New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1923-03-28
SUICIDES OF YOUNG
PEOPLE IS Double
BEFORE WAR TOTALS
Ages Of Boys Who Kill Them
selves Average IS Years,
While With Girls II Is 10
SAYE-A.LIPE LEAGUE
COMPLIES ITS REPORT

Existence Of One Suicide Club OF Girls
Disclosed-silly Reasons For TAX
Ing Own Liyes-Child Marriage Is
Serious Cause-Shen Shock OF Ex-
Soldiers Great Contributing Agency.
New York, March 2S.-The number
of suicides among young people has
almost doubled since the world war,
DIR. Harry w. Warren. president OF
the Save-A-Life League declared In
his report for 1922 made public today.
From All juvenile suicides listed in
1919 the known total had jumped to
900 in 1922, the report declared, with
probability that for every known
suicide there was one self inflicted
death not so listed. The total number
of suicides tabulated for the year was
1880.
Boy suicides averaged in age 16
years, while the girls Fho died by
their own hand averaged Is. One boy
left note that he was killing him
self 'just for the fun of it." A girl
wrote she was taking her own life
"just to get a thrill Another took
poison because she did not like the
way she looked with her hair bob
bed.
One Suicide Club
Existence of at least one suicide
club" of girls was disclosed.
Discussing child suicide, DR.. War
rem listed as the three principal
causes intolerable home conditions,
faulty school system and tempera-
mental disorders
Chilli marriage" he continued lis
another serious cause. In 1920 there |
were 1900 boys and 10000 girls Is |
years old in the United States listed
as married Nearly 500 of them were
recorded as divorced or widowed.
Find Out Mistake Too Late
MANY of these children soon after1
find that they have made
great mistake in their choice, quarrel
and separate, get Ii, ,orced and sup
ply many of our suicides. as well as
homicides
Parents and teachers should edu-
cate children to at 4 emotional ex-
cesses to meet orave,y the unpleas-
ant things in life and to consider 9TH
ers as well as themselves"
Among other great classes of sui
sides DR.. Warren listed shell shocked
and disabled soldiers, more than
900 of whom ended their lives since
he war ended.
The league has given special at
ention to such cases." he wrote, and :
s proud of having saved not few
rom their greatest battle the one
which meant for them life or death. !
We honored these brave unseltish Z
,oys when they marched away. We !
lishonor them when broken down in :
lerves and racked with pain and suf- r
ering, we, through neglect permit =
that cause so many to end r
heir misery by self destruction t
Many Are Prominent
while some who end their lives q
re among the poor, large number i
'elong to the socially prominent and d
prosperous Those repre-
ented include editors, writers ard r.
many professional people There p
we're 3S college students, ~ college o
rofessors and school teachers, i9 o
reachers and leaders of religious
1orks SO judges and lawyers, S4 ply
cians, about 100 residents and heads f
f large business concerne, 70 mil o
onaires, 4G wealthy women, IS bank b
RS, several being bank presidents; a
ne person anxious to die made 10 at t.
smpts before succeeding. c.
Trivial Causes n
'As usual, many have put a low
stimate upon the value of human 81
fe having destroyed themselves
ften for causes most trivial. Several
ecause of gossiping tongues and a
ian because he was forced to quit
laying golf.
A woman killed herself after miss
,g two trains. A man because of :.
ow over a cat. A designer was driven VI
, suicide trying to guess the coming
,ring styles for women. One recently
1dcd his life rather than face an
her cold winter.
Topic For Sermons ;,
The time has come when ministers :,
iOulu ulSCOuTSt OCCdSlOUdlIN OIL tnlS A
mely though unpleasant subject for -
any who end their mortal existence g,
e members of our churches and !,
Suicides in many cases -,
the failure of the Christian religion NJ
effectively reach those who are a
ost in need of its beneficial influence hi
the hour of temptation. 1t should NJ
We the countless many who yearly 10
down the road of self destruction Is
r the want of Christian charity and nj
lpfulness. le,
These solemn facts and figures
esented on Easter morning may be
e strongest sermon that could be
cached. The weakening of religi-
S belief in many persons is to blame
+ many suicides. The lack of the w
of life's true value and
lack of communion with God and