Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-21
BOYS RULE TRAFFIC
IN 18TH PRECINCT
School Patrol System Func-
tioning Perfectly for
Pupils Safety.

Two snappy youngsters with white
Sam Brown belts and nickel badges
stand facing each other across a busy
street intersection. The time is 8:45
am. and the street is busy with traffic.
Behind one of the boys is a group of
school children forming, obeying i'm
plicitly his instructions. When all are
in place he steps down from the curb
and guides them to the middle of the
street. There he is met by his part
ner, who takes charge of the children
and escorts them the rest of the way
across.
When all are safely over the two boys
again take their posts at the opposite
curbs and wait for the next contingent
It is the Schoolboy Traffic Patrol
functioning. So well have they done
their work that not single school
child has been injured while under
their care.
The suggestion for such patrol
came from the American Automobile
Association and was promptly adopted.
The association furnishes the boys with
their belts and badges.
Thirteenth Precinct Success.
The schoolboy patrol idea has met
with unusual success in the thirteenth
police precinct under guidance of Off
Ger j. r. Jenkins, who has been de-
tailed by Maj. Pratt to devote his full
time to the undertaking. Patrols have
been formed at each of the IL schools
in the precinct, bringing into the work
total of 100 boys. Another patrol of
IL girls will be formed this week at
the Whittier School.
One of the most surprising results
of the patrol work has been the will
ingneSs with which children obey the
commands of the youthful traffic OFF,
GERS. So thoroughly has the lesson Of
safety been drilled into them that now
when a child reaches the curb while
the officer is still in the street with one
group, he waits for his return rather
than venture forth alone. Officer Jen-
kins says the children have shown
much more willingness to obey the dt-
rections of the boy leaders than those
formerly given them by the regular
metropolitan policemen.
Another factor in the success of the
idea has been the willingness of motor
lists to cooperate. The youthful traf-
1ic cops are not supposed to direct auto
mobiles except in cases of sudden emer-
gency. Rarely have motorists ignored
their appraised hands when danger
threatened the children. In few in
stances, however, drivers have paid no
attention to these signals In such
cases the patrol leader takes the license
number of the car and turns it over to
the automobile association. The Of
fender is prosecuted promptly for fall
ing to give the right of way to pedes-
TRAN.
Selected by Principals.
! The boys on the patrols are selected
by the school principals, and they must
have the consent of their parents be-
fore they can serve. Once selected, they
are given careful instruction by police
men, and If they are to keep their
badges, they must be on their toes every
minute, because the competition for the
posts is keen.
The boys on the patrols give up more
than an hour day to the work, in
Guiding recess periods.
Each patrol has a captain and two
lieutenants. The members assemble at
the school at $40 and are assigned
posts by the captain. They repeat this
process during recess, at noon and after
school.
Team captains have encountered little
difficulty in enforcing discipline among
the pupils and among the members OF
their patrols AS well. If member of
the patrol lags in his school work or
plays while supposed to be on duty, he
is promptly dismissed. Few such cases
have arisen. If other students refuse to
obey the commands given them, they
are reported to the principal of their
school, who Furnishes them as she
sees fit.
The idea has met with the warm
approval of parents and Parent-Teacher
Associations throughout the city. A
majority of the parents seem to feel that
,, the patrol work offers opportunities for
splendid training to their boys, whose
ages range from 10 to Is years.
Father Given Lesson.
One father wrote in to tell of this
incident. He was taking his boy as a
patrol member, to the movies one night
an started TO cross the street in the
middle of the block. The boy took
him by the arm and said, mo, daddy;
let's go to the corner"
This little incident" the father
wrote, convinced me of the merit of
the schoolboy patrol idea. feel that
my boy is forming habits that will be Of
inestimable value to him in later life,
while at the same time he Is furthering
his own safety and the safety of Others.
Be assured of my hearty support in
your undertaking"
That the other school children re-
spect the authority Of the traffic patrol
officers Is shown by another incident.
One Of the patrol members reported q