Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1919-04-25
JUVENILE COURT
An American Institution That Quiet
ly and Effectively Safeguards the
Rights of American Children and
Insures Citizenship of the Future

One of the American Institutions
that is a safeuard against many
rocks upon which the "Ship of
State" might founder and which con-
'erves the stable and reIiab4e citizen.
snip of the Nations future is the
lrveniie Court now in operation IN
many of the states Of the Union and
Tor which Judge Ben Lindsey more
han any other one person is respon.
ible. One of the policies of this
'ourt is to suppress undue publicity
order that names and regulations
VI the children who are it's wards and
Heneticiariss may escape the pre-
iudice against them which usually
.ttaches to those who are known to
nave a court record" 1t follows
chat the general public and par
1cu ariy that part of it resident with.
n the boundaries of Fulton County
hears or reads very little of the
actual work being done and results
accomplished by this institution.
Indeed, there may be many who
look upon the juvenile court, as it.
exists in our own county as a
method of dealing with incorrigible
ooys and girls and removing them
rs causes of irritation in the COM
nun ty by placing them in a state
institution.
In order that our readers may
know of another and far more i'm
portant aspect of the work being ac-
compiished by the Juvenile Court in
our own county and that parents
and guardians of children may get
claarer view Of the obligations rest
ing upon them to protect the rights
of children and safeguard them men
tally, morally and physically we are
printing herewith the story of two
cases handled by our own Juvenile
Court in the not very distant past.
For obvious reasons all names are
withheld.
Case No. 1, is that of little girl,
now about eleven years old who some
two years ago was "bound out" by
CHURCH HOME for children to
man and woman living in this county,
members of the same denomination
as that of the Church Home from
which this child was obtained; the
formalities of transferring the child
to this Fulton County home were
conducted by the minister of the local
church also resident in Fulton county
who was supposed to watch over the
child and see that she was. properly
.reated and cared for.
The worthy (O couple overlook
ed the fact of their responsibilities
for the comfort and welfare of the
child proceeded to make a little
slave Of her. This child was COM
PEELED to get up in the morning,
start the kitchen fire. go out in her
bare feet and legs to mix three
cows, "slop the hogs" while the lord
and master remained in bed or at
least in the house because, (on his
own admission) it was so wet and
nasty that he didn't want to go out.
The child was made a drudge and
not supplied with sufficient or proper
clothing.
The child managed somehow to
send word to her brother living in
another part of the State in regard
to the treatment she was receiving;
the brother appealed to the. Juvenile
Court of this county and the Court
,ffIcer Immediately set about investi-
nation. He found the child working
n the Hen house, confirmed the in
| formation regarding the treatment
ihe was receiving. Informed the
people who were supposed to be the
Guardians of the child that such
treatment of children is not permis-
sibie in America and brought the
hid to Wauseon where under direc-
ion of the Court she WIS clothed
1roperly, her brother who had beer
Notified came to Wauseon and The
Court consigned the child to his care
The brother who had a good home in
! which a grandmother was anxiously
Waiting to welcome her granddaught-
n went away happy with his little
sister, glad for the opportunity o1
caring for her and giving her the
chance in life which is her right.
Case No. is not so pleasant tt