The Detroit times., 1913-01-21
GOOD WOMAN
REAL PROBLEM in
REFORMATION
they Win Not Give Co-Opera-
ton, Says Angel to
Fallen Girls
CONFESSION OF CORA
HUMPHREY, WORKER
Has Hunted Her City in Vain in
Quest for Place for
Tired Girl

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 2"-"The
good women of San Francisco--and OF
every other clty--they are the real
problem when 1t comes TO dealing
with girls. tell you the truth when
! say that there have been days when
. have hurried from one end OF this
town to the other, trying to find a
place. little temporary resting place
for girl who wanted to start ali
over. The greatest need, the need |
feel every day, is the cooperation OF
good women"
This was tn confession OF Mrs,
Cora Humphrey, San Franchises first
court worker for girls, who Is incon-
spicuously going the round OF the
courts and prisons day after day TO
hold out a hand to the girl who wants
TO begin all over
Women for thu first time in the his
tory OF the world are trying 10 face
things as they are-without turning
away from the sores of civilization,
winthout shortsighted condemnation.
But IL is one thing to discuss age-old
problems from the safe corner of a
woman's club-and quite another
thing to go down into the arena, 10
come face to face with these sordid
problems, solving them as best you
can out of your own sordid expert
ence--with only the hope that you be
doing a little bit of good in the end.
That Is what Mrs Humphreys work
amounts TO. She is doing it so quietly
that the police court officials do not
know who she is; you have to hunt
days to find her, tirelessly treading
obscure ways, trying to help her girls.
But a great many girls are beginning
TO know her-only. they are girls who
don't talk about 1t.
Mrs. Humphrey, who calls herself
merely court worker for girls, is a
little woman, soberly dressed. You
might pass hero times in 4 crowd
and never see her. But after you
have seen her and talked to her you
never forget her.
But know why the girls who have
once met Mrs. Humphrey never forget
her, because for whole day fol-
lowed her about-from early morning
until dark. Sophisticated people will
tell you 1t was q useless day and that
3
az the root OF. our great social prob
lem, and are mistaken kindnesses.
But will never forget the look on
Myrtle's (that is not hy name) face
when, through Mrs Humphrey, they
let her take her little baby-just as
beautiful as your baby, although he
had no name-and leave San Fran
cisco To go home" and start over.
xtsa
went up TO tho city prison, but there
happened to be no need for her at the
time.
Then came the police courts.
asked Mrs. Humphrey how she could
tell what girls needed here-how she
coull steeer clear of those who might
merely fiount her. "She looked at me
wonderingly. 81 don't know she
said. II never thought OF il. Often
I'm too late. But they always say
they are grateful TO me. No girl has
ever been rude TO me-"
Then she left me and walked
straight over TO a girl who was sit
ting In the front row of the crowded
court, wrapped in a dark plush coat.
Il saw the girls brown eyes gradually
lose their hard flXity. He's nearly
two years old" l heard her whisper
proudly, land he has the curliest dark
hair! He wants to hug everyone.
and, 90 don't thing they'd let me-"
And then a few minutes later, while
this poor little soiled butterfly in al
her pitiful fnery stood before him
with bowed head, heard this quiet
little woman tell the Judge about it
OF that flight from home. OF her being
left alone finally with her baby, an
unframed girl-to find her way to the
dance halls. But through il all she
had chung to her baby, and IL was this
passionate pride in the child that
made Mrs. Humphrey sure that Myrtle
wanted to "go back" "Ive been try
ing 10 go home,s she said humbly.
Myrtle's case had taken nearly all
day to verify and settle. Then there
was Mary, a girl whose lover had