The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1911-10-25
Jjiiis.s SQUIRT
IS DISCUSSED
Laymen's Meeting at Congrega.
tional Church Gives Interest
ing Account of Status

That civilized society is just now at
the beginning of the twentieth CEN
fury awakening to the realization of
the fact that it owes something to
the children of the race in the way of
guardianship for their moral well
being and is beginning to plan Sc
riously toward that end was the main
point made in the second of an in
teresting series of public welfare
meetings which took place at the Con-
gregational church Sunday evening
when Judge Thomas e. Grady of the
superior court, Court Commissioner
III B. Cresap and Rev. A. W. Laning-
ham of the State Children's Home
Finding society addressed large and
interested audience on the subject of
the "Junevile Court System"
Legal Status of Court
The legal status of the Juvenile
court and this range of it's jurisdiction
was discussed by Judge Grady who
said that the jurisdiction of the court
and the range of it's jurisdiction was
discussed by Judge Grady who said
that the jurisdiction of the court ex-
tended to the caring of delinquent and
neglected children, in calling the par
ents or guardians to account in an
attempt to furnish that environment
necessary to insure the proper well
being of the child.
This court has the power to COM
pei parents to look after their chill
dren and can enforce lis authority.
AS part of the machinery there is
need for probation officers and for a
detention home.
The child welfare movement IS an
innovation of the twentieth century
and is only just now assuming the
Importance it merits was the asser-
ton made by Court Commissioner f.
B. Cresap who reviewed the criminal
laws as applied to children from the
time of Roman history till the present
movement began showing how very
recent is the attempt to give to child
hood it's due recognition before the
law.
Safe Aid for the Child
The point of view is now changed
and the state steps in to correct a
tendency and supplies in the training
of the child what is lacking in the
parental control. 1t is "The state fol
Johnny Jones" and not 1.-THE state
against Johnny Jones'"
Having established his point of view
Commissioner Cresap gave an inter-
esting account of the boys be parol-
led last year and outlined the plan he
pursued in bringing these boys to d
realization of the duties imposed up
on them as responsible citizens OF
the community.
Rev. A. w. Laningsham out OF the
fulIness of his experience in rescue
work answered the question, docs
the rescue work of the home society
paw" answered strongly in the al
frmative. First he showed that for
the 500 it cost to rescue each child
that the state saved from $500 to $500
as the probable cost if the delinquent
developed into a criminal and suffered
punishment for one crime. Rev. Lam
ingham asserted that the two prime
causes of child delinquency was
drunkenness and divorce and said tha'
the delinquent parent was as much OF
problem as the delinquent child.
The series of public welfare meet
ings has stirred up great interest,"
and promises to be of great value In
educating the general public along
the lines of present progressive de-
velopment, where cooperation is the
| chief feature.