The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-02-28
Clubs Urged
tOx4id Cause
OfPrObati0n

of th- IndiG-:a Federation of Wom-
ems Clubs. has sent the following
letter to district and county chair
men of the division of child welfare
and the division of child delinquency
throughout the state. The fedora
ton is cooperating with the state
probation department to ind early
and reclaim delinquents aid pre-de-
1inquents. Following is che letter,
addressed to club women in the
Ctate department of public welfare:
NO cause is nearer the heart of
club women than that of The de-
prived child, slipping toward a
criminal career, because of condi-
tons he is too frAil to combat.
1T is estimated that ninety-nine
of each hundred children in Amer
lea will make good citizens. In In
diana there are 100000 children.
This makes the appalling procession
of 1900 Hoosier children heading
toward lives of crime. Many club
women are aroused and are eager
to help reclaim these children. So
we are urging district, county and
local chairmen of child welfare and
child delinquency to undertake spe-
cific projects.
Get Officer Appointed
'If you are in a county which does
not have probation officer, see that
one is appointed there. The follow
ing counties still have none: Craw-
ford, Davies, Dearborn, Decatur,
Fountain, Gibson, Harrison, Hen
bricks, Jasper, jefferson, Martin,
Newton, Ohio, owen, Perry, Shelby,
Sullivan, Switzerland and Whitley.
''YouT Judge may appoint a pro-
baton officer, If he thinks best. Per-
haps he fears the county council will
not appropriate the funds. Perhaps
the county council never has given
thought to probation. Very likely
the taxpayers in your community
never have been educated to the
advantages of probation and never
have expressed a wish for it. Put on
a probation campaign in your coun-
ty, with articles in your newspapers,
and probation speeches before every
possible audience. The good people
of every county will want proba-
ton officer, if made to realize the
neeed for one.
TN counties where there are pro-
baton officers, club women can help
probation work In three ways:
Help find early those just begin
ming their delinquencies, before
their habits are fixed.
Help find pre-delinquents, those
who are getting hayward, tough and
incorrigible.
Tact Is Necessary
Help find the potential delin-
quents, helpless children living de-
prived lives, in terrible homes, sur
rounded by all sorts of evil influ-
ences. We must find these children
early, but we must be tactful, and
kindly, and refrain from going at it
in meddleSome or gossipy manner
We must be big enough to keep this
work in confidence, and not stir up
trouble for those who already have
their struggles. Much depends on
finding these early.
CAS- individual club women, offer
your services to your probation Of
ficer to act as sponsor or a friend
to some child whom he will assign
to you This means, not spasmodic
enthusiasm fol- three weeks and then
neglect, but continuous, friendly
care.
Build Public Sentiment
"Help build public sentiment to
back the probation work of your
county, Have a probation program
in every organization to which you
belong. Ask your judge, probation
officer and others to make public
talks about probation.
For further information apply to
any of the following:
Mrs. Myra Stewart Gordon,
Logansport, chairman of public
welfare, Indiana Federation of
Clubs.
MRS. Ella B. Kehrer, Anderson,
chairman of the division of child
welfare.
Mrs. Albion Fellows Bacon,
Evansville, adviser.
Mrs. Emma c. Barry, Peru, chair
man of the division of child de-
linquency.
"Mrs. Florence Riddick Boys, Ply
mouth, adviser and state probation
officer"
ILL., Dnt1snr 70 DIna