The Mena weekly star., 1912-02-15
Boys and Girls, Read Your Law and
Be Good.

This law is for the benefit Of de-
pendent and delinquent children,
and includes males under II and fe-
males under 10. Dependent chill
dren are destitute, homeless, aban-
doned, depend upon the public for
support, do not have proper care,
and live mostly by charity. The
inmates of their homs are depraved
and cruel. If delinquent they have
violated law of their state; their
associates are thieves, vicious or
immoral. They so where they
please and hold no value on char
acter; are grown up in idleness and
crime, visit gambling halls, pool
halls, saloon, gambling on game
cocks, wander at night on the
streets without legal business, jump
lon trains or wander about in the
railroad yards. Reputable persons
may file a petition with the clerk
for the arrest of any child commit
ting any of these acts, or for writ
ing obscene, vile, vulgar, profane
or indecent language, or smoking
cigarettes about public places or
Ischool houses, or guilty of indecent,
Immoral or vicious conduct. ANY
lchild committing any Of the above
acts may be arrested and subjected
to the control Of the juvenile court.
All persons in this state under II
years, for the purpose of this act
lonly, are considered wards of this
state. The Juvenile Record" con-
tains the findings of this court,
dependent or delinquent children
may be taken from parents or
guardians and given homes with
reputable persons who are willing
Ito care, protect, train, educate,
correct, control eor discipline sach
child. The petition must give the
name of parents or custOdians. The
same are summoned with the child
before the judge. IF parents or
guardians fail TO appear. the judge
may appoint worthy persons in
their place. Probation officers
should be notified by the clerk
when trials are on, or when ar
rests are made, with OF without a
warrant The judge tries at one,
| and if the child is convicted and
sentenced to confinement they
must not be placed with adult
criminals. but in quarters TO them
selves. Parents or guardians can
demand a jury of six or ~ persons,
Tor the judge can order a jury. Par
tents may be proceeded against in
cases Of contempt of court for fail
lure to accompany the child on a
Summons, or for interfering with
| the direction Of disposition of any
ichild under order of the court. Any
lperson causing, encouraging or
contributing to the dependency or
delinquency of children shall be
IguiHy of a misdemeanor and shall
be fined not TO exceed $500, and i'm
lprisonment not over one year. This
may be called contributory delin-
lduency The visitation committee
shall consist of six reputable men
and women, whose duty it is to Wis
| it all places where children are re-
eeived under this act. We have nc
industrial school for girls in M
kansas; the Crittcnden Home tales
| fallen girls, but what will we dc
with those on the road 10 bad? She
cannot go to the reform school,
thai is for boys. People do nc.
want to take fast girls in their
home, so the question is, what are
we to do with them? We are re-
lquesteds by our state president to
ipetition our representative TO try
to get a bill passed providing for
an industrial school for girls. II
| girls are good, boys often will be
good too.