University of Virginia Library mn ! Youth inc ALAN HV9069;.V3;1927 onflict | it DX OOL ere 341Vira. 77 red Lee - . ~~. . . — +0 NAS aie ne Re re Eee ee \ aN Adie wlan ba Nad Ge ete er el Wine hac aT) eee De eee Aa tee ey - er) Diewie a. ROR ETL. x ia + Pte hen ey ae ' See iG hts atteelhy itt yams a ee eho eeeeel adel er bases eee eeaeaecaie NE eee et LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA GIFT OF ROBERT HENNING WEBB Ll Epsperceses aA p= Ps * 2° @e- a. Fi ar ei pide ee ea ba —- ee ec: re siee i) a ’ ad ee Te BS erti rh * % 7 rs eS ft re AS) a) tie eins eat ys + A . , vow Maret ae eet Bt re eee en $1 Siting: a ; oa subkerety Sat relied ded ete pend ptibgbedad 5 a : s * . 7 et in, Pe ” a eae lal aie TE TTWEN TM ee ee ee Pa Pree Pah ae yi RI ae ex aide dAdbe beak. . ee ee ee 7 Y balediea iat . ‘! ny ote Ser Gy Prot attaniie 11 nd —— Td bets A eae meee ary crer erry Arid rT Bets Toe I LS b+ vey er adn Ps PHY OE DE AMeRbah oe Teng nee eeTete tle) he ok oe ee ee A bed pL yt ~ YOU Pi IN : CONFLICT MIRIAM VAN WATERS, Pu. D. Referee in Juvenile Court, Los Angeles, California 1926 REPUBLIC PUBLISHING COMPANY NEW YORKa Oe be Pies Tt nd Pade + A : A Boe ee oe iN . var Sy is , aaa. es anya are a it Bay Mh ‘peer hire tie A ms Fi ee or a ow aye ha Rote ‘ P ecretet oo sin Bint te ed ee eT es ak ie ae ee sith sal aisle CoPpYRIGHT, 1925, BY REPUBLIC PUBLISHING CO., Inc. First Edition, January, 1925 Reprinted, February, 1925 Reprinted, August, 1925 Reprinted, January, 1926 Reprinted, April, 1927 <. Hi pds Seretes Printed in the U.S.A. silk Sah ok dene =r ise a a xs fe a Rd tr eae Mn Maa be he ' Wigrtitdd dias HLA ST Sad ties eorneae a a ite tbe the ot 4 * rk i ai foe ‘“e raltapie om kan ak are) pee de nhadiwny a fgte o on Toe ea ea a rae) fie ei pA, els Tad bed Soret yReedr ee lhc tel phere p en Bee oe. a ee ae hdd igh al _- - ‘ ot theInscribed to ORFA JEAN SHONTZ, REFEREE OF THE JUVE- NILE COURT, LOS ANGELES COUNTY, I9QI5 TO 1920, A PIONEER IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SO- CIALIZED JUVENILE COURT PROCEDURE: AND TO MARTHA P. FALCONER, BELOVED BUILDER OF THE NEW IDEA OF CORRECTIONAL EDUCATION FOR WAYWARD YOUTH. The writer wishes to acknowledge a debt of gratitude to Ruth Baker for the preparation of the manuscript for the press. etal Ag Fed Se *~ Re * * - a5 ae oe 3 Sasa badgzezt Pe - ror yy poe St) . 2 oy -' ae SSS SPS or So ye OS tesa} -¢! “tie =Sae rays ea 7 2 , pon - rs ee’ 4d i Sos - Tre an " tae =e at ys ’ eet) Se ars ~~ ss re ad on © Tes it pn 3 ~ haFOREWORD By ETHEL S. DUMMER THE statement made at the Prison Conference at Boston in 1923, that seventy-five per cent of the prisoners in Sing Sing were under twenty-one years of age, shows crime to be a problem of youth and it is fitting that this study of Youth in Conflict find place in this series of Criminal Science Mono- graphs which seeks understanding of asocial be- havior. In “The Unadjusted Girl,” monograph No. 4, Mr. Thomas says: “When we have sufficiently determined causal rela- tions we shall probably find that there is no individual energy, no unrest, no type of wish, which cannot be sublimated and made socially useful. From this stand- point the problem is not the right of society to protect itself from the disorderly and anti-social person, but the right of the disorderly and anti-social person to be made orderly and socially valuable.” A leader among those who to-day are conducting maladjusted youth through the turmoil of conflict to lives of usefulness, reconstructing the failures of home, school, church and community, Dr. Miriam Van Waters, in this keen analysis, classification and interpretation of cases and situations further clari- fies the problem and calls upon adults to consider their share in the causation of delinquency. The struggle against child labor, the efforts to v 7 > F ak . eo - - a am he 7 ae Pat et a a ae = Sue hone ye $2 54 —— 2 ae ts a ~ Pseg FF al as ll A ed al - 4 | Baw Co te Sige al oe hat Hue -, —enes easy > pa ee. Se ES Ss els =a hae ares 4 ae SPE reece eee ey os hea re ey 4 ra = Ts = est seabed, yyers SF ary aries eb EES Renee <2 2 = erste aoa ce a Take ss a of nd Fa a eee erry es — a me ie ——s = teese eases re ee Se oe ———- iw Py emt et em a. =F a? a pa oe. Site ES Ee * o i. aaa) 2 es pots LoS Seat re eee - ee: = Pa - hc 2 . ana ad aS = i. Se > 30 & Lere -_-* ~h Perirse Sst t a = es & eT ec at ine rete: aT 7 a ae at oat oe. P a tg = = a ay — > am o * i sepee ~ - 2 <%- pe tree tots: oo) a et: i. boss S9S°g tes - Pee v rte - = ae ae * 1 basis Sakti oe 4 oad art a - pie ep ae ee oe : ded nee ee a ee ee a ape ry es PATS | : ak aaa eT ee I-22 5 23s Oa 4 Fe rece ces ; er. . “ee wean: r <_<. ee * ore oc tr ear a * ' Pe rf - a ae i eh ee > awe So —. th dt Da ia na 3 ab pas a aay at : Phan hae et re ee ee ba ae teitnad a - ee ' ea 2 Ps Erte ie eee at > p - 4 h , rane rod eretorir 4 be he Bm ~P etre nee ee eee wee ee ee eae se" Lee pa ey “ . ‘7-3 “4 + 24 = A oe 4 a > b os a a ets ee 5 i 3 er] oa Se 3 . os i e 7 a 5 aad v eid . i 6 a 4 + * oo , hee pe . 4 iy pk ee os ee Ee eee Soap ete tet Vw A ‘ i...) ae ee OC E ae te St Ps itr Ls tak 4 Pe 5 a Ts3a” " F ein rr ere ta Be a Prhereh rk wep epep- a fap ‘WF iepeepeaeh ts ca BE al 7 - — < = - ~ - fx 5 Stee = a> he epee a bn 2 a 7 a he tere+ sa ee ee ete Peis pty tstweed ters 48 Gm Pe ery | Ei pen ee! - dn ar if 2a ‘e407 wt.-t.te S226 -_—— 7 - ote ha Ee . ame ie bee, tha oo - ay ‘ ce -< fe, lk ab bE Eh A by ap ed deve, fh! — Ce re: 7 aids ee Tart Ei dl Dt de De ded ——s ba oe CS ee ee gs lotoate Te ™ eo Ps bd A. ae ba 3 eatin et BAAS tol ool eet ae ten ee a P ee weeks ae SiSzz. > a Ta ERPS S bac: bd Dg r4s ltt ee A a gh A eee ge _- i Me ed Je ey b Aseebte ol kt e ’ Vill FOREWORD progress. While it is impossible to present statistical information of the effect of this attitude, it seems cer- tain that in a number of our cases, such an attitude prevented the effects of the nutrition class instruction being as marked as they might otherwise have been.” Dr. Esther Richards, in studying problem chil- dren in a public school in a congested district of Baltimore, found that when undesirable home situa- tions were solved the child’s work at school im- proved, the retardation in certain cases being due not to feeblemindedness, but to maladjustment.” The work of Mrs. Helen Thompson Woolley, Director of the Merrill-Palmer School of Detroit, is a notable contribution to child psychology, hay- ing demonstrated that when an emotional conflict is resolved, the intelligence quotient may run up thirty or forty points in three months. The National Committee for Mental Hygiene has published a series of leaflets for parents, printing them also in Yiddish and Italian, and promising other translations should the need arise. These were prepared by the Division of Mental Hygiene of the Massachusetts Department of Mental Diseases, number five being the work of Dr. Douglass A. Thom, Director of the Habit Clinic for Children in Boston. They are so simply phrased as to be within the comprehension of all, yet the best of parents can find in them new understanding of dif- ficult situations. The topics are as follows: 1JIn the files of the Journal of Mental Hygiene are the fol- lowing papers by Dr. Esther L. Richards of Baltimore: “The Elementary School and the Individual Child,’ Oct., 1921; “The Role of Situation in Psychopathology,” “The Significance and Management of Hypochondriacal Trends in Children,” Jan., 1923.FOREWORD Does Your Child Fuss About His Food? Being a Parent Is the Biggest Job on Earth. Do You Make the Most of Your Child’s Intelli- gence? Is Your Child Jealous? Does Your Child Have Temper Tantrums? Obedience. Do You Wish Your Child Would Mind Every Time You Speak? Have You Ever Stopped to Think Why He Did Not? Enuresis. Convulsions. Some Conditions in Children That Would Sug- gest the Use of a Habit Clinic. Oe ceawae ey ot Training having been offered for every profes- sion except the almost universal one of parenthood, there is now beginning to develop scientific basis of technique for such education. Dr. William A. White was asked if psycho- analysis were explaining that mystical relation by which illness in children seemed to be caused by anxiety of the mother, or antagonism between par- ents. He answered: “With regard to the anxiety of the mother being reflected in the children, I think that one does not have to reach out for mystical explanations. One has only to realize that we gather a tremendous number of im- pressions, a vast amount of information from our environment in ways that we are not clearly conscious of. It is not infrequent to find a child who fails in its lessons at school has come from a family situation which was loaded with antagonistic emotions. The child senses these things even when their expression is very subtle. My illustration is that the child picks up the emotional flavor of the environment as effectively as a glass of milk in the ice-chest acquires the flavor of the onions that might be lying nearby.” ed + = bas Kei - Se ie * - " nd oe oe ee Tees Sue ee CT aes t oe “ecae TSsls4 a ie . % S ~ Riseaeasas Ey Ps a os be ry nw wes hh ee Ye 2 ee ¥ 2 - - me te ye se ne: Ne Sel eS Ss Pen sSrtHs ie 7s — > ——— oe! wa pri “ Ty er Se tes Begeaes Se ene A= - ar a tear nal T= we > 7 _—s row ese sj ee al. + SS MESS RSEE Fo et bs Set 3 ary ype rs a 2 TIRES “se ea Sees oa oe ee = . aS ee : oe be a ey ee +e? ate: rer cy ot 5 es a a the tS 7 r a & = i+ inulped aden ee ee pas cs a Pe eae ~—— petits pai = Eo ES eye LS ae) =e ho ee ee a ory et > enn ~~ es rt 4 bes Ps oy se Se te eg SS eye M ae an ~ — 4 p = Es ss Sipe ye ey — = - ~_* ht weeRLSEe ree d ae eptesees ees —4- ri. met 434aoe Sets +b oe Pe Ce ee ee = in = teeer eee i [3=33 T3res: Pe - et 22 oo and ee es * + a et ee ee + a _ in ae at, 2 ed © « * = eas md al 8 ee ee oe . eee * a lo a a Pes oe pe ee oe ee eS ee = se > Pa. ‘ ad en * ~~ “e - a lh So ad tle ey, Gude BL re Bake erst2e.7¢ eed » a a . errs ~ ore s fT? a. FE si at ne mg tm bene Sow) oe = APS iotTece- Sa “4 a peor - Ss ars ht - na % J aati? oo -e- a hd as A altel oe mel en ee ee Pat Sehr t eet etee tetas shee pe ae ee $1 einai A Le eS 2 - «-= % . Ps a a ed a ee Pw. ~ - ——— et, Pe. 7. eee ah ae iH << e -se—= 8 a hed i bcre att a ae 4 - be Oe te SC Ob as gF ik pe —<) oe pe Se be se, ee TS Pts Pere pt ree FOREWORD Here we find the crux of the situation,—‘the emotional flavor of the environment.’ Child be- havior is the result of “‘adult enforced conditioned emotions.” “Fear, hate, rage, love, act upon the bodily structures as do strychnine, mercury, heat, light or other agents.” Scientific research shows that not only temper tantrums and disobedience, but enuresis and convulsions are psychogenic and pre- ventable. In order to induce desirable response in children, parents must control their own emotions. An understanding of this new science does aid in the attainment of conscious control. Recent theory of emotional development comes to us in hypotheses, varying somewhat in expres- sion, but including generally four periods: the early years of affection for the mother; the Narcissus phase of love of self; the friendship for one of like sex; and at maturity the love for one of the opposite sex. Any one of these periods may become fixed, carrying over into adult life, rendering the individual emotionally immature. Fortunate is the person who having lived through each period and left it behind, comes to full emotional maturity ready for a marriage of comradeship and social respon- sibility. Through long epochs of wife-capture and wife- purchase, there was established the family relation- ship of woman and children as possessions of the man. Only within three years did it become illegal in China for a father to sell his daughter into pros- titution; and the laws of France do not yet recog- nize a mother’s right to voice opinion concerning the upbringing of her child, except such child be born out of wedlock. It is a far cry from the uproar caused in the Reichstag upon the introduction of. I - Te —— — 39 to - 3 FOREWORD Xt the first bill giving to government any control of parental standards of child care, to our modern so- cialized juvenile court through which instructions are given to parents, bringing homes up to higher levels. Fear, anger, jealousy are emotions associated with danger to self or of loss of possessions. They will diminish as love becomes desire to contribute to the welfare of another. May we not with the aid of art and science attain new understanding of family relationships, pointing to youth a goal which shall challenge his sense of adventure and utmost skill, —a goal of love which shall transform the sense of possession into genuine unity of collaboration. Years ago the poet wrote: “Love,—glorious though it be, is a disease so long as it destroys, or even impairs the freedom of the soul.” | Now the scien- tist, Dr. E. J. Kempf, in his very illuminating study of Charles Darwin, illustrates this very point. He says: “Darwin’s father was actually a very sincere, kindly, sympathetic man, as his large practice and the affection of his patients showed, and it was not in injustice and severity that he was dominating; that attitude usually justifies an open revolt on the part of the son if the mother does not interfere, but it was in his conscien- tiousness and sincerity of wishing that he almost ruined his son. This is the type of affective bond that holds the object in the severest grip when it actually needs to break away.” Dr. Otto Rank says: “The detachment of the growing individual from the authority of the parents is one of the most necessary, but most painful achievements in evolution.” YP Sata SX tat oe SPE $B - — - Ps P - a Pee eee se a es ee 2 = - tyes ho a Se Te -_. esate: oS re tes ‘-2t asnes Pict Rey 8 yy! ae et 9 2aee3 ~ irs 3 Spee yi53 : L323 F ee -gurst ot | - - er 2~ 7 Te */ 4 < ose rer es cSeict Y- more, oe eee aati Seed eras ae + Pr 3 =a Sc ~ 2 ~ae Sees. sees Salen ars rp rare a add ff “ tod oe) a Te tee han = pS ween bey re = er coe = ss re a ~~ ) * on pS * . re — 7 soe A re se Se ee ee eat Leis - a bathtime tkah alee a ba .* _ eo oy a POS Ete ee eit ee! ra - Le Tek eass - 4 - . 