Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-02-24
INSISTS HOME
INFLUENCE is
GIRL SOLUTION
Probation Officer Tells Social
Workers of Investigations
of Delinquency.
ATTACKS LOOSE DANCES

Declaring the aim Of social workers
should not be to stop industrial devel-
opment in relation to women and girls,
but to guide it and control it in the in
terest Of higher home life" Mrs Walter
Sanders. 26O3 Ashland avenue, probation
officer Of the Marion County Juvenile
court, discussed The Girl Problem" be-
fore a conference Of social workers at
the New Triumph Church, Twelfth street
and Senate avenue, this afternoon.
THE old type Of home with its open
doors for social life is disappearing, In
fact, already extinct, and we have not as
yet built up a new type of the home to
take its place." said Mrs. Sanders. Can
such a home be constructed to meet the
demands of modern civilization? 1t is q
difficult task and will require the re-
sources Of the State, school and church.
"The reconstruction of the home means
a change in our whole social life, in
industry, in business, In the ideals and
general spirit Of our people If we ex-
pect to strike at the root OF the evil
and to find the key to the situation
which, it seems. is the moral education
Of our young girls.
The development of modern indus
try is one of the chief causes Of the
decay of our home life, but these de-
velOpments seem inseplrable from the
modern Industrial life and the problem
must be how to overcome the evil ef-
fects of these tendencies.
CAN WORK ONLI
BY HOME INFLUENCE.
"Our aim then should be not TO stop
industrial development. but to guide 1t
and control it in the interest Of higher
home lie"
In speaking of delinquency Of girls
Mrs. Sanders said.
In the delinquent girl we find the
most common misdemeanOrs to be steal
ing, lying, truancy, running away from
home and sex cases. The causes OF these
are varied, but can almost be traced in
all cases to the home and its lack OF
proper influences. This is a condition
which We as parents must face. II
home has lost its grip on the confidence
of the girl or the girl has lost her grip
of faith in the home she is to be pitied
rather than censured, for the home has
failed
Parental ignorance Of the temptations
laid in the paths of girls is largely ac-
countable for the failure to guard against
them.
IF parents were aware Of the cOndi-
lions existing in the unsupervised play
grounds they would not permit the girls
TO go there"
DANCE HALL
BIG FACTOR.
Mrs Sanders gave specific example OF
delinquency in girls who have appeared
in the Juvenile court.
In speaking Of contributing factors Mrs.
Sanders said:
"The unsupervised dance hall or skat-
ing rink. where vulgar dances are prac-
ticed, are both active factors IN the girl
problem.
Extreme styles in dress have their
part in the girl problem. So long as
girls have the outward appearance Of
welcoming a filtration they Will be ae-
cOmmOdated.
The automobile is also Of great serv-
ice to men who are running our girls.
Three fourths of the cases Of delinquent
girls which come into the Juvenile court
are sex cases.
Mrs. Sanders made a plea for super
vised recreatiOnal centers and pleaded
for good homes and right teachings.
I'VE know every girl could be pure and
clean if taught right" she concluded.