The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-07
Some Bouquets For Judge
S. D. Murphy From a Well
Known Juvenile Court Official
Mrs Benjamin West of Memphis Assistant Judge Ba
con of the Juvenile Court of That City, Visits Birmingham
and Gives Her Impressions of the Work Here
BY DOLLY DALRYMPLE

During the past few days Mrs. Ben
iamin West of Memphis, assistant to
Judge w. J. Bacon of the juvenile court
of that city, and president of the Ten
nessee branch of the southern sociolog-
ical conference, was an honored guest in
Birmingham
Mrs. West is known throughout the
southern states as one of the most sac-
cessful. enthusiastic and conscientious
workers in matters pertaining to social
welfare. and a brief conversation with
this kindly woman convinces one that
her gentleness and tender sympathy
conspire to make her just the woman to
make a success of such things as those
with which she is connected
Chicago" said Mrs. West, when she
was telling me about her work, sis really
the birthplace of the juvenile court. Al
though Denver has usually had the
credit of it, and / do not want to detract
for moment from Judge Lindsay's
great work, for he is one of the highest
exponents of the juvenile court, having
spread the gospel from coast to coast
but. to be entirely accurate, the womS
ems clubs of Chicago really established
the juvenile court in this country.
1.-The president of the federation at
that time" continued Mrs. West was
Mrs. Henrotin, and with such assistance
Miss Jane Adams, Miss Julia Lath-
rop, DIR. Hastings Hart and Mrs. Bowen
gave her-the last named practically
supporting Hull house for Miss Adams
in the early days-were the founders.
1t was the idea then, and has been since,
to impress the public with the fact that
to help the child. and not punish him.
and it could not be otherwise, since the
project emanated from the hearts of
mothers"
when did you become engaged in
juvenile court work." l asked.
"Quite by accident, three years ago.
Mrs. West said. MY kinsman. Mr..
Crump, mayor of Memphis. asked me to
become a member of the advisory board
of the juvenile court. 1 told him frankly
knew nothing about it and in equally
frank terms he conhded that he didn't
either, but he thought 1 had the time to
study conditions and learn / went into
the work entirely a volunteer, with
out remuneration and without expert
ence. Shortly after this [ took up act
lively the work. The superintendent was
i'll and Judge Kelley. then judge of the
court asked me to replace her. Judge
Bacon succeeded Judge Kelley, and
asked me to remain permanently, which
L have done for two years. Then | be-
gan seriously TO consider the work. |
went to Chicago and studied at Hull
house. [ had every opportunity to see
every phase of settlement work. and
Miss Florence Sculley, teacher in the
juvenile court school there, taught me
more than any one else about the work
that | now love much. Miss Sculley
is very remarkable woman. DR..
Healey, for instance. has the sycopathic
clinic in the juvenile court. His inves-
legations are all made by the Binet-
Simon method, while Miss Sculley does
her work merely by interviews with the
children and keeping a watchful eye
over them. DIR. Healey and Miss Sculley.
by comparing notes, have found that 80
per cent of Miss Sculley's findings tally
with his, which shows what powerful
insight this woman has into human ma
ture, and how she reads the child mind
as though it were an open book"
During my studies in Chicago" Mrs
West continued, II consulted the chief
probation officer of that city and asked
him to tell me what the most necessary
thing was to make the juvenile court a
success. He promptly said:
A good judge
'Since l have been In Birmingham y
Mrs West went on to saw, ''I have studied