The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-04-28

inal; what, in view OF all the circum-
stances surrounding this child's life, is
the best to do for him
"The old law is outraged justice.
The new law is a stern, but loving
parent.
From the ten years experience in
Juvenile court work has come three
distinctive features which are consid-
cred essential in any rational juvenile
court law.
First is the court itself, which
should have Juvenile offenders sepa-
rate from adults, with none of the pub
licity or red tape Of the police Or
criminal court, but with equal So
lemnity and authority. The hearing is
usually a quiet conference between
the Judge, the parents, the child and
the probation officer who represents
the second essential of any rational ef-
fort for juvenile correction.
1T is the duty of the probation Of
ficer to make careful investigation into
all the social and physical surround
ings of the child, including home,
school, playmates and parents, that
the judge may work intelligently in
his efforts to interest both parents and
child in the reformation of the child
After a decision is reached the child
is usually placed under the supervision
of the probation officer who is respon-
sible for a periodical report to the
court upon the habits and welfare of
each ward of the court. The success
of the entire procedure depends most
upon the intelligence and devotion of
the probation officer and he should be
a paid officer selected with the utmost
care.
THE third essential is place of de-
tention and correction entirely sepa-
rate from adult offenders. The best in
this respect resembles a home and
school more than a Jail or reforma-
tory and should be in charge of an ex-
pert in juvenile correction rather than
a political appointed"
Mr. Sheriff. then spoke of the good
work already done in Pensacola
through the cooperation of the exist
ing court officials and local charities
and described three actual cases Illus
trating the three classes used to desig-
nate juvenile court charges, THE De-
pendents," The Detectives" and THE
Delinquents" urging that what is
being done now by suffrance and with.
out actual warrant of the law should
be made the law.
DR.. Hall Speaks.
DR.. Halls Speech was as follows:
Il heartily appreciate the honor and
/ the privilege you have granted me in
addressing this splendid gathering of
the respentative women of our city.
The Civic League and it's achieve
ments toward the city beautiful give
lis the point of departure in the prom
Use it offers that this federated body
will achieve still greater things, and
in the fact that just as it has done SO
much for the city physically and has
such ideals still to be worked to real
! izing therein city plan, so the Asso-
/ ciated Charities has city plan 0"
what we may more properly call a So
! cial program which, in the course of
the next few years, it hopes to see
realized. Your aims md desires are
in accord with this program, and your
name federation stands for that
which we both pledge and ask of you
| in return, cooperation. This is the
keyword of success.
Some Of the essentials of. this plan
of social development that We may
consider this afternoon will be the
things you will want to see worked
out, and of most of them l can say but
just a word now, and first among
them is the juvenile court law which
IS so needed and has been so plainly
set before us as necessity by Mr.
Sheriff..
Closely related to this is the play
ground work and especially its broad
ening out through the projected i'm
provements at Bayview Park 1t is
not too much to say that if the request
of the playground committee for space
in certain part of the city had beer
granted we should not have had the
scene of a dozen boys arraigned fol
theft i'll one of our courts recently, in
all probability all Of it as the result Of
undirected or misdirected energy pure
ly natural to a boy.
The improvement of the child labor
law is another desirable thing tC
achieve when the proper time shall
come, and close on this is the enact
ment of an adequate law for compul
sorry education which embodies proper
truancy provisions.
Then there must come the right
kind of in DrOvements in the school:
as TO the studies taught there. Toda,
the question the academic education o.
our schools asks the children is, 'Wha
do you know while the moment the
boy or girl has spent years trying t
learn to give a creditable answer tt
that question, steps out into the world
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