Evening star., 1933-06-24
OPT|M|STS ELECT
FIELDS PRESIDENT
Bows Welfare Work Discus
sions Are Held at
Convention.

Electing v. Ernest Field Of India
napolis president and choosing Toronto,
Canada, as the convention city for 1884,
the Optimist International concluded
its final business session of its sixteenth
international convention at the May
flower Hotel at noon today.
Other officers chosen with Mr.. Field
included the four vice presidents who
were his associates on the Nominating
Committees slate, which, in turn, was
elected by acclamation. They are
George Dane of Toronto; William Wag-
ner of Louisville, KY; James Booth Of
st. Petersburg, Fla, and Theodore
Pierce of Los Angeles. The new officers
were inducted Immediately by David
Oman of Minneapolis, the retiring pres
ident.
Club Dues Upheld.
Just before election the club voted
down a proposal to reduce the club
dues to Optimist international after
many delegates had argued that t.ae
present is no time for retrenchment.
This mornings session of the con-
vention followed conference given
over entirely to welfare work among
boys at the concluding sessions yes
terday. Speakers from various cities
urged character education on the part
Of schools, a more sympathetic attitude
by adults toward the emotional side of
adolescent boys, and more personal
service, rather than mere financial aid,
to boys clubs, as important factors in
reducing juvenile delinquency.
John G. Swope, president of the San
Antonio Boys Work Council, urged
more cooperation between the various
service clubs in the interest OF boys
welfare. An example of this, he said,
is the annual base ball game between
the Optimist and Rotary Clubs in his
city, which gives its entire proceeds to
the welfare of underprivileged children.
John Dolph, member of the Board of
Governors of the Boys Club of Wash
ington, charged that the home, church
and school were failing in their res
possibility toward character education
of youth. The schools, he said, should
assume as part of their regular job the
development of character education.
In his address on THE Cause of Ju-
venile Delinquency" Judge Thomas j. S.
Waxter of the Baltimore Juvenile Court
pointed to his citys system combating
boys crimes" In Baltimore, he said,
the Juvenile Court deals chiefly with
the correction of the cause for boys
CffenSes rather than seeking merely to
punish the boys for their wrongdoing.
In each case of juvenile delinquency,
Judge Waxter explained, corps of
investigators studies the heredity and
environment of the young offenders.
BIames Divorces.
A. B. Cope, Evansville, Ind, contended
divorces are responsible for half the
juvenile delinquency cases. Poverty and
heredity, he said, are responsible for the
other so per cent.
Frank M. Liddle of Baltimore said
every boys work program should not
only interest the boys, but should meet
the needs of boys through the interests
they show. H. S. Morgan, director
of boys work at Milwaukee, said there
is a greater need among boys clubs for
personal service from their adult spon-
sors than there is for financial aid.
The Washington Optimist Club was
cited as being second best in attendance
for the past year. The Kansas City
Club was first.
Following the election there was to be
a luncheon adjournment prior to a
meeting of the Board of Governors of
Optimist International at o'clock
Final adjournment comes tonight.