The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1921-08-04
CORRECTING MISTAKES
OF MAYNARD YOUTH.
Where Home Training Has Fail
ed, Idaho Industrial Train
ing School Strong Fac
tor In Reclaiming
the Child.

Divs recent striking state
ments to the effect that wide
moral decadence is alarmingly
evident IN the youth Of our state
and the extensive comment his
!, Exposition has occasioned. the
following extracts from the last
annual report of Superintendent
Vincent of the Idaho Industrial
Training School for wayward
boys and girls viii have greater
appeal, particularly since therein
are found genuinely remedial
suggestions for the sad condition
whose existence is called atten-
tion to by the Governor. In
lperusing these excerps the read
er is cautioned to note, that So
per cent of the delinquencies
coming under the observation of
the Industrial school are trace
able largely to physical defects
that might have been easily cor
rccted had they been noted in
time. The report says
Recent studies in juvenile de-
linquency give rise to decidedly
new basis for the continued and
rejuvenated efforts along the
lines of preventative and cura-
tive measures which tend to keep
down crime among the youth of
our land. When we face the
fact that fully 709S of all habit
ual criminals have become dis
honest and dissolute before their
sixteenth birthday, we can more
fully realize the Importance of
administering curative measures
during the habit forming periods
of adolescence and youth. Then
let us add the established fact re-
Gently deduced from study of
these same recidiyists to the eff
feet that 849o of these criminals
have no regular trade or occupa-
tion, SS% have not completed the
eighth grade Of the public
schools and 673S have never
learned to support themselves by
honest toll of any kind then It
is that we get glimpse of the
great problem before us.
It is apparent, that we must
not only break up wronk habits
in these who are sent to us, but
do this very early in life, and at
the same time, make the newly
established habits so effective
that a reoccurrence of the old
tendencies may never obtain. We
must develop a social being out
Of one upon whom home, school,
church and community, have fail
ed We must make our work so
through going that lapses are inn
possible, for such lapses mean,
eventually, a failure, both to the
,hild and to us as an institution.
The success Of our work must
always be measured by this
alone: No matter what
he material is, upon which we
work., we must bring about
'hange so vital, that the indivi-
lual is restored to normal citi-
This we profess to do
n reasonable percentage of
ases, as will be shown later on
n this report.
In summarizing our problem,
We might restate it categorical
Y as follows:
With material on which ali
ther agencies have failed, after
ot one but repeated trials, we
re to accomplish the following
esults
Meet the demands for work
BILE education.
Break up old habits Of life that
re wrong.
Build up new habits Of life
lat are right.
Teach each child trade suited
, his talents.
Create in each child a love for
ork.
See to it that each youth has
l early chance to become law
oiding, self-supporting citizen,
7 putting into practice the
,ove mentioned program of.
iordered life.
Truly a problem worthy of the
st thought and energy that can
brought to bear upon it.
Whatever may be the physical
financial status of an institu-
IN of this kind, the deciding
ctor for success or failure shall
ways be the personnel of its
aft. In this I do not mean the
flee force, but the men and
omen who work and live with
e boys and girls, who come in
very close personal contact
LCt... 4s.....l - len4 n1.oA