The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-11-24
RECLA|M|NG BAD
BOYS IN SCHOOLS
Miss Richman Thrills Big Audi
ence-Dr. Jarrnan on
High Schools.

I1lSi OSIlOOlo.
Rich in sentiment, yet at the same
time full of actual experiences and or
intensely practical suggestions. the adj
dress of Miss Julia Richman before the
Virginia Educational Conference yes
terday morning commanded the most
earnest attention OF the 1000 teachers
who listened 10 her. No one moved.
and the sea OF tense faces evidenced
the interest felt.
Miss HICKMAN, who is district
superintendent OF schools in New York
City, made the concluding speech OF
the morning session of the confer
ence in the John Marshall auditorium.
Her subject was: Juvenile Delinquent
cy-Its Causes and Treatment"
Life pictures drawn from her eXpe-
riences with apparently incorrisipie
school boys in the metropolis formed
large part of her address. She mas
charge of a district IN the crowded
East Side, where conditions embraced
in the term Juvenile delinquency are
met in large numbers
immigration Counts.
Perhaps the strongest reason for the
tendency in boys which Miss hickman
works to correct Is found in the prob
said, we like TO think this is the case.
Yet | have heard that even in Virginia
inefficient parentship is not unknown.
Laying down The broad principle
IudL II li4e 4&AAlhCAStS nSAS
brought to bear soon enough. every
boy in the country could be saved to
decent manhood. Miss Richman pro-
ceeded with her examples OF work
among boys.
She did not discuss girls, save to say
that the problem of a bad girl Is mucn
more difficult than Is that of bad
boy. a bad girl, she said, has no sense
OF honor. while the principle of honor
can be found in every boy If the right
strtS- - touched.
Her first case was that of boy who
had committed about every crime on
the school calendar. and who was sus-
pended by his principal, the case being
brought, according to law. before MISS
Richman district superintendent.
He was truant. would leave school
without leave and failing to study was
the least Of his offenses. After re-
found that according TO his account he
had once been good boy, and went
wrong when former teacher had
called him lar when he had told.
in the district commented the speak
er. "She had married and gone, thank
God, before she could ruin any more
boys.
Placed Elsewhere.
This boy was placed in another reg
ular school at his own suggestion, In
stead of being sent to the school tor
incorrigibles. He had no more trou-
now In the College OF the City OF New
York.
The second kid was brought to Miss
Richman. with the, suggestion that he
was not quite right in his mind. 1t
was found that he was hungry most OF
the time. and when given a clean suit
of clothes his se!f-respect returned.
He was forced to leave school because
of poverty. but is making an honest
living.
The third boy was temporarily In
sane, and his teachers did not find it
out until he had been up for truancy.
kinds of meta! he could find to sell to
junk dealers. By Intelligent treatment,
and put upon his honor, he has become
desirable citizen, The last example
had his life made miserable because
he was cross-eyed, and he Will be
treated. This is recent development.
Unjust to Others.
Coming down to the practical appl1-
cation, Miss Richman, asserted with
regular grade. placed there to teach
those who want to learn, should be re-
CURED to give her life blood trying TO
keep IN order two or three children
who do not want to learn. In other
words, the incorrigibles should be sep
arated and given to teachers in smaller
classes.
Too much emphasis, said Miss Rich
proposition. 1t is all right to saw save the
one. but 1t is not right to cheat the
ninety-nine and deprive them of their
opportunities. When the incorrigibles
arc removed into separate insttu-
abled to give their talents to teaching
those who want to learn. but the prIu-
clpals also are relieved OF the burden
of trying to correct a fe wunruly ones.
Preceding the address of Miss Rich
Katherine Stuart, of Alexandria, spoke
Society of Virginia, She exhibited a
birds nest attached to twig, and
pleaded for the protection of the birds
national question, and said that If the
next Virginia Legislature will not In
stitute a game commission, the women
must take up the campaign. She asked
the women to give up wearing birds
on their hats, IAN evidence OF Vanity"
and the men to put up their guns, She
asked that teachers train the boys and
girls to use the kodak instead or the
shotgun on the feathered residents OF
the fields and forests,
High School Problenls.
DR.. j. H.. .Iarman, president Of tho
state Female Normal College, at Tarm.
VILE read paper on the work of pub
lie high schools, which was pronounced
exceedingly able and profitable, With
all the new sources or normal training
in Virginia, he said, the demand for
1900 new teachers every year cannot
be supplied, and they must come large
~ from the high schools, The old
academy AGA, filed gap but that tnstitu-
nentary schools, Co-labor he regards
AS necessity and he said 1t would
be as dangerous for the high school to
dominate the elementary school as for
the college to dominate the high school
school Is the net of the masses heoa sae