New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1915-09-29
CHILD WELFARE IS
BIG QUESTION NOW
SPEAKERS TELL OF HORRIBLE
CONDITIONS IN HOMES OF
DELINQUENTS.
EXPERTS IN SOCIAL SERVICE
CONDEMN EASY MARRIAGE
AND DIVORCE.

Unfavorable weather marked the open
ing of the convention OF the State
Charities and Corrections in this city
Saturday evening but in spite of that a
good deal of interest was shown by
people in general and there was we'll
filled auditorium at Turner Hall where
the opening meeting was held. About
one hundred twenty-five delegates had
arrived during the course of the day and
located at the various stopping places
assigned them. The evening session
was scheduled for s o'clock and was
opened quite promptly.
After the Turner Hall orchestra had
rendered a selection F. w. Johnson,
chairman of the local committee, called
the meeting to order shortly after eight
o'clock. In his Introductory remarks
he said that the value of convention
OF any kind to community is dependent
on the interest shown by the local people
in the meetings and work of the conven-
ton and hoped that New Ulm citizens
would take advantage of the opportunity
to learn something of social service work
in the state of Minnesota. He advised
everyone to be sure to see the exhibit
in the Turner Hall gymnasium and in
vited them to participate in the trip to
St. Peter on Monday.
After the invocation by Rev. Robt.
Schlinkert, Mayor L. A. Frtische spoke
few words of welcome to the visiting
delegates and hoped their work would
be crowned with success. Prof. Geo.
Franklin, president of the conference,
was then introduced and took charge
of the meeting. The response TO the
address Of welcome was made by Cnas.
E. Vasaly, member of the State Board of
control, st. Paul. He said that he felt
at home in New Ulm because he had been
here before and knew Of New Ulm's
hospitality from personal experience.
Then he spoke Of the Importance Of the
social problem which the dependant, the
defective and the delinquent present to
the state. It is problem which con-
Germs everyone both financially as we'll as
morally for over two million dollars are
spent annually in this service in Mime
sofa. The secretary of the conference,
Otto W. Davis, of Minneapolis, made a
number Of announcements of committees
and the program of the convention.
The president of the convention, Geo.
A. Franklin, then read his annual
message, choosing for his subject what
can the Home and School do to Lessen
Delinquency and Crime" He advo-
Gated closer companionship between
fathers and their sons, separation of the
7th, 9th and 9th grades from the other
grades to form Junior high school, i'm
provement in the physical condition of
many boys and girls, and proper super
vision of their recreation and play so
that their leisure hours are not given
to loafing. Loafing at home, on the
street and in school he named as the main
cause of delinquency. Good literature
and amusements he also mentioned as
necessary to gain the best results.
Gov. w. S. Hammond, the main
speaker of the evening was then intro
duced. The governor favored practical
treatment Of the social problem and
declared that people should not be led
away by those who have more sentiment
than good judgment. He stated that the
question to be answered in the problem
of the detectives is not what will it
COST" but what is best for the I'm
fortunates?" He spent most of his
time discussing the penal institutions
of the state and insisted that one must
consider the conditions in Minnesota
because they are state institutions.
In construction, discipline and organi-
cation our penal institutions rank with
the best in the country, the only dis
appointment being in the large number
of inmates.
Society demands that criminal be
punished for his crime, not because of
desire for vengeance but because the
certainty of future punishment has a
tendency to deter others from COM
uniting crime and also because society
is protected when the criminal is in
generated, according to the Governor.
Society also demands that if he can be
returned to his freedom from the states
penal institutions, a reformed man,
that the state put forth it's best efforts in
this respect. True practical reforma-
ton is what we should strive for, the