Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-01-20

oliver Twist as described by Charles Dick
ems, Is the incarnation of the modern boy
who is having 81 hard time. For licking the
porridge bowl in the orphanage and show
ing signs of hunger he was bound out" to
an undertaken, then he fell into the hands of
the Artful Dodger and brought up In
Fagin's London school Of crime. He was
saved by love after trying experience.
Director Porter told a company of clergy
men the other day that So per cent. Of the
burglaries in this city are committed by boys
under 81 This is high average. Statistics
show that the period between IS and "a Is
the criminal age the highest point being
reached between 16 and 21 in the records of
English crime. The average age in the
United States is but 2 2-5 years above this
figure, reaching It's climax at the period be-
tween 20 and "a. and showing a preponder-
ance the side of immaturity.
Among 462 criminals examined by Mario
is per cent. had become criminals before
reaching the Gge of 10, OF a group Of 46
criminals studied by Lombroso 35 had be-
come addicted to crime before attaining the
18th year Lombroso places the maximum OF
criminality between the ages of is and 25.
Mosly, who furnishes these figures, says:
I'm the course Of some Investigations made
criminality in the United States to be 23."
OF 1886 German criminals, 1t has Deen
found that Al per cent. were under 81 years
of age.
Schools of Crime
Director Porter says that many boys are
prompted to steal that they may go to see
the movies. The tenement houses have been
blamed for bad boys The streets are re-
garded by many as a school OF crime. Hered-
lty and environment are cited causes Of
crime, while drink poverty, cigarettes and
evil companions are all looked upon as
crime producing factors.
In spite of all we have done to conserve
childhood and protect youth, crime is seven
times more prevalent in this country now
than 1t was 60 years ago.
The boy ia a national problem Little can
be done with the full-grown man, but the
boy is still a twig to be shaped by condi-
tions, The period OF life between 13 and 2l
very largely determines the destiny OF the
man.
The boy contradlcts all theories, denies all
schemes of reform and defies nearly every
known measure of protection. Good men
spring out of poverty and bad men come
from brownstone fronts. Boys brought up in
the streets fill positions of national influence.
Good men have had bad parents, while bad
men have good parents. Young Oliver Twists
have come from orphanages and made n
success of life. Some boys have bravely
stood against both heredity and environment
and conquered both. while others in whose
veins flow the bluest blood have gone down.
Where Has the Home Gomez
The passing OF the old home and the sub
stitution Of the iat, apartment and hotel
have much to do with the character OF boys
The streets are their playground. and are
preferred to small rooms in the tenement dis
trict.
The ourfew has but a superficial effeet
upon the character OF the boy It was origi-
nally a fire or police measure brought over
to England, probably. by William the Con-
queror Fires were built In the middle OF
the room in the days before chimneys, and,
as houses often caught fire, the bell was rung
in the evening signal to cover the fire.
It was subsequently the signal for children
to leave the streets, and Is still rung in some
American cities.
The boy problem may be traced to two
tributary factors which enter essentially into
its origin and solution The first Is the home.
Homes are more important than Sunday
schools public schools, government or state,
as far as the boy is concerned. Nothing can
take the place OF the home as a character
be given the boy is good home, but the
strange thing about It Is that some OF the
worst boys come from the best homes
The home is the Thermometer OF the ma
tion. The national morality never rises
above the morality Of the hresids WhittieTss
"snOwbound" is a gold frame containing the
picture Of a quiet New England home-an
institution which stands in the background
of the republic a pillar OF strength. But
there has been revolt against this single
and splendid institution and the boy has
broken away and gone both to the city and
the devil
Money for the Movies
Another determining factor Is money. In
the United States we have never definitely
decided whether the boy should nave money.
o., any. how much. Il Is one of the nrst
Issues between father ana son boy With
90 empty purse = 40 quite as much danger
as the boy aith a lul purse ns1haps ~