7- iz J ' - gr g4 see et “ph 3 +e ek The a . - a -e> ES: x gs, 2% - ~~" Re Aaaaeh et be ped Set Ste ce > en 3 Ps pe Fees FAGUIIES ee BH ft ae a 2! bebe oe ? *e - } oe oe Ps el ges. ba 4 at ewe se yal ae ae 7 fret ct . S- ¥ ic avd aan s 7 * ho S c aro iS a tas = — a: A he 2m eee eat e eee eet Be } a A - diate die, fe ‘ a. 5 om al Be yp de y ‘taeed Sr x . : pa — Tetecs (>rsigc De ee Ae ie i aan 2a aa a i » at pt eee ee Be BO pe SE Ca EE Pk ge es deg ert pd Ds, aa Cie dell ae a => 7 | oD o-5- $4 aaa ‘~-¢ - = 7. Tas °Se ergs epee t Spat th th ant, gs ~Foas a> eee ees > 4 Pt PEs. a ae ecpee- AG eror FASS oe “4 ian doi ge cata. Pt ee ee alone Geo — a a f ed de - ae . * ?e * sd il Sad Sa re aie ped pe, wk aie doko . . eS 2 ok ok te > | J rs bth oo ta mresaee 3 . <= eh alk Beh ht Og ASI an ok a poy, le — — Bh 3 he rk ek oon ok 2) De bs sa emanns _- a te ee eed © ’ nh BM ae aT X11 FOREWORD Society has cried out against physical incest, without differentiating between primitive and re- gressive types nor seeing possibility of cure, but we have been slow to recognize the wrecks of invalid- ism due to the psychic absorption of sons and daughters by adoring parents, though to such pos- sessive affection may be traced many an unsuccessful mating. The problem is not a simple one. Further insight may be gained by study of the Cédipus theory. A wise grandfather commenting on this hypothesis when his attention was called to the jealousy of a boy of three towards his father, observed: “That is not in nature. It is because the father does not show sufficient intelligent interest in his son.” It may be that as humanity was late in discovering physical paternity, psychic paternity is not yet fully evolved. Even with the knowledge of the menace of fear and jealousy, it will be long ere we free our- selves from these hampering clutches of the past, but conscious reéducation of emotion is possible both for adults and children. This indicates in courts of Domestic Relations, development of procedure based upon psychiatry. Utilizing Dr. S. E. Jelliffe’s suggestion of the (Epidus theory as a unit of measurement for psychic situations, Mrs. Samuel Dauchy, in a paper on ““The Psychopathology of Every Day Life,” read before the Philosophy Study Class of the Chicago Woman’s Club, formulated the following catechism: “How long did my father remain a perfect being, a model by which I judged all boys and men? Did my devotion to him prevent my transferring my affection to others and limit my friendship with other men? Was I free emotionally to fall in love with any at-FOREWORD X11] tractive man or was I limited in my choice of a mate to some man who resembled him? Then, did my mother keep me dependent on her, caring for me as if I were still a baby, or did she put responsibility on me and teach me to face life with courage? If I was not freed, did I transfer my dependence to some one else after her death? Still more important, do I let my husband dominate me, showing him the submission of a child to a father; do I treat him as a child and pamper him and mother him; or do we go through life as comrades, sharing joys and sorrows and solving problems together? Most important of all—am I freeing my son and making him strong to meet the changing periods of life—each with its own difficul- ties? Am I letting my daughter live in reality with happy duties and interests or am I forcing her to get her satisfactions out of day-dreams? Are we living the best life ourselves, creating the finest atmosphere and influence a home can afford? Are the children having the right companionship for their ages and con- structive outlets for the abundant energy of childhood? Are we giving them fine experiences to fill their uncon- scious minds with the beauties of nature and art? Are we freeing them to choose wisely their own mates in the future, and are we preparing ourselves to welcome daughter-in-law and son-in-law without jealousy ?” As Charles Darwin’s science turned the world from the supposed perfection of the past to seeking it in the future, so his example as father well illus- trates the orderly revolution of evolution which parents may follow in changing from traditional re- spect for age and ancestry to reverent interest in the coming generation. Dr. Kempf writes: “Darwin’s attitude toward his children as an educa- tive influence was radically different from his father’s controlling methods in that he permitted his children to develop as freely as possible, thereby permitting the — Vos ss See oe os > s nn * 7S «z eho kd Pritin i} a ad _ ais. Ss ey ee oy rer sitters a ot oo ~, > fe + é TP“ a sds ete ee ae eee oe bitbow ae 2s cr a -s bs Sle ee x. = 2. Dir deed a . Fs Isheht =~ > S ?. .. VEEReaeS Peseetaiee PISS Re ee eee ee OPPS ES Orta cds to a >}cad a el el ial se * a Se hana aa TY ao . bah re a - re - ee ms 4 _ > , eo Yt. ‘ i eat ot ok ; * ee fi * a has a el look ee = ; . is thin in ehde tei otek Se gs or el tan fe A epceceesepreryer: o> eee “f Pay Se fo, 2 . - : te - : ol ca Pi a " * op See ne Bh eee ee ele Pt ae et er ere Ce het seer eur 4 oat ol ae 3 i Bw Naud ag Le eed @ hE ge<, me a o< Ae ee rs v.¢.3 _—.. eK ee Fos ore tof. 33 se * — a an ad ply ate . now et ee Eg, . es he ad a -- _ - -. - =i Pet Pe Pos PES E PL BE de eaRLIR ES Cee rts Seeeey TT Te ‘eiotwa =o see ; . - — - oie or Tres rhs gee gua gil. bs z — ~ — eee — ‘ . ae PR ee aN beth. et. hae eed tel eee Scr et oP: a2 a as aL a = ee 7 yeeere be haul ad so Sale tent rr Ps S : stress etetecocscepes t 0 a Le | aK y oats ry) i ee H i i { hi id me a4 ra imee heey es ee co) - — XIV FOREWORD affective forces to exercise their fullest powers. He treated his children with ‘unbounded patience’ and ‘never spoke an angry word to them in his life,’ but it ‘never’ entered into their heads to disobey him. This was not their fault but due to the fact that he always ‘respected’ their ‘liberty’ and ‘personality.’ ” The words in quotation marks are interesting in- dications of what the psychiatrist considers impor- tant factors in successful fatherhood. One more paragraph from this fascinating psychiatric biog- raphy: “Darwin as a father and creative thinker was a most unusual exception to the rule in that he proved to be a successful father; whereas most intensive thinkers make poor fathers. The career deprives the child of much needed attention... . Four of his five sons became prominent in the scientific world. The honor for this, however, probably is due to Emma Wedg- wood, Mrs. Darwin, whose wonderful personality made it possible for Darwin himself to become the creator of his work.” Here we find in the relation of the parents that which is basic for enduring home life, not only the psychic harmony which creates an atmosphere of serenity and freedom necessary to the health and growth of children, but such unity of collaboration in the wider fields of art, science, and world affairs, that childish egoism is lost in the genuine adventures through which youth finds right relation to nature and to humanity,—the self functioning as part of a great Whole. To the definitions of home given by the author in Chapter Two, we would add the following: The essential home of the child lies in the attitude of the parents toward each other.CONTENTS PART I: THE PROBLEM OF DELINQUENCY INTRODUCTION > > . 7: eo CHAPTER I: A Day IN THE JUVENILE Court + Juvenile Court one of guardianship, not of criminal] procedure. Socially considered human rights are not in conflict. Juvenile Court deals with the child in the spirit of a wise parent. Delinquent boys of for- eign parentage. Children of Loneliness. “A normal young American boy bandit. A modern young Amer- ican girl sex-delinquent. A theft and the psycho- pathic personality. A children’s quarrel: a neigh- borhood row; unnecessary litigation. Violent assault and psychopathic personality in a boy of nine. A high school “scandal” among adolescent girls and boys of good family. A seventeen-year-old mur- derer ; mental retardation and the underworld; a case of neglect and abuse of a twelve-year-old girl. The girl who ran away to the movies. The problem of child-custody. The unmarried mother; main sources of maladjustment. Major patterns of delinquency are limited to no social class; range from rich to poor, diseased and healthy, superior and inferior, under-protected and over-protected young people. CHAPTER II: THE CoNFLICT IN THE HoME Primary tasks of the home. The biologically healthy family. Selfish parental attitudes produce delin- quency. ‘The inner conflict. Perversion of father. Infantile anxiety in mother. Temper tantrums, etc., as conditioned by faulty parental attitudes. Mal- adjustment in the broken home. Parents who fear their own children. Family ideal must be in harmony with reality. Adolescent expressed conflict. The young tend to follow the life-histories of their par- ents. Contribution of youth. Conflict between age groups. Many young people fail because their par- ents have lost faith in themselves. XV PAGE a 9 ebetsspsstsbeacacss > —_| = at st ee me? ade, “~ S. 3 Be. Ss ~~ Ty Se Se ced erivents ® @¢~“a-* be te ee Oe = te = ee reer A pre eee eg ei . sid Fi 3 a9 wt en 7Peat eee te pe eta Slo blot oe wErpepeyssseesesT gr ese abe J he Bh oe oe ote Me | BY y - ee a ee od * oe B rr — ore . Put, - a Ae Se ee ~ » awe 4 pl a pe ee Le ee EES Tra Pr rk eae ee pee 3 gp FRO ek me, Ow wa FS | 6, 2 Ps th ee a ae oS: * oe ax A a oe ke oe | "ek ay he- es ee aes | een r Se eee a on on oe . a - — = 4 ~ a re gmat i _ Se iar _? Se ee a _ . a ae 7? 2 @ | ak 2 oe ~ * bj *> ” Se ihe - \ >. a0 - we ft oe - ud . ea i P) : de ed 7. e ie = » * o Sete al Rell Mal J im a a a Bh we, - - ag Bt ge tts ° ae b eae: cd ~ eA hh rh chek a mk en lah a £5 ta Pe RE ea] Rebbe al . ae be ' . o . . ® Pa , tr re ean ee ; he CONTENTS CHAPTER III: CoNFLICT IN THE SCHOOL . : School is responsible for much delinquency. Task of school as a social group. Teachers are sources of comfort or anxiety to the young child. Truancy is an attempt at adjustment. Need of a permanent clinic- conference group within the school. Maladjustment not helped by “parental schools.” The role of trifles. Tap-roots of feeling. Response to the personality of the teacher. Behavior problems within school must not be handled in a penal way. Emotional attitudes and mental retardation. Problems of adolescent dress and conduct. The new sense of responsibility of the school as a social group. CHAPTER IV: CONFLICT IN INDUSTRY . : Modern industry has placed a premium on youth. Youth has a new economic value. Work for children an unsolved problem of our civilization. How the de- mands of modern economic life take too much and too little from youth. Newsboys, the “independent merchants.” Domestic service. Exploitation of the pleasure-sense of youth. How profit in recreation- industries, dance-halls, theaters, etc., is detrimental to the goals of childhood. How the modern home has extended into the city streets. Need for awakened sense of adult responsibility. Children should work and play harder than they do to-day. Evils of child labor have enforced a negative program. We need some genuine affirmations. Home no longer fur- nishes work, Creative outlets needed. CHAPTER V: CONFLICT IN THE COMMUNITY The community is the combined influence of human relationships. Each social group builds up control of conduct of its members. The normal child wishes social approbation. Relation of the wish to the will. How parents destroy the wish for approval. How the social group exercises its censorship over con- duct. The direct channel of expression. Insidious influence of public opinion in making standards. Groups with similar codes tend to cohere. Delin- quencies of youth are the expressed social standards of some part of the adult community. The ado- lescent conflict with self and the group. The normal PAGE 88 IIilCONTENTS task of the young is to challenge social standards. Modern marriage. Family life-goals are shifting. Cheapening of impulse. Youth selects the code that is in harmony with his emotions. Social standards should be free from pettiness. Need for religion, art and science. How can the community express its moral codes for the enlightenment of youth? CuHapTer VI: THE ATTITUDE oF DELINQUENCY . How delinquency has changed meaning. Ancient methods of handling young delinquents. The first juvenile courts. Each community builds up the kind of juvenile court it deserves, i.e., it expresses what it thinks of its delinquent children. How the delinquent attitude is built up. False concepts. Broken faith. Wrong terminology. Unwise treatment by court of- ficials, police, teachers, reformatory officials, social workers. Riots; the attitude of the young crook. A better definition of delinquency. Legal basis in equity. The offending child has the same legal status as the dependent child; both are wards of the court. The court of chancery. Parens patrie. Socialization of procedure. The simple court room, privacy, hearings, rather than trials; how to get the whole truth. Principles of evidence, avoidance of hearsay. Protecting the child from cynicism and sophistication. Probation a constructive force if under skilled, personal leadership. The Juvenile Court judge should direct plan of probation. CHaptTrer VIII: MAxinc Goop Delinquency is a way of responding to the human sit- uations. Bodily defects or psychopathic personalities are not causes. The process of adjustment is com- plex. Success in treating juvenile delinquency may be in inverse ratio to age. Many young persons after delinquent careers make good. The process involves insight, transference, development of personality, new behavior goals, and new social relationships. Need for the opportunity for trial and error without being crushed. PAGE 146 PART II: ADJUSTMENT OF DELINQUENCY CHAPTER VII: JUVENILE CourT PROCEDURE r59 a ree ,.