The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1914-12-12

TO the court for the perpetration OF n real erims
mucn damage has already been done. Many Of
ofenses. the evidence OF supernuous enerr-
slo are OF no great Significance In criminology
me remedy Tor our complaint sounds simple
ana yet II 10 so hard TO fulhl. All that any
iariy healthy born infant requires. In order to
De developed into a responsible citizen, Is that
ne receive. during his plastic period-the period
OF recepuvity-suitable food. clothing. fresh air
adequate rest. right association right TEACHING
and Kindness. Ii would seem that every child
had right to demand such simple benefits.
further learned. In my association with
children, that all prefer to be good The child
is by nature happy. impressionable, and IRE
sponsioie. Naturally vicious children are de-
generates. and defective. vicious degenerate.
are very Few and should be placed by them
serves and supplied institutional care and
supervision by those skilled In the work They
are In another class from our normalborn child
ana require no further consideration at this
time. In all my entire experience with children
have known just one hopelessly bad bow
The children OF to-day will be the nation,
support and defense a few years later and
wnen cnilaren are not properly cared for and
reared II Is the duty OF the State TO adjust the
situation 70 the childs advantage and TO its
own difficult task. but not unsurmountabls
we spend millions OF dollars for the main.
tenance OF the abnormal. for the care OF
drunkards. criminals. imbecIles insane and for
pontcians. Why not expend a little more on
me normal child who is not having the posi-.
bilities for proper dey slopment: namely riRh,
food. clothing. fresh air and decent association,
our present policy is TO let him drift until he
becomes n nuisance or a menace and than
having lost good citizen. we incarcerate and
support MIN Tor our protection.
OF charitable bodies and associations of
inherent kinds. there are many and they do
good In spots and bad in spots, and they are
very expensive In large cities. due 10 defective
general organization. the effort OF one associa.
lion oyerlaps that OF the other. mother told
me last Summer that she had three sets of
people coming TO her house advising her how 10
oring up her children. Charitable bodies and
private societies OF different types do estimable
work, but they do not even scratch the surface
OF necessity. These efforts are usually directsd
IN the larger cities. and. while much Is ae.
comphshed. a great deal more remains undone:
and furthermore, the few large cities are but
small part OF the country. This we often
lose sight OF.
In every state there are hundreds OF Villages
OF i've hundred. one thousand. two or three or
Zen thousand inhabitapts. and smaller cities OF
greater number OF Inhabitants, and millions
Of square miles OF populated open country
These villages. cities and country districts have
growing boys and girls in them, boys and girls
who must be amused. entertained. and have a
social life which IL an absolute necessity OF
the young
In the absence Of something definite TO do
they. amuse themselves. The boys hang