Evening star., 1953-04-30
Delinquent Purents

Inspector Howard " Covell's proposed
school for delinquent parents. suggested
as a means of curbing the reported
ascending teen-age crime rate, is in
line with opinions expressed by many
citizens recently.
Under auspices of United Community
Services 15-memter citizens commit
tee recently conducted three public
meetings on the problem, during which
nearly hundred individuals from vari-
Gus walks of life and interests gave their
views and suggested remedies.
~ UCS undertook the project at the
request Of the District Juvenile Courts
the court was disturbed by an increase
of more than 33 per cent in the juvenile
crime rate in the past year.
One thread of continuity throughout
the meetings was the reference by
speaker after speaker to the major re-
sponsibility of parents, and an apparent
lessening of parental control and con-
Germ.
School people suggested more ade-
quate educational programs; the police
suggested more personnel and expansion
Of the Police Boys Club program; min
listers urged church programs more at
tractive to youth. All generally agreed.
however, that proper parental control
and wholesome home influence would
seriously alter the problem.
On the other hand, G. Rowland Shaw,
UCS secretary, and the Rev. Colbert H.
Pearson, president of minister's Or
ganization, viewed the problem as
symptomatic of sociological trend
youths logical reaction to international
and national stresses and strains; widely
publicized graft and dishonesty among
people in high places, etc.
Personally, I am bewildered by the
varying opinions and interpretations of
the statistics.
While await the UCS committees
report at the annual UCS conference,
May %, am definitely clear only or
one point:
B. c. Upton, Bureau of Rehabilitation
"a Red Feather agency, told the COM
mittee that regardless of statistics and
community alarm, g.. youth Is here
to stay"
Robert L. Taylor.
Inspector Covell is to be commended
for his suggestion of school for de-
linquent parents as a means of de-
creasing juvenile crime in our city.
It might interest Mr.. Covell and the
public to know that the Youth Council
of the National Association for the
Advancement Of Colored People has
discussed juvenile delinquency in its
many forms at each of its last three
monthly meetings. At Randall Junior
High School, a panel Of college students
and young D. C.. public school teachers
presented to more than 200 young peo-
pie how the home, the school, the
church and the community must unite
toward arresting this evil of juvenile
crime. They discussed how parents need
to take more time with their children
Instead of emphasizing the material
things such as fine homes, fine cars the
best dresses, the most interesting show.
the most costly shoes, their attention
must be focused on the formation of
better attitudes, right habits, fine appre-
Citations and Streng upright characters.
The right example of parents will lead
to better citizenship in children.
Your paper has proved great source
Of help in educating and informing the
public of its responsibility to youth and
to their development. We appreciate
your pointing out the evils, as we'll as
giving suggestive ways and means of
abolishing them. To you, we are very
grateful. Helen r.. Sugland,
Sponsor, D. C. Branch, NAACP.
Youth Council.