The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1908-02-28

| 6dlnuiiu6 uouoC, nOu5c vi PiOctAtu
ton or immoral place.
No minor shall be employed in
saloons or brewing establishments in
handling intoxicating liquors or
packages containing the same.
District attorneys of the different
counties as well as probation officers
appointed by the court are authoriz-
ed to file complaints or petitions in
the county courts declaring any child
to be delinquent by briefly stating
the cause of delinquency.
The courts ruling is final.
A most important feature of our
tchildrens law is the provision for
the punishment of persons respons-
ible for or contributing to the de-
linquency of children-such as par
ents, guardians or persons having
the custody of the child. They can
be fined or imprisoned for any act
encouraging, causing or contributing
to delinquency.
1t is astonishing how little care
and attention is given by many par
ents to their children. 1t is trouble
some and tiresome to them to do
their duty, but this law awakens
them to realizing sense of their re-
sponsibility toward their children and
if not done voluntarily it can be en-
forced by law.
The needs of the juvenile court are
many. First of all it needs the in
terest and encouragement of the
community.
Many of the children brought to
the court are poorly clothed and shod
and are hungry. The women could
furnish clothing and get small dona-
lions to supply food and the court
would maintain a relief fund-which
now they often do out of their own
pockets.
The lack of physical nourishment
proper food cleanliness and suffici
ent clothing is responsible for great
deal of unhappiness and suffering
among children and directly con-
tributes to their delinquency.
If we expect child to reform it
is only just and fair to improve such
conditions as far as we can.
AS an auxiliary to the work of the
juvenile court we could form juve-
nile improvement association to en-
gineer boys clubs where they were
most needed for the class of boys
who cannot and will not go to the
Y. M. G.. A. Let us ask for the use
of school houses for this purpose and
put shower baths and club rooms in
the basement. Let us leave the
heather to God for while and get
hold of our own boys who have
squalid or even uninviting homes
and keep them from the streets and
cheap theaters, or even worse places.
In Boise there are at least three
school buildings that need bath
rooms for children coming from
homes where such facilities are de-
MED them.
We need ungraded rooms in some
of the schools, and more manual
and industrial work. Many children
have no opportunity to learn trade
till they commit crime and are sent
to the Industrial school. The indus
trial school at st. Anthony is over
crowded and we need another state
industrial school.
We want more play grounds and
help for the poorer boys in the way
of gymnastics and play outfts-base
ball suits and all that sort of thing.
We want more parents meetings in
the chools, especially in those neigh
borhoods where the people are poor
or ignorant and do not know how
to organize.
Close cooperation between the
schools and the court, special and
particular interest by school teachers
In delinquent boys instead of dis
position often maintained to get rid
If them as a nuisance and as en-
rendering extra work.
The~law says that no child under
Ia years of age shall under any cir
be incarcerated in any
common jail or lookup, but a suitable
Dom in the county building or court
house must be provided wherein the
sheriff may safely keep such a child.
See that it is so in your county.
lope that Ada county will soon have
detention home in Boise for the
children of the court.
We cannot expect to achieve per-
ection within a year or so, but to
hink, to know, to care and then to
10. Is better than to ramoin ipdif