The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-01-20

Ing of the church club in st. John 5
church house. While the bishop spoke
briefly In the meeting. in discussing
the matter afterwards he said:
The crying need in this city is to
have good woman probation officer
appointed for girls who are brought
into the juvenile court. The condition
here is dreadful \ girl arrested for 4
inisdemeanor. is brought into open
court, where the room Is crowded vita
men. Her testimony Is taken there
and anything that she doesn't want
the onlookers 10 hear she must whis-
per into the ear of the Judge. The
Judge is man, the probation officer
Is man and to these the girl must
give her confidence. IL is. a pressing
need that there lie a woman of the
right sort for girls who are delinquent
juveniles. the same as they have in
New YORK, Chicago and other big
cities. That point cannot be empha.
sized too strongly.
We find girls IL 10 10 years OF age
taken into dance halls back of saloons
and gotten drunk. am sure that this
sort OF thing is carried on to a great
extent IN Detroit If the officials
some startling things member Of
saloon where srrA things are done"
Haven't Criminal Tendencies.
These things do exist" continued
the 'biskop That is where society
makes It's criminals The boy or girl
rarely has an innate criminal tenden-
cy. There are a few children who
have criminal inheritance, but such
ought to be treated BY pathological
experts. exactly as the state now
treats its detectives. but the average
boy or girl IL lull OF energy, curiosity,
good fgjngs. and unless they find
wholesome avenues OF expression they
will explode into mischief When they
are not given Wholesome avenues OF
expression, they find "A system which
turns them into criminal channels.
I'VE are SO sure that In Detroit Life
Is Worth Living that We do not see
The many things that should be done.
In connection with the juvenile
court there should be personal investi-
cation OF the conditions in the home.
We do not have proper probation
system, nor probation officer. nor prop
Fl records OF these cases.
Would Extend Fairgrounds.
Further. the playground system
should be developed throughout the
city. If channels OF interesting occu-
patton are opened for the boy he
won't get into mischief II would be
a great deal better 20 pay money .or
Fairgrounds than to build useless
peristyles on Belle Isle Those in
charge OF the Fairgrounds should not
be broken down policemen. but men
who comprehend child nature and the
psychological value OF child play
The city OF Detroit ought to have
the right place To deal with those who
come under the sentence of the juven-
lie court. We have no other way than
the Jail. Cleveland has a farm OF 1000
acres. with separate cottages where
the boys are kept in the family system.
twelve boys In a. cottage. They are
sent to school and govern themselves.
Detroit should have something OF the
kind II it would be abreast of the
times.
I'm the Industrial school in Lansing,
the boys are under military and prison
discipline The boys come in chain
gang step like inmates of the peniten-
tiary. There is the atmosphere of the
prison about H. Those in charge seem
TO be more concerned In looking after
the economical conditions than the de-
velopment Of the boys. They pointed
with more pride 10 the kind OF beets