Evening star., 1923-09-21
PARENTAL LAX|TY
. HIT BY GRAND Jury
Automobiles and Dancing De-
nounCed as Demoralizing
to Youth.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
FREDERICK, Md, September 21.-
Deploring the lack of parental authority
over children in the home; advocating
the discontinuance of dancing instruc-
tion in the public schools of Maryland;
curtailment of the use of automobiles
by young boys and girls, and the de-
mand that the citizenship of the county
cooperate with officers in the enforce
ment of the prohibition laws of the land,
the September grand jury of the Fred
erick circuit court closed one OF the
longest sessions in recent years.
The investigation of the grand jury
into the home life of the children of the
county was a departure from the usual
duties and scope of that body, although
in keeping with the statement by Chief
Judge Hammond Urner that the au-
thority of the grand jury is absolute"
300 witnesses Examined.
Members of the jury said that in the
examination of the 309 witnesses called
before them in the fourteen days they
were in session they had found an as
tonishing and alarming laXity on the
part of parents over the welfare and
lowed, the jury found, unexpected liber-
ties. given large allowances, the use OF
automobiles and the privilege of late
hours. The jury was astonished at the
years of age who admitted 20 intoXica-
tion on numerous occasions. and blamed
this condition on the lack of proper
parental supervision.
I'VE cannot" said the jury's re-
port, in part, too strongly empha-
size the need of more strict parental
authority in the home The youth
who is not properly guided during
the years before maturity does not
usually make for the best citizen.
10 ha nf
eighteen years of age who testified
they had been under the influence
of intoXicants and were more or less
allowed free rein at home, came as
Il surprise. Too much freedom to the
youth often starts him on way
to crime or a life of Incidence. Proper
home influences can work a wonder
full amount of good and we stress
the hope that the fathers and moth
ers will use every endeaVor to keep
a closer watch on children and see
that their companions are well
chosen and that they do not fire.
Quent places of doubtful character.
Influence of Automobiles.
Practice of parents allowing chill
dren the use of automobiles is a
serious fault. Autos in the hands
of young people, excepting when ac-
companied by elders or used in case
of business, often lead to a desire
for pleasure and amusement rather
than q proper course toward work
and study. Our attention has been
directed to number of cases which
are partly the outgrowth of automo-
btles in the hands of young persons.
The youth should be made to realize
that he has a dangerous enemy in
having too much. 1t kills all desire
for ambition and often paves the
way to a life of shame and crime.
The matter of teaching or en-
couragement of promiscuous dancing
between the sexes among the pupils
of the public schools in the county
was brought to the attention of the
grand jury. In view of the consci-
entious difference of opinion in re-
gard to dancing, this jury wishes to
express it's disapproval of this prac-
tice in the public schools of the
county and state"