Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-04-22
MISS HARRIETT GOLDMAN
On Delinquent Girls

A1HEN parents fail to sympathlZC with
w or understand youth; when fnmilie
live in OvCrcrowded, insanitary homes when
girls have to leave school early to help earn
bread for the family; when chances for fun
at home or in normal surroundings are SO
slight and the great commercialized world
of amusement is open and calling, is It any
wonder that many girls answer the call and
are caught and pulled down in the whirl-
pool?
That is the way Miss Harriet Goldman.
secretary of the Girls Service League and
the Personal Service League, 1908 Arch
street sums up the why's and wherefores
for the downfall Of hundreds OF young girls
in the city each year.
"Few-and | am tempted TO say none
of the girls we come in contact with through
the PersOnGl Service League are intention
ally bad to start with said Miss Gold
man. Home conditions in most cases nlng
them out into the swing of commercialized
amusemcnts. Motion pictures, city parks
in summer. the public dance and. most OF
all these small club dances lead step by
step downward until the girl is across the
border line before she realizes she Is even
on the way toward downfall. believe IN
most cases. barring the mentally deficient,
girls are rcdeemabe even after they have
sinned more than once. We have proved
it many times over in our work here.
Vulgar Dancing Serious Problem
Il know of several cases in which club
dances were the direct cause of girls down
fall. We are caring for one girl in the
psychopathc ward Of local hospital now.
Vulgar. objectionable dancing is one of the
most serious problems we have to face, and
! am so glad to see dancing masters of Phil
adelphia taking up this problem.
They are the experts on the subject
Theirs is the prestige needed to set proper
standards and TO swing public opinion
coward cleaner. more wholesome dancing:
The responsibility rightly rests on them,
believe. 1t is what is danced in the halls,
cafes and restaurants downtown that sets
the pace for others.
II recently heard young girl, when told
that certain dances were Objectionable say
They allow it in the SWEETEST dance halls
Why amt it right Our girls are live
wires and follow the latest styles. II so
ciety folk are dancing these dances they set
the pace.
Il believe if existing laws were enforced
we would be much better off so far as
dancing is concerned. ! don't know that
| approve especially of women dance hall
inspectors, as suggested by Director Tustn.
! do think women police could be of great
good in protecting young girls If they wer"
the proper type Of women. They should,
believe, be trained in welfare work, and be
strong, clean minded women who have this
work at heart If they watched the streets
in certain sections at night, watched the
railroad stations and corners nearby. they
could do much to protect girlhood and pre-
vent delinquency.
Must Better Conditions
Enough cannot be said against club
dances in certain sections of the city What
has already been said at conferences Of
dancing masters and city officials has not
been exaggerated. There are groups who
hire halls for private dances, where liquor
Is served and the dancing continues past the
hours set by the law, and where there are no
rules against any sort of dancing. So long
as such places and conditions exist We can
| not set and keep high standards Welfare
organizations Know well enough of the cX-
| Stencc OF such places, because TO them come
| the city S youth who have been SOilcd by
| attending such dances.
"COmmcrcialized amusemcnts are all right
! II properly supervised If girl has strong
| character and mentality she will go straight
anyway But you will find numbers of de.
| linquent girls come from OvcrcrOwded homes
| where il is virtually impossible TO retain n
| sense of mUdcSty, where parents are fight
| ing for a livelihood and do not give the at
.tentiOn TO training their children thar thcy
should, Diten the parents are foreigners
| who have not become Americanized, nnd
! they do not understand or sympathze Win
| the children who are growing uD with
| American ideas and ideals We would not
! have nearly so much trouble with deliu
quents If housing conditions were better.
Parents Fail to DO Duty
And yet We hay" some delnuurpt girls
coming from homes that are apparently good
and YOU wonder what Cun he tho coI',a
| Usually you find il is lack of sympathy
| Parents refuse TO give their girls a chance
| to entertai In at home, SO they so elsewhere
| for their fun,
1--WE find one OF the best ways to reacb
| delinquent girls Is through other girls who
! GROW W unaer normal conditions and have