Evening star., 1953-12-22
Report Charges
Parent Failure
In Delinquency
Civic Interfederution
Lists Need of More
Recreation Areas

Today's youth looks at life
with a jaundiced eye and tends
to err because of parental fall
ures, the Senate Subcommittee
on Juvenile Delinquency will be
told in a report to be filed by
the Interfederation Council Of
Washington area civic associ.
ations.
Invectives hurled by public Of
f1cials of both major political
parties. each challenging the
others integrity, are lowering
adult morale and indoctrinating
children with a lack of trust,
the report said.
A materialistic trend which
leads mothers to work outside
homes in order to buy luxuries,
the report cited. is aggravating
tensions caused by uncertain
social and economic conditions.
Parents are charged with civic
apathy and lack of interest in
youth activities.
IL Recommendations Listed.
The report, prepared by the
councils Juvenile Delinquency
Study Committee and listing IL
recommendations. was approved
last night at an interfederation
meeting of The Star Building.
Mrs. Irma Bogdanoff of Prince
Georges County, chairman Of
the committee, read the summa-
ton for her group. Other COM
mittee members are William S.
Watt, Arlington; John c. Shower.
Falls Church; Russell I. Whyte.
Montgomery County, and Sote-
rios Nicholson of the District.
The committee was named by
Council President Daniel M.
Greene to probe juvenile prob
lens and to suggest preventive
and corrective measures. The
report, indorsed by more than
20 council delegates last night,
Is the committees final one. after
a two-month study. 1t refers
chiefly to Prince Georges County.
More Play Areas Urged.
More adequate recreational
facilities was listed as the first
objective in preventive efforts.
"A crying need is felt" the
report declared. "for tennis
courts, swimming pools. football
and baseball fields and camp
areas, as we'll as programs which
could be offered more than one
day week"
Lack Of buildings is handicap
ping recreational expansion, the
committee said, and land is not
being used advantageously be-
cause of lack of funds. The com.
mittee suggested that the Mary.
land-National Capital Park and
Planning Commission and the
Prince Georges County commits.
sioners confer on the advisability
of increasing the present park
tax from S to z cents.
Such an advance would, the
report declared. result in the
gradual acquisition of recrea-
tional centers without placing a
heavy tax burden on the COM
munity.
The county Board of Educa-
ton could aid. in the commit
tees opinion, by working out
plans for after-hours activities,
better utilization of school
grounds and vocational studies.
Union Aid Proposed.
National offices of unions,
such as the CIO and AFL, could
be contacted with a view to set
ting up some type of apprentice
training program"
Church and civic groups and
womens' clubs should be asked to
cooperate in solving the overall
problem.
In the field of correction
Prince Georges County lags, the
report said:
"There are two trial magis-
trates in Prince Georges handling
juvenile problems, as well as
civil, criminal and motor We
hicle cases. Despite the fact that
Prince Georges has more cases,
it has not changed its system Of
handling juvenile problems, al
though Montgomery, with less
cases. has a juvenile court and
three magistrates to handle the
problem"
Trial Magistrate Theodore L.
Miazga at HyattSville was praised
by the committee. "He has done
a Herculean job of handling
these cases. Placing the interest
of children over anything else,
he has given personal study to
each cace 0ften davofiyu HE