One fourteen-year-old boy was a good example of what havoc bad home surroundings may cause in a young boy's life. His mother said the boy was being ruined by his father's coarse language and drunkenness. The boy feared his father and ran away from home, taking refuge with his grandmother. He had been arrested by the police, charged with stealing a dozen oil barrels. He was paroled to Probation Officer Sherlock, who was instructed to keep him at the grandmother's home, away from the evil influence of the father. Kitty was a fifteen-year-old girl who had been arrested for assaulting and attempting to rob a man at midnight. She did not appear to be inherently bad, and the judge paroled her to Mrs. Peavy, believing that she could be reformed outside of an institution. The next four boys, who were brought in together, charged by a railroad detective with stealing grain from a car, were all sent to the John Worthy school in the hope that they might have their thoughts diverted into a healthier channel. Edward was fifteen years old, afflicted with a step-father. He had been in trouble with the police before, but this occasion marked his first visit to the Juvenile Court. Guy, who also was fifteen year old, was motherless and had on a previous occasion been arrested for stealing from the cars. Harry, who was a year younger than the other boys, and was also motherless, was an habitual truant and had steadily and consistently refused to attend school. He had served a term in the John Worthy school and was given a chance to again avail himself of the educational advantages offered by that institution. Joseph, who was the baby of the crowd, being only nine years old, had both father and a mother, but something seemed to be wrong with him. He had a distaste for attending school, to which he did not hesitate to give vocal expression, and his feats in connection with the burglarizing of a store promised a career of anything but virtue. CHAPTER V A DAY IN THE JUVENILE COURT TRUANCY Frank Pwas brought in by Truant Officer Austin, who had known him for five years. Frank was supposed to go to the Thorp school, but Principal Ida Pahlman said that he had been absent from school 213 days during the past two years. She told the judge that he ran away every time the teacher's back was turned, and that he was addicted to two bad habits, lying and using bad language. "How old are you, Frank?" asked the judge. Frank acknowledged that he was eleven years old, and when questioned further said that he could not read, but that he could copy writing. He was sent to the Parental school, where he will have to learn to read and write. Joe C- was said to be incorrigible. His mother told the court that he was influenced by the big boys, and when with them did many things that were naughty. His teacher said that for the past year and a half Joe had scarcely been inside the school, and Mr. Bodine said that Joe was ever fond of playing with matches. The janitor of the school told the court he was the worst boy in school, and said that he was continually getting into fights with the other boys. The court gave him a lecture about keeping bad company, and told him that a few months in the John Worthy school would probably teach him to obey his mother. He was committed to the Parental school. Louis B- did not understand about taking the oath to testify truthfully, and stood with his hand raised long after the oath had been administered, and until the judge told him to take it down. Miss Cannon, principal of the Kedzie school, told the court that Louis had been entered there last January, but that altogether he had only been in school about three weeks since then. His mother said that he was ten years old, and that he sometimes slept out nights, and smoked cigarettes and used bad language. "I guess we'll have to send you away, we'll have to give him to somebody who can make him mind," said the court. "Would you like to be given away, or would you rather go home and mind your mother?" he was asked. H "I want to go home and be good," wailed Louis. The court let him go, but told Miss Cannon, who is also truant officer, to bring him back the very first time he ran away from school again, and he would send him to the John Worthy school. There was no reason why George the next boy, should have taken money from the teacher's purse. He has an indulgent father, able and willing to give him all the money that it is best for him to have. His frank confession and evident repentance saved him from punishment by the court, and he was sent home with his father, who was broken-hearted over the escapade of his son, and also put under the care of Truant Officer Austin. George solemnly promised the judge that he would never again take anything that did not belong to him, and shook hands with the court as a pledge of his good faith. have known each Thomas B and Frank Rother about six months. Shortly after they became acquainted they both began to get into trouble and to play hookey from school. Their last escapade and the one for which they were brought into court was breaking into the office of the Cornell school, injuring some of the furniture, scattering chalk around and smashing some of the windows. Each of the two said that the other was to blame, but the court thought that they were equally guilty. The fathers of both boys were in court and pleaded with the judge to give them another trial. The judge let them go home, |