The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1943-05-17
Michigan in
Washington

Washington, May 1.-THE alarm
ing upswing lin juvenile delin-
quency. at its peak in Industrial
states like Michigan, is squirting
the Children's Bureau, Of the De.
partment OF Labor, into devising
new measures to aid state officials
in combating this wartime by.
product.
Miss Katharine Lenroot. bureau
director, urges, among other rem
edies, conferences such as pro-
posed by Governor Harry Kelly,
TO bring Lansing representatives
of youth organization TO seek an
answer TO the delinquency cpl
demic. In a recent message to
the Michigan Congress Of Parents
'and Teachers. Governor Kelly
warned, children were one of the
major casualties of war; In
Washington. Miss Lenroot unhap-
PLY reports juvenile delinquency
has upped | per cent since 1887
with the highest increase among
young girls. 31.6 per cent, with
only a six per cent increase among
young boys.
The increase among young girls
results from just such conditions
as are found in the Battle Greek
area. It's known many II and Is
year old southern girls. visiting
soldier sweethearts, pour into
town without even IS cent bus
fare from Battle Greek to Fort
Custer"
With this influx of child bride
elects, Battle Creeks marriages
have also doomed. Despite the
state law requiring a pre-medical
examination and the necessary 3
day wait. the youthful couples can
be granted a waiver by probate
judges. They must also present
health certificates from their home
state health boards.
OF the Older" brides. II, IS.
and 10 year olds, reports show
trouble often results when young
girls, living in rooming houses,
only see their husbands an ave-
rage OF twice a week. With too
much free" time, the young
brides are natural preys to trou-
bic. reports the bureau.
Three Michigan counties
Wayne, Kent, and Oakland-are
high in delinquency figures for
the 1912 period. Wayne County
had 2,157 cases; Oakland County
had 1928; and Kent County had
1854. However, these were cases
which actually reached the courts.
Many more such cases were handl-
ed by organizations set up to help
curb juvenile delinquency.
In the industrial front, the Blu
reau is also encouraging such ac-
ton as the revision of the states
20 year old laws on labor. One
school survey of the 100 pupils
enrolled. disclosed that some Az
were absent on the day the sur
yey was made. The principal ex-
planned that most OF the absentees
were working.
The Children's Bureau is swamp
ed with reports on individual cases
of overwork. Actually. they can
do little about il. Even the best
state labor laws do not take into
consideration that the student may
work only a few hours in the fac
tory but he puts in a Sc hour
week when his work hours are ad.
Ged to his school hours. Here
are a few examples discovered
by the Children's Bureau:
An II year old boy was found
selling papers from p. m. to 4
a. m.
A Is year old girl who works
afternoons and evenings in res
taurant totals 56 hours a week of
school and work.
A ninth grade boy. who sold
candy in a theater, works and stu
dies 70 and one half hours a week
His wages run s10.5O a week.
Four freshmen high school boys,
under sixteen, work in a bake shop
from $3.50 in the morning until
time for the 100 afternoon school
session.
One remedy is gaining favor in
several states. Physical examina-
tions are given in high schools to
ascertain IL the teen age youth is
fit for the Job contemplated. This
would prevent the lad with the
weak heart. who doesn't know Il,
from taking too Strenuous iHh
on the assembly line. There IS
the we'll known sad case talked
about in the Bureau OF the girl
who dropped dead doing ordinary
farm field work.
Lets benefit by the experience
in England" argues Miss Lenroot,
where tuberculosis rates among
the teen age are taking an alarm
ing upsweep....an could have been
prevented by physical examina-
tons"
Juvenile delinquency has increas
ed as more mothers take war time
Jobs and children keep irregular
hours with more spending money
in their pockets than they have
ever had in their lives.
These youthful home front
workers are employed in all kinds
OF jobs......many OF which, because
of conditions and hours, are ma
tural spring boards for trouble. "
saws the Children's Bureau.
pncn1nizinR the need for this