Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-05
NEW INSTITUTIONS
SOUGHT IN REPORT
Judge Sellers Shows Need OF
Proper Industrial Schools
for City.

Continuation of the probation survey
and establishment of proper industrial
schools for white girls and boys and
for colored girls. is advocated strongly
by Judge Kathryn Sellers of the
Juvenile Court, in her report for the
year ending February l LAST
Judge Sellers feeels that the practice
of placing delinquent children under
the care of probationerS is an excellent
one, despite the fact that it is of COM
paratively recent origin. The juvenile
probation officers are highly trained
men and women.
During the past year they made
personal Investigations of the circum-
stances surrounding the lives of 494
children who were placed on proba-
ton. These investigations look into the
chlld's environment, the personnel of
the family, the economic status of the
family, the type of supervision given
by the parent or guardian, health con-
ditions, the school history of the child
and the religious Affiliations of the
family.
Special Reports.
After a child has been on probation
for six months this early report is looked
up and special report made as to
whether 1t Is possible to dismiss the
child. During the year covered by the
report, 3,774 children were dismissed
from probation.
The Juvenile Court dealt with 2.O22
complaints against 1,05l children dur
ing the year. The report states that
341 of these children were charged
with $50 felonies. Judge Sellers gives
much credit to the work of the mem
bers of the Metropolitan Police Force
for the satisfactory manner in which
these cases were handled.
A deplorable condition exists in the
Nations Capital in regard to the ut
terly inadequate facilities for the care
of delinquent children who must be
removed from the guardianship of their
parents, she says. At present the Dis
trict of Columbia, under the direction
Of the Board of Public Welfare, is
maintaining a successfully operated
industrial school for colored boys at
Blue Plains. This institution takes
care of the colored pertaining school
the National Training School for Boys
No such school, however, exists for the
care of white boys.
At present such boys are committed
to the Industrial Home School on Wis
conSin avenue. While excellent work is
being done by this school many juve-
nile cases which should be sent elsewhere
must be committed to the school be-
cause no other place exists. Both boys
and girls are sent to the Industrial
Home, ranging in ages from to 10
years.
Industrial School Need.
Judge Sellers earnestly urges that
steps be taken to provide proper in
dustrial school for white boys, which
will rank with the Blue Plains School
for colored boys. This would cut down
the commitment of boys 30 the National
Training SchoG. -or Boys, which is a
Federal institution of a reformatory ma
ture, and to which only juvenile delin-
ouents of the most incorrigible nature
should be sent.
At present when the court recon-
nends to the Board of Public Welfare
that white girl. too young to be sent
to the National Training School, be held
in an institution. the board must use
the Industrial Home School on Wiscon-
sin avenue. There is no institution
whatever where colored girls of the
same class may be committed.
Judge Sellers recommends that suit
able institutions be furnished the board
for these groups by erecting separate
cottages as a part of the Blue Plains
Industrial School for Colored Children,
or as a part of new industrial school
for white children, or by erecting addi-
tional cottages at the National Training
School for Girls and giving the Board of
Public Welfare the right to place their
wards in such cottages without court
commitment.