Evening star., 1924-11-04
RECTOR RAPS RICH
FOR DELINQUENCY
Or. Phillips Says Wealthy
! Fail to Set Proper Ex-
ample for Children.

pellnQue ncy in American ehildrer
would not be what it is today wert
there a semblance of example anc
moral teachings in the homes of tn,
rich, Rev D. 3. T. Phillips. rector ot
the Church of the Epiphany. declared
at the eighth annual meeting of tbs
Juvenile Protective Association, il
the Shoreham Hotel, last night.
DR. Phillips dealt with three sep
arate periods in fitting children fol
life. Every child. he said. will obey
preceptS up till it is II years old. anG
if allowed to go through this stage
with laxity of teaching will grow uE
feeling that it may do anything he
or she chooses. Every child should
in authority. either in the home OF
in the school, he said, and II the early
stage is we'll handled the child will
be well taken care OF in the adoleS-
cent period.
Children should not be permtted
TO substitute the spirit of mischief
for aims and ideals, he asserted. The
child of the rich and the poor alike
should not be allowed to think that
life owes them anything. Delinquen-
cy, ht said could hardly be laid tc
the poor. as there are thousand pei
cent more delinquents among the rich
Delinquency comes at times when e4-
ample is most needed. DR.. Phillips
said, adding that this example is sad
ly lacking in wealthy homes.
DR. Phillips scored the nation wide
publicity given to the minute details
of the recent Chicago murder trial
stating that it resulted in the over
stimulation of the processes of the
mind of adolescent children, and caus-
cd more delinquency than all pretec-
Il, 80 hi 70 Of Nc
in a long time.
The families Of the rich should be
the first to put their houses in order
If delinquency is TO De reduced, the
speaker emphasized.
Wants Work Widened.
Ralph Given, assistant district at
torney, pointed out where it is pos
sible to help in the work of the
courts. He said that the temptations
of the young girls and boys OF toda
are SO per cent greater than they
were 90 years ago. He stated that
the age limit Of children handled by
the Juvenile Court is II years, and
that if they are a day or two older
their cases are thrown into criminal
courts This condition, he said, re-
guires judiciouS manipulation, and
should not be permitted to exist. lie
sugEeste d that the association widen
it's scope of work to include children
beyond the reach of the Juvenile
Court
Justice Frederick l.. Siddons cited nu-
merouS cases where proper home care
would have prevented the appear
snce of young people in his court:
He praised the effect of the proha :
tion Law, stating that over all the
years. it has been in existence In
Washington SIS per cent of those
placed on probation have turned to
more fruitful and productive, activi-
ties and are worthy citizens. 1t is
better to prevent delinquency. he SAID,
than to try to cure II.
A child old enough to be brought
to court is old enough also TO have
an indelible impression Of his ex-
perience made upon him, the speak
er added. urging this or similar as
sociations to take . hand in the cor
rectiou of the child before the stamp
OF formal delinquency is placed upon
it Children of all classes. he con-
cluded. are imperiled by the aba n
donment of all moral lessons which
are taught effectively only in the
home.
Must start Right.
Louis A. Simon, president OF the
association, presented his annual re-
port In 1t he said that the headings
in newspaper articles for the past
several months in regard to para
mount and vital issues referring to
the political campaigns we're as moth
ing compared to the vital necessity
and paramount Importance of start
ing a child on the right path to hon
orabie manhood or womanhood.
Clarence L. Harding, treasurer.
read his report, which showed that
the association had expended more
He reported that the Ciyitan Club
is planning to purchase or lease a
farm on which will be placed be-
tween lee and 500 boys. They will
be taught farming. gardening, ciu-
zenship and will be instructed in the
methods of carrying out civic duties
The annual report of the execu-
tive secretary, Miss Dorothy H. Allen,
told of the activities carried on by
the association during the past year
and outlined the work to be attempt
ed during the coming year. 1t was
brought out that 343 families. in
volving 7ao children, were actively
under supervision from periods vary
ing from ! to IL months. In these fam
lilies were 1877 delinquent boys and l54
delinquent girls. The problems pre-
sented included tuancy, feeble mind
edness, immortality, child labor, dishon
esty and lack of proper recreation and
the family broken by death. desertion
or the removal Of one or both parents
Physical and mental examinations
have been made in 231 cases, followed
by corrective treatment. The special
work carried on at the Peabody
School, Fifth and c streets northeast,
has proved successful, and is te be
continued another year. Through the
cooperation Of tho Boy and Girl
Scouts, the Y. NJ. C. A., 2. W. c. A,
and the Big Sisters and Brothers, the
association has been able to furnish
wholesome recreation for a large
number of children The report alse
CONNIE nted on the work OF the play
grounds and churches, and commend
I'd the Twentieth Century Club, which
contributed more than $1,000; the Civ
itan Club and tha parsnt-teaeher as