Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-11-27
LAWS INJUSTICE.
Children Being Unnecessarily Rail-
rOaded 70 Reform school?

Wilson we're sent to the reform
school, are shown by various facts
which have since developed. For
example the children were commit
ted to the reform school under the
name OF Wilson, while, as q matter
OF fact, their name IL Shaw. They
were charged with refusing to at
tend school, when as a matter of
fact, they were actually taken from
the school house by the sheriff when
he arrested them, and when as a
matter OF fact, their teacher states
that she never knew them to play
truancy or to refuse to attend school
when sent.
The charge that they were growing
up In ignorance, In view of the fact
that they were taken from a school
at the time Of arrest, Is a terrible
arraignment OF Canyon county
schools and one that the people there
do not certainly endorse. 1t IL a
most astounding fact II children may
DO convicted OF the crime OF grow
Ing up in ignorance and be sentenced
to imprisonment for a term Of eleven
years while In actual attendance at
a Canyon county public school.
1t may BIO that the Canyon county
ofiiciais know their own schools bet
ter than the rest OF the people, but
the Capital News will continue to
deny the imputation that attendance
upon q school of that county is JUS
titication for imprisonment OF q child
on the charge Of growing up in ig-
noTance.
But people OF Canyon county must
understand that this Is the conclu-
sion that must necessarily follow the
permitting Of those children to re-
main In the reform school upon such
evidence.
But more than this. the teacher
to whom those children were going
to school states most emphatically
that they were not bad children, but
were obedlent, subject to discipline
and would, II left In school, have cas-
lily outgrown any objections that
could have been urged against them.
A most thorough investigation by
representative OF this paper on the
ground, interviews with all the
neighbors who could be reached, and
after tracing down all rumors and
insinuating charges. fails TO disclose
a single worthy charge for sending
these children to the reform school
except and solely that OF poverty,
which had certainly been intense
and which has as yet not been solely
relieved though rapidly disappearing
at the time the officers stepped In
and took the children away.
AT that time there was plenty to
eat and sufficient to wear to keep
warmth. aud clothing not yet made
Into garments which would have suf-
feed for the winter. There was little
or no furniture. the poorest kind OF
bedding. but sufEieient for warmth
and there was the accompanying dirt
that follows In the wake Of poverty.
But which OF you, man or woman,
left with Ave little children to take
care OF. without n dollar in the
world. deprived even of the tent over
your heads. no food-nothing in the
world but little team OF ponies and
wagon--whieh of you, within less
than two months time could drive
some hundreds OF miles hoping to get
among friends. provide food for your
self and those children In the mean
time, lay up enough for the entire
winter as this woman had done,
keep the chlldren's nakedness cover
ed and send them to school even as
much rs this mother dldG
That was the condition this won.
an was III In less than two months
before her children were taken from
her she drove from north Idaho
to Caldwell hoping to set among
friends who would assist her even a
little. she had earned money enough
to lay in a winters supply OF pro
visions and feed her horses. she had
not had time yet to buy furniture,
she had no carpet. no chairs. no
beds. nothing but a stove. some bed.
ding upon the floor and boxes and
kegs for chairs. but she had good
health. determination 10 work for
the children aud to provide for them
now that she was free from = worth
less drunkoa husband. Did she dc
wrong to spend her money for some
thing to eat for herself and children,
or should she have spent Il for fur
nltaref Did abe not show wisdom
unusual In providing against hunger