The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1912-02-21

dress on the SuDJecI, Inc Minimum
ity at Large and Its responsibilities
to the Youthful Offenders"
The Bishop said that the work
Of organizing the new diocese de-
manded 80 much of his attention
that it had not been possible for
him to prepare an address such as
he would like to deliver bsfore the
association, a body devoted to the
care of the juvenile offenders
1.-THE youth of these children
pleads for Them" said the Bishop
"They are more to be pitied than
blamed. Your association Is to be
commended for its humane idea-the
idea of putting these children in
cless by themselves, taking them
away from the hardened criminals,
away from the musty court rooms
where they would find only another
step downward. The Juvenile Court,
with its splendid organization, the
character of its judges and spirit
of fatherliness brings them into con-
tact with something elevating that
rouses in them the latent forces that
will lead to noble manhood and wo-
manhood. A block of marble has pos
sibilities to astonish the world II
fashioned by the hand of an artist,
and if a cold and lifeless block OF
marble holds such possibilities what
shall we say Of the possibilities for
good in these neglected waits, II
those conversant with human nature
will reach into these little hearts
and raise them up. History shows
us that some of the giants we look
up to in admiration gave no greater
promise Of greatness in their youth
In some way some one managed to
lay hand on the poor waif and
thereby kindled in his heart the fire
of a noble ambition. Perhaps when
you are gone men and women who
are astonishing the world by their
great and noble deeds will call you
blessed for what you did for them
when they were neglected children.
The Community Defined
"When l speak of the community
I mean the body of citizens at large
and not the smaller body of officials,
the legislators and judiciary. The
community reaches out and takes IN
every man and woman and makes
them responsible for what is going
on. The first great criminal Of the
world flung back into the face of the
Almighty the defiance, Am my
brothers keeper?' Yes, you are. You
cannot get away from 1t. The duty
is laid upon US to reach out help
ing hand to others that they may be
guided to live right. That is what 1
mean by the community. l mean you
and I look beyond you and include
every man and woman living in what
we call our city. BY responsibility 1
mean accountability, answerability is
another word for it. True, some of
us may evade this responsibility. We
may, wrap our togas of responsibility
about us and Enthusiastically declare we
are not responsible for certain evils
and evil conditions, that we did not
do 1t ourselves. Very likely not, but
did you do anything to stop it? I
fear we may have more to answer
for than we care to admit. Go to
the prisons where men live like
beasts. Ask these men who helped
to put them down. In their answer
we will hear names that will surprise
US at times.
Responsibility Of Parents
1.-The first responsibility for juve-
niles rests on the parents. They are
the natural guardians of the child.
1t is their duty to train the child to
be a fit member of society. If they
neglect it, it is the duty of others to
step in and see that the child has
Its chance And even when the par
ents do their full duty to the child
there is still duty to that child rest
ing on the community. The child
does not live it's life within the four
walls of the home. 1t brushes
against the community in its tender
years, and when it's senses are keen
ly susceptible to outside influences. 1t
is the duty of the community to see
that all outside influences that travel
through the senses to the soul Of the
child be all that they should be, that
nothing shall influence the child to
evil. We fail negatively, if you
choose to call it so, by not keeping
away from the child outside evil in
fluences.
What are the three great factors
that more than anything else act on
the great mass of people, men, wo-
men and children today? / will give
you my answer to the question and
leave it to you to think over. l hold
that the three great factors that reach
out and influence the masses of peo-
pie more than anything else, that in
fact move nations, are the school, the
press and the theatre Now ! ask
what is the influence of these three
factors on young people today?
The School is Neutral
Take the school first. 1t is neu-
tral. 1t gives knowledge, but it does
not train the will and the heart. We
have removed from the school the
only thing that will train the will and
the heart-religion, the basis of NOR
atty. Can anything else correct the
evil tendencies of the Will? Unfort-
nnately to a great extent the school
Is neutral. l will not say entirely so,
for I honor the men and women who
by sacrifice do what they can beyond
the school. | am not alone in this
view. Jacob Gould Schurman, pres
ident of Cornell University, and most
of the great leaders in educa ton
hold the same opinion. | do not say
this because | am ii Catholic Bishop.
One OF our troubles is that we look