The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1925-03-03
Inn THOUSAND BOYS
IN OVER 1000 GANGS
THREATEN BIG CITY
cu1CAGO INVESTIGATION RE-
vEALs YOUTHFUL BANDS OF
A. CRIMINAL NATURE.
JACK OF GUIDANCE THE CAUSE

Effort Will Be Made TO lurn BOYS
Into Properly Directed Channels.
Two Year Inquiry Reveals Many
Startling Facts and Conditions.
There are 1000 gangs, or clubs, OF
bovs in the city of Chicago, number
inc perhaps 100000 youths on their
rolls" A two-year investigation of
these gangs, made by Professor Fred
erick NJ. Thrasher, of the University
n nj Chicago, reveals the fast that most
Of these organizations of boys and
n Young men have every earmark of
cradles of crime" Therefore an effort
. !, TO be made, under the direction and
financing of the Rockefeller Founda-
ton. to turn these organizations of
4 bovs into regulated and directed clubs
which will make for good citizenship
\ instead of potential law-breakers and
4 criminals.
To the person living in the coun-
. try, or a village, or a town, or even a
y small city," says Professor Thrasher,
\ the existence of SO many boys gangs
4 in metropolis like Chicago can
scarcely be comprehended. Yet it IS
bit natural, for it is only the express
sion of recreation, or amusement that
the city boys country or, small town
X brother finds in better and more
heathful ways amid the environment
Of the open spaces.
The country or small town boy
can go fishing, or skating, or picnlck-
inc. or hunting, or nutting. He can do
4 hundred and one things that his big
CITY brother can not do because the
latter has no room, no place to do 1t.
4 The result is that the play urge to be
d found in every normal boy drives the
Chicago lad into gang organizations
ii the city. and in these he finds his
\ amusements, which later lead TOO
& many of them into conflict with the
4 law
Investigated 1913 Gangs.
Professor Thrasher in the two
4 Years he has spent in his investlga-
a rions-which have been financed by
4 fine Rockefeller Foundation from the
6rst-has records of 1878 boys gangs
n which he has personally investigated.
n He has lived among the boys Tor 10
months. In half dozen instances he
was compelled to discontinue lnvestl-
cations of certain gangs because
members threatened to take his lie II
he continued.
INV work among the boys and
their gang organizations" he says,
has shown me that no matter what
NAV be the reason for forming a club,
or the object behind such formation,
in great many more than so per cent
OF the cases the gangs eventually dri1t
into crime, or what might be termed
near crime.
This being the case the work now
confronting those persons and organl-
cations interested in the social sciences
is to obtain and exercise an influence
or good over these hundreds OF
bands Of bows, with the object OF max
ing them good citizens instead OF po-
tential criminals by the time they
reach the age of maturity.
Professor Thrasher knows more
gang leaders in Chicago by their flrst
name than any policeman or politi-
clan. Each of the gangs has its own
mysterious grips, signs and hand
shakes. And the initiation OF new
members in some of them is fearful
and wonderful rite.
Il know of one gang OF boys who
make their initiates take bath Ill an
cid horse fountain in one OF the pub
lie squares Of Chicago, says MI.
Thrasher. Then, at the other, eX-
IRENE, know of gangs who will not
admit new member unless he can
show a criminal record.
One of the most notorious gangs m
vesugated by Professor Thrasher was
the Rollers of the Dnos,. group
OF youthful gangsters ranging Ill age
from IA to IS who make it their work
to fleece drunkards on the streets, one
member throttling the ficum while
another goes through his pockets,
Then there is the Gang Shags, as
they call themselves, a trife older IN
average age, who prey upon folks IN
the residential districts returning to
their homes after / O'Clock at night.
Still another is the Risky Night
Riders" who make it business 10
steal parked automobiles, pick up a
girl and then proceed to break all the
city traffic laws they can think OF.
Where They Meet.
A classification of the meeting
places of these boys gangs shows that
SO OF them meet in the streets ana
alleys of the city, 147 on vacant lots,
50 at various points along the shores
OF Lake Michigan, 794 in pool rooms
and saloons, about so in much worse
places. and nearly 400 in regular ciuD
houses Of some description which nave
been provided for them by various or
CARNATIONS, communities or men.
Many of these organizations, &C
cording to Professor Thrasher, were
founded with the best intentions. by
men and women in the spirit OF nelgh-