Evening journal., 1918-04-24
FEAR increase OF
Juvenile crime
Continued From Page Eleyenl

sRd particularly from discouraged
nothers who said the children were
running wild without their fathers
control He said II a community would
do its duty and take care OF the health
and training Of the soldiers chlld-ea, it
would do away with one Of the e eatcst
agenclts TO break down the morale of
The army. contented letter from
home makes a cOnicnted sold or.
With the father and older brothers
away, mothers got careless about rcgu-
lar hours for meals. good cooked food,
regular hours for rising for the family,
and this would break down the health
Of the children very quickly. NJ
Crosby. in referring 20 the Big Broihe'
and Big Sister movement. which was so
needed Just now. said there had been
too much organizing OF new social
agencies since the war began, instead
OF the economy Of supporting Oh
already well established social work
machinery.
Concudlng. he said the people ct
home ought 20 be content 10 leave The
gloy and nonors 20 the soldiers, the
men who were making The supreme
sacrifices OF the war. Instead or the
playing 60 the galleries, or the desire
actually In the service. he thought
those working st home should do their
bit more humbly and simply But as
the country goes deeper into the war,
he thought matters would right Oh m
selves. and essentials and non-essentials
would become more sharply defined.
2. Ross Ftrr. chief probation on
Ger. being unable 10 attend on account
OF illness. had his report read by Miss
Flmira Runyon, one of his assistants.
The report showed that 997 juvenile
cases were heard IN court during the
year. varying from larceny 70 high
way robbery and drunksoness. There
were s46 boys and i6G girls. There
were 1912 court cases and Sii private
cases, making q total of 1886.
The report, except for tho statistics
follows:
"Wnminrton. Del. April %, 1918
1t gives me great pleasure TO sub
init 10 your association this, my
seventh annual report
The past year has been the biggest
wear FOR the Juvenile Court since It's
inception. Biggest because more COM
nlaints have been filed with the court,
but also biggest because OF the kind
Of constructive work the probation
officer was enabled TO do on account
of the addition Of the two new proba-
tion officers The probation officers
now have time enough and they thor
oughly follow up the boys and girls
on probation. This was not possible
before the appointment Of Mrs Minnie
Middleton and Miss Wnifred Bach as
probation officers, July frst, 1871
They are proving that Judge Prickett
did not make any mistake In their ap-
polntment
y desire TO give my assistant, Miss
Elmi O Z Runyon. deserving creQlt
for the splendid executive ability she
displayed during by enforced absence
from the once on account OF illness
Also 20 express my thanks TO Jludse
pirckett and IT, A. Brown. the veteran
Cie-t ~ fhe Court FOR the extra work
they did during this time. ] believe
the court is doing @ larger work each
wear. This year, In a number Of cases
Sve have been able 90 pull whole fam
flies iogether The father or mother
have stopped drinking ard the home
las taken on q new lease of life. We
have been able 20 build mp the home So
fhst 10 has been possible 90 leave the
children in the home where they
should be-
I'VE have been able 20 secure the
sctiv6 cooperation of more private
social agencies than IN any previous
sear. I wish especially 90 call atton-
ion 60 the splendid successes accom-
frshed by the Big Sisters from the
Ladies' OF Charity OF st. Peters. The!
have secured some wonde ful results
il The last few months, both with par
cnts and With the children. Judge
prictstt has appointed The annual
20 ssfa Ha
will be to visit during the year. all
the institutions 90 which The court
ecmmHs children They have already
visited two Institutions ana VIII vislt
the others later Mrs Henderson Weir
Is the very able chairman OF this
board
Al me request Of the chief probation
omeer. ~ conference was held about
March tenth. between George B Mill
ler president OF Board OF Education
L. I scott. superintendent OF schools
Mrs z. 4. Wright, OF the Juvenile
Court Association and myself and the
managers OF TIE moveng picture thea
tres Oh tho city 10 discuss the truancf
problem This conference resulted IN
on the moving picture theatre man
ayers signing an agreement not 10 al
low any child en- between Z ana "a
wears or axe, 10 NlelN NA. AAANNANc NAN
inre theatres before 3i5 ?. NJ on
school days, unless accompanied by an
adult. This has helped wonderfully IN
some cases Of tru0ncy.
"sncc October frst, this once has
co-operated with Mr. Scott, superinten-
dent Of schools. regarding absences OF
children fromC school and In this time
we have followed no i49 cases OF tru-
ancy for the schools. This work was
done BY the probation ONCE because
the City Council did not allow th'
Board OF Education moneY enough tt
employ a trusnt oiacer this year. II
Is not possible FOR the probation once
to continue this trusncy work and
have notified Mr.. Scott that after th'
close OF this term the board will have
10 try 20 provide a truant oiicer. be
' cause the probation work is srowins
20 fast that the probation officers neeC
Ell Of their time for probationers.
The largest problem all Juvenile
Courts have TO fsce Is immortality OF
the part OF young girls between 4
years and is years Of age. This Is no
gly true In Wilmington, but IN al
i,ies OF one hundred thousand o.
ore. and especially Is Il true in mu
alton and shipbuildlng centers. Phils
aelphia and Chester are making Q spe