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IT IS WISER AND LESS EXPENSIVE TO SAVE CHILDREN THAN TO PUNISH CRIMINALS

JUVENILE CURT
RECORD

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ONE DOLLAR PER YEAR

LABEL

ANSLAR PRICING
TRADES COUNCIL 234

10 CENTS SINGLE COPY

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OBJECTS OF THE JUVENILE COURT RECORD

The object of the JUVENILE COURT RECORD is to disseminate the principles of the Juvenile Court throughout the United States, and, in fact, the entire world.

When the Juvenile Court was first established the sociologists of the entire country stood by watching anxiously the outcome of this new departure in childsaving methods. It was realized that a medium was needed whereby the results accomplished by the Juvenile Court might be set forth in an intelligent manner. The JUVENILE COURT RECORD stepped into the breach and has devoted its pages exclusively to news of the various juvenile courts. As a result of the publicity thus given to the foundation principles and routine work of the Cook County Juvenile Court other States have passed

juvenile court laws, and bills are being prepared in nearly every State in the Union to be presented at the next sessions of the Legislatures of the various States. providing for similar legislation.

The foundation thought and idea of the Juvenile Court law is that children should be kept in the home to the greatest extent possible. The child's own home is preferred by the Court, but in lieu of that it is intended that any good home where proper care and training will be given shall be provided for the child.

The State, in assuming its relationship as the guardian.

of the rights of the child, assumed a serious responsibility. Every child has a right to education and physical care. Primarily, this duty lies with the parents. This obligation should be enforced wherever possible. The family is the unit of society, and most of the evils of society arise from demoralized homes. It is the duty of the State to co-operate with the family as long as possible and help hold it up. If, however, for any reason the family fails, then a new home is necessary until such time as the family may again be brought together. If the family proves recreant and abdicates its functions altogether, it is the duty of the State to secure as nearly normal conditions for the children under its care and custody as may be in its power. The home is the normal

place for a child's education and training.

The fact that children are to be placed in homes presupposes the idea that some agency will be at hand to find a childless home for a homeless child. To the limit of its resources the JUVENILE COURT RECORD assists in finding homes for the homeless, helpless little waifs drifting about the country. These little unfortunates need an advocate, and the JUVENILE COURT RECORD acts in this capacity, standing side by side with them, pointing the way to a brighter, happier life, where the weeds of evil will be choked out of existence and the flowers of hope will bloom in their place.

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"In the vital matter of taking care of children much advantage could be gained by a careful study of what has been accomplished in such states as Illinois and Colorado by the Juvenile Courts. The work of the Juvenile Court is really a work of character building. It is now generally recognized that young boys and young girls who go wrong should not be treated as criminals, not even necessarily as needing reformation, but rather as needing to have their characters formed, and for this end to have them tested and developed by a system of probation.

"Much admirable work has been done in many of our commonwealths by earnest men and women who have made a special study of the needs of those classes of children which furnish the greatest number of juvenile offenders, and therefore the greatest number of adult offenders; and by their aid, and by profiting by the experiences of the different states and cities in these matters, it would be easy to provide a good code for the District of Columbia.

"Several considerations suggest the need for a systematic investigation into and improvement of housing conditions in Washington. The hidden residential alleys are breeding grounds of vice and disease, and should be opened into minor streets. For a number of years influential citizens have joined with the district commissioners in the vain endeavor to secure laws permiting the condemnation of insanitary dwellings."

(PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT's message TO CONGRESS.)

No. I

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Scores of children of Chicago are being taught to become beggars. Some parents teach their offspring to steal. After repeated drills at their homes many children are driven into the streets daily during the holidays to beg for money. Failure to get a certain amount in some cases means a severe whipping for the child.

These are Christmas conditions of the underworld of Chicago discovered by Edward Goggin and Michael Short, officers of the Visitation and Aid Society, as the result of their crusade against child mendicants. The officers obtained convincing evidence from some of the sixteen boys and girls arrested in the downtown district, who will be detained at the juvenile home, 625 West Adams street, until today, when Judge Mack of the juvenile court will attempt to dispose of them.

"Sure, I've been told to give the wrong address," said "Christmas" Samerico, a 13-year-old newsboy, yesterday afternoon. "Of course, I don't live at 450 Wabash avenue. I've been called Christmas because when I was first sent out I brought in a lot of money, seventeen "bucks' in three weeks. I 'snipped' some of it, but most I begged. I never got a lickin', but the other kids did. They couldn't deliver, but I got the mon' all right."

BOYS ARRESTED FOR THEFT.

The boy was arrested, charged with attempting to steal a woman's pocketbook in a State street store. He said he never had been to school and asked why he should go.