-t3 et on eas 4 reer) > on t heat Chet Er es ey proers itty aa bes, 22h 7 Se aah 52525 Lit A ae ee sade aah aad S sieelia Aausas ayes 8 Sg ae ee oe - bas a -{-—Si-+ ha st tSean se ms _ 4 * = ry te Vote ss heeds a ee Pe. ee as = Saar et) = CS Pe tte =m » =. he — . ‘se see . re a e es oP J owt ete SS SS G4 Ret SEE D es * — lo S ry - = ee i SRS 5 = = rs 7 FAS a8 J he FH RTD oa Sas re Ra Ea Ee ro [ ae ~< —_— <. rae ate & ss 7 ERS Cn Ser teat Seat Tee _.2 neers ana sesso’ = pe A Pe lel Mime cent “i ~- yeas me ye TS tt et o.c * Se ss a ene et ee 4 ts =" . ———— se Fe che ee eo — Salers el a. ee - aes er eS a —s i ay See : a4 te rt wit- cis aa = et od 3. ad, rare) ea a a aa ~ tw ps 9 yr Ae ee, i Pa eee ae} ae s+) = . Ae. 7 a P-s& en o~ we SEE PS eae te kA nA ok pk re ot be ~ pup er ag ete tas rs oc el a ¥ S pers {4 we \ an) Sale aks Sy 4 POPS seseeess=ere A a a x Par ee b hae ho FS EE AF | rete em ee re os ot he dt te eh ha he oe Ben Peet teeter tts i ek eee sd ee , at so rhtetet eto AF See fate pede ses i peg ch gok5 _ fs a tFIsiee2 pe pee SEE AE eee re he eo ke pee. er ee ee here —¢ el Fk Se ayy. ot, eae] ee a, ae, ee who eS 4 ee er, Pe 4 eS eee Sep pide ep dt ab Me de ee Riek a —o oa ~¢ Es fd bd hag c “SAse3 454, * tooterL ra Gil Pk, su ay a a ee ~o-y 4 . Pg St 5 z A + 2 eat ae eee ee a = TT es PS Pad Ege y Py ie at fi 2 , ‘ « ot er rt ft LE fa eet p. a a pn te ee eae) e a, Heke gem ee ne < on ; ey oe. = —. ad “~ Fab ag ‘ ad A ioe One a " ; af > A432 4S os XVill CONTENTS CHAPTER IX: THE VALUE OF CoRRECTIONAL EDUCATION ; : ; . ; ‘ Prison discipline based on a false view of what alters personality. Hardships and cruel punishments en- dured by the young in reiormatories. The institution- fallacy. Correctional education is a success when it prepares for normal life. Need for individualization. The case-study. The staff-conference. Personality- study. Physical education. Use of leisure time. Academic education. Vocational education. The de- velopment and adjustment of personality. Emotional habit-formation. Fear of failure. The project method. Contact with the community. Group-life and student-government. The length of stay. Tests for efficiency. Basing the activities of the correc- tional school on fundamental life-situations. CHAPTER X: MENTAL HYGIENE AND THE Ap- JUSTMENT OF DELINQUENCY . : A constructive attitude toward mental health. How formerly tuberculosis was a hopeless and gloomy sub- ject. Health is a successful adjustment, perpetually renewed. Mental hygiene is humanistic in outlook. Its special appeal to the social worker. Cooperation between science and social work. The social work- er’s contribution to the life-history of the emotions. Constructive treatment. The fostering of life is something different from the ability to understand it. National Committee for Mental Hygiene. Child Guidance Clinics. Behavior difficulties are never trivial. The larger goals of a life that is mentally healthy. CHAPTER XI: WHo ARE SUCCESSFUL WoRKERS WITH DELINQUENTS? . me ES Tolstoi’s explanation of love as a factor in dealing with human beings. Art, religion, psychiatry and so- cial work are alike in that they deal with voluntary human response. Human behavior can be altered neither by force nor goodwill. The scientific spirit of social work has brought the real humanism. Workers with maladjusted human beings have been of two types: those who wish to dominate; those who excuse delinquency and identify themselves with the delinquent. Elements of training for the successful PAGE 19/7 i) bo ww ‘y 34CONTENTS worker with delinquents. Rosanoff’s definition of the normal personality. Factor of inhibition. Ra- tional control, a guiding-principle. Superior dura- bility. Emotional stability, uniformity and continu- ity of feeling. Infantile personalities in social work. The distinguishing marks of the well-adjusted per- sonality. The sense of humor, versus wit and sar- casm. Need for the long view of the goal of social work. CHAPTER XII: A COMMUNITY PROGRAM . : The true Utopia must be a social product. Minimum essentials of a community program to treat those who have already become delinquent. Parental treatment by police and other agencies. Parental procedure in juvenile court. Adequate scientific examination. Probation. Foster homes. Adequate institutional fa- cilities. Community enlightenment. Law enforce- ment. Parole. For prevention of delinquency; task of the school. Sex hygiene. Education for family- formation. Education of the community in the sig- nificance of delinquency. Adult thoughtlessness. Contributing. The church. Danger of isolated age- groups. Clean press. Child-placing agencies. Train- ing social workers. Recreation. Necessity for con- tinued guardianship of social welfare enterprises by the entire community. CHAPTER XIII: SoctAL SIGNIFICANCE OF YOUTH IN CONFLICT i i : ; ; : : Problems of juvenile delinquency are not isolated, but must be considered as part of the stream of human behavior. Maladjustment appears in different forms. Delinquency is a great public health problem. Force and repression are powerless to reduce delin- quency. Constructive measures should be applied to the young. “The Century of the Child” has stressed many forms of social treatment. Youth is compel- ling a more searching attitude. Need for fresh ap- proach to age-old problems of human association. Conflict between the biological goals of our race and transitory goals. Delinquency will be solved when the attitude of adults is changed. X1x PAGE 25/ Sy eretiei sgars wt Se oy Be he ee eee en Se i 7 7 aa ~ ‘ee we es PS ae Pee os e a =: rea aINTRODUCTION YOUTH IN CONFLICT Tuts book presents the case of youth in conflict with authority. Its point of view is that of the social worker. The social worker is not concerned primarily with reform, or with betterment of human beings. That is a confused and belittling definition of social work which has done much to bring about smugness in social workers and suspicion in the public generally. The human race could not bear the burden of an entire group, who unauthorized by divine sanction, conceived it their sole task to mold human lives into models designed by reform- ers. Social work is the task of those who aid man- kind in the art of living together. Social work 1s neither a science seeking merely to know, nor a busi- ness seeking to profit. Social work is an art, a flow- ing and dynamic art. It uses tools of science and business to bring about adjustments which are neces- sary between the individual and his human world for successful living together. Its method of work is development of personality. Its goal is the foster- ing of adequate social relationships.» This book presents certain situations of conflict between young people and established social standards. Its aim is neither to present scientific data, nor another collection of Juvenile Court stories. The 1The views of social work here presented are further de- veloped in Mary Richmond’s “What is Social Case-Work.” I rfp; esa ois Io , ee ea ee - ay . _ a- . se ‘tue, Ps - “ie < weePsepe: "eo a? i ee kee ok Oe ete ree ae ig | a ~ 4a a . rt AG + 7 te Yor pry F etree rTy > Py aon Se eo Coa ot Sa ee oe ee ee vig 233 -"st a + repress Recaetbahel oe Ss < oe tee “TY ae ~~! 5 weese A Hest Speke we - Tg a Ss: . Pet areereeresee ores cy Pay) Ts 7 pen Sie eo oo Se ate tee ees pes SS « al, See Sere te ae ee ee ee eo oe - 36 » ively te tl eet et eed RS te pat a ee ~~ a 2 “i e ot nac ms casa’. aa -, = a r ph ne a oe de ee - id FF Ae oe lO ~ Buh et ae oe ee > 4 "en, Ts 3 ee a > S $4224 Bs ° a aes z — (et i hk ol el eet ek dn ee tn eT dl he Be de de i Bb de he eh eh 4 Pa SS a Ree Pe oe ty eee oe tae ee ee ah ° Aste a — C2 ks a = et et ot beth Ad ke pel ye as a. ei, aa - bs ae = sees 6 o ed Ss Lee tate a ~ 2 2 _- . ~ ~ a Pk 78 4 “- ~~ . J _ ee > t " ere ie eae i ad INTRODUCTION writer, in common, it is imagined with others has passed through varying degrees of emphasis as to the relative importance of statistics in social work. There comes a time when the laboratory, class room and clinic view of life is supreme. ‘This is the stage of thirst for generalizations and statistics. It is not this girl with reddened thin hands and the baby in her arms who counts, but it is the “unmarried mother problem.” ‘This is the golden age of ter- minology, classifications and efficiency. This is the happy age of the social worker. Human affairs lose their details and perplexity. Little things are lost in tendencies and causes. Entities appear like land- marks in the sea of human faces,—and they are named: “‘poverty, delinquency, crime, disease, insan- ity and failure.’’ As human beings are dealt with, they too tend to become merged and to lose their human pettiness; they become problems or cases, they seem to wear one or more labels,—“normal,” “psychopathic,” “defective,” “delinquent, “insane,”’ “dependent,” “‘criminalistic,” and so on with in- creasing variety. | It is not only easier to deal with human beings when they are labeled, but there is a scientific justi- fication which none can gainsay. The method of diagnosis and classification represents vast improve- ment over the old system of dealing with conditions rather than persons or of dividing people into masses, say “worthy and unworthy,” “deserving and undeserving poor.’ So too the scientific label is an improvement on the attitude which regards each in- stance of human distress as an accident, or more or less causeless lapse from normality. Scientific re- search made certain large groupings essential. This was to follow the path of all sciences and arts, firstINTRODUCTION 3 the concrete, the isolated, then general terms, gen- eral laws. But in this process there is for social workers a subtle danger which may destroy ability to aid human progress. This is lack of imagination. No artist in his formulation of laws of beauty, loses his thrill of delight in the concrete beautiful object. His study of beauty in abstract, his theoret- ical knowledge only makes him more aware of the exquisite loveliness of the body of the thing before him. Whey, for example, he sees the slim carving of a prehistoric cat-god, the artist does not say: “This object fulfills certain requirements of slim- ness, dull greenness and economy of design in just the right mixtures to be beautiful.” Rather in these spare and delicate masses the artist realizes that beauty has been created, not only in the world, but in him. He can tell by his quickened heart beat that it is valuable. The intensity of his feeling for the concrete loveliness of the little cat-god will depend on the stage of development of his own personality and artistic knowledge. Something of the same sort must take place with social workers in the face of their human material. But it is the tragedy of social work,—that art of fostering human relationships,—that the ones who know the most have furthest removed themselves from the minds and bodies of their clients.* Too often contact is made by means of immature work- ers, or those who have lost, or who never had, a sense of the value, loveliness, interest, and whim- sicalities of human beings. Social work runs the 1 Client is the term used by social workers to name the human being who is dealt with. It does away with older terms: applicant, inmate, pauper, dependent, etc. oy fe Dee bat Mi ed ee I= $5306 = i by P i hjgeesentet aT > = PLP rate t: woa. * ae ~ . «sah bi -— ott eH rorr 8: «< Si ete? ha er eo =: pl elem . a = = eo! J a J ~ ee e) ee. a * a ee 77 St se epee tes asta es Put bh See og a i el, Ae aa 7 bd Sigvrr cee a a rs 4 id a * +" x ee Eo on Te; ae oe! ——— £4414 554 eed Be pk en, 9.1 pm eh haem ta oS ek wiatets . a 9 + 7 “a ‘ a eK PE wa =_—? Ca ‘eh ‘Ti aro * Oppo” +4 rt “ ae 2 Ae _ 2. hae eee es ror Es tial Aiea a Te ee apepesrarsesel Titi tisseseseleseresy epbso pags ot er tae : ap 2 me Sey i P4 PS pe se (2 ef “ey ee - a Ps P= os aaa eae d - = . a eo eT del ebe Sa ich ed th ah . hs fol 9 sat Lage ake Sy ne ed ae es he TA ea te eet a-s 7 Rn ee ok od eel bk be hi Dp p tate ee Fee ret , 4 INTRODUCTION danger of yielding no harvest, or becoming a mere business of gathering data, making records, giving advice and lamenting human defects, unless it rec- ognizes itself frankly as an art, and its workers as artists dealing with individual human lives. Medi- cine did this and developed into psychiatry,—that marvelous art of channeling a path from the indi- vidual to the world outside. Had it not become an art, medicine would have been the most dismal of the business-professions. It is the value of the concrete case in social work that it makes vivid the processes at work in the social world. It is the value of training and aca- demic discipline that they furnish a clew and show what it is in these cases that is significant and per- tinent to mankind. Hence this little book dealing with that form of maladjustment called juvenile delinquency is not seeking to add cases for class room analysis." It attempts to make vivid the experiences of young human beings who fail to conform to our demands, who pass endlessly through our courts, homes, schools, hospitals, jails and prisons, and who fea- ture in our records as “delinquent,” “insane,” “in- corrigible,” “diseased,” “neglected,” etc. Are there not processes of producing these young people everywhere around us? Is there in fact a single social group which is not producing maladjustment in some of its members? Particularly should we ask this question of family and school. How shall we know that youth is maladjusted? What shall 1To do this would be unnecessary at this time after Dr. Wm. Healy’s Case Studies published by the Judge Baker Foundation, 40 Court Street, Boston, Mass., which furnish the best material yet offered to the student of case-work.INTRODUCTION 5 we call them? How shall we treat them? What should they be taught? What shall become of them, or of us? These questions, vital to our knowledge, our peace, vital indeed to our very existence as modern civilized groups, must be answered before society or social workers can feel security. This book is not an attempt at solution. It is a description of forces in conflict, youth versus age, the moving versus the static. If it can but arouse insight, quicken creative imagination in social work- ers, parents, teachers, all those who yearn to assist youth in his age-long conflict, the writer will be content and the solution wil] be byt around the cor- ner. ae te St ne ea) es 3 r Sn ad Pa a 4 eer bars 35 SEH aed — oe" Ce a ek rs x ey pS ee a ee “Lien or eT rr ey aes cpssi Saee eye ed rare Ate eo ed 3 Me. ~ Oe et a a * Re . J ry Pe Fe Se oe ee ptt ts ey irs = 4-2 i ie fiat - od se ior 5 et. {ae eo =e = ae et a ot a ed ae 6 ae ee Sea es oa et es eee Se eee ae Pe <= — ae ee te ere ca ‘a res : eS Be *ed. Pets th) Teor ot i) ] hal tn mre ed Ds a . - Eeeane bee k THE PROBLEM OF DELINQUENCYCHAPTER I A DAY IN THE JUVENILE COURT THE Juvenile Court is not a tribunal for trial of children who have committed offenses. It is a court of chancery where the state assumes duties which parents are unable or unwilling to fulfill. It starts out on the theory that the child of proper age to be under jurisdiction of the juvenile court is encircled by the arm of the state, which, as a sheltering, wise parent, assumes guardianship and has power to shield the child from the rigors of common law and from neglect or depravity of adults. The usual treatment given by adults to other adults who break the law, the usual attitude of fear, suspicion and hostility which is felt toward lawbreakers have been crystallized in our criminal codes. Criminal law 1s assumed to be just, impersonal and avenging; it is thought to be a tribute to justice that her eyes are represented as bandaged, that she may not see what is in her scales. Each human being is to be treated alike. The court is not permitted to question the result, or to concern itself with the welfare of the offender, or to inquire if weight of punishment is too heavy for the individual to bear without mental or physical injury to himself, and moral loss or damage to the community. Criminal law cannot ask if the sentence inflicted will make the criminal or any group of human beings better or happier. It is as rigid in its rules of procedure as a game of chess. 9 _ > f wt eury < : ent “al 4 —_ se we -¥ on a Ss ee A iss tO eS " Pie +a im. 7a aie ne t- a .Jtetrt ers > od Le oo he oS Cag ng eek. 2 a ee ae at lM oh Lah ded ot Cop Ps SS Fer eae Ia e Vote Oost See teas eet Wert ee ee Sie *26 2569-546 he ee Se Ss ay 7 ene ees eer) eken? . 