The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-07-13
More Recreational
 Facilities Needed
 For Girls Of City
Report of Probation Officer Shows Local Office Be, coming Clearing House for Solving Difficulties
 of Youngsters and Sometimes Parents

That the juvenile probation office is bec Ling more and more a clearing house for the recital and solution of difficulties involving boys and girls, an even their par Miss Kathleen Crowley, probation officer, for the first six months of 1895. The report, submitted to- day to Mayor Frank Hayes and Judges John F. McGrath and Ed- ward Mascolo that the number of parents, relatives and friends com ing to juvenile court or the pro- bation office for help in safeguard ing children, has grown amazingly during recent months. The listing of these as "cases," says the report, explains what might otherwise be considered great jump in juve- nile delinquency.
 Urges Favoring Girls
 Miss Crowley, pointing out that local boys are provided for gener- ously, asks that girls be given more consideration. She suggests that during the next year, the need for more facilities in recreational and social lines for girls be stressed. { During t.le period covered in the report a total of 1909 persons have called at Miss Crowley's office for advice and help. On the pro- bation rolls at the present time are 210 children, all under 16, who are being cared for, advised and helped as much as possible.
 Miss Crowley's report follows:
 Az T,,r te 1n nCf nf the fiscal year of the various courts, I have the honor to submit my report for the first six months of the calendar year 1885.
 In no other way, save that we are now feeling the effects of the turmoil of the past six years, can I account for the increase in the number of cases which were brought into our juvenile court during the first six months of 1885. For the twelve months ending De- cember 31, 1884, the total number of juvenile delinquents, neglected and uncared for children was 196. For six months this year the total is 210.
 This means that 210 children the majority suffering physical, nervous or mental handicaps-are struggling along, trying to adjust themselves to conditions which must be changed or bettered, if failure, unhappiness and personal ity maladjustments are to be averted.
 Late Hours Hurt
 Failure in school, late hours, Y families on relief, or on the border line economically. neglect at home. or over-indulgent parents, lack of recreational facilities, gangs, the absence of mothers in working hours, broken homes, demoraliz- ing clements in their neighborhood, the conflict between young and old in many of our foreign-born homes --all enter into the background of boys and girls who found their way into our juvenile court.
 At no time. from their first con- tact with the members of our po- lice department to their arraign- ment in juvenile court, are these children made to feel that they are different from the ordinary child, outcasts or objects of scorn. These youngsters find Judge McGrath and Judge Mascolo more concerned with the underlying cause and cure of the children's behavior than with whatever punishment, if any. must be meted out. The stealing, lying, stubborn, lazy. immoral con- duct is recognized as a symptom. The cause and cure require patient study and an understanding heart.
 Tho fine cooperation between the juvenile court probation office and the police department, Corner House, Lincoln House, Diocesan Bureau, and the Department of Public Welfare continues. Many of our cases dovetail and, working to- gether,. we find a way of making things come out right, wherever humanly possible, for the majority of them.
 To Mayor Frank Hayes we owe