Detroit evening times., 1945-03-31
By JAMES LEE ELLENWOOD

BY JAMES LEE ELLENWOOD
Executive Secretary of the York State YMCA
THERE are four front line attacks on delinquency.
They are church. the school, the agencies that deal
with spare leisure time, and the home.
If between them they hold strong front line,
delinquency be kept down
This article deals with the leisure and spare time
agencies. 1t is here, believe that break throughs are
most In fact for long time society pretty
much ignored this strategic
WHAT makes these spare hours important? Well, for
w thing, boy is on his own You can figure 1t
out for yourself.
If boy goes to church, he can't go wrong there.
If he goes to school, his time is guarded and his
program is directed.
And the hours he spends at home fairly safe.
BETWEEN SCHOOL HOURS AND HOME HOURS
ARE. FOUND THE DANGER SPOTS: HERE HE IS
HIS OWN ACTIVITIES AND SPEAKS HIS OWN
LANGUAGE.
Here he is free to make his decisions and select
his leaders. No priest minister, no teacher and
parents around
The fact is that these free hours the periods in
which the effectiveness the church. home and school
really being tested,
If their influence does hold to the tests Of
leisure hours the leisure hours offer dangerous pos
slblities
TNHATS why parents should be concerned in interest
ing their children in these spare time organizations
There are many and most of them well known
Here the better known Boy and Girl Scouts,
Al Clubs, Junior Achievements, Girl Volunteers YMCAs,
YWCAs, YMF1A YWHA, the Boys Club, and number
of others sponsored by the Knights of Columbus the
Masons, and many veteran associations
This is a complete list 1t merely illustrates the
multiplicity of efforts that are being made
Even the police are active in developing activities
for youth One outstanding example is the PAL in New
York City, the Police Athletic League.
7 USED to be of the chaplans for the New York
Il state troopers
Many years ago heard the late Al Smith then
governor tell the troopers that the number of
trooper made not nearly as good test of cops
record as the arrests he PREVENTED. Since then the
idea has grown.
WHAT I AM TRYING TO EMPHASIZE Is THIS
SIMPLE TRUTH A HOME AND A COMMUNITY
PERIODS OF BOYS LIFE THAT THE HOME,
SCHOOL OR CHURCH DOES NOT TOUCH; THAT
THESE HOURS ARE SIGNIFICANT ONES.
Of course all these clubs and organizations must
offer opportunities for choice fun and sefconro These
spare time activities if carefully planned in them
selves, more than just keeping young people busy
They offer opportunities for training and guidance
effective the other three agencies But they have
to be good. They can't be just any old thing
Most of these agencies based the idea that
youngsters learn from doing things not only by being
told by being watched This is by the way, sound
principle for homes to remember Talk is not always
effective, is I've got my eye you" very good
preventative Your eye doesn't around corners, nor
is it always alered Much better giving boys chance
to learn for themselves.
camp always good thing for boys and girls,
they having trouble with group Of boys whose
table not only bad but at times dangerous.
Lectures threats punishment, awards failed to bring
about Improvement.
Finally, two counselers invited these camp hogs" on
threeday canoe trip After they had padded hard the
first morning, they pulled up the shore
The counselors threw out the lunch the sand and
said There you boys, go TO it.
They had scrambled free-for-all meal. They did
the thing for supper and the next mornings break
fast.
Then of the boys objected. He told the coun-
selor This amt way to eat We eating like hogs,
and BESIDES the little kids amt getting their share
Well, answered the counsellor, What do you want
to do about it ?"
And they all agreed to make some rules, rules Of
their own which, incidentally, were strcter than the
regulations of the camp
Thus youngsters learn. Adults that way, too!
Delinquency is after ALL youth breaking the rules and
regulations of their elders.
If youth understands the why and wherefore of some
of them would help. There is such thing, you know,