The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-07-24
MRS. SEARLES IS
A POLICEWOMAN

Friends in the city will be inter
S. Searles of Syracuse, N. Y, formerly
of this city. Mrs. Searles Is a sister
of Mrs. H. c. Plumley and for three
years made her home here and attended
Fargo college. Mrs. Searles is now the
policewoman Of Syracuse having passed
the requirements at the head Of a class
Of twenty-six applicants. Concerning
her work, the Syracuse Post-Standard
has the following to say: The average
hayward girl is not bad at heart, de-
clares Mrs. G~enevieve S. Searles, first
policewoman of Syracuse, whose ap-
pointment last April was the entering
wedge for a new line of work among
boys and girls in this city.
Mrs. Searles says that the majority
of WayWard girls come from homes in
which the father and mother have sep
arated or in which there is not a good
example Of family harmony. Mrs.
Searles has also found that the aver
age mother wishes to cooperate with
her In guiding he girls back to the
woman every possible assistance.
That Syracuse should maintain a
settlement house where boys and girls
can find suitable work and pleasure is
the opinion of Mrs. Searles. She saws
that neither boys nor girls can be chas-
ed from pillar to post n a lasting
good result be obtained.
If the policewoman could direct
hiLCSO youh5 Pc SOllS VI TIE street TO a
properly chaperoned place where bowl
Ing or dancing was free, then this
street-meeting problem-and it is a
serious one for Syracuse-would very
soon be solved. Every girl and boy
likes healthful games and pleasure."
Mrs. Searles says.
In the brief time Mrs. Searles has
worked with the boys and girls. she
the homes. Small quarters and large
families is the rule. and no place In
which to receive either boy or girl
friends is the principal factor in child
enjoyment. This condition. beginning
when young, continues to become
stronger as they develop, according to
Mrs. Searles, and soon the side door of
the saloon is the first step downward,
The moving picture shows. except to
fill the youthful minds with blood and
thunder melodrama." cannot be blamed
for the maynard girls and boys. Mrs.
Searles says.
1T is the automobile rides to out
skirts and the summer resorts that are
the prime factors in this wayward pro-
blem that faces this city," she contin-
ued.
She has not found that the cash girls
or those who have been forced to work
are making trouble for the city and
says that employment is the best cura-
tive for waywardness that she knows.
The Fairgrounds are another fine
factor in meeting this evil, Mrs. Searles
contends, as it gives the BOYS and girls
something to do and inculCates the love
of healthful pleasures which is a sure
cure for most evils. She hopes soon to
see a playground in every section of
the city.
1T is with the children tina success
must be gained in overcoming the de-
grading conditions found in various
sections of this city and this success
will only come as theNe children are
taught to love clean and uplifting con-
ditions."
In many homes. there are so many
children that the mother cannot give
proper attention to her flock, and
where the father has died or deserted
his family, the phases of waywardness
are often of the worst type. Mrs.
Searles says that the trouble in nearly
every instance of W~ayWardness in chill
dreu comes from lack of discipline on
the part of the parents when children
are in the cradle.
Two large cavalry pistols Of the
Custer massacre vintage were present.
ed by an admiring friend to Policewo-
man Genevieve Searles. When Mrs.
Searles arrived at headquarters she
was ~agreeably surprised when she
opened a large box, tied with vari-col-
ored ribbons, and found the huge wea-
pons. There was no name attached.
Each weapon Is fourteen inches from
tip to tip, and Mrs. Searles is wonder
ing how she can properly carry either
of them should the occasion arise for
their use.
Detective James Kelly offered to fur
nish her with a holster, given to him
by a circus friend some years ago, and
also a belt. At present Mrs. Searles
does not carry a revolver, n some
unknown friend seems to ave been
aware of this fact.
The pistols used by the Wilson broth
ers when they killed Detective James
Harvey in this city many years ago,
and which are preserved at headquar-
feTE " are mere fOVE COmnarpd with ffha |
gift to Mrs. Searles. h donor kept
his name secret.