The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-21
MANY CASES COME l TO JUVENILE COURT. FUR D|sPOS|T|O |ON.
Judge Murphy, Lindsey of South, Corrects Difficulties of Jefferson County's
 Children

mere, little girl, don't cry" the
 words of James whitcomb Riley, were
 used most effectively recently by one
 of the probation officers of the juve-
 nile court, when she had just brought
 into the receiving home of this court four little children, sisters and | brothers, between the ages of 12 and
 years, who had been deserted by
 their father last September and were
 at this time in dire and abtect nov
 erty. The children upon their arrival
 at the receiving home, looked about
 them with wide wondering eyes, and 1 the eldest, little girl of 12, became l alarmed for fear that her younger l brothers and baby sister might be
 taken away from her, and began to cry bitterly, as though she under l stood the cruel circumstances which l she and her brothers had to combat, 1 in order not to be separated. The heavy burden which had been placed
 upon these slender shoulders was re- i moved by the officer, who reassured her that each of them would be cared
 for until the father could be found 1 and other arrangements made for 1 their future welfare.
 The above incieeafit is only one of the many that come up daily in the 1 juvenile court. However, this court also deals with cases of non-support. l contributing to the delinquency of
 minors, removing children from bad l environment and also neglected and dependent children. Many grown
 ups of Birmingham have devoted their efforts and done their level best i to establish and maintain this court, l where minor offenders of moral and
 state laws may be brought before a | judge who understands child psy-
 chology and who can compete with l the prevailing circumstances
 Lindsey of South
 Efforts of those interested In this 1 division of the court have certainly succeeded. In Judge S. D. Murphy, l Juvenile court judge of Jefferson
 county, they have the Lindsey of the l south. He possesses a keen sense of understanding and of fair play and l in family circles passes Judgments in l absolute fairness to all. Judge Mur- 1 phy is the only southern representa- tive on the committee of juvenile court standards of the United States department of labor ehildren's bureau. Court Is held in the juvenile re- ceiving home on Avenue G near Sun- set boulevard. It Is very censpieu- ous because 1t was originally built as
 a stockade for city prisoners, and even now has the appearance of a jail from the exterior. The interior of this home has been remodeled into dormitories furnished with white cots, upon which are kept clean beds and linens. These dormitories are l large and airy, and the inmates are required to keep them clean and san- l fxf. riders, and on the ground floor there | are several offices the court room, two large dining rooms, for both white and colored children, and last, but not least. a most sanitary kitch- 1 en. The upper floor contains the 1 school rooms for the boys and girls. and also the dormitories.
 l Classes for Children
 While the children are held in this home pending investigation of their 1 cases, and their removal to other homes, the court has provided many activities for them. They are given
 the privilege of going to school the
 boys being instructed by Mrs. Au- gusta c. Robertson, one of Birming- hams most noted pedagogues, while the girls are taught by Mrs. Mac Price, also considered splendid in- structor. Sewing classes are alsa held at this institution, but on account of it's being 8 temporary home the classes vary. The girls are taught ironing, and are required to iron
 their own clothing when 1t is re- turned from the laundry at Ketona. county prison. The children are chaperoned by Mrs. Pauline Johnson. matron, who watches over each of
 them with mothers affection and
 is generally known to the children as Mother"
 A new and attractive featut5e of the receiving home is the playground
 equipped with light apparatus. The children are taught fair play and to respect the rights of others. In con
 nection with the plays and games physical exercises are given,
 Not only are children brought into this court, but men who have de- serted their families. Large sums of money are handled through this court each month on account of the many cases of this nature being tried
 Truant Officer C0-operates
 The truant officer of the Birming-. ham public school system also CO., operates with this court. Persons who do not send their children to school are given three days notice by the officer. In event this warning is
 
 from their homes and brought to the receiving home, where they are kept indefinitely. When men and their
 wives have become estranged and the ! custody of the children Is at stake
 these facts are brought before Judge Murphy, and if possible a reconcillia-
 tion brought about.
 A movement is now on foot pro- posing an expansion of this court a yrf xf IA which will have the same Jurisdiction
 as the juvenile court. The creation of domestic relations court would relieve much overcrowded file of the present court. Even now the files in the clerks office are con- gested and authorities will be forced
 to ask the board of revenue for ad- ditional files. An average of more than 150 cases are tried each month in this division of court, and at present there are more than 53 Jef- ferson county children awaiting their removal to other homes.
 The work of this court is carried on by Judge s. D. Murphy assisted by Ralph $. Barrow, chief probation officer, and S. D. Willingham, clerk Of the court, who also acts in the ca- pacity of superintendent of the re- ceiving home. Many of the children who have been cared for at this institution often return to express their appreciation and others look to | persons affiliated with the home as l their only friends.
 "N0T GUILTY" PLEA Isl MADE BY FOUR BOYS|