The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-03
.M.0LD|NG KIDS
into CITIZENS
Juvenile Court Exerting a
Powerful Influence Over
Boys in Denver.
JUDGE LINDSAY
TELLS OF WORK
Delights Large Audience With
Racy Description Of Life in "De
Gang'-Education Associa-
ton Hears Reports
and Elects
Officers.

~ oNcLUD1NG twelve months un-
precedented in interest and
achievement, the Richmond
~ Education Association held its
eighth annual meeting in the
OF the jefferson Hotel last
night ir a manner fitting to the wosk
OF an organization which has been ac-
much for the good OF the
city In the past few years. Reports
the work In detail and pro-
jecting plans for the future were re-
ceived, officers were elected, and other
important business was transacted.
The event of the evening was the
speech OF Judge Ben 3. Lindsay, OF the
juvenile Court of Denver. Col. and
second only to that was the singing
Of the High School chorus. under the
able direction OF Mr. Walter c. Mercer.
who has charge also OF the Children's
Chorus OF the Wednesday Club.
Address OF Judge Lindsay.
All things considered, the session
was the crowning event OF the six
enjoyable and instructive evenings
given by the association during the
past year, each OF which has been free
TO the public and has drawn large
and interested audience. Last nights
more enthusiastic, was none the LEGS
representative than the others.
Fresh from the scenes OF his labors
among the gamins OF the streets OF a.
great city. Judge Lindsay could not
have been better introduced to an
audience, almost each person in which
telt as though personally known to
him. than by the few simple words OF
Observation-Disclosures ]. Taylor Ellyson.
who spoke OF the visitor as The Friend
of the Friendless Boys
Dropping as easily into the vernacu-
lar OF the streets as II he had spent
years at selling papers, lodging
cops" and Shooting craps" and
then telling pathetic tales OF suffering
and hardsh!ps. Judge Lindsay charmed
the audience. and interest never
Tagged from the moment he took the
stand until, with yigor new to fis
hearers. he had completed the story OF
de Kid what works at night" and does
other things not legally known as
work.
Opening his address, Judge Lindsay
referred to the great number OF boys
more than 100000 in the United States
who yearly get into the courts. more
from neglect and misunderstanding
than through any fault OF their own.
He described them as .'the bad boys.
or. ra ther, the boys who do bad things"
He called the attention of his hearers
to the propriety of speaking before
the Richmond Education Association on
the subject. as the salvation OF these
boys lies rather with the educational
agencies than with the courts. He
stated. too. that in his work as Judge
OF the juvenile court he had received
more interest and sympathy from the
educators than from any other class
OF people.
THE days of force are by no means
gone. but the use of 1t in handling a
bad boy is not necessary In most cases.
he declared. in speaking of the laws OF
the police as they regard the boys OF
the street.
Duty OF the State.
Discussing the child labor laws,
which. according to some persons. have
for and disclplining their own children,
Judge Lindsay said that they had been
the greatest agencies for good to the
children ever enacted by the States.
He interpreted tn en- as measures adopt
ed by the government to help up the
children OF the weak homes, ''for some
parents" he said. "are not as fit to
set examples for their children as to
set their broken limbs For many
years. he went on, the courts have rec
ognized the power and duty of the
State to take charge OF children in
certain cases. and the laws do not In
the smallest way conflict with the au-
thority of good and proper parents.
This power has beenSvested in the State
for more than 100 years and unless
exercised. the jails and penitentiaries
will be filled with undesirable Inmates.
which, under the proper training. would
have made good and honest citizens.
Pointing to the fact that when a child
owns property its guardian is required
under the law to give bond for Its
proper administration, even though the
guardian is the child's own father, he
asked why the morals OF a youns
American citizen should not be as care
fully and as jealously guarded by the
law as its property.
Prefacing the account Of his first
case In the juvenile court, Judge Lind
say was forced for a moment to stop
for the ripple of applause which fol-
lowed his unconscious use of the word
"kid". when he had intended to say
boy, In the fearful and omnipresent
Tang of the "kid" he told the story OF
three burglars who first faced him,Nand
who, after a short conversation made
a .'clean breast" and became the first
5bcneficiaries Of his Kindness, on ac-
count both Of their honesty and the
fact that, as he said, one OF them
asked embarrassing questions as to the
youthful pranks of the judge, and
forced him to side step and resort to
stechnicalities." de gang then see
Ing that a decided advantage had beer
gained. lined up before the bar and
handed out line Of talk lin eS-
tenuation OF their acts that completely
8"suuelched" the policeman and wor
over tho Judge. Each OF the burglars
was under the age of twelve.
Language of the lSlls.
IT was then, said Judge Lindsay, that
he found Unnecessary alsosto become a
master of the language OF tho "lsids,'
aud for the edincation of his audience
and much to Its delight, he explained
some of the choice words and phrases.
iOneSiof the most Important members
of thesa gangs OF neglected and out
kContlnued an Fifth PaEe,l