"Mike" Stacey said he had been told to beg by his parents. He said he was 10 years old, lived at 126 Austin avenue and had been selling papers for two years.

"What if a woman should give you a dime? What would I care?" asked Tony Duke, who said he was 12 years old and lived at 104 East Polk street. "What do you want to know for, anyway."

"Duck that guy," broke in Tony Berga. "He's a stool for the cops."

Berga is 9 years old and lives at 485 South Clark street. He said he had been selling papers for more than two years and had "made a lot of money on the side."

It was impossible to find any relative or friends of Duke or Samerico. The parents of Hoe Sapp, 1825 South Clark street, were found. They denied they ever had instructed their son to beg or steal. The father explained that his 13-year-old son is energetic and wanted to sell papers.

PARENT APPLAUDS BOY'S CONDUCT.

"It's better for him to sell papers and get acquainted with the city than to go to school when he don't want to go," said the father. "It's an outrage that the police should arrest my boy. He's a better business man than nine-tenths of those 'coppers'

ever were. No, I did not know there was a law requiring that I send my children to school when I do not want to.'

John McTevish, 79 Locust street, whose four children were arrested, was highly indignant.

"I never told my children to steal," he said. "I never told them anything about stealing. It is terrible that the police should arrest my children, the girls included. They arrested Cora, a cripple; Marie, Katie and Hugh. The police could do a much better service by arresting the hold-up men than by arresting children trying to get some Christmas money by selling papers."

MANY CHILDREN ARRESTED.
Other children arrested are:
Edith Foss, 13 years of age.
Ida Schultz, 14 years.
George Stacey, 12 years.
John Cavalletto, 12 years.

Michael Cavalletto, 7 years.
Abe Finn.

Harry Jacobs, 12 years.

"We will prosecute the parents," said President T. D. Hurley of the Visitation and Aid society. "We are assisting the police. It is more important that parents shall train their children rightly than that a sneak thief shall be sent to prison for life."

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE FRIENDS OF THE

VISITATION AND AID SOCIETY

The Sixteenth Annual Meeting of the friends of the Visitation and Aid Society was held on Thursday evening, December the 15th, 1904, at Kinsley's. This was one of the most successful gatherings ever held in the interests of the Society. One hundred persons were in attendance, and letters of regret, on account of absence from the city, were received from Governor Richard Yates, Gov. Elect Charles S. Deneen, William R. Harper, President of the University of Chicago, Mayor Carter H. Harrison and Mr. Michael Cudahy who enclosed his check for $1,000.

Mr. John Cudahy acted as chairman of the Invitation Committee.

Mr. James F. Bowers acted as Chairman of the meeting, and Honorable E. O. Brown was toast master. Reverend E. J. Mullaly, P. S. P., responded to the toast, "Charity." Sherman C. Kingsley, Superintendent of the Chicago Relief and Aid Society, spoke eloquently on the necessity of "co-operation" in charitable work. Honorable Julian W. Mack, Judge of the Juvenile Court, responded to the toast, "Juvenile Courts."

His Grace, the Most Reverend Archbishop James E. Quigley, who was the chief speaker of the evening, spoke on the subject, "Dependent and Delinquent Children." In commenting on the work of the Visitation and Aid Society he praised especially the aid rendered by the Society, and laid stress upon the abolition of sectarian lines in giving relief to the poor, the distressed and helpless.

"In the problem of help and relief for the suffering poor the Visitation and Aid Society is the greatest, promptest and most effective instrumentality I have ever found.

"I hope some day to see this work spread all over the State, yes, over the entire world. It evinces a spirit of love and generosity, a spirit of brotherly love and unity which carries with it peace on earth and good will to all. I would like to see Catholics and non-Catholics work together in the aid of each other. "Since I came to Chicago I have met problems in the matter of aiding people who appealed to me or who had appealed to priests, which puzzled me greatly. I remember one case in particular in which I was at a loss to know just how to proceed.

"Then came along Mr. Hurley of the Visitation and Aid Society, who took the subject out of my hands and solved it in a few minutes to the entire satisfaction of all concerned. This Society is doing a great and noble work. I want to see it grow and develop. Just think of its name, 'Visitation and Aid' two of the sublimest words in helpful human history."

Hon. O. N. Carter and Hon. H. H. Hart also addressed the gathering.

President T. D. Hurley in his annual report gives interesting statistics of the organization's work in the last twelve months.

"The society in the year filed in the juvenile court 48 per cent of all the dependent petitions," says President Hurley. "The importance of this work will be appreciated at once when it is stated that there are thirty different societies and institutions represented in the juvenile court.

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