Evening star., 1953-12-13

superintendent Of the home. said
some Of the girls had admitted
homosexual activity but with the
crowded conditions and one
counsellor on duty at night, it
was impossible to control it COM
pletedly.
Boys Separated.
The boys are separated by age
groups. To accomplish that, it
is necessary to house the younger
boys in a basement which is
partially underground. These
boys get the only schooling now
given since there is only one
teacher and he doubles as rec
reation director. There are %
boys in an area designed for IL.
Their small play space is also
the chapel.
) For the older boys. there is
nothing to do. Boys who came
into the hands of police through
constant truancy now have
achieved what they want. They
don't have to go to school. Their
recreation space is a room oc-
cupied by one ping-pong table
and two long benches.
The 40 older boys in residence
the day of Commissioner CANA
lier's visit occupied every inch of
space on the two benches. 1t
was when the Commissioner
saw the 40 idle boys and the one
counsellor that he made his re-
mark about a "tinderbox".
A 14-year-old whose parents
didn't want him and stopped
paying an aunt to take care OF
him was one of the boys on the
bench. So were nine boys who
caused so much trouble in well
fare institutions that the We'll
fare Department has petitioned
the court to commit them to the
National Training School for
Boys. So was a 14-year-old who
ran away from his well-to-do
Long Island home because he
didn't like school. So were as
sorted housebreakers, shoplifters.
purse snatchers and sex Offend
erS.
The institution lives in con-
slant fear of an epidemic. Mr..
Stone explained the newly
admitted boys and girls are seen
by a nurse or, in her absence. by
a counsellor. But the institution
is too crowded for isolation.
Polio Feared.
He revealed that last year half
a dozen boys suddenly COM
planned Of colds and aches. The
doctor feared polio and per-
suaded District General Hospital
to take them. It developed that
one of the boys did have polio
and had brought it into the in
stitution with him. The other
boys didn't get it but institution
officials haven't breathed any
easier since that scare.
Commissioner Camalier said
his visit had convinced him that
enlargement of the institution
rates high priority. He said he
found the institution well man
aged and well equipped with
what it has.
'"The greatest potential for
danger" he said. "is in the lack
of something to occupy the time
of these boys and girls. Another
source of danger lies in the
varying ages and the variety of
reasons for these youths being
here. This prevents any possi-
bility of carrying on a rehabili-
tation program to the extent of
doing any good"
He found the medical and food
facilities sufficient but he said
the lack of isolation facilities is
"a source of constant peril
leading to a possible epidemic"
The Board of Commissioners,
he said. was aware of the situ-
alton but felt that with the
Industrial Home Schools under
construction some of the con-
ditions at the Receiving Home
would be alleviated.
But he added. Il said six
months ago there should be i'm
mediate enlargement of the Re-
ceiving Home. will exert every
effort to get it included in this
budget"