The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-05

Chicago, IiI.. Dec. 4--One year ago the first court house in the world built exclusively for children was dedicated here in Chicago. Nine years ago Chi- cago established the first juvenile court in the world, followed 8 few months later by New York. where the first law in this country creating chill drsn's courts was enacted in 1892. AS far back as 1865 Massachusetts had a law providing for the hearing of chill dren's cases separate from those of adults. but this was practically dead letter for many years. Since 1S9S twen- ty-one States have established children . courts and they are in active operatioi in forty or more big cities Long De- fore this. however, Judge Murphy, or Buffalo; Judge Lindsey. of Denver, ana Judge Stubbs of Indianapolis, had ta- ken to hearing. the cases of children separately because their own Judgment deemed it best.
 This new building is in the part of Chicago that Hull House has already made famous with It's settlement Wofh . It cost Cook County $5.00o.0o0 and IS dedicated to the service of dependent and delinquent children. 1t contains the court room, waiting rooms, omces, apartments for the matrons and teaen~ CTS, school rooms, play grounds, oihihs rooms. dispensaries, and dormitories for the children who are under arrest or orphans who are waiting to De sent to homes.
 A most interesting school is conduct ed, every boy and girl detained heIe for any purpose being required 10 study. The school developed the fact that many children brought here art almost illiterate, despite the fact that thev were born and have lived most Of their lives in Chicago, where the com puisory education laws are good.
 Throughout the year this school has an average daily attendance or zoef
 The law requires that every boy and girl in the city under fourteen must att tend some school, and that every boy under sixteen must either be in school ar At work. This Is the best way to keen them from mischief. and at the same time make good citizens of them. If they do not keep the laws, they art brought before the Children's Court. which hears all cases of boys unoer sixteen and of girls under eighteen.
 The judge is from one of the circuh courts. chosen for a years service by the judges of the other circuits courts. He combines with the wisdom or fudge the patience of a parent and the penetration of a teacher long used to the convulions of child's mind. Each case is tried with the offender. his ps- rents, the witnesses, the probation or ficers and the lawyers grouped about the judges desk No one child may hear the case of another unless they should be charged with the same act. Fear is gone from the little offenders who come, and with the judge they talk over the case, and nine out. or ten cases develop the fact that the home life has been broken by death or divorce or by both parents having to -.- fha 1ftflQ 0ffends CT has been the unwilling victim or adverse circumstances. The law of the State of Illinois specifically says that no child under sixteen shall be con- sidered or treated as crininal The idea of punishment Is eliminated, and correction and formation, rather than reformation are the ideas on which the work is based.
 Here is a. young girl of seventeen ta- Ken from the streets. She has no home. She is an epileptic and the State has no provision for people afflicted as she is ifospgtaIs cannot take her, she has frightened the children in an orphans home. and it Is against the sentiment of the court to commit her to the hos- pitaI for Una insane. ''Keap her up- stairs awhile.S the judge sayA, to the matron. ''we must find some place for fer."s Here is another young girl, a quiet, beautiful creature, who has-heen- brought before the court at the requess of hAr father, because he believes she meant to go away with a man who has not yet got his divorce. It is a pa thetic domestic tangle where a hard working father, too often given, to drink. has tried his best to be both father and mother to his three girls. The matter is talked over between the judge. the family and the man in the case. The defense declafes that the girl was only to keep house for the man and his aged mother until the divorce could be had. The heart of the fam fly life, with the unfair suspicious of the ignorant laid bare-but only to friends-and when all the case is heard the judge says kindly: Margaret, didn'l you. know 1t would be wrong to go to the ehome of this man?" T do now, judge since you have talked to me" she confessed. "I think .lt would be wise to put her in the school at Geneva for awhile" says the judge. He an- swers the skrill protest of one of the sisters: Since you have no home of your own where you can take her, and since she has been ordered from your fathers house, this Is the best and only home for her. One of the proba- ton officers will tell you of the home so you will understand how good 1t Is for your sister"
 Three little boys have been brought in by the sheriff from a Michigan County just over the line. One has been before the judge twice before and released on parole. The second, the small, wiry son of an Irish saloon keeper, who is also known to the judge. and the third is a small negro of inky blackness. The charge is