The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1915-09-24
A SCENE IN COURT;
WHAT IT SUGGES rs.
K. w. Sanders of Greenville Writes
of MiSfOrtunes of Wayward
Girls Of State

To the Editor of The State:
Not long ago | was in court room
when the presiding Judge sentenced a
criminal who had been convicted of
burglary and who had been shown by
the evidence" to have been leading
q bad life in other ways. The party
referred to was poor girl of say
Is to Is years old. She was fine look
ing, seemingly, as yet healthy, not
withstanding she had been dissolute
and very wayward. The fact was
brought out that she was very illit-
crate, being unable to write her own
name. Probably her mother and
father, if still living, had had no more
education than their unfortunate
daughter. At any rate, the pitiable
child had been left to continue in
ignorance. If she had ever been sent
70 school, it was certainly for only
a short time.
In consideration of the verdict of
the jury the judge "passed sentence"
Doubtless he made it iu~t as light as
ne could, for the sentence was zone
year in the penitentiary or go to
rescue home and there remain" In
case she ever left that "home," if she
took the alternative of going there
instead of becoming an inmate of the
State penitentiary, she must go to the
latter anyhow, unless she should re-
ceive a pardon. l hoped she would
agre to go to the "rescue home:"
and that there, through sympathy,
kind treatment and teaching and by
divine mercy and grace, would re-
form and yet become a good citizen.
Seldom has the case of an unfortunate
girl ever impressed the present writer
more deeply and sadly than this one.
at once began to reflect, while nv
heart burned with desire to do more
than | ever had done Sor such poor
creatures, many of whom thoughtless-
ly fall into sinful habits or are de-
coyed into vicious ways by designing
and wicked men and youths, not stop
ping to count the cost" until, alas!
it is too late. For years now as an
humble minister, l have preached oc-
casionally to the unfortunate inmates
of rescue home and / have known
of conversions therein and reforms"
| have also found pleasure in pro-
claiming the gospel to convicts on the
chaingang. And believing as l do, in
the Transforming power of the gospel
of Gods grace, | can hope for the
hetterment of the condition of all
such girls as this one to whom | have
referred. But rescue homes are not
as common as they should be in
country like ours, and those of which
/ know are far too limited in capacity,
accommodation and support. They
are run by free will offerings chiefly
and while few in number they are
usually but scantily provided for
financially.
But let me come to the suggestions
received from the scene in court.
One is the Importance of compul-
sorry education. Many other girls
have gone and many will
still 60 the way of evil by being neg
lected while children by their country.
I am not saying that education with
out religion will save morally; yet it
Is a mighty lever to uplift, and pos
sbly this poor girl and others of like
condition and habits might have led
very different lives from those par
sued by them had they received
enough mental training to enable
them only to read and write. NO child
of normal mind need be or ought to
be allowed or compelled. in this coun-
Try of ours, to grow up in ignorance.
And when such a thing occurs some
body is at fault and ought to be held
responsible for it.
Another suggestion from the court
incident alluded to is this: Every
State ought to provide by legisla-
ton and taxation reformatory for
such girls and women-certainly for
girls, at least-and let them, in cases
of conviction, be sent there to receive
such treatment as may be Instru-
mental in their reformation, or their
Improvement and usefulness. With
proper provision for industrial train
ing therein and with school teachers
there to instruct and guide them into
the acquisition of at least some degree
of education (if they have been neg
lected in this respect), many of them
might come forth finally to lead de-
cent and useful lives. do not see
how any good citizen could fail to
favor such a reformatory, to be sus-
tanned by the State for the class of
girls under consideration. and ear
nestly hope that our Legislature at its
next session will open the way for
such desirable and needed institu
tion.
r. w. Sonders.
Greenville, September d.
What a mother likes about a
Uoun0 man is nSual1v what her