The Washington herald., 1911-11-23

ne need OF QlreCtlnR more attention
! toward the physical condition of chill
dren 50 as to prevent juvenile delin-
quency and promote education was en-
phasized and urged during the discus
sion of The conservation of the child"
at the thirteenth annual meeting of the
Associated Charities of the District last
night at Rauscher's. Judge Julian w.
Mack and Dr. William NJ. Davidson
dwelt on the need of physical education,
and told what harm the lack of such
education is now causing society.
FROM ADENOIDS TO OPEN"
There's direct road from the adenoid
growths to the penitentiary." declared
Judge Mack. who is president OF the
National Conference of Charities and Cor
rection, former judge of the Juvenile
Court of Chicago. and now judge of the
Court of Commerce, in an address on
The conservation of the child from the
viewpoint of prevention of Juvenile de-
linquency."
AN enormously large percentage of the
juvenile Offenders continued Judge
of physical and mental deficiency. Most
of the juvenile Offenses are the result
Of adenoid growths and defects OF hear
ing and eyesight. There Is a%great need
of testing the children by scientific
means. There should be mental and
physical examination of the children, and
the result of the examination should be
told the parents and the public school
teachers so that conditions might be i'm
proved"
Davidson Follows Suit.
Speaking OF the same subject, DR. Will
lam NJ. Davidson, superintendent of
schools. in his address on The conserva-
ton of the child from the standpoint of
education" reiterated the thought OF
Judge Mack.
Not until the parents and the school
teachers obtain complete information
regarding the physical and moral con-
dition of the child" said DR.. Davidson.
will the child be properly conserved.
Physical education is one of the great
scholastic problems of the day. Our
District schools have already in ope-
ration certain methods which tend to-
ward the advancement of this impor-
tant educational factor. We now have
special schools for abnormal children. |
and we have medical and dental inspec- !
tors. But the problem should be give- |
greater emphasis. And 1t will. This |
question is to be emphasized in the Dis |
trict schools during the present schol- !
astic year as never before"
Judge Mack divided his speech into a |
consideration of three classes of chill !
dren-dependent, neglected, and delin-
quent ones. Speaking of the first class, !
he said:
Mother Is All Important.
There can be no substitute for the
good mother. and consequently every eff
fort should DE made to prevent the sep
aration of children from their parents.
There can be no greater crime than to
separate the child from the mother, so
long as the mother is fit for the child and
the child is fit for the mother. Such sep
arations are sad beyond measure for the
child. They are sad and highly dangerous
for the mother. No mother should be
compelled to give up her child because
of poverty. The child should receive the
benefits of home life. But the homes
must be real homes in every sense of the
word to enforce this theory.
1T is a bad PLAN" continued Judge
Mack, speaking of the neglected child,
TO relieve parents of the responsibility
of caring for the child. There are'p plenty
of parents willing to get rid of their on
spring II they are bound by some finan-
ctll responsibility, it Is possible that the
spark of moral responsibility may be
lSindled and the home relations rectified.
In many cases the child is all right and
the parents all wrong We should show
the parents that socisty really cares for
them and their welfare.
Juvenile Courts Value.
'"The juvenile court is one of the most
valuable of modern inventions" said
Judge Mack. "A new note was struck
in our jurisprudence when the Juvenile
court theory was advanced. The institu-
ton is only twelve years old, but in that
short time its value has been thoroughly
Following the addresses, the following
officers were elected for the ensuing
year: Corcoran Thorn, president; Rev.
Roland Cotton Smith, d. D., Mgr. WILL
lam T. Russell. D. D., Rev. j. Fl. Brad
ford, and 1. L. Blout, vice presidents, and
John Joy Edison treasurer. The follow
ing were elected members of the board
of management to succeed those whose
terms had expired: William H. Baldwin,
Col Archibald Hopkins, DR.. George NJ
Kober, Miss Florence P. Spofford, and
Admiral Seaton Schroeder.
Rev. Roland Cotton Smith. rector of
st. Johns Episcopal Church. presided.
The Invocation was delivered by Rev.
William ]. Kerby, and Rev. Abram
Simon pronounced the benediction.
The Annual Report.
In the annual report Of the treasurer,
Mr. Edison announced that 1856 indi-
churches, and organizations had
contributed during the year for the work
of the organization. The voluntary con-
tributions amounted to sl7,olo. Walter s.
Jfford, general secretary. added that the
work Of the organization requires about
100 a day for its proper management.
In his annual report Mr.. Ufford stated
hat lisa families were given material
relief during the past year. Eight hum
ired and flfty-eight families were given
personal direction. The secretary said
hat three new lines of work had been
started during the year-the development