The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1923-11-08

father was married man and in |
three cases it was. the second chilo |
born to the mother. An effort was
made during the year to ascertain
contributing causes for this high
rate. ~
The average education of these
girls was found to be about sixth
grade. The loss Of a parent seems
to be an impo rtant factor for three OF
these girls were orphans; five had
lostsa father and eight had lost their
mothers The average number OF
children in their homes was found to
be six. Occupation also plays an inn
portant part for by far the greater
number were housemaids or wai-
tresses 49,
The majority of them marry in
their own class and make fairly good
wives; few of the men meet then
responsibility like gentlemen; but it
takes all the ingenuity eand persua-.
sive power Of child welfare board
members to see that the babies are
not shunted into undesirable sur
roundings, left in rescue homes or
allowed to die of neglect. af@
May I tell you of a recent case in
our own county; which illustrates the
typesof work done through our own
juvenile court "A little Stearns
county town was troubled for
some time with a group of young
high school girls who congregated in
the city library every evening, made
the trains, scraped upsacquaintance
with travelling men and tourists and
never missed 4 chance to attend "a
barn or pavilion dance within 20
miles if they could induce anyone to
take them. They were a disturbing
element in the school, their class
work was poor. and they were fire.
quently truant. Time and again their
parents were appealed to by the
school board, the superintendent and
even by the police but the fathers
were busy and the mothers either did
not care or, had lost their thority
over the girls. Complaints were con-
tinually being made to the child well
fare board that the girls were inn
moral, that they were drinking or
that they were menace to the COM
niunity, the complainant always slip
ulating, however. that his or her
name must not be used in bringing
action. 1t was. even limited that the
authorities were afraid to start such
action. because of the prominence Of
one of the families
Shortly after school closed for this
spast vacation, a farmers club some
five miles from town gave dance !.
1t was widely advertised and the
girls were wild to go but were unable
| to get scorts. So rather than miss
| it, two of the holder ones, aged 1 4
and 16, walked out There was plenty
to eat and more to drink and they
never thought of home until about
in the morning. As the crowd gradu-
,, ally thinned they realized the, FIVE
long lonely miles and We're only too
glad to accept a lift from two highly
saturated young rakes from a neigh
boring village. The men refused to
allow them to go home when they
got to town and one girl -attempted to
jump from the car. A most disgrace
full scene followed in which the en-
tire neighborhood was aroused. The
next morning a complaint was filed
charging late hours, bad company
| and delinquency.
The girls and their parents were
summoned toSt. Cloud before Judge
Roeser. Neither family knew where
| their daughters had been nor at what
hour they came in. One set of par
ents assumed their share of the re-
sponsibility in allowing SO young a
/ girl to run about at night. The other
! set were highly indignant and resent
ed the action.
The 14-year old girl was sentenced
| to the Home School and sentence sus-
| pended upon an urgent plea from the
parents that she be allowed anohtl
chance. The Judge ordered that she
leave town and spend the summer
with relatives in the country The
other girl was put on probation to q
member of the child welfare board
The girls then filed complaints
against the men charging criminal
assault.
| Hearing was waived and they were
| bound over to the fall term of court
| This action marked change in the
life of these girls and the gang in
which they travelled. The parents were
lat last aroused to the danger to their
daughters. When school opened this
| fall the girl who spent the summer
in the country was allowed to return
and enter. She writes once a month
to Judge Roeser and receives kind,
interesting and helpful letters in re-
ply. She is carrying FIVE subjects,
she tells me, as the evenings are long
and she no longer goes out at night.
/ saw her card a few days ago and
no marks were under IS. Two were
in the COS. s9..ss 49,. 49,
The other girl is one Of large
family. A fnecky neighbor who re-
peatedly complained about their for
mer night prowlings said to board
member the other day. YouY just
have. to do something with that
family That Victrola is going until
midnight. They are singing and
dancing and making such racket
| that seldom get to sleep until after
midnight. The board member. wise
in tn ways of healthy, active youth,
advised patience and forbeafance.
For sing and dance they must and
that is what homes arefor SO ssgk ~
And here would like to add a
| word of appreciation for The humane
and kindly judge who presides over
-, <J,.e