taught a trade, and only
one in seven after discharge returns
to crime. The age of greatest crmi-
nality is between 20 and 25. and it is
seldom that any young person follow
ing a regular vocation is arraigned
in a court of justice.
Idle and neglected children are the
ones from which the penitentiaries
are filled. Mr.. Moody says that all
investigations show that the Ameri-
can criminal is not n product Of the
Trades, of the workshop or the fac
tory. Although no trade or profess
! sion Is immune from crime, We find
It here at the minimum. And this Is
true of both sexes. The feminine de-
linquents are not recruited from tbs
ranks of factory girls. As a rule
they are women who do not care foi
work" An idle. trifing. child be
lcomes an adult of the same kind, but
with larger capacities for evil. \
boy who learns a trade follows GER
tain responsible regimen and ac
lquires a training which he can turf
Ito constant good account, with excel
llent opportunities for advancement
according to his earnestness, industry
land ability. Dissipation beckons thu
lidler. and the dawnward course be
gins. 1t is hard to stop. The chile
THAT was taught nothing useful be
!, comes the young man who know
nothing valuable. Before reaching
25 he is apt to be a criminal If sen
to prison he is compelled to learn ;
trade. and on it rests the hope tina
his later life will be industrious ant
free from offense.
Useful activity is the law of life
Children should not be required t
work beyond their capacity nor unde
conditions harmful to health. bu
they should be trained to know tina
labor, according to their years. Il
fright and wholesome, a necessity To-
their future welfare. Philanthropy.
should think of the idle children a
well as those who are overworket
and cut off from the Fairgrounds
There are juvenile idlers. as well a
little drudges. who need protection
from industrial errors. The law
have prescribed compulsory work II
1.-THE school rooms up to a certain age
This is one branch of the needed
preparatory training. The child mus
become a worker and not merely
learned drone. In the old apprentice
ship system there was much of prae
practical wisdom Its chief aim wa
sound. 1t recruited for good citizen
ship, not the prisons. Let humani
tarians and legislatures look TO chilli
idleness as well as excessive or othe
improper child Observation-Disclosures
lcrat