Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-04-18
JEFFREY TALKS
TO ATHENA CLUB
Secretary of Board of Charities
and Probation Speaks on Con.
ditions in Vermont at Meeting
Called to Stimulate Interest in
Child Welfare

w JcuTey OF MONtpelleT SeCTc-
tary of the State board Of charities and
probation, gave a talk Friday night before
members of the Athena club and their
friends on the work of the board and
general conditions in the State. He was
introduced by DR.. C. +. Dalton, who
spoke briefly on what it was hoped to
accomplish by the baby welfare cam
paign. Burlington" said DR.. Dalton, "is
getting to the place where 1t is expected
to do big things so 1t should make a
success of this campaign" lie outlined
the campaign, saying that on April %
there would be n mass meeting of parents
at The Strong. All through May there
also will be meetings IN the different
schoolhouses TO instruct the mothers of
the city how TO care for their children.
The second week of June has been set
for the real baby week. This has been put
one week later than was expected because
OF the meeting Of the Vermont Federation
of Women's clubs, TO re held the FL st
week in June. There also will Re demon
STATIONS at different stores of baby feed
ing, baby clothing and taby care, and
talks by nurses and physicians. A baby
parade in automobiles will be carried oct
ore DAY IN the week. Throughout the cam
paigr there will be weighing and meas
uring, the results OF which will be placed
on cards. These cards will show Just
where assistance is needed and It is hoped
by this means to correct in the gro wing
children those defects found IN the men
examined in the draft which were pre-
ventable had the proper care hesn taken
when they were children.
Mr.. Jeffrey said:
MIR. JEFFREY'S ADDRESS.
The Board of Charities and Probation
was established under the authority given
in No. pa Of the Acts of 1917. For some
years there had been a probation sys-
tenn, but owing to the condition existing
In our State, which is almost wholly
rural, the system had not met the hope
of its friends.
There was a time in the history Of men
when the doctrine Of IAN eye for an eye
and tooth for tooth was believed
to be exact and even-handed justice. In
the early days those charged with the
administration of justice took no account
of the mental and social conditions of
life. Insanity, feeble mindedness, So
cial degeneracy and other forms Of men,
tai diseases had not received the atten-
ton of the wise men of those days.
Within a period of 200 years, hundreds
of what we to-day regard as minor Of
lenses were punishable by death; in our
own beloved New England witchcraft
was recognized, and the undesirable were
often charged with it's practice. and were
brought before the courts and promptly
sentenced to death. The old system
of the striped uniform, the cropped head,
the dungeon with its bread and water
and rats, the tying up by the hands. the
whipping post. the breaking on the
Wheel have passed, and men have come
to accept the doctrine that they are their
brothers keeper. Prisons and jails are
now made clean, sanitary and reasonably
comfortable; the unfortunate who is
brought to these institutions Is treated
in a sane and humane way. Step by step.
the great thinkers of our age have worked
upon the problem until to-day we have.
to highly developed degree, an honor
SYSTEM" applied to the unfortunates of
society. At first those observing care
fully the rules of confinement were
known as TRUSTEES" and given some
liberty and freedom not extended to pris-
oners in general. 1t was in Vermont,
and in a Vermont Jail, that the honor
system has been most highly developed.
Here practically all of the prisoners go
out of Jail in the morning to some en-
ployment about the city, without any
mark Of the institution upon them and
unaccompanied by officers, and after COM
pleting the days labor return to the
institution, thus showing that under the
humane and considerable treatment of an
intelligent official much can be done
toward reganing for these men their lost
standing. The name of the man who
has done SO much to demonstrate this
honor system is the present sheriff
of Washington county. Frank II. Tracy.
After the establishment of this honor
system" we advanced step further and
our Legislature, in it's wisdom, has estab-
lished a probation department, which
means that a person convicted in our
courts, or after serving minimum SEN
tence in the house of correction or States
prison may be released upon probation
or parole and given an opportunity to
re-enter society and meet and solve the
problems of life upon an equal footing.
Persons so released are required to make
frequent reports to the probation depart
ment and a violation of the conditions laid
down by the courts or the executive result
in the return Of the offender
PAROLE SYSTEM HAS REDUCED
CRIME.
Under the probation and parole system
crime has greatly reduced. fear has given
place to confidence. hate to love. and.
under intelligent supervision. many have
been reclaimed and made good citizens.
The Board of Charities and Probation
not only has the work described. but we
are required to inspect all poor houses.
have the care, supervision and custody
of dependent neglected and delinquent
children, provide permanent and tenn
porary homes. inspect conditions COM
planned of and the inspection of all char
liable institutions incorporated under the
laws of the State seeking public aid.
we may bring petitions, in juvenile court,
for the care and custody of any child that
we may deem to be dependent and
neglected or delinquent. We may bring
petitions IN probate court for commit
ment of the feeble minded to the Stata