7 ta e- et ¥ad phe 3 - pam, Hs rT ‘ ~~ — ee ee ee . a “tor ad awe a oa & Toes Pes oe ee ee . iv _~ ye ae Stach bebe tel eh pe lek Bele ae a a ee —* nw cee ae a9 ot 8 a Pe - - ffi es ed in y i Aes ae oe ee ao ad ee on aw reese oe os ees Ce ah ae $42 7 de = eo) et ~ oh oe Bs aio 2 od tent + -=< ad ey er ee . tn poh f a es is be ak oa ae 7 Ss SA EELS Ce rh eg a ~ a 4 a eae igi stnteke met ee a, ee’ etree eece rahe a a a AreFePI SPSS = St A pk Bo r~ ‘< lee Ps x = I z - = P + et, ee ws eS Feras ies sre im, ay - b '—> - - te 3 : oe he Steet of Pm: eS —e ¥ ae ees erses eee eee pe a ee ea ee ee oe 2 a ee aa pte < ea seeee te. as — i, co, > ip ht ue: bem ey OT a ral go ie moeh den o — = Sas hp © ae gs = 4 bd > - 7y ae 4. ty voir. ta Leo atedthente ot tet aS - a ne as, es ¢2i Dede Seas _— a a et Geter y igs es ses" IO YOUTH IN CONFLICT To the student of human life it is astounding that society would have created so inflexible an instru- ment to deal with its baffling problems of erring flesh and spirit. The accused is first given benefit of assumption of innocence, but should he actually be guilty this assumption has created a handicap tor him and deepens the morass into which he falls. As the structure of evidence is built up, he is entitled to defend himself with certain kinds of facts; facts far removed from his inner life, which do not offer real defense or explain him in human terms so that other human beings understand him.* How the ac- cused lived as a child, with what harshness or ten- derness he was reared, what handicaps of mind and body, what fears, loves and impulses were hisssto what mainspring does his being respond, what kind of treatment would develop his social nature and make him acceptable to society; these questions which spring readily to minds of parents, teachers and social workers do not easily occur to minds of lawyers and judges because legal procedure dulls in- terests in human problems. Doubtless the criminal code is an instrument of which mankind has reason to be proud, its intricate development, antiquity, its opportunity to give out- let to feats of skill and ingenuity in lawyers com- mend it to human approval, but it is still trial by combat; a struggle between prosecution and defense. It is assumed that the rights of each are in conflict; if the prosecution wins, the defense loses. Biologi- cally and socially this can never be true of human tights. When the long view is taken, rights of the offender and those whom he has injured are not in 1 For illustration, see the plea of Mr. Zero, the murderer in a recent play, “The Adding Machine,” by Elmer L. Rice.A DAY IN THE JUVENILE COURT i conflict. They are one. Properly to treat the of- fender is to give the only possible permanent security to the group. The Juvenile Court was born of this belief. It takes for granted there is no conflict of ‘interest be- tween welfare of the child and that of the state; on the contrary, the very life of the state will depend on the wisdom and skill which it applies in protec- tion of its young. The Juvenile Court deals with the delinquent as nearly as possible in the spirit of a wise parent toward an erring child. In cases which follow we see typical problems of the large city court. In the modern court procedure is as simple as possible. The child is not put on the de- tensive. He comes before the court on a petition filed in his behalf, instead of a complaint filed against him. Picture to yourself a room with no forbidding legal air, a room with table and chairs and an air of simplicity, dignity and quiet. Here the grim majesty of the law court, as well as its sordidness, is thrown overboard. Nothing which terrifies the child is permitted. Something of the clinic, some- thing of the confessional is present, but its spirit differs from either, for the court has not only power to inquire, to recommend and to reconstruct, but like a super-parent, it can obtain obedience of child and community. The instrument it uses is knowl- edge, rather than force. Case I Five Russian boys come before court. The peti- tion alleges truancy, that they wandered the streets and broke into a warehouse, stealing and damaging = gga ek oe Se et od od we 4 > beth ae a ee ae oe ee St at Sad oe eT oo Se 5 rtere saat oe oP heaos tee : 6 ie ie a > ais Sa le ppb coe pees re ks ere ssr he epee ~ eres sin r er wk do Ne le dk md ° “a= tg 8 9 * PE EIS Be hg | 2 232675 a a i Sh he eed Shred ciessstee stores: eae ee > ee +e St o- ~ ss$e0°s 4% 47 waa: ~ *oe a? eyes est piss) Paeces ed oe Fe a ndibeetbie 42-4 PkRat BeRCOL MR aaa ie ¥ ll = Sceesesets tis s es cs car i. = - J Fite > 3 et er he aie, eee Pe H PG heme d Palate sm ged Par} aT fawn 1 t ¢ aa . +o tet teed tem = ard er’ . eee ee tt,- resee sFoslsre-ese a tae ee as = ra Os a PSS Le ala eh ie ak ek el hel ie el So IZ YOUTH IN CONFLICT property to the value of one thousand dollars. The oldest is Alec. He is eleven years old. He is quiet and dull, with a great head, thin neck, protruding blue eyes, pale face and listless hands. Physical examination shows him to be twenty pounds under- weight. Tonsils are diseased, he has adenoids, weak eyes, irregular heart-beat and congenital syphilis. Nevertheless he has managed to fulfill re- quirements of school and is not below grade. His intelligence as revealed by customary psychological tests is average normal.* His mother is dead and his old grandmother keeps house, an affair of four rooms near the railroad tracks, immaculately clean, incredibly airless, while his father, a Russian giant with yellow beard and immense shoulders, works in an iron foundry. “Why don’t you keep your boy in at night?” asks the court. The big father looks tenderly at the boy: “Oh! Alec! I thrash him well, but he goes out with bad boys; they take him out.” The grandmother at this remark buries her face in her hands and weeps silently, without hope. She is tall and broad with the flat, capable back of the peasant woman. Her white apron is bordered with hand-made lace, whereon a great bird with out- spread tail walks among the lilies of the garden of the Mother-of-God. The grandmother’s head is covered with a white linen cloth. She does not speak; the anguish of her posture shows that she 1 In the Juvenile Courts, of which these cases are typical, the children have been studied carefully by a competent physician who has made complete laboratory tests, a clinical psychologist who has made the customary mental examinations, in many instances observing the child over a period of years, and a pro- bation officer who has furnished the social history. deeA DAY IN THE JUVENILE COURT 13 considers this scene the final tragedy of her people. The boy next to Alec is Fred. ‘“Fred’s’’ name was Dimitri. It is customary among children of foreign parents to receive American nick-names and to lose their own names which bear historic, or literary value. He is eight years old. He has rov- ing, intelligent gray eyes, set in a wrinkled, aged face. The physician has declared him normal; his body is found bruised with marks from a beating. He is about eight pounds underweight. Fred is an habitual truant from school. He is of more than average intelligence. Both his parents work in fac- tories. So do his older brothers and sisters. In his house the only thing Fred has the slightest right to is one-third of the mattress he shares with two brothers. There is not poverty at home, but sugar, milk and fruit are absent. Every night after work father and mother and eldest son go to church. As long as the children are in arms they too go to church. “Why don’t you keep Fred at home?” the court asks. “Oh, Fred!” cries the father, gnashing his teeth angrily. ““He is wicked. I beat him to death,—then they say—it is against the law. The teacher comes and says: ‘Let Fred come to the playground. I let him go—he never comes home.” “Fred, where do you sleep?” “On the roof,” replies Fred. Fred, in company with gangs of boys, spends weeks away from home, sleeping on roofs of hotels. ‘What do you wish us to do for Fred?” asks the court. “T don’t know,” replies the father, his dark face showing bewilderment and anger. — a — r rey TA Ape rec hi gate ts eh ISS h en LP 3 y ir af, et aha eee ee a = a ™ iw Be LS ce rte Ye > e Steet: — i te eet nA b eo a ‘er a mes ee ~ 7 o—* pts pa re Siok r es So 55! ‘4 ~~ rey A - Petia. t ee r ~ ay 8 SS eer pe STE tog Se et et He : i d * a Pee Ss te te to eo ree se Tes Fy Cereus HIPS eae vagtet tl esete tates poe RII st ett ae etree cei ee tet eS a ie 35%ot katt te es erblks Pa Ts. ee oe a SSRIS CS LS ee ers LEST SES: * - Bd ee eh os * eet re > 2 ' 4 “.* “a | era ae ry i? i PP Pe. net ee a. ar we ae Nees ots FS 24 oT PS aS rn ee ad 9 etv2ec? a a ed ae ae et a . ee + 2 ne ee +4 s P e 9 gi rts "e+ a: r f oe a ee | ae —: Sonate eat. eS eS ee, ao . an) ee 49 i> #7 ¢= a = oa 4 Ak, Pil ong P e* - A, A ell ’ Sie eee i .- * -# Sa * tok ea kh eS toe a eer tet Po Be ear a Pe ae rs ay aM e —_ ge 4 ] rs Pil sa eee 14 YOUTH IN CONFLICT Other members of Fred’s family are equally per- plexed. The mother, since she came to America fif- teen years ago, has never laid off work more than six weeks at a time. She has borne nine children. She is strong and practical. Her only self-indul- gence after fifteen years of factory work is this pink silk fringed shawl on her head. The older girls work in laundries. They are heavy muscled, in- dustrious, chaste, slow of speech and movement, clumsily dressed in American clothes. So with the older sons, hard-working peasants, struggling with the iron of foundries, as their forefathers toiled with land. Fred is the one rebellious spirit. His teacher asserts he learns nothing in school, yet his native intelligence is superior. There is in him something indomitable. “Why did you break into the warehouse ?” “I was looking for junk to sell. Me and him,” indicating the third offender, a plump, feeble- minded Russian boy of twelve. “What did you take?” “A teeny piece of copper wire.” “Is that all?” aCSia “Where did you get it?” “I pulled it out of a big machine.” “Didn't you know that would spoil the engine which cost two hundred and fifty dollars?” No answer. "Are you sorry?” sure,” “What did you do with your wire?” "I sold it to a junk man for thirty cents.”’ “Who is he?”A DAY IN THE JUVENILE COURT I5 “There,” pointing to the peddler in the rear of the room.’ “What did you do with the money?” _“T drank two soda pops, bought one package of cigarettes and went to the show.” “Whom did you take with you?” “Him,” contemptuously indicating the weak- witted boy, who is servant and camp-follower of Fred. “You say you took nothing else from the ware- house?” NOS “Why then was the place in such a mess? Did you smash the tiles?” No answer. “Did you throw paint on the floor?” No answer. “Did you ransack the desk?” No answer. “Oh! You did!’ cries the feeble-minded one. “You were looking for the fountain pen, and you wrote a letter to your sweetheart.” At this allusion to his private affairs Fred be- comes still. His eyes flash hostility. He is eight years old, alert, defiant, he has already built his de- fense against encroachments of the adult world. Eager to possess all that adults know, his eyes and ears are strained for chance colors, perceptions, sounds. He is the most alive spirit in the court room. ‘The detention home superintendent reports that he has read tales of Twain, Stevenson and 1In many communities it is a violation of the penal code for a dealer in junk to buy from a minor. This peddler unquestion- ably contributed to the delinquency of the boys. For the sake of receiving his thirty cents they committed burglary and theft. Le reed . eas Say ax re seees. FES SES Veo en be he BIS ee ee H > i=. +s. ‘ * * a. ‘ p ay ty aoe re e LP ¥of ¢ 2 a a ry 4 {~~ Sia tore - 7 ‘£4. —” ~S+ Seber: bf ak P< g een: epeiee sd »,% FF e ce ad 4 ae Py a! ciliates re 8 . ' at. | 2 . 4 a: s% pf sts" * + . s *s pf Peri es Teiets. | ¢ it Gat eb ate, he z - a ae b 4 I a ee a es . co 7. ee it ot AE gS BE pe. a Se ;>e~ .* oe en a « —e~ P a e- 2s C er ee eae ft ee St FP | eee ee oY H ; Prati ee Pt pare het ese «ae me Lege ato eae ee ee a ee ot gs g- - - - * pb heh eS Oe el 3 aed -y SG : igh od oe ae ee . 7 oe ra 2 oe ae - a. oe mm * e-*s a kee oy re Le Thatta. it a ial kL ik conk de a tl as ak eae hd doe ~~ - wry Ee : - : yd ee ee Say oe i eae LoRS . es n ian ar ee) =] ss ST wes ae rm En Saal ESE Ye * - ~~. Saeeddess Annie a 7 — aod —— I *% aie erst tg. bat | +e) ees ire 3 et a B32 Da ee jPeasrvess pao tese —=7a% oe ae ce, tt ‘f,.” sais, Ses a?aa ny — » bf - he es a ia * o4+ 9 > ~ vee © a ” he «os oe eo: es * vd Lae eg 4 Sit etare ide Autom naahd y dik e a PS i | a7 os ate .e A a+ « i a . aa PS >. oe a re i. i a | Sereei eis pelts terse se sisi s. 2 , , 4 ? po os. * Ai So i al et lk peal Tl 8 roe ae - ’ rit oes ee oe ae Sere toy a - rh F ee r : « Mo . a 2 i. oe ee ee ee ee aa oe >. a | ee m4 tee es, dee \ fs Ps PS we ) 5 on | Sale Enea A: ' a | = a 5 rd & ‘ : le ee ed A e- * . ba ae ea ty Cy ar aa ih 4s gti a : he go SEP ie ee ee OS er EG ee PO te _ om ‘ae we 3 ee ry ~ a on ee he BH =. y 7 > 7 — pow he Fi —— —— se Gy Peta et ee rary . pee oe s ad Pee 4 a ae ee ee ieee = 4 ey Bee Se ei 2 geste F Pavers casas 4 nt 4 = 7 Maries tts et ne bh < lj feese eet etets ee + J ery ee fon » Pe SS aS) ae ee & 4 we me ee SY v P | Tt ¥2a yf ' Peper? to kr eeee rt te het 7 4 a et ss as @2ete«a« 5 > - [ *< sw o. [e773 % 2 4 a ee ble 3 BS tyr ly | = a a ee a (ee ae at re eae tt, ee ee oe. rs oe eS a FR De BS ar ee" —_ sb + tine bares eo eas ¥ 34% ‘ ee a * eae " - 2 ed | - : a Pay ay ae) = ahah ke ei es a re maples Sas a Pe ee a . * ‘C4 ete~e tz - poe ole po ~ ae ee ee ee ao ee ei Eepanorerrarsepes Pht Ti esese DES or Set Weng Se age lt pits f tos: 3 4, BO ae ee 8 ae acd ee aa the: - . Pa ok ee rd esi See eee ee i te et > é ah da doch eich +. a 4 at iow hee eee me, - - ns ee alt in VS biti eh tk BN el ek ek ne dere he 5 am Cir "| oe J J ia ’ Re - if ae sc a i Ce vee eee he yy | at 20 YOUTH IN CONFLICT grouped them with dull children.* The Americaniza- tion worker is asked to work a shade more tactfully with parents and priest ; the owner of the warehouse is commiserated, but advised to have better locks and window screens. (He ended by putting twenty dollars into the Community Chest Fund.) The dealer in junk is placed in the hands of the District Attorney to be taught not to make profit out of the sins of little boys. The hearing is over, but the “case, as a matter for Juvenile Court, has just begun. At frequent intervals for two years, perhaps more, the Court will see these boys, following their needs, modifying order of court as conditions change. 99 Case II Clarence, aged twelve, lives in a good apartment- house neighborhood with his mother. Neither he nor his forebears on either side have been in court before. Clarence wears carefully pressed knee trousers, a white shirt and blue tie. He has a pale face with high forehead from which rather coarse blond hair is wet-combed straight back. Physically he is sound. The physician thinks his pallor may be accounted for by the fact that he never goes to bed before eleven o’clock, he eats too much sugar and starch and drinks coffee and tea at will. He is a straight, slim, well-knit American boy, one year retarded in school, and of good average intelligence. His misdeeds are truancy, running away, sleeping 1 Truancy was abated in one such family when the teacher gave Pilgrim’s Progress to a boy for home reading. His par- ents sent all their children to school thereafter with the ex- planation, “‘We see now that God is not forgotten in your school.”A DAY IN THE JUVENILE COURT 21 out, theft of a bicycle, burglary of a country store in the company of Mexican boys who had a revolver. Twenty-four dollars worth of canned goods, car- tridges, candy, gum, cigarettes, a bandanna handker- chief, a pair of gloves and leather belt were taken from the store which was entered at midnight by prying up a window. The really serious part of the affair (the mother was willing to pay for stolen articles) was the pre- dicament of the merchant in his present state of mind. When he heard noise, he dressed and entered the store, and was confronted with Clarence’s re- volver pressed to the pit of his stomach, and the cry: “Hands up!’ He reached for a baseball bat and Clarence retreated. Now that it was over the merchant was in panic and was sure Clarence was the boldest murderer unhung. There was nothing remarkable in Clarence’s life. He was born on a farm in the Middle West. His father was a well-to-do raiser of corn. When he was four years old his parents were divorced. Two older girls went with the father, who shortly re- married and started another family. This one was not a success either. The father lost his money and was now selling real estate and paying alimony for support of his second wife and babies. Clarence had gone with his mother. She too had remarried, a man somewhat younger; they separated at the end of three years. Clarence’s mother was a brisk woman:in middle age. She owned houses to rent and a small confectionery store which she managed herself. Clarence and she lived in an apartment which was neatly furnished. Clarence’s days and nights went somewhat in this fashion: he slept in a bed which, during the day, folded up behind the »? ——__ my 3 Tee ty ne Setee > “ Pd A ig FF : Ee te beni eres, _ eee Le esapr setting ro ta Es ts Le art Sa iS ~ toe: oo a aot ie ‘ ae re awe Pr. oe 2 s ete FS Beiespse Tiss —- pe: as” Boece rs © Paes or PE Fane ee < *- ert Sa : nd oe ee Se > ‘e er ees i = yee a Se 26 ts us Ss. Fs @, - - i a CS ete Sat Xx ro 28 24272 “a eae Ee Or Se - oy Te ¥e 2 r ; tS i ole ‘eta * es . A Se ree ——J Pe Ss Man. ei be aatace 1 f= wee eae ed eter 9 ne ad st ee oe - - * te 2 RAE SS Se _ Fo: . a SeEI St eas oe SS Se ee re f= oe an Te — oe . re re eer s 3Ae Neis * ‘ ref) a oe; er Pee) obhe She ha SS ~* . * 2. 4 sis ete} «” wt - aeathbabebatasihacabisrestetiteteth pibhh thts ts bees ie ch chee reeks Lt St} Suiisiscy ices pobasibilasiatitalasatetis oe Te d eo. ne ¢ Ls - ieee oa Oe ee e He oo td a ee gt EP Ok seeer rhe sep esrhetrses . S 3 e b ae. ao a tht iskese set Toe?) aes 4 fe, FH ess ee ee ee ee ae ores 2 rly SPCLa he eT Se Bt Pees ft. e as ee, a a . - a, a a on ea we Be ve a a 2 vi . ¥ le oe o¥e7 © <7 a ae op 3 e6. ps eo een se Ss Se ee +S? es t.. vfs Sap or < at - Pa °. > Po e bh ae tk nk cel el het tek ee he ee il ht dk el sh ed o a we 7 Pt) Ae , = 1 4m Ba pa. ip kb ta may a fi. ee oy eT wet + oy Pat ats i er do - i” a> vs + he ores eis oh. ee ea eg a . - Pio Tie. ee a aT 22 YOUTH IN CONFLICT door of the living room. He kept his clothes in his mother’s closet and had a few belongings in a bureau drawer. He got up just in time for school which was six blocks away. His mother made him toast and coffee on the electric stove. Sometimes he went without his breakfast. At recess he took an ice cream soda. He was in the sixth grade. His teacher was an unmarried woman of forty. She had taught this grade for fifteen years. Her per- sonality was patient, earnest, exacting. She believed in insistence upon detail. She never let herself go, or became angry, or enthusiastic. She lacked imag- ination. Clarence, because he had failed the year before, was not permitted to take any extras, such as wood-carving, nature study or civics. He pur- sued the basic studies: reading, endless drill in pen- manship—which he had mastered as well as he could ever hope to do in the third grade,—arithmetic, spelling and geography. He was an average stu- dent, obedient, bored, tolerant, without curiosity. At recess he surreptitiously shot craps with the boys on the cement court. At noon he ate a well-cooked meal at the school cafeteria. This he detested, but the good health campaign at school made the cooking teacher inexorable: each child must eat a balanced ration. It was this meal which saved the day, physi- cally, for Clarence. At home he was as poorly nourished as the most ignorant immigrant, although his father and grandfather had raised acres of grain and were hard-eating, husky American farmers, and his grandmother and mother were first class cooks. On the way home Clarence generally bought an ice-cream cone or an all-day-sucker. He loitered on corners and passed knowing remarks with the “sodaA DAY IN THE JUVENILE COURT 23 jerk” in the drug store. He spent half hours gazing into store windows. It being the downtown distric St which his mother preferred, ‘there was nci a tree or a yard for a square mile. Finally Clarence reached home. He unlocked the stale apartment, and began to read the newspaper, First the comic strips, then the head!ines— GIRL AND LAWYER DRUNK AT A PARTY PROBE DETAILS OF LOVE-MURDER DARING DOWNTOWN ROBBERY BY MASKED BANDITS Clarence read every word of these “human interest’’ stories. Sometimes his mother was home. Occasionally Clarence ran errands, but these never took him into the country. They ate dinners at a cafeteria, fres- coed with Bonin scenes; there was a jazz band. Clarence ate two or three desserts and the catsup of an oyster cocktail. Usually he went to a movie in the evening. ‘The shows he passionately loved were red-blooded “‘he men” scenes of adven- ture; great lungs heaving in open air, swift motion Over vast spaces, quick decisions carried out by well-trained, swelling muscles, expansive gestures, care-free manners,—sensations hot and vigorous. He would stretch his lean body forward with in- tolerable yearning, thrusting out his chest, breathing quickly. Why should he not thrill to these pictures of Western adventure? Had not his grandfather driven an ox-team through the Missouri tratis? Had not his father turned virgin soil with his plow ee * - x kak o> at hares = x * - ry = 3 + a Pe arenes ereeerese? + a2 > eI Pa ¥ ty i - ae = =. is S ae te Set es oe Rea Ye ee ITEP Ee Rahs = S| ae, ted m4 ay ig a. v Lett se rer es ey S ss = ee ens Page sete Se ~~ denna ness me vib Ou = = : a ee Amey ad Es eS ee re ete Pes 2 phy mS. ere ae: Se > re aos ~Se> aa = . bre tech, Mee ted. | ‘2a 4 te = ge ers’ pRB Tero rete ? ea — te Se ee ee ye - A ? ery ee 4 stet 2 a re aa) eee a * ¢ <— 5 an Pi - ep Lz a oe Sai os e ¥ ? 2? oe ee ee) + . y » oe ee Ce es *= * slike di dh oe hy hh ged . oo ee ee ‘ces. 2a) Te, oro ih oe ee oats bi bind het aint ae PEA Eh ER CR he eis ts Spite Ae te ee Be ee ee ee Peres Pes regs coreee Foe 2 Pee ee Bea pe A 7 Pe Ps pe es — be* habe Ee Reeth hd a a lil et ee acs pe er are ee eo te es el : SoS » es gel es . tot i ee pa nl Fs ~ > 24 YOUTH IN CONFLICT and broken in his own horses? If the school meal saved the day physically for Clarence, the Western moving picture saved him spiritually. It was his only chance to stretch his muscles or to use his imagination, to satisfy his biological cravings. Yet the movie was his undoing also, for in it he got the idea of prying open the window to rob the store: in fact he followed the movie scenario as exactly as possible during his two weeks’ delinquency, except stealing the bicycle from school,—that was his own idea,—and he was rather ashamed of it. Now and then in the evening Clarence would stay home and listen to his mother entertain friends; men and women from back home. They talked of real estate, illness, cures, domestic unhappiness, alimony, taxes and movie-scandals. Clarence’s relation with his mother was matter-of- fact. He liked her, he knew she was good to him. He was conscious of no yearning for affection. She was strict about his manners, school and Sunday School attendance, and very careful of his clothes. Sometimes she punished him with a hair brush; once this was for breaking a hand-painted dish, and a few times when he could not recall any infraction, He held no resentment. His mother did not like him to have boys in the apartment. His companions were casual pick-ups. Clarence in court could give no account of the reason for his running away and robbing. He was satisfied with home. He had everything he wanted. He met the Mexican boys at the show, and asked them how far it was to Mexico, and suddenly the plan dawned on him to go. They broke into the store to get provisions and an outfit for Clarence. They had camped out two weeks, until arrested. HeA DAY IN THE JUVENILE COURT 25 was willing now to go home, to take punishment and to be good. As to attempting to shoot, Clarence maintained nothing was further from his thoughts. The gun, it turned out, was not loaded. But that was a mere error of sequence, for Clarence had intended to load it, if the merchant had not disturbed him. Clarence viewed this phase of the gun as a lapse from “‘crim- inalism” into heroism. His eyes took on a far-off look. They were not on the court, but on the imaginary silver-screen that he would rush off to the instant he was free. Clarence’s mother maintained he was a “weak” boy, easily led, like his father. But Clarence was not “weak.” It took a profound effort to hold the gun at the pit of that man’s stomach. ‘The difficulty was not “weakness of will,’ but conflict in goals. He did not wish to kill, but he deeply wished to feel excitement and heroism. To the court the case was clear as to cause, but tremendously difficult as to treatment. For Clarence represents any number of Ameri- can boys who run away to seek adventure, who start by committing petty offenses and end by living the parasitic life, auto-thieving, bootlegging, pimping, and robbery. Clarence 1s “normal” “and his mother is “good,” but his life is all wrong. He is encased in brick and stone, steeped in a bath of dull adult influence. There is nothing unusual about his crav- ings, he is the offspring of vigorous parents, he can- not find life in the downtown district or petty de- tails of home and school. Within three generations of American life, the emphasis has changed from vigorous rearing of healthy children in enough space to grow and play,—this the first thought of the ere © . = ee — ™ — > al lel SPY ete< ee TT Se ) * ry i - - * as a <= ae - —— at ee a ne oa 5 hor) a a ee Sar a —— — . s od ?rcrr —— -~ Ye tee ‘Sete t eet ss — Ps inecach 4 eo Ses OF. a eae eka mn ek ae : oe ee 3 are td Sg Tet a ie ee = hem 5 sone “oo > eeat Tei Se aside ee ee eer ea sy ase Be Se” Shel7 m ee vie - Gop was + Fk cot e> : . @ a - * AaTHEVSLPTETP LS STL shes eS ET ETS eletei tote tpiolete tc tats te.) rte et = Pea tig “ “ad = - - lote@t «a j } Se “tn oot be Se Se nek ¢ LJ “: ¢ q - eit od saeere fe 4 Ae. Or Pe *. te 2 re ee = PRET : iptiteta tat Pee ee JS ot es. ee es ee ee ee 4 4 . ¢4:.29 as Pi FA P rT / i es ¢ pe TRENT E? oh gst a Salter sae sree ec iee tr ae 2¢ preresp ae rsssonesesTht tie eines ese 35}< 437 + ape TS ONS I OS PB OG. oy / . Let Please 3-7 a got a * a wie ied * -—s . - Ce te te a ° = > = & ae es Se a 7 5 * 3 * * ole P Ps a a - Si seagate hl, th ee ae "es: y ily * torts di rs — Do a = a vm Ae ¥ pe | + hy FA ee 4? oF: ore at a! ey ee chy ae Bole ace an ) Pe oe po pe Sh 7 Lk eh he ehh eS he Doe de on ead he hh ni a Ped on f ae" [| te? el lll es - * Ng - te ee ee et oe ee a ee a ee ” “Gell te atl ake Pig a. eo i nj 4 a ir 2s \--- —_ > Ts a 3 - ® ad te e a ¢ / ¢' ri aa i ae a Gace” ea = se a : hat a ri eT she ee Bes an) iN 26 YOUTH IN CONFLICT family,—to the getting and spending df money and living with modern conveniences. This may suit needs of individual grown-ups. To the child it is slow starvation of body and spirit. This case in tens of thousands is difficult because there is nothing legally wrong with the hbme. There is no chance of giving the mother different biological ideas. She feels justified in divorce, remarriage, her separation, her honest seli-support, her few recrea- tions. That Clarence should have masculine influ- ence she admits, but how can she get along with men who are so selfishly impossible! She points out that the school employs woman teachers! Why should she give him up when the divorce court thought she was the parent most fit to raise the boy? This mother values modern conveniences and hardwood floors more than she values her son’s growth in muscles and imagination. The remedy for Clarence is reliance on the com- munity. Boy scouts, summer camps, playground teams, big brothers, may help him, if the Probation Officer is active and skilled, and boy-leaders are patient with the boy with a court record. Probably there will be small loss of social esteem ‘n Clarence’s case as the damage he inflicted on the social code was slight,—most men secretly or openly applaud running away to adventure,—seizing by force what is necessary to take along has been the way of the race. Women as a rule are not so tol- erant of the runaway male, young or old. Women for many years will comprise Clarence’s world. All pervasive will be that atmosphere of the apart- ment, the downtown district, the adult, modern world without warmth, without affection for boys, without space or intensity, or thrill.A DAY IN THE JUVENILE COURT Gase whit Clara is aged fourteen, a blonde girl with blue prominent eyes and delicate features. She has bobbed, curled hair, a poor physique, chest narrow, arms thin, posture drooping, a quick mechanical smile, and hands with long, sharply-pointed, polished nails, not quite clean. She is dressed in black tafteta with a tight sleeveless waist and a long full skirt. Her face is made up with orange rouge and thick white powder, her lips are painted red. Her eye lashes are beaded with mascara and under each eye is a line of blue-black which gives her a weary, dis- sipated appearance. She wears a short white curly fur coat and a little round hat with a veil. Her physical examination gives no organic disorder; she is underweight, has diseased tonsils, very bad teeth, and she has contracted a venereal disease. This is Clara’s first appearance in court. None of her family have ever been in court before. Her father and mother are average American citizens. They have a small, well-furnished suburban bunga- low in which live four children, Clara being the old- est. Her daily life is simple. She shares her room with three younger children. In the small living room is a victrola with jazz records. Clara goes to Junior High School. She is about the average in her school work; mentally she is retarded about a year and a half. Her friends are boys and girls of school. Her parents do not attend church; every one sleeps late on Sunday. Clara helps with house- work. Her delinquencies are staggering. Until thirteen years of age she never spent a night away from home. Then she began “staying all night with her a» =. -_ = Te rs 2 ‘e ie =* a oa . xs > — ~~ Ce te Sole Sy iiss Ie Ses tee Se % et ‘i tee SS of ry 58 5a 5 ae SA ea ett kbs bee yee SAR EST . ie ala Sl ee on ie es Praivy a3 em Sree Cs eae RS as = [ey oe J Bre te ~ Was Shes be aE 255 % TE et as 4 <« - LS a > . ¥ ee er: aes a. ee “es = e ao —— Sag — Pe oe NI ee le a eer ee | a ee tess $e tt Ee ee. age Saf bed atendh) a fe Falla * al es 7 so Pr eSah 2 ~ . i operrry.