South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-12-20
BOYS IS SUBJECT
OF BEN LINDSEY
Famous Juvenile Judge of
Denver Speaks TO Knife
and Fork Club.


friend Of the bad boy" brought a
message TO South Bend in his ad-
dress before the Knife and Fork
club dinner at the Oliver Tuesday
night on "Our Boys and Girls"
Judge Lindsey headed an enjoy
able bill 10 l.. attractiveness of
which the humorous stories Of AL
bert j. Smith, and the musical num-
bers of members of the NOtre Dame
Glee club and Messick's orchestra.
added not a little. William A. Nc
Inerny presided as POSTMASTER.
Judge Lindsey said in opening his
speech that it afforded him a spec
iaI pleasure to be here because of
the interest he had had in South
Bend ever since he had been a stu
dent at Notre Dame. St. Edwards
hall. the minim department Of
Notre Dame. was the only school
Judge Lindsey ever attended. In the
course of his speech the Judge COM
mended the work being done here
for the boys by the Elks and
i
Always Talks on Boys.
"Since / have been. as some have
said. mixed up with the bad kid.
many have come 10 believe, it
seems. that / know nothing else.
said Judge Lindsey. Wherever L
go about the world / am never ask
ed and expected 10 talk on anything
else. Even when l was in Europe
on the peace mission, they wanted
me to talk on the child problem,
rather than peace. But / may say
that if 1 must be confined TO any
one subject that there is nothing
else I'm the world that l would
choose in preference to this. The
child problem is the problem of the
age-of every age. II is a problem
which reaches out into our entire
life. With il are bound up many of
the problems of education of the
home. the school, the church, and
the state. There is no problem so
broad, none more important. If we
take care Of the child All is we'll,
will be the watch cry of the world"
When started the Juvenile
court movement in Denver" con-
tinued the judge. many people,
especially the police, were inclined
TO believe that L was responsible for
most Of the bad boys but after the
new system had been tried for few
years. il was found that Juvenile
delinquency had been decreased SEQ
or 400 percent" Judge Lindsey then
went on to show how the move
ment had grown in Denver and
how il was only after he sent the
boys who had been arrested for
the fearful crime" Of swimming in
their native garb to swim in the
public fountains instead Of 10 Jail
hereby setting the city agoS. that
he people of Denver had come 70
realize what the movement really
! meant
Who il Responsible?
When you get into the soul and
conscience of the little spirit of the
street. which is made TO the God
mage. when you find that in spite
of the evil ways into which he has
wandered then he retains many of
his most sterling qualities of charac-
ter. when you hear the stories Of
| these little fellows who have been
led astray often through no fault OF
their own. YOU are led TO ask Who
is responsible and YOU begin TO
realize how serious Is the response
bility of society and OF each Individ-
ual To do all that is possible TO give
the boys and the girls a chance in
life" said the speaker.
Judge Lindsey's speech was IL
ustratsd with many interesting and
touching stories which depicted the
soul of the bad boy. He pointed out
how much of the juvenile delin-
quency of our cities was due TO
causes far removed from the child
itself
How to- solve Problem.
lie asserted that the Juvenile de-
unquency problem could never be
solved by dealing with the individ-
dal case and showed how II was
Necessary to remove those social
md economic evils which destroy
| ,he home and make bad environ
ments. IL conclusion ne urged upon
MS hearers their duty OF Joining in
| all those movements which have
,or their aim of Improvement of
/ conditions surrounding the life Of
ne children of our cities as for eX-
4mple. the playground. the big
/ brother boy scout and the boy club
movements.
| Albert J. Smith, who is q mem
| Der OF the Chicago board OF works,
and we'll known as a humoris,. en-
| .ertained the club with Jewish and
| irish stories
/ Howard Parker at the piano. ac-
| cOmpanied Jose CarOna OF NOtre
! Dame in a couple of Spanish songs.
which were well received as also
vas John Riley's humorous selec-
zion.