The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-11-24
Claim Is Made By Judge
Harry A. Johnson
RAPS THE HOUSE HEAD
He Declared That Many Young
Folks Know Too Much Of
World Vices

last night Miss Katherine Kelley,
one of the teachers in the public
schools of this city, in her topic OF
Thrift, stated that If the children
we're properly educated in the meth
DDS OF saving no worry need be TAX
+en in regard to the men and women
of the future along those lines.
elected president Of the association,
presided at the meeting, introduced
the speakers and announced the num-
bers on the program. A short bust
ness session was held preceding the
rendering Of, the program. 1t was
decided in this meeting to com
mence future meetings at 8 p. m. in
stead of 1880, owing to the fact that
il is difficult for women to get their
evening work done and arrive at
the meeting on time.
Judge Golf said that he thought
that meetings such as was held last
night can not but result in the
greatest benefit to both teachers and
parents. They become acquainted
and thus bring about CO. operation,
which is absolutely necessary be-
tween teacher and parent. 1t will
Opening BY Piano Solo
The program was opened by a
well rendered piano solo by Prof. F.
Duin. This was followed by a very
instructive talk on Thrift" by
Katherine Kelley, one of the teach
ers of the city schools. Miss Kelley
explained that through system OF
questions asked the children on the
question of saving she had worked
out a chart which she now follows
in her daily instructions along the
lines Of thrift. The child is not alone
taught to save money, but clothes,
playthings, and care of the school
property. In teaching the care Of
public property the child is in
structed in what taxes mean, and
that his parents as tax payers pay
for the desks, books etc in the
Fairgrounds. Knowing that their
parents are the ones who have to
foot the bills, the children at once
eyince a natural care of all public
property. The lad and the little
lass are told that stitch here and
a patch there on their clothing is
a means of saving. and one form Of
thrift. Miss Kelley said that the
child's saving should be partly at
least earned by himself. A child
paid small sum for running err
rands, should be taught to save at
least part of that money. The sys
tenn of purchase of thrift stamps
was explained at some length. Miss
Kelley's talk was listened to with
very much interest.
Address BY Judge johnson
Harry A. Johnson, Judge OF the
Child"
I'm my opinion, said Judge John
son. there has never been a child
brought before my court on the
charge of delinquency, but who had
at home one or two delinquent par
ents. If a child has got what we call
good parents, and the parents as
sumo the responsibilities they
should, their children are never
brought before the juvenile court"
Judge johnson explained that in
the investigation of the delinquency
Of the child, that the parents are al
ways called in. In nine cases out Of
en-, it has found that the par
ents have permitted their children to
instead of exercising the proper au-
thority over them. The failure of
these parents to assume their re-
sponsibility is disgusting and dis
couraging to the officer of the court.
While not trying to, criticize the
state schools for delinquent chill
dren, Judge Johnson said THE
humblest home in .Mankato with the
right kind of parents Is far better
than the best state school in the
world" .-
"You would be surprised and
shocked, you fathers and mothers il
you knew at what an early age
number of girls ,>in this city go
wrong morally. They are familiar
with everything Immoral and every
thing unnatural. In my opinion there
are great many people who should
be denied the right to marry and
bring defective or subnormal chill
dren into this world to be a burden
on the public and of no use to them
suves."
At this point in his talk Judge
Johnson cited a case in particular
where q young woman and young
man obtained marriage license IN
another county and were married.
The girl was feeble minded, and on
iy had the mentality of an ordinary
six year old child. The speaker said
that reason he would like the lax
can not help but be delinquent For
that rtason he would like the lax
marriage laws remedied. Delinquent
children of such parents are abnor
NAL when 1t comes to immortality,
and they pass 1t along to the other
children, thus poisoning the minds
of the normal child. While stating
that state schools are good in their
way, Judge Johnson said that
there is some danger in sending a
child there who had merely gone
wrong on some trivial subject. The
association with children. who have
actually proven bad is not the best
thing. For that. reason the juvenile
court hesitates to send child to one
of those institutions, when some
other method of correcting he. or she
can be brought about.
In closing Judge Johnson said
that the best thing that can happen
to child is to keep he or she busy
at least part of the day. He said
that the parent teachers meetings
will result in great good.
Vocal Solos Rendered
Vocal solos were rendered by
Miss Frieda Keller and Miss Ey
elyn Snyder of Bethany college,
who were accompanied by Miss
Elizabeth Scoenhoff on the piano.
The singing of these young ladies
was very good indeed, and proved
to be one of the most pleasing
numbers on the program.