* a pi dnbh chee bebe eet pee ee ee ths bo 4 . = LeESt es 3H de -* b * ‘ be oe ® 2- ne a trereepamerenrey — - - re ee eee es ed es ce - ae ie - a Kee Lis hs uh rd o* oe . a « ee : oi. i i Ps +t 5 ps iS a ie = qi S rie a ull ~ ‘ht ol ae eS ee oe Se ee ae ry (@ereetes+stee bd a ee ae ev * ee) ~ A, Ai, ol: Da te) "apo age 7-353 Ae — 72 ete wee bee ee ahh eT e ie a . a ps a . * “4 *% te Ps see so ee ses ite i de a 7s 4 i ied r rs . oe = ns ba Pe eae a bl 5 Oa rt a é 7 r > be ee hl 7 Piel al one aS. ad * es ry ee et ok pt. et rh e Asst i * * . ae e teens Pees, - ~ tie 4 * ’ we ee ibe ws oY a ? a cae 7s ee re. a ea2es 4 - 28 YOUTH IN CONFLICT girl friend,” and using “make-up.” About six months ago at a show she met a young man, a traveling vaudeville entertainer. He suggested that she come to his room to hear him play the saxo- phone. She went, ate chocolates, smoked cigarettes and made love. Later she went to his room every afternoon for a week. She did not know his last name. He was called Paul. “Were you afraid you might have a child?” mone Ol And Clara, with utter frankness and a smile, gave out what she considered authentic birth-control in- formation. “Were you afraid of disease?” “Well, no. I did not suppose you got a disease until you were married. Besides I don’t think Nt have it. Paul could not have given me anything because he was very strong: he had to be,—he was an entertainer, you know, on the ——— Circuit.” “Did you love him?” “Well, I did, but I don’t now. He sent me a special delivery letter too, from Frisco, but now hear he was married, and has another girl besides.” “Then what did you do °?” “Well. before that I had always gotten home by five-thirty in time for dinner. “Then one day I met a fellow on the street. He had a big car and said he would take me home. We went first to the beach and danced and had a won- derful dinner with chicken patties and an ice with our coffee. Coming home the car broke down or something, so before we knew it, it was one o'clock, so I couldn’t go home, of course, then.”’ “What did you do?”A DAY IN THE JUVENILE COURT 29 “Well, we just rode around all night.” Did he try to take advantage of you?” “Oh, no! He was a perfect gentleman.” “What was his name?” “Il don’t know. He said his name was Mr. Smith, but that wasn’t his real name.” “Would you have been abused if you had gone home at one o’clock ?” “Oh, no. Not struck you mean, or anything like that,—only they would have raised a fuss. In the morning I was too scared to go, so Mr. Smith got a room for me in town.” “Did he stay with you?” "No, he left, and I never saw him again.” “And where did you spend that night?” “Oh, in the same place.” “With whom ?” ~ Well, some boy friends and two girls. I ’phoned them up and they came.” Then followed her dismal story, promiscuous familiarity with these boys; next night a new hotel and another strange young man, and so on for two weeks, until at length a tardy police officer caught her spooning in the park. “Did you take money from these men?” This question brought out the only emotion Clara had displayed,—surprised indignation. “How could you think that? Why, one fellow hadn’t any money and I had to buy his breakfast. Of course the fellows paid for the room, because I hadn’t any place to go.” “No place to go! How about your home?” “Well, I never could get along at home. They pick on me and quarrel all the time about nothing.” . : os se awe dest 4 “- . pet an dh oe =e 2 Sitar tee ty cE eed Se Fe Stasis af te nar ~ swat Minay & Paes Ca a eS oy 2 dd coy vs oy - eet thas at Qe S “ r eat! —— Ruka er a = < - Sy ty **ehiaa st atete ue etaeatsr seis UR Seeeteet zisa ‘fees TE oem SL + ms es - Tete Set RE ee +h re ~~ s er ra a Ye = CF ets baw bat 4 TE Ae Sie | a] Ss i he te eee . eS aS aE = se Set rs oe: = > Se: CY he call ‘ mL a i « PY 4 Ls Ce. | ’ ed ate nn ry . a4 i oe ’ #? Pm ae 1~eeot ett al a Peet Seesses eel hea ed oe em he be Sees ee ee Ee Se ee, eke PS DS: ae eet Pee tebe es Sy pss oe eg ee Ree eS ere = anid hs abe — ons) 7 Lh cepted ak oe he ek J . "9 ‘a * iw 2. ~* ~ ae ae by le ae 1 ‘~- toch eww ey Ps 72% 7 , i> oy + a oe oe Be on Re ee Gj $eeeet 4 iat did deh ich die te ei CE Stes the et ete aT: —— eae ne i halt i lee, er a a ee ne es ad — eS a iw we Pe: Ese? 4 bf a: | ol = teu reeks : ee ee yt, = pt, eth ri elwtelrs -aeiei & a | lh er a wk ee eh lk he de bl dd ieee et Pe PE ee os pr om Ta eis oe ke 30 YOUTH IN CONFLICT Her parents did not show symptoms of quarrel- someness; they were good-natured, helpless, be- wildered and rather dazed middle-aged people. ‘“‘Are you sorry?” “Gee, yes. I want to start all over. I want to go to work, either in the movies or as an usherette. | wish to make something of myself.” In this delicate girl there was no physical shrink- ing from the numerous rough contacts she had had; there was no feeling of injury to herself or parents. There had been no emotion in her experiences, no excitement; just aimless response to the chance situ- ation. It was sheer imitation of cheap movie, and cheap street life she had seen. Her parents lived in a different world. They were occupied with their own affairs; after physical wants of their children had been supplied they put them out of their minds. They took for granted that Clara had certain ideas about sex conduct, (the very word they would have blushed to utter,) and “morals” and “all that kind of thing.’”’ She never asked questions, and was obedient. The appalling shock of their lives was Clara's disappearance and arrest. They had supposed her kidnaped; there had been anxiety and publicity. The astonishing thing to them was Clara’s range of information. As the quiet probe of the court went deeper into that scatter-brained little mind and heart, shreds of underworld phrases came up, slang words for tabooed objects and subjects, flippancy with processes of life and its creation. Situations that would make a woman physician grope for words, Clara took at a leap with a dialect composed of Eliza- bethan English and the coarsest of modern slang. She knew every dance hall, cabaret, skating rink inA DAY IN THE JUVENILE COURT 3r town. Her favorite waiting places were drug store telephone booths and rest rooms of department stores. Her manner was not bold,—rather it was clinging and wistful; she simply took for granted that nearly everybody her age “did these things,’ went to these places, just as her parents simply took for granted that their dimly perceived, inarticulate family morals were being followed by their daughter. They had permitted her afternoons of liberty. Every one did that nowadays. “We have always trusted Clara.” They had pro- tested faintly against rouge, but finally had given in “to avoid friction.” For Christmas, after weeks of pleading, the old father had bought the white fur coat for Clara, and was proud of it. When the case was prepared, and a small number of the older boys and men identified and taken to criminal court, the aged judge, in an outburst of condemnation, called Clara “an abandoned woman” and dismissed the men.* But Clara is not a woman, abandoned or other- wise. She is fourteen years old, a frail American girl who comes before the courts in hundreds of girls’ cases each year,—aimless, drifting, unaware of waste or wreckage, wishing no evil, bearing no malice, their sole desire not to be “picked at’ by grown-ups, not to encounter anything difficult, or critical. Such girls long for easy approval. They do not get this at home, but on the street well-dressed young men with cars smile at them pleasantly. A 1In such cases the parents, or the Juvenile Court, usually ask the District Attorney to file criminal charges, or if it is not an affair of rape, the Juvenile Court Judge hears the case on a charge of contributing to a minor’s delinquency. The young girl is held as a witness. 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Many} ¢ Cie So > eons Pe rv << te be Co eet Seo et eT re, mus st ra » o i e ee’ ~— : <2 ce = rete 4 *. . cores od or’ ~ 2 ee Cl. oe ee ~Y oy Sy CA = + ae pera tes: He weer eerie e =>? Lh aoe ters) me oe es ~~ S st. cs ‘is z 1. A pres . = eee = SS . “ ; al er ae siueoe = =X eStte a Pica) a we or 7 AS Toe Stik Seasy Sore See et ye : he: x bores ey pe = a b 4 pm eS poe Teeres his . ~EGboles ey . pee P ego 5% I ae M4 “> So => Cryer ot ive o-2 eet a a ee ees ee eer = eb) a eel Be ee) 7 a r e- a re ee es eg ey my et ae a =. Cia ve Saw tee ~; > — oe ae Pe wey et ee ee ced *3rnen . ~ : iat eetr eee 2ee3 e 4 4 ene og a Taree a. Po. reer} Ses 4 . Pe Ba pk ge . an Pe Fed ra ena = _ oe £4 a ee ew np 4. Pet cre F a eae ae = ae oe. few Sun} fg te o>: ie i jee ey Hs" 22afarS ~ bagieta’ Oe ge eS Oe len ie ee 4 aout ty OOPS eee Doe ee Meh tt eee od a oui BF mur ? ~ emg — ak es. } fame a ade tbe FS 43. 34 YOUTH IN CONFLICT rounded body. Dressed neatly, , conservatively, everything about her person showed self-esteem. On her lips a peculiar smile played without mirth, em- barrassment or fear, a smile expressing satisfaction. Her head was thrown well back, her posture erect, her whole being a subtle, mocking challenge. Her hands assumed attitudes, the fingers separated and held apart. She had been attending business college, tuition paid by an aged, retired “rancher living in another city, and she was boarding in a family home of re- fined surroundings. She had started a career of dis- honesty which would open the doors of the peniten- tiary if the authorities agreed to consider her as an adult woman. Although this was Evelyn’s first appearance in court, the probation officer’s investigation showed history of theft in boarding school and private families. Because of Evelyn’s gentility and tears these charges had never been pressed. Within the past six W eeks, from a fashionable home where she had visited, she had stolen furs and Persian rugs, so cleverly that only by chance had detectives traced theft to her. From department stores she had taken hundreds of dollars worth of silk underwear; finally she had forged checks to the value of five hundred dollars. Fortunately she had not spent this money. The furs, rugs and lingerie also were found, after insistence, questioning, denials and evasive admis- sions. Apparently Evelyn had not worn these things. She had obtained gratification in secreting valuable objects, in causing anxiety and fear of loss to those she considered socially superior to her, in mystify- ing detectives and others, finally in bringing pain te the motherly woman who had boarded her.A DAY IN THE JUVENILE COURT 35 Evelyn’s theft is no simple wish for desirable objects. She had no genuine pleasure in them. Untrained teachers and probation officers often make the mistake of supposing girls like Evelyn “yearn for pretty things.” ‘They imagine they see this girl in a happy environment, perhaps as a young wife, sur- rounded by luxury: it is “natural” that she should desire luxury. Evelyn has had a lesson, she will never do it again. They are deceived because they are sentimental and without insight. They are mis- led by Evelyn’s tears, immaculate person, baby face. The truth is Evelyn will never be contented as a young wife, in possession of a beautiful home. Such possession would not satisfy her. She is cool and reserved. What is not obvious is her source of selt- satisfaction. We cannot be sure of inner facts to which she responds, but clearly Evelyn loves life in a manner which fortunately is uncommon. Her first object of esteem is herself. Next, another girl about her own age. These young people have a “crush”; it is a persistent; though shallow, attach- ment. Evelyn loves secrecy and deception ;—hiding some valuable thing or some fact increases her feel- ing of being an important superior person. With a trace more self-assertiveness Evelyn might have be- come a domineering woman of impeccable morals, cruel, sarcastic and critical. But Evelyn is timid. Underneath her suave manner is a haunting fear that she is really not superior, that after all she is inadequate. So the mocking smile, the elaborately postured hands.* Finally, Evelyn is incapable of generous emotion. She cannot admire anything nor let herself go. She could never know submission or loyalty, her relationships with human beings 1 Kempf, “Psychopathology,” p. 721. av] cs ad ow od 2 LY a fe “ 7 <2 %, iPS oe es ee es " eels = = : HES esos Pee aan 2. oe 7) ve Ot le ea > mi tar +. 2 ean De ee = Eee te Fi tee sesucases Ter yes fe: ae . a. re 6 Ae SON Se ra oY a 7 Se os ~+ e, =~ Saletan :. ~ co eo “| =f: ey paad ores = - xy col pete s reg ore + yo Pre > oa ry. rere cSreres at . ers ey 7 . 7 ae - a - gestsisee 7 ~~ Sep tioteaaes 5. Set eESEE See eee eA “~ ey oe tis 3 ter ‘5 ek ee he oe Be | = > a = + =s b= ee Yet pike e 8 2ha9-2k St hae + = aa. - ~ SMe ere tet ob ot bee Shing ee > as fed ad Sere eter es 7 Coie eee se C0 tu eet pO de aaa bas oS Se eae a) Sas el Fe ert 3 7et pe Pee paver ey eermrartrert ref tr Sst ii al sts irl tooo) es hee aeee ees he meriseresenprecerersese Tht tritceseoes a) Ps < BE St et, - ‘ ae _. w - - > ean -.4 ee ete! ot 2% fetes is - al ite: tl, ge, Be ee ee ote hehe es hk ee ee ee ra oe = a. i ee pi rs, aie 7 m7 ’ . —- te Ete ye cee Be ~*~ est gts iz¢4 | . t a es ‘ oe pol, Foe BS Se, Fe DS eins he aa $46 + a ht ae ee Co] ae td a a ee a es. om. he erro t ee et 8 ee ha ee a lial eh i ook aed ol nel teat te es Pa « ee — ary he 2: a en Boe | ye : iy if 2. - es ae — a A ak or . r an | 7 po a bs S&S. @ er EPs Pitt. eae Pre kese Ce are os ne gl tpeesatoteeere se 73-7 72437 By. CP kn i ‘3 = at r ee aa ae « we = , nee ¥ a 7 ® i ae oe i omen oD PS ~ a 36 YOUTH IN CONFLICT must be all of one color,—either she must dominate, or inflict pain, loss or suffering in some obscure or direct way upon all she meets. Her emotional life will be self-centered or flow toward those of her own sex. She will never wish to live the biologically normal life, hence Evelyn will not be a sex-delinquent, for this reason her role will not be so hard as it would be if she were properly understood. Probation officers will partly excuse her conduct, because she is, at least, “clean morally.” Women will take this calculating girl into their homes, when they would never take the warm- hearted, slangy girl of the streets who might yield in love an adequate return for their human invest- ment. Evelyn will go her way, pitied, wept over, excused, forgiven, “putting it over.” Let no one get the idea that Evelyn does this with deliberation. She acts in response to those human beings and situations as if she were conditioned to so respond; as if she could not act differently. There is something tragic in Evelyn, Physically in perfect health, mentally a superior- normal, with a good education, no family ties (for Evelyn’s parents died in her sixth year, leaving Evelyn a small estate) one could plan for her a productive life as teacher, business woman or social worker. But Evelyn cannot embark on any such career. The police would be always at the door. There is small hope that Evelyn will stop stealing. She is emotionally arrested, or under-developed. As one learns to know her one has the curious feeling of being in the presence of something unfinished; a sly, cunning, evil fairy, something not quite human, not to be reached by ordinary speech or appeals, aA DAY IN THE JUVENILE COURT 37 creature of different life-goals than ours, and un- fitted to cope with our modern world. What shall the court do for Evelyn? She must be placed in an institution so that her thefts will no longer trouble society. What kind of institution? To punish an infantile personality is not only cruel, but useless. Evelyn could be burned at the stake and her ideas and goals not altered. She could serve twenty years in prison and not emerge with kinder feeling toward human beings, or respect for property. She is not mentally defective, she is not insane, the Juvenile Court recognizes that its responsibility to society and to Evelyn will cease in three years. After that she is “free.” There is only one course in the limited condition of our knowledge and that is to place Evelyn in the state training school for girls.1_ Here she will be no discipline problem. She will break some hearts,—both of girls and matrons, cause many an insidious feud, perhaps even an investigation, but here she will be safe. One hope exists for Evelyn, for the best results of which she should have been discovered ten years earlier.