The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-12-23
Footwear Plant Awarded Navy E
BOYS PRESENCE TRAINING CURES JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
BY CAROL HERMAN NEA Staff Writer

New York-"Give them something important and constructive to do after school and work hours" is the keynote of the nationwide anti juvenile delinquency campaign be- ing waged by Boys Clubs of Amer ica.
 Among boys, the chief cause of delinquency is their coming home to empty houses and having nothing to do but go with the gang in search of excitement, a spokesman for Boys Clubs explained. She pointed out that the restraining in- fluence of dads and big brothers is missing now and many boys who are working have money for the first time, feel reckless and terribly i'm portant.
 So directors of local groups, called Boys Clubs, have revitalized their psychological approach to make sure their programs don't seem like 'kid stuff" Clubs are staying open longer hours-all day on Sundays and holidays-and providing. in ad- dition to the sports and crafts, pre- service training for boys approach ing military age, a chance to parti- cipate in organized home front &C., tivitieS and dances. In industrial areas, clubs are kept open for war workers coming off the graveyard shift.
 Where most boys used to come to their local Boys Club for basketball or baseball, they are now attract ed by courses in pre-flight instruc- tion, machine shop training for wal jobs, military swimming, and rang CT tactics including everything but how to handle a gun.
 Victory Volunteers, Boys Clut organization that mobilizes boy pow CT for home front duties, has also succeeded in getting boys off the streets and into the clubhouses Each volunteer has four insignia tc earn as he passes tests in health strength, education and service. A Victory Volunteer is dropped from the organization if he does not live up to his pledge-"I will guard my health; I will develop my body; will be honest and mindful of the rights of others; I will be obedient to my parents and all those in au- thority; will be reverent and faith full to my religion; I will be loya to the United States of America"
 To what extent nave these new activities succeeded in preventing ol reducing delinquency? "Well, it's difficult to get exact figures" Da- vid w. Armstrong, executive direc' tor of Boys Club of America said but he showed me statements iron probation officers and police chief! attesting to the success of Boys Clubs war against delinquency. Fo example: A county probation officer 1T Trenton, N. J., declared, Much ere dit is due the Boys Clubs of Tren' ton for the work done in an ares which only a few years ago was an. other sore spot Now delinquen. cy is negligible in that neighborhooc largely because of the Boys Club
 And a judge in San Antonio, Tex. stated, "In my opinion a great dea, of credit should be given the Sar Antonio Boys Club for its part ir helping curb delinquency in Bexei County"
 Armstrong also told me that only one per cent of Boys Clubs 250,- 900 members-most of them coming from the nations poorest and most over-crowded areas-have been turn cd down by selective service for physical or mental reasons, while the national average is about 30 per cent. He also pointed out that 5O, ,0OO boys have been inducted into Victory Volunteers and are adher- ing to its credo which leaves no room for any delinquent behavior.