The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-08-16
TACT AND KINDNESS
 METHODS USED AT. COURT.
Reclamation of Boys and Girls Object of Court. School Instruction and
 Recreation Features
By GEORGE H. WATSON

Few public institutions of Birmingham : are more up-to-date and interesting than the juvenile court of Jefferson county. The record of the court for val uable service to the community is large | ly attributed to Judge Samuel D. Mur- pry wha has presided over it since it's
 establishment by legislative action in July, 1915.
 The Juvenile court occupies the mas sive stone building located at 52s Avenue F, and originally erected for the South-
 scide city Jail The building occupies a commanding position on a hill, with growing corn and other crops surround ing it.
 A public school building instead of a prison or juvenile court' That was the thought of the reporter he entered through the various rooms by Judge
 Murphy. The boys and girls under eigh-
 teen years Of age who were in charge
 of the court were all gathered in to
 classes. Instruction in reading. writing,
 domestic and manual arts and sciences
 
 There were four classrooms in all, The
 white and black are separated and there
 in a different room have all the boys and
 girls The school rooms have all the inn
 provements of modern public school
 Adjustable desks and clean blackboards
 arc provlued.
 KEEP UP WITH GRADES
 According to J. h. o"o~, s.'ne'pAi TOT
 the white boys, the idea Is to keep the children up with their grades while they
 are being detained by the juvenile court
 glance benind the bunurng showed d
 number of baseball diamonds, tennis courts, and volly ball courts, In addition the students Uhat is what the inmates of the court should be called) are given gymnastic training and military drill each day.
 The juvenile court is really par entai school" said Judse Murphy, standing between the public school and the reform school"
 The first thing to be seen upon enter the school room for girls was a model kitchen. A trained teachers was giving practical demonstrations in preparing | food, cooking it and placing It on the table. In this room was a photograph to cheer the girls while at their work. | Boys and girls of the court are given l cool rooms and a scrupulously clean couch | on which to sleep. Tne situation of the l building, on hill, permits breeze to blow through the large windows at all hours Dining halls for both sexes and races are provided. The children are
 given wholesomely cooked food and are | taught table manners.
 l After looking over the building it was
 10:9o O clock and time for Judge Murphy 1 to hold court. It was called a court but
 it does not look like one. Judge Murphy
 does not sit behind a high desk. The bar 1 Of justice is lacking. Instead the judge
 the defendant the witnesses and the
 relatives of the boy or girl to be tried
 gather around in an informal fashion TAI are comfortahiv seated in chairs.
 TACT AND KINDNESS | Judge Murphy "tries' the with marvellous tact and unlimited kindness. He never loses his patience. He is good natured and takes time to chat with the
 persons present and to tell joke oc- casionally. The courtroom is also like ;l school room.
 If there is any truth or honor in a boy Judge Murphy can get it out of him. "One thing l insist on,' said Judge Mur- phy. lis truth. If a boy tells a lie and gets released on the strength of it bad l example has been set, and the boy is
 made to believe that his cunning secured his release.
 We want to keep boys out of trouble
 rather than to get them in, No criminal prosecution is carried on. No punish ment is given except what will be for the good of the boy
 With the aid of Mir and Mrs. S. D. Willinghanl as assistants. full informa- ton is secured on every child brought into court. Most important of this in- formation is the home conditions and whether the parents are living or not. Any bad habits of the boy or girl is found by investigation. To get all this information it is very often necessary to send person to the home of the child. In this manner the real reason for the delinquency of the boy or girl is often found
 HISTORY OF CASE Judge Murphy knows every child under hts care and usually knows the complete history of each particular case. Mao~ of the children brought to the Juvenile court are dependent or have been neg l lected by their parents. Only part of | them are delinquent or incorrigible 1 truants.
 | The juvenile court of Jefferson county |, was founded on the line of Judge Lind says famous juvenile court of Denver. l Since that time Judge Murphy has made a number of improvements He drew up a desertion and non-support law and secured it's passage by the legisla- | ture He has the heart. soul and legal knowledge that has made him preemi- nently the man to direct the affairs of | the county juvenile court
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