—the Mental Hygiene Clinic,—but that will be described in another chapter. Case V Swiftly now we turn from the tragedy of an abnormal personality to a comedy of errors: a court 1 After two years at the State Training School Evelyn was paroled. She married a wealthy old man (not the one who paid her tuition) and at latest information she is enjoying life in taxicabs and hotels and steamships while she and her hus- band tour the South Seas. * _- > ree te P 4 ee Sl OS Ss _ & eg " - “> ¥- g a sal Not Ts * Sag BSD . = eo . Le hare ee ame & i tae 3 © aX “the a ~~ < Sad CY oe > “ eS aa 8 a6. 314 Cee tens SP pey ele oo! a ne rer re sao - oo Lk ee 5 - e3 Sespigenes eit tSnéassieis. —— ar a oe Wt SET) = t are oy é A ~~ ~ — * - -* Nt eel rr . aad pes . eto es hese: ~ inne Ee 4 ts str - ‘ i | rt tent ~ pt Sees Sete ned ~~ ed - 4 +6 Os 3 fs Pibe espe Te Pe a ee ont ay 7 cE — ~ - ~~ <7 S-< ee ee he > + TD Sen ~- EN a4 Ae ine ee oe ree os Ps ; % Soe eo Sor -%- : 3 Set - pe Ss 5 a et oh oe ees a .s eal pet a i oie oe ty od a a a “9 o ey ee Pies - ™ — eee a Py Se aa re ee) “2 freee teeter eRe arrestee Pe ere te teers Sere toy Ly eS : a a 5 F a _ se wa we ere Te "yu AD oS ow wine qe ee we Fences sare, 4 ie ee ae ee 7 ra ad . 7 a oer iw a T+ 2ery ~« « os Seen ts eo 24 Pee Peek Pa Ses os CFLS Mote Sete se tt ‘Tse t ? ae PAPEL S SS PE PLE or | hes Sy ee OF ‘ ~ ok we oe Te. oe 2 be 4 a ae anes a, ee nn - 4 i a od Ss i a Ce. . a1 > Poe, pe esa 1 ti. co oe es a ad - ae PE te a - | a Fh oD OE elt hale bk od tl oe et dn eek Sk ee Ss Fs 2 a ars - aw ak. to. ll F onl» P ae toe es + a nad . ' , : u ba : bs . 2 2 ae 4 = hp Sn wy 3 A ee 5 a - —— a 4 a7 } 4 eee e=s PS ae. be yi ek bey 38 YOUTH IN CONFLICT room full of adults who have busied themselves in a children’s quarrel. Six children, boys and girls under fourteen years of age, are charged with malicious mischief. A boy of ten has hit a boy of fourteen on the head with a tin can. Three boys of eight, ten and eleven years have thrown stones into the yard next door, owned by an elderly lady, torn up her plants, stolen her gold fish and disturbed her peace by roller skating on the cement walks. A tom-boy of a girl of twelve is the playmate of these boys. The elderly lady has seen her go with boys into tall grass in the neighbor- ing field where they all lay down. Soon the lady who was watching the scene with opera-glasses saw the grass ripple and began to fear the worst. The children had used rough language. Their parents did nothing to control them,—on the contrary when one father had heard his son call the lady ‘‘an old hen,” and even a shout of “You are the Kaiser’s wife!” he had laughed. “Do you make no effort to control your children ns the father was asked. He was a bronzed Italian fisherman with a fat wife and six children. “Oh. I know nothing about it. For three weeks I have been away on my boat fishing. I land to-day. They hand me a paper. I must at once come to the court, so I leave my boat. I cannot even sell my fish. All is waste!’ “When did this alleged misconduct happen?’ The old lady “thinks” it happens every day, but she especially remembers one afternoon a year ago . There is a stir in the court room. Each one tries to speak at once. Witnesses are incoherent, full ofA DAY IN THE JUVENILE COURT 39 recriminations. Charges fly from blasphemy and bootlegging to incest. One neighbor thinks the chil- dren are beaten too severely, another that they do as they please. The truth is these children are ordinary children and their parents capable of meeting their problems. It is a neighborhood row. The place for it would have been police court had not the old lady filed on the children. The Juvenile Court has given the neighbors the necessary remedy—a place to talk— with some semblance of order, and restraint of law. All feel better: talk,—that universal safety- valve of petty emotions, and big ones,—has relieved pressure. The case is dismissed. ‘The children and their neighbors go home. The court has given them a little lecture on toler- ance, on caution before starting unnecessary litiga- tion, on neighborly goodwill, on essential rights of childhood to use cement sidewalks for roller-skating, on the wisdom of having back yards big enough to dig caves and play house in; to the children the court has smiled back into innocent eyes, glowing with health, and has sighed to think how soon they will erow up,—exactly like their parents. Case VI The next case is a boy nine years old, of French descent. The petition alleges that he has stabbed a boy aged twelve in the back with a knife improvised from a pair of scissors. Charles, the stabber, denies it. The boys were in school together ; the younger boy was teased by playmates, but not by the boy who was stabbed. The young victim is pale. It is two weeks after the stabbing, but he still shows loss of Pas +> ay @ On ow Tia et eit Slt Lee toe Sy + eS et - ot re tek Sk ee ee . te Se tf tees og het ea Gre et te oer) oe = ti Sart a > oe ee > P+ es hee age —eay* ee) foal Neel oe € | os Sars. ss - ee: Saris 7 oes Epereety TT .. ~ a J * a ro y iy ea ek, te i ik ite es ee ee pee pe * +. sSseF RATS vk eee Bidets lial => Fl a xen 7%2 a PS a3 a = ie Situ hae) pe ae oy ee Py a 225 Totet 2 ta tate te ee +e i a a a aes inn ee : jonas ry a . Ps —o x * Presse ce ee So x as Pores ess Ltt te bd ~ ae ae 7 i» = Siig ot Pepe se cl a pm cS Loe ee eae | Se ee are Pe rents - eT * ere , ee ee ee eet et oe i | ct . > iat eepe et Ta WeSr5 - \ eeeerag tyre: eiptece: &.¥: , oe EP 2k 8 feo eet Tete et e* pte Gf RB ge ~—eeeesce Se ' SUEUR 2 ‘wetigt«*gties - Cee ee tea PA ao | ee PS oe Te OSE Re ‘Taupe oe. G Rare Yer ae Pe nies as hen th aA bh a hE eae wea EE ne ek as 2 PS Ge ge be eu te Cpe ee be Dey ee ae fF Serer t. bas oe : ee pe <4 a bo * = ef ,’ ¥ Hi 2 - P pr ss : ° * ‘one Sates aris fab sheet at te. 3 iat ome A tl, fy pk, ed ee, ee ee et | we "= ae - es PE a bd ~ ’ - lie 2 ede ao * Ce eee eee oe ae errersesEtratt rs “ b a ee fA 2 — _— i os me ae os je » t..j.3..%. tie: <¢*s ¥ a ee “> a oe a tk tel del ek ee ad Pa ft. = — oo a a nd a. Pee hee ee SC Ce oe Z. FF « a a a aa is y oe a 4 - ae ee Orr’. Tacs. se eee 40 YOUTH IN CONFLICT blood and weakness. He tells his story: the younger boys were playing*in the yard after school. Charles was under a heap of boys crying about something. “T walked off over the hill; suddenly I saw Charles taking after me. I just went on and suddenly he caught up with me,—his face was all twisted up terribly and when I turned my back again he stabbed me with this knife.”’ “Had you said anything to Charles on the school erounds ?”’ “No,” replied the boy. “I heard some one say something about a girl,—his being like a girl, but I said nothing.” All were asked to leave the court room so that Charles could speak freely. He is extremely thin and nervous, there are blue veins on his forehead. His restless body, his small green eyes are ever on the move. “Come, Charles, tell me how did you hurt the boy ?”’ “T didn’t hurt him. He hurt himself.” Charles has a speech defect, a kind of sucking lisp, and his lips often move as if sucking something. “Charles, I don’t think the boy hurt himself. Was he ever mean to you?”’ “Yes, he was awful mean, He twisted my arm and called me names.” (So far as could be learned the wounded boy had never injured his assailant in any way, was almost a stranger to him. ) “Well then did you stick the knife in him?” “No, I had the scissors in my hand and he ran into them.” Charles, throughout the inquiry, never called his weapon anything but “scissors” although it wasA DAY IN THE JUVENILE COURT 41 proved that he had made the knife on the school grindstone. During the hearing Charles is excluded from the room. It is not healthy for Charles to hear what adults think of him, or for him to build any higher his wall of denial, fear and resentment. A wrong has been committed against one boy, but it will in no way help matters if Charles’ attitude of fear and defense is strengthened in the court procedure. When Charles is questioned by the court it is to gain foothold in his trust and to win his confidence so that some glimpse may be had into his forlorn life and its mainspring. Gentleness in such cases is essential. Charles is not much more than a baby. He 1s three years re- tarded mentally, possibly feeble-minded. His out- look is limited to that of a six-year-old child. Irre- parable damage may be done his entire life if now he is roughly treated. Charles’ father is a dissipated man with syphilis; he is cruel to his three children and indifferent to his wife. Who could not be indifferent to such a wife unless he went mad! Charles’ mother is a great, voluble woman with high color and high temper. She works in a millinery shop, violently creating atrocities . . . She maintains that she feeds her children well. “T give them meat, nothing but meat, great roasts, —big as this,’ and she indicates the size of a barrel. But obviously Charles is poorly nourished, and quite literally has been “reared on a bottle, and fed from a paper sack.” His discipline has been erratic as his meals, now heavy and ill-considered, now startling or omitted altogether. “ at = iss UP re et te: bn L - a and oe eal Ss a Ere os Barer ss PaaS oe ot So is ee Seer ear - s* we rs edt ~, = ee > PY a ~ [2-5 ~ ~ + +. eke ree er Swe * he A eS Pee - - 7 =~ a = P . > ae = - pet Se Se me se. sto CLASES et reco a aes ‘ - = . — ener = a + oa ae Lo ea Se ee SSIS pe o Satet= eres ~ : — = =— Leal ed ad a ye on Ps ey Sa edn eal pay ee Ses et pat ele —- to et zeae Slate Be Ta Be Be. = es s+ 2; a =e oe .— oe +e BE gb yletz85s ~ Te 5 as » es ja ane afhati SS nd. b- Oe, ba e be ge et 8 St a — 2 ~~ Saar ee eee + es oe et at ee hw a. eo A phere ty isi pfeeshvertrs * . a~— aT, § i -Pt ee 2 ¥ 41 ba bed ict. ee + roa ~ Sr Sed od Soe tee re Be ep eh Ge Be a . . =. .@ eke Be | si 7 re oe Se Se tae’ Petela to. tof 532-4 tet Fete atel ats Skt feb BOL oe ot he ee eek oe eer ae pt oe eh Tp eSs SEES 25: -EETSSPY a RESTA a a etter eh rete Sse tee . ae * te PT eee ee * 7 a ah a. (ae * -* ea re. ee <''s ** @u/erta +s: @ rile rsrsors be ew thie Pest pestsiseseses os. <4 i. a as 4 a ee . - eh bth eh Dl Be ee Bk Ae oh ee ek aE fae i ae sae le a - ape ee: oS Eee eei es. 2 ha ek es oon ree me nee Po * eee AF gL ‘ Bs. oi as te: an a ~ + 44 + oe & : oe iz, ate by a e eee de 4 aoe ~™ ~ _ -.. ge ee een a) be > ee Soe ae See Bs Pc ture “Be 22 2 a S ie Be a SS Ee Shes Leak ok _ ' - pF a] he a o : " eer A r+ he a + 3 274) = 42 YOUTH IN CONFLICT Neither of his parents have a psychosis (are in- sane) but there is mental ill-health in his family, 1.e jealousy, anger, irritability, suspicion, self-indulgence and lack of joy in the business of parenthood. Never has Charles known security, or warm steady affection which gives stability to childhood. Huis weak voice has been often raised in frenzies of fear ind anxiety, unable to win for himself any place in the interests of his parents, he is subject to outbursts of temper and griet. Charles is placed by court in a religious boarding school, his parents ordered to pay for him. Under the kindly régime of his teachers he will gain health. What the future will hold none may tell. Charles is not a frequent type in Juvenile Court. Yet every year in every large city numerous violent assaults are committed by young children and their number 1s on the increase. Usually in the home life of these children there are psychopathic traits, that is to say, disharmonies and emotional abnormalities among the parents. Probably such homes should be broken up. They are not really interested in chil- dren, and through them children suffer. Legal obstacles are numerous, for these parents are loudly clamorous of their rights. They wish to possess s and to dominate their children, they resent supervision. Fortunately for society, Charles came to Juvenile Court at an early age. He can be legally protected for many years. There is some possibility for his reeducation, but it is not great in the present state of our knowledge.A DAY IN THE JUVENILE COURT Case VII Four girls, fourteen, sixteen, fifteen and seventeen years of age are next on the calendar. They are high school students, healthy young Americans of “good” families. They are involved in a “school scandal.”” One was discovered by her teacher to possess a notebook of dull obscenities, sex jokes and drawings, together with improper parodies of popu- lar songs, and what would have been, if true, a casual, supposedly witty account of rape on a school girl. These she had obtained from another girl, the delicate daughter of a minister, who in turn had received them from a taxicab driver. This young fellow, on being brought to court, was discovered by psychological examination to be feeble-minded. The notebook had circulated among students, bril- liant, dull, rich and poor. The four girls now before the court were the popular, well-dressed daughters of good families. They smoked, drank (when they could get it) rode home from dances in taxicabs with young men, took all night joy-rides, used a great deal of paint and powder, swore at their parents. Each had a daddy,” although the tenure of office and length of service of these young lovers were precarious. The girls were sophisticated, tired; any exertion, besides dancing, wore them out. .They detested athletics, books and housework, They stood about average in high school work. Three boys were also before the court, as wit- nesses, aged fifteen, seventeen and twenty. They were prominent students in scholarship and activities. They were not, it seems, “daddies” of these girls, but there was some imperative, diplomatic reason Pore, _—- ees oe Tay es fsb stsse ee oe - —_—- + § . eg Sy bry hee 4 Lay PES ty ys: oa = Se ars. > i -S no al ty er ee ~ m \ .. = m4 — ae — _ re a> meek tee Pe ee Ay tery ba ee 3 Se 4 oS - ee ee es parm 2 TE Py oe = se pet 8 PP oe eee A a5 eae eee 2 1 Piei ie", “273 | \ s ¢ iv di $3¢ a ae - at ad ° “ee ape er oe eS Pic ty fs id | oes: don ae oe 33 ie ee — + s,s: Fe * a twee hk hae wa ry at at $F bana Sa zt ats P - Bed ah oe eT eee es oN buds sha ade eee p- ¢ oe phage oh ~ ie ae ee a. = " " a> i eh oe FA ei ek se ais a Ahan, phe oe .? 