The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-08-21
NO PLACE TO co
Boy in Industrial School for
Lack of Home.
Superintendent Calls Him a
Victim of Society.
SAYS STATE SHOULD PROVIDE
Institution for Detectives Also
Is Badly Needed.
Proper Treatment Impossible at
the Institution.

In the State Industrial is a boy.
without parents, relatives or friends.
He is IL years old. This boy is per-
fectly normal. In ordinary circum-
stances he would have a promising fu-
ture. Why is he in the reform school?
Because he mad no place else to go.
This little fellow" says Superintend-
ent Charles, 'fs the victim of society.
He is not bad boy. He is not sub
sent here. But because the commun-
ity from which he comes has not pro-
vided means to see that he shall Grow
up a useful member of society, be-
cause it has not seen fit to prevent the
evil influences that assail the unpro-
tected, he has been sent to me. l
would be glad to let him go if Chris
tan family could be found to take
him" And this is a single instance
There is a multitude of others.
Two classes of boys constitute q crit
ical problem at the industrial school
First, those who are of normal intel
ligence and have been led aStray from
the lack of proper home influence II
the communities in which they lived
had provided means to prevent their
taking the first wrong step, according
to Mr. Charles, a chief element of the
criminal class would be removed
These children come to the school,
said he, land are handicapped by the
unfortunately carries with it linen,
when they are set adrift without a
proper guiding influence, it is difficult
for them to make good. And the b vs.
cannot be blamed. 1t is the system.
The Other Kind.
The second class, with which 1t is
exceedingly difficult to deal involves
the subnormal boy. He is not morally
responsible for his acts. He is hardly
amendable to ordinary corrective
methods. He is tho special case re-
curing special study and special treat
ment.
At the school is a lad of IT years.
His father is dead. His mother works
as a domestic. She cannot see that
he has proper attention. He IS beyond
the usual age at which boys are kept
at the school, but he cannot be sent
away because there is no place TO
send him. He cannot be recon-
mended for adoption by family be-
cause he is not normal. Yet he is not
feeble minded. With proper care he
could be made self supporting. But
under the present system he does not
and cannot receive that care. ulti-
mately he must be cast adrift. His
fate no one can tell
Such a boy, says Mr.. Charles, is de-
linquent only by neglect For the nor
NAL boy a place may be found. The
subnormal requires special treatment.
Inc Crying n6eu Is EOI q SldlS SCl1OOl
in which a specialist is employed to
apply psychopathic tests and indicate
graduated treatment for varying cases.
Such a system has been proven prac-
teal success in both Michigan and
Minnesota. But in Kansas. the stamp
ing ground of experimental legislation,
the obvious need has been ignored.
The Industrial school is equipped to
determine accurately the mentality of
each subject. 1t uses the Binet test,
the Yerkes point scale, and the Kent
Rosanoff association test.
1t can determine the need of the
individual case but it has not the
facilities with which to take advantage
of its knowledge. the abnormal boy
is the great problem. He should not
be in a reform school. Yet he is not
fit subject for the Winfield school
for the feeble-minded. The question is
forcing itself upon the public more
and more, in cases such as the Bissel
| atrocity, and the day of a proper solu-
ton, it is predicted, is not far distant