Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-11-11

January 1t is easy to conceive the amount
of work that has been done.
MUST SOLVE PROBLEM.

-
There is no use trying TO fool our
deficiency and delinquency superfcially
as we have been doing and are still do
ing in many cases. The trouble is that
hitherto we have been simply disposng
Of the bad boy or girl by sending them
TO n private institution or into the
country to be exploited by some selfish
farmer. This way of treating the prob
lem will not do II we want TO save the
children and prevent tho creation of ad-
ditonal criminals to fill our jails,
prisons and penitentiaries."
This Is the inevitable reply that is
given by Judge German when ap--
preached on the subject OF juvenile re-
form work Judge German has abb
sorbed all the good things learned by
long years of observation and expert
ence in this field and has added q few
theories of his own.
For example, he is so interested in the
work of establishing in Philadelphia
number of parental schools, where chill
dren whose mothers must go out to work
or whose home surroundings are detri-
mental to their health and character
could be sent, that he has often re-
peated: "I will send the children to the
Bellevue-Stratford, II necessary. and
make the county pay for their support,
as long as Philadelphia persists in
keeping its eyes closed to tho interests
and the immediate needs of the depend
ent child"
Judge German maintains that It is
neither right nor Just that the city
should throw the work OF providing for
the homeless, dependent and deficient
children upon the shoulders of private
individuals and institutions.
1T is crime that city as big as
Hn1 hi 4Nuhn-
lshment of parental schools" he says.
"At the House of Detention We have
special school for the children" con-
tainued the Judge. Miss Irma Schlichter
and Mrs. Grace Condor, the two. teach
ers, are doing their best In teaching the
children during their brief stay at the
house. But the facilities are inadequate.
We must have more room and we must
have a regular parental school where
many of these children should reside for
certain definite periods of time. Why can
not we use the same money that the
county pays to private institutions for
keeping the children in keeping them our
selves and teaching and training them
along constructive and scientific lines in
stead of permitting the care and educa-
ton of these children, IL 1t may be said
that they are getting any education at
all, to go on in slipshod manner?''
AGAINST COUNTRY HOMES.
Judge German is a strong opponent of
sending children into the country. He
thinks that they are mistreated there,
are given scant opportunities to go to
school and do not receive the care and
attention which their condition and the
safety OF society demand.
He would like to see the House OF Ref
uge entirely abolished as far as It is be-
Ing used in keeping lncorrigIble and un-
manageable children.
VERY often" said Judge German, I'VE
send children to the House Of Refuge
who have no business to be there, In
company with children OF distinctly vic
ious traits. But we cannot help ourselves.
We have no other place to send them
and until the city wakes up to this fact
We will be compelled to continue the
practice"
The work OF the House Of Detention,
Judge German believes. would be in
fnitely more valuable and productive OF
far greater results IL II should be given
better facilities in disposlng of the hun
dreds OF children which are brought to
its doors.
CHILDREN ONLY CONCERN.
Nothing is too good for the children"
he said. "No matter how much we do
for them we cannot do too much. The
child problem is perhaps the most inn
portant problem before us in dealing with
crlminology, The more We do for tho
child now the less We have to do for the
man, We must give our children all the
opportunities in the world TO tread the
straight path. Those of them who go
astray do so through no fault OF their
own. They are but victims OF forces
they cannot control, But We can control
them and We must try to do so. For we
must ever remember that IL Is the child
of today that will lead US into the life
of tomorrow"