Evening star., 1924-11-11
LOCAL YOUNGSTERS
NEED COMP PAN|ONS
Brother or Sister May Save
Youths From Becoming
Court Wards.

A big brother or sister who can.
make friends with the wayward boy
or girl at the critical time in tha
chiids life may save the Juvenile
from becoming a ward of the court,
Walter S. Ufford. general secretary
of the Associated Charities declared
today, In indorsnig the Juvenile Pro-
tective Association and it's need for
expanded activities. This sort of
voluntary probation, unofficial in
character and prompted by unselfish
desire to give the boy or girl a fair
opportunity to make good is beyond
price" he declared
Mr. Lfford's Endorsement was as fol-
lows:
THE Juvenile Protective Associa-
tion is one of Washington's social
agencies with which the Associated
| Charities works in closest contact.
While the Associated Charities is
primarily a family welfare organi-
zation dealing with the home as "a
unit, the society frequently has occa-
sion to call in otheP social agencies
which are specialists in their respec-
tive fields. Unfortunately, juvenile
delinquency in one of the seriou4
problems which every family agenc1
has TO meet. A big brother or a big
sister who can make friends witf
the wayward boy or girl at the critL-
cal time in the child's life, may save
the juvenile from becoming a ward
OF the court. This sort of voluntarys
probation, unofficial in character and
prompted by unselfsh desire to give
the boy or girl a fair opportunity to
make good, is beyond price.
Study OF Delinquency.
still another field, perhaps OF even
more importance to the welfare OF
children as a whole, is the study
of causes of Juvenile delinquency,
and the subsequent attempt to re-
move these, not only by the creation
of sound public opinion TO support
those who are trying to enforce laws
relating to child labor and other
aspects of the problem of child de-
linquency, but also by building an
informed public opinion which will
demand new legislation for child
protection where needed.
In these two fields. first the pre-
vention of juvenile delinquency and
second, the recovery of the Delinquent
child to whole some, normal living.
the Juvenile Protective Association
is doing important work deserving
of the full support of all child lovers
in the District of Columbia
Following are four more cases
needing a big brother or a big sister
to stand by. give encouragement and
provide interest in the things Of life
that will make better citizenship:
Help Needed for Cases.
William is IA years old. He was
born in small Southern town
known to every one, and loved by
every one. He came to the city with
his parents, and seemed to have a
difficult time in adjusting himself to
city ways. He made friends slowly,
but he was the kind of chap that
thought things through. Things
haven't gone well financially. Will
liam left school and has gone to
work. He is doing the kind of work
that a boy of his age has no busi-
ness doing. His father has no in
terest in him-does not understand
him. He needs, above all things,
friend that does.
There is a foreign settlement in
the heart of Washington which few
of ths Washingtonians really know
about. There is a little girl there,
who was born in the old country, and
who is the oldest of five children.
These kiddies are thin and under
nourished. They have wistful little
faces and a desire for things like
American children have. They get
into trouble-purely because of lack
of understanding. They need some
one to teach them American ways and
help them to adjust themselves 10
the new world problems. Lula. the
oldest, would make fascinating
companion. for she loves to tell you
how they do things in her own little
province where she comes from over
seAs.
Needs Man Companion.
John is 16, tall and thin, and de-
fiant in his manner. His mother and
father were not young when John
came along, and he being the only
child, has had more than his share
Of attention. He frets under il, and
does things that he otherwise would
not do. He chooses the wrong COM
panions and on two occasions has run
away. He is determined to see the
world. and his one ambition is to
join the Navy. He hates petticoat
rule, and needs clean cut, vital man
for companion.
There are three boys between the
ages of 13 and II, who have gotten
the idea that the school is too boring
for them. Each morning, they start
out with their books, and each day,
the school reports that they are
missing. 1t has finally been found
out that they have Joined club.
where boys are taught how to evade
the law and to be successful truants.
This club meets in out-of-way places,
but often in a vacant room over a
store. near a bridge which leads into
Virginia. We want a leader for this
club-one that can steer a group of
misguided youngsters into something
that is worth while and vital for
their future.
1t is not an easy job, but it will
be an interesting one.