South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-02-11
THE BOY PROBLEM.

The rolice have just rounded up a bandit gang
which successfully rincd cash register, raded the
pie shelves of "a bakery and finally made with
a horse and wagon
There were three of the "desperadoes'' the
crowd led by a chief who admitted his nine years
of age follower Of seven and a hardened satellite
Of lye
a century and a half ago. under the old British
law these boys or babies as YOU wish to view them,
would have been hanged.
As a matter of fact boy was hanged theft
at a later date than this but even that brief time
ago. men and women had begun to feel that the
safety OF society did not entirely depend upon kill
ing babies.
UntH % years ago when Judge Lindsey started
his famous Juvenile court these boys would have
been handcufed. thrown into cells with hardened
criminals brought to- trial before a jury and SEN
fenced prison.
Lindsey changed the viewpoint of the country to
the extent that the court proceedings are di-
rcced towards the salvaging of misdirected child
hood rather than to revengefuI punishment.
society IS now Interested in learning why these
children stole. rather than in fact of how much
they stole is trying learn what misdirects the
hoysh spirit Of adventure and is trying to change
the environments that cause them TO early stray
from the beaten paths
one Of the leaders of thought concerning boys is
Angelo Patri teacher in the public schools in
Sew York His views. printed in a current issue Of
the Deineator are worth reading in connection with
this Cleveland incident OF its bandit gang, when he
says
80 child is bad. He errs in matters of taste He
mistakes noise for music. lie thinks horsepIay is
fun. lie confuses clothes with people for ne has
little sense of values. He mistakes cruaeness for
candor. license for liberty
He makes mistakes because he has lived with
YOU for So short time He has not learned your
WAYS your code. Time viii adjust an that He will
learn
Gle must be taught and helped and inspired; but
how Child training is difficult, subtle. Ife-work.
There IS no open road. plainly marked chart.
There is little 20 guide YOU but the vaguely expressed
wants of the child and your own shrouded. mufled
efforts 90 meet them.
.-But one thing YOU can do. Think back to the
DAYS OF your own childhood You were cropping
child fmpcucd 10y the same blind Iongnss and as
pirstous as this child of today
Life has clarified many of the vague notions for
you Experience has crystallzed into principles Of
LIVING for YOU Viewed from your present position
and interpreted by the wisdom you have gained by
daily contacts with your neishbors your vague
thoughts have become clear. your IDEAS about life
more definite You know now what YOU want
for this child You know the sort Of child YOU want
to produce
-He Is TO De healthy. clean and free-rninded.
"He must be told the truth. be fearless in the
truth.
He must feel his relation TO the rest Of human
IT'S and learn to carry his responsibility and help
his neiEhbor carry his
He must live without waste. either OF time
strength or money or principles
"He must learn by right Twins the art OF being
happy and OF giving happiness to others.
These notions are vague and broad still. but
taey ere something 20 20 on"