The Washington herald., 1908-03-17

Delinquency in children and election OF
officers occupied the greater part OF the
attention Of delegates during yesterdays
sessions OF the Congress Of Mothers.
/ Among those who spoke were: Judge
/ De Lacy. Of the Juvenile Court. District
4 of Columbia; Mrs. Frederick Schon.
| president OF Philadelphia Juvenile Court
and Probation Association; and Edwin
/ D. Soleuberger. secretary Of Children's
Aid Society OF Pennsylvania
Placing Charity Children.
Placing out work for children" was
Mr.. solenbergers subject. Great evil was
done by placing children in the county
poOrhOuses. he said, and the Congress OF
Mothers could perform a great and ever
lasting good for children by aiding In see
ing that laws relative TO keeping children
out of the county almshouses were lived
up to.
Regarding the binding out or indentur-
ing of children by county and town
officials he said:
The placing out OF children by county
authorities either with or without IN
denture, presents serious difficulties. It
is often embarrassing TO the county officer
to decide for or against the application
of people in mis- own county.
He may feel that the home is not a
proper one. If il becomes necessary to
remove the child after it is placed. local
Jealousies and enmities are aroused, and
the interest Of the child Is likely TO suffer
Menaces to Happiness.
IF the child has vicious or disreputable
parents or relatives they readily discover
its location and are almost certain 20
make trouble sooner or later. II the child
remains unmolested by the parents or
relatives the story OF their dsrepute often
follows the child to cloud and embitter
its later years.
In view of these reasons I believe that
in the majority of cases it is best TO re-
move homeless or neglected child from
its early environment and to select d
home at such a distance and with sucn
secrecy as to protect 1t from these
dangers
Mr.. Solenberger discussed the many in
stitutions for children and the good and
evil of each class He spoke of the State
homes for soldiers orphans; State public
school systems; county child7en's homes;
placing out and supervision of children by
State boards of public guardians, the care
of children by private placing-out socie-
ties; kind Of children 10 be placed out.
and or the school life Of the child in gen
eral
Neglect by Mothers.
Miss Lucy NJ. Hurd. principal of the
home school for boys. of Fretz. Pa. told
of efforts TO teach truthfulness 10 inmates
of that institution. She said the instruc-
! tors would talk to the boys Of the ulti-
mate result Of prevaricating.
Miss Hurd cited several instances OF
how numbers OF the younger boys Of the
school had not seen their mothers for
, two or three years. In the case of two
. of the boys. mothers who were financially
able 10 come and see the little fellows
never came near them.
She said most OF the boys were not
n delinquent, but neglected.
:. Charles Virden, special agent Of The
g State board of charities of Illinois. spoke
d to the mothers of the work that or
s ganization had accomplished in placing
n out children and seeing that they wer,
receiving the proper treatment He citeC
+ instances where children had been talzer
Il away from foster parents because Of
e cruelty.
+ District Juvenile Court
Judge De Lacy told of results accomp
lished since the opening Of the Juvenil,
= Court in the District a few years ago
j To the Congress of Mothers he aseribeC
d the credit He described many cases o.
5 probation, and how the court disposes o
n them.
Miss Helen Bennett. of New York. rep
resenting the Delineator magazine. whicl
conducted a child-rescue- campaign. tOl'
of the work the magazine was doing, an'
> of the assistance received by many phi
lanthrOphists from all over the world.
Miss Katherine Bement Davis. I'm. ID.
superintendent, New York State reforma
tory for women. cited instances Of girl
e rescued and sent home. where their trans
= gressiOn was dinned in their ears
= Work of Junior Republic.
James Struthers Heberling, superintend
: ent Of the William T. Garner Junior Re
q public. for delinquent boys. told some in
: teresting stories Of the youngsters Of tn
institution.
Mrs. Lydia Adams Williams. the dele
h gate from Nevada. talked to the mother
= on forest preservation and reforestation.
= The president OF the Congress OF Moth
>, ers, Mrs Frederick Schoff, discussed tn
work Of the juvenile court and probation
, in Philadelphia and what might be don
elsewhere.
Robert n. Wilson NJ D., Of Philadel
mia. talked to the congress of physica