The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-03-01

NEWSBOYS' REPUBLIC
 Ihe outside or street department of the Boys club activities is covered ably by the Newsboys' Republic. un- der the direction of MT. James Chill dress.
 The Republic is regularly organized under constitution and bylaws and members must abide by them The Re- public has president, secretary and treasurer and deputies. These deputies uphold the standard of the boys on the street. They see that the newsboys at tend school, uphold the child labor laws and subscribe to all the ethics under which boys should be ideally or ganized.
 SCOUTS ACTIVE
 Birmingham has recently gone through scout campaign that speaks splendidly for the activities of the scouts and their movement in this city. The fact that they were able to raise about $20,000 for their work and put into office a paid executive officer to do nothing but organize and de- velop the movement; sthat they have already svell established IF to 15 troops and ths he business men of the city thought "ell enough of the work to or ganize a troop committee to raise a budget to finance the entrance or sup plement the amount needed for scouts, separate and apart from the work, is proof positive that the scouts are ac- lively a part of the community life. SUNDAY SCHOOL ASSOCIATION
 Here is an agent that deals directly and primarily with the morals of the normal boy. However, here again is the depend- ent boy to be faced. This is being over come, to some extent, by neighborhood activities. A boy in the neighborhood of the church is brought in and interested and through this means co-opera ton is gotten.
 BOY WORKERS COUNCIL
 This brings us to the largest agency in the city for the welfare of the boy, the Boys Workers council. Working indi- rectly, it. nevertheless has a great influ- ence in the direction and work of the in- dividual agent. The council is as the name indicates, an organization dealing with boys organizations through repre- sentatives of the different agencies. It has as the central council two representa- tives from every organization, civic, char itable or private, in the city, where boys are actively concerned. The following have representation: Public schools, Sunday schools, Y. M. c. A., Athletic club, Scouts, Big Brothers, Boys Industrial school, the juvenile court. and the public library.
 JUVENILE COURT If the boys workers council is the clearing house for the organizations, and the boys club a clearing house for the boy that needs assistance before he gets into trouble, and to keep him out of trouble. the juvenile court is the agent that must direct him back to the right road after he has been led astray THE COLORED BOY The negro is in no Way neglected and much IS being done to assist him to up- build and elevate him in the social scale. fine probation officer is working with the colored boys and other agents are at work, too-the church and the school definitely assisting.
 WHAT MORE IS NEEDED It is conclusively shown by the specific mention of each one ot' t..e organizations of the city dealing with boys that Bir- m1ngham is alive to this problem, and attemping to do 2 great deal to aid and direct the youth to decent citizenship. Which is the end and aim of all such work. But there is still a great deal to be desired, and this must eventually ccmc and be worked out by the organiza- tions with the cooperation and support of the community.
 one Of the greatest problems at pres ent that is still unsolved," said Ralph Barrow the clerk of the juvenile court, 'is place to house the boy from 14 to IS who has no home. This work is one that we must soon undertake. The pos sible opening of hotel for boys at- tractive and well supervised will have to be considered
 It. will be necessary to standardize a compulsory education law. to consider a minimum wage standard for the boy and to make adequate provision for the dependent boy. Birmingham needs more probation officers for the delinquents and a parole officer .....s.
 The ages that the boy needs most at- tention to rightly develop have been found to be from 10 to 16 years, and at this age he must have attention and be prop erly directed.
 Thus working with the boy we perform the highest duty to society by making him socially efficient, educationally fit, morally reliable and thus good citizehship