The Denver Jewish news., 1925-05-21
Solving The Problem Of The
Jewish Delinquent
Jewish Board of Guardians Handle Every Phase of Jew
sh Delinquent Problems-Progress Made in 20
Years.
by MORTIMER l.. SCHIFF

mitted to Its care. The Cedar Knolls
school opened in rented house In
1912, was transferred to Its own build.
Ing, its present home, In 1913 and has
had 1913 girls committed to Its care up
to December n, 1924. Lakeview start
ed on very modest scale In n little
house on Staten Island In December,
1905, and only in 1913 moved into its
larged and which it now occupies.
Since Its inception to December 81,
1924, GG6 mothers and 5G4 babies have
been In its care. The Shelter was
opened as recently ms April, 1924, but
has already cared for 90 mothers and
40 babies.
The original board Of managers OF
the Jewish Protectory and Aid society
still have six members active In our
councils. I refer to Mr.. Henry Solo
mon, Mr.. Samuel b. Hamburger Rev. |
DR.. Maurice Harris, Mr.. Sidney c.
Borg and DIR. A. l.. WObarst, with
whom it has been my privilege to have
been associated during all this period.
Much less would, however, have been
accomplished had we not been so for |
tunate as to have with us from the (,
start our present comptroller and gen. |
eral superintendent. Mr. John Klein OF
whose self-sacrifcing devotion and wise
| laa 4 ua
has been ably supplemented by Mr..
Jess Perlman as executive director of
the Department Of Field Activities, by
Mrs. Edlin, superintendent of Lake
view Home and by Mrs. Mclaughlin,
superintendent OF the Cedar Knolls
school. But even they, efficient and
effective as they are need guidance
and. may l say, encouragement. and
this has been and is beinE furnished.
by our three major committees under
the chairmanships Of Mrs. Borg, Mrs |
Demuth and Mr.. Hamburger.
In common with other philanthropic |
and social agencies, We have never had
adequate funds at our disposal and
have thus had to limit our work to a |
far greater degree than Is desirable or |
in the interest of the community. |
Many feel that modern philanthropy is |
often too scientific and that 1t has lost |
much Of its personal touch. That Is
true to certain extent, but we must |
realize that the problems are quite diff
ferent from what they were q few de-
| cades ago when comparatively few
volunteers could deal with them, and
preaching effective service, we require
those who can give all of their time to
the work. Social work has become n
profession and 1t must be our aim to so
develop that profession as to attract to
II what is best among men and women.
am not pessimist by nature nor
am one of those who feels that mod
crn youth is on the road to perdition
because 1t is often lacking in discipline
and in feeling of responsibility and
because 1t is restless and uncontrolled.
We need not worry too much about the
future. We must not forget that the
present younger generation has lived
its entire adolescent youth under the
influence of the World war and its
aftermath. Is it surprising that they
feel that their elders have made rather
n mess of things and that they are no
longer willing to accept without ques-
ton the dogma of complacent middle
age? 1t is for us of the older genera
tion to give the necessary guidance and
direction, so that our youth may real
ize that freedom does not mean license
or liberalism spell radicalism.
That is the spirit in which the Jew
ish Board of Guardians is attempting
to help those who look to it for care
and guidance. We are their guardians,
whatever their age may be and ire
spective of their past mistakes, we are
trying to instill in them n feeling of
responsibility and to make of them
good and useful Americans. We are
teaching them that citizenship has Its
duties, as well as its benefits, and that
peace slackers are as contemplate as
war slackers.
This building, as is all our work, is
dedicated to the cause of loyal and un-
selfish citizenship and to the develop
ment of real character and of high
ideals applied to everyday existence.
In opening it as an additional unit for
, the service of the Jewish community,
we, of the Central Council of the Jew
ish Board of Guardians, pledge our.
. selves anew TO do our utmost TO meet
cur responsibilities.