2 ba, si : Oo £4 BF oe OF Be 7 2.2) : ont uwe a A. oe” i a cz | at Me ee bw. eh een RE | a - err 2 a Be ¥ oO Caer be sg Ps oF FS Seivea tse ele wswere- ets. ta ~- - i oe A ~ Oh aE ane eek ce eel oe y t -t-E2-3- ts" es am gs z Lf 4 rs ee? a ae wee oo tetat et -T.LY oF i, ie EM, — eS: a ap ee ee, at p 2 —— i) ee ae - “an ae ee om: _* Py =e - a aos Pe - eee eh ht he hl el ated ed eh Ce eed DPF PAL ALPE as Se SL EE 324; rele lteter et els . « e, Se ee a re aa * ty he aT F276 ‘ Tf eee ei rr oe , ha es 4 - ** A SP a “ft ya ye 44 YOUTH IN CONFLICT why they should “help” the girls who were in a ‘Scrape’ or impending unpleasantness at home. So, the youngest boy obtained the parental automobile, the three boys and four girls “eloped,” that is to say, went to the neighboring county-seat to procure marriage licenses. En route gasolene gave out. Thereupon the parental car was abandoned, and a strange one commandeered. In talking it over at leisure it was decided not to marry, the parents would probably “fuss,” if one thing more than another was to be avoided it was “fuss.” Now these girls were pretty and delicate, daintily reared, and the boys were “manly,” “regular fellows” in good society, yet in court they admit, not only sexual familiarity, but promiscuity and disregard of simplest requirements of decency and affection which would arouse honest contempt in the mind of a longshoreman. Early in the morning they had arrived at a road-house, and being without funds or gasolene, one of the boys telephoned to his parents. Now, charged with theft and immorality, they are before the court. They presented an amazing contrast to their par- ents. One would have thought it was the parents who were laboring under burden of guilt, while the children were calm and rather disinterested. Clearly the parents behaved as if the pillars of their family esteem had suddenly collapsed; dazed with surprise and humiliation they sat with bowed heads, utterly pitiable. On the other hand the young people were courteous, frank, submissive to questions of court, but there were frequent smiles and impatience at the futility of it all. Each had what is called a “good” home, above average in comforts, and in good standing in public opinion.A DAY IN THE JUVENILE COURT 45 There are two tasks for the Juvenile Court: first to pierce the crust of composure, to reach in these girls and boys central tissues that are still sensitive, to awaken them to insight of their actual human predicament; and second to assist these adults, the parents, teachers and neighbors to an understanding sympathy. The parents of the girls wish to take them home, but they demand punishment of the boys. Parents of the boys obviously view these girls as the mother of Samson would gaze upon Delilah. Their sons have never spent a night away from home, they are girl-shy, their morals are unimpeachable. Some one must be guilty they think, but they cannot believe it is their boys. The District Attorney too is inclined to think the first duty of law is to determine who is the guilty party. Naturally he interrogates the twenty-year- old young man: he is just finishing high school, ill- ness and lack of money have retarded him. Devoted to his mother, his reputation is beyond reproach. He surely knew better, there is no excuse for his having relations with two of the girls. On the other hand the District Attorney doubts whether the jury would convict him, whether it wouldn’t displease the judge to see these pert, jolly girls who admit they spent fifteen minutes “kidding” him before he got into the machine. One has a visual image of his clean room at home with pictures of Iowa cousins, and then of the tank in the county jail, filthy, dis- eased, obscene, the very bricks smeared with con- tamination. The Juvenile Court explains to the parents that the girls, equally with the boys are responsible. Equally guilty are parents, school and court; clearly a > 7 7 _ J ere -~ ashy - ase Coy Sa Er eer resese glee =< Poke 5) ee i ne int Oe Sa ba ee Caan +2: Pow" ae oe oe ~ ae ee eee Coy te ae SSeSe Daha aa << Set Ss o, ees es hee e eae wk : ree ¥3 7 ‘4 len tet 2 a eo Ty SSE Sy te 9 re" pe e gt fore == . me oo kt ees tes Setar a3. Som “ > +; oY aoa .o-< eae Prey et sss ar cS tod 2 er Se al ah ieionl.iele a ae) rs tS retest sre Peete rere te os sy < 7s yee = eet tit ted Se Sat we dee ot et et =e me ve. | er a Cs eo - yee ra ne ie 4 a eo es —— PETERS Vy % $2 wi +2 . Siete item tiated Pepeat” “fo —— ' a e } aed ph sh x 5 SM be ms a Bs - =” © : ~ Pi eG ty BS Rae ™ for & ol feds ea of oS oes | f i c ot - a ater a Oe Ct be St Sa ae ee FECES Pe eS ee ‘ a ‘ - a a e ae 4 — a 4 “ = a oe Ce 2 tt. ei eg CJ ae i a eho , ie a a. a ad “ a | in | | ond hd ee eae = 34 3 a Pokal B* BI ws — - a" a 2 ¢ 24 a on | —_— >. J a Oe Fe tede. Pe ek ee 2 es ¥ — oes ‘tar a Ed a ee ae ry 5 he 5 ee ok ED oe cok he et aes - -* Se id hed ek a tach Po Oe Pe Be ee ww? a . a - > eee ee te eee oe oe 2 i mt a 4 oa = cf 7 . ee ee — ~ a ae a ee 5 -*e? - ae i~* 2 f ~ Wiimteee ee de iste tte ete Petts Mk, + r he. mi te . + aa - Sa’ ? a { at. os - a <- ferry ite 46 YOUTH IN CONFLICT we are part of a human family which has failed in the elemental duty of bringing up our young. It is now a question not of degree | of guilt, or weight of punishment, but of understanding ‘and helping young people. The school has expelled ‘them, the neighbors stripped them naked with talk, but they would be made welcome in every dance-hall, cabaret or brothel, in town. Suddenly the court is conscious of re- sponsibility of the instrument which the state has created to fulfill the duties of socialized parenthood and wonders how the public can be content with any but the wisest men and women in that place. Sex is not sacred to them, or terrifying; it is merely fun. While their attitude may be less harm- ful than that of some of their critics, it is still dangerous, inadequate and abnormal, running swiftly into perversions. The court will send each young person with his or her parents, if possible, to a so- cially-minded physician to be instructed in the ele- ments of sex hygiene, for be it well understood all their glib, seeming information is spurious. They do not know the body and its rules, any more than they know the spirit of the creative force which they have been destroying. The court, by probing, simple questions, tries to bring to them a sense of birth, child-rearing, nursing, illness, love, courtship, self- sacrifice, discovery, struggle and happiness, parent- hood and death. Not fear, but understanding, and pity (where it is needed for helplessness, disease, blindness, suffering among the innocent, etc.) are sought, and since in race-history human situations have not changed much, these young people are often genuinely impressed after their visits to orphanages, children’s hospitals and the like. Their parents have shielded them and have veiled reality, but the courtA DAY IN THE JUVENILE COURT 47 has never faced a “‘flapper’’ who has not been some- what touched by a true life-situation, squarely pre- sented. Funny parodies in the notebook become not quite so funny, if the mystery is removed, and bio- logical sequences revealed. The court, however, would be guilty of a wrong did it not see that in sex-instruction furnished these young people by doctor and probation officer, emphasis was on health and joy, rather than upon disease and pain. To parents the court must stress need of studying their individual children, of not blaming other young people for their children’s delinquencies; of need of vigor in parenthood, not alone physically, but in ideals of family life which make child-rearing a genuine fulfillment. Surprising as it appears after hearing evidence, the largest proportion of these boys and girls from high schools and good neighborhoods, if taken to court early for first delinquencies, if there they are wisely handled, under adequate probation officers, if home, school, church and court cooperate, make good. They do not repeat delinquencies, they look on their former conduct as a fad they have dropped; they become rather sober-minded, critical young American citizens. Case VIII Otherwise is the case of Consuela, aged seven- teen years and eleven months. She isa girl of Mex1- can parents, born in America. Her parents are farmers, industrious folk, who follow seasonal agricultural industries, fruits and nuts, and move about as crops demand. Consuela is dark and heavy- set with a soft voice and slow movements. She is ed a es ad ——y a! 4 2% SS a J sdf es 7 rT * ly I et ee ‘ne po - Pi Cy ho “oe 2 7 a —t ofa oht hs ee ~ Zana Ss. ere + _ =o => ~~ > ~ "iS rr reess baa» pe Set Sel tee at el. = = Se ae hes eS tEca! =~ te a a So Try +r: a Lo ¥ itt a * re 1 t t=e,aty 7 SPieuse sr a ars wry +e ae, ~s a Se art ey terre ~ ot ~ a es bees ifaye ~ sis a | ae me ny SV -~ -_ ry —— =< a 5 4 et Pn r <3 ry “sy tes. rte : ie ee. fone 235 54 Se - a yl en a _ tho ae a ry — eer 4 Crore |be ie Ds - 7 — he oe | . 20-5 e Sos 8 rs .. a. ek, ws a eo ty ca t‘-s-5 = a .- oy ee . ee -_ 7 - = cs — re. . *- et PSF EPSP PES eh ook et 4 S< ff. +S +e see aad co. Pierre rt ers cee gta. ss bl ~t- Ff iS 2 oe bie ss a i @ — ke Ce ad nae en ok he oe Be hee ee tig ps ga a es ee c 6a € m “a ; astescy te DEP BR ese ee Lie 8 4 ¥ yee Pe Ra iy Ba al gt Ae CR Ao ee ee oe Se Be Trt. ht ee ee oe = ie tek ~ Pt i. an a = ol ot i a a EEO at eye 3 a Sy en, a aa Sree Oe res : ba! * oe hat i od Miah ade tec dee hurler he becnerd wee tote t ee et ee FL? Bawa 3 hd ee eee — oon el 7 ein ie ad wats. a < as - Pee Ac ti? té> re pen oe ae i hat, pots da | ae a 2 - - 4 ® “d *". aie a ; —~ Ae oa ob: i hae Rd . Ae Nene Tal Meal} * y . mat, a - oe Si eer . “yy * b a” he he eee te ST Ska . ee gate Fas = naa STS TSS _~—. ee wy tvs ees te ms ~ “ bealind . iy som Tp te aes HSS PS eee ete — & . < <—s. eo 7 a Ne ee a ot ee - ae a - a ed ewe) 7o sce a ee 55 r ‘~ ae ra Perrot Titty aes Lae a one ee -* et es Te aevrbrig 4 be bk Bedi) — £ $F. +o % T,% ht tele p> +-é 3s By > = ee ELSE: - be de teclont i eee. eS at ee oe a —f2Tiscerz? ertserteyees te ae tat 6 gs rs . - a P = eh te get Bk ate Bite fords 5 Ly yap tat Ae te fe Ss of t ey ES ee NE PS ceo a ft ee - = a a , ET AS . be Be > et ey et pF US ‘ c a, ~ —— = ne ey ad ees ao’ * a * Serta te toed a7 oF Pa sha tei ss: fe cees Poa a >a ote) are he ® a at a ee Det Ss ae ine . ais : 3 a ree se = ane )aaia dt” eh peepee ae Oe pe ae ge ed * ~_s . c+ Par iPad 23 Se ee oor the be Del ned —. aa. Se LE ih Leth, Sa, Re ety ane ae ~ ~_ - ed atg ik eat Sohn ee et hs > “a ate ied re ola es ame en 3 ics iba eet bana Post es ea Fi Dan >> ae aa a ea, AB i i’ - oe oe ert Lee et Pe et CE — 52 YOUTH IN CONFLICT “extras” in some mass scene, and then “kicked out.” Then they must seek assistance of some “good” woman, or social organization, or “earn” their living on the streets. But these girls who driit to court, about-to-enter-the-movies, apparently seek advice from some man who, together with charitable in- clinations seems to require some profit in the way of casual embraces. So, more or less broken in body and spirit, the girl reaches the Juvenile Court. Josephine clung to her story, even after telegrams arrived from New York and Denver stating that she had never been heard of in those places. Finally after weeks of good feeding and care in the Detention Home, Josephine requested to come to court where she declared her name was Ella Brown from Wichita, Kansas, her mother and father owned the biggest grocery store there, and weeping, she had yo desire on earth but to return home. Ella meant this, and the court restored her to her parents. Case XI Sam Jones lives in Missouri. He is about to run for state legislature. Six years ago his wife divorced him, the court gave custody of their child, a girl of seven, to the mother. Child and mother came to California. She remarried, a thick-set young man who drove taxis, flirted with pretty girls and took life good-humoredly. The mother was slender with vivid coloring, graceful body and rhythmic voice. They lived in a beach resort in a cheap apartment with the child, now thirteen years of age. They were very gay. The girl was often left alone while the parents went to dance-halls and joy-rides, but as the young mother explained to the court:A DAY IN THE JUVENILE COURT Csi tr “She is not alone; I leave the dog home too.”’ Once there was a street fight and the step-father, after swinging fists to advantage “‘sassed”’ the police- man. The wife had shown more loyalty than dis- cretion: indeed the policeman in court alleged her anguage shocked him. After that the police kept vigilant eye upon the young woman, and when her soft, high-colored cheek rested against that of some passing sailor-boy in carefree fashion of the popular dance-hall, she was asked to leave. This and much, much more, was related to Sam Jones back in Missouri by his tourist friends who, in an effort to picture the gay, abandoned life led by citizens of California in beach-resorts, heightened colors and deepened shadows that surrounded his ex-wife. Sam Jones lived in no such gayety. He began to brood. He conceived it his mission to hire lawyers and detectives and have his thirteen- year-old daughter declared free from custody of an unfit mother. To-day the court must hear the evidence. The child is a well-mannered, quiet. little girl, carefully dressed in hand sewn'clothes rnadé Sy the mother; she is regular in school, better, behaved than the average child cf respectabie parents.. After hearsay evidence has simmered down, and one has discounted the rather sordid imaginations of the police, the brilliant deductions of detectives and fears of wel- fare workers, there emerges only a happy little girl of thirteen, and her slangy, well-intentioned step- father and thoughtless young mother, trying to be gay in ways ready-made by the beach-resort town. Really the only serious member of the family is the dog. There is no trace of that evil and vicious web which was conjured up in the mind Se Ans ed - ey Oe om y 5. ane a" wasted ee 3 naam See] & hs * py BPS” - hai eed Ss ed ~ = rere te ST Eee Cet ters: ~- ee ae ye ta? rrr e tT rere ys PS a ‘ = = =f —* « & = ~ Pp wits ee ie 8 ey Dh tb hk et eee a al eS. Tete a Petites te gta eer ee pt 4 pe a a : a Ee 3 ne ee ee tee SS. eS Prt = ae oe! n STESTT ER a id — 5 lei an — awe pepees pseeae > a eee oss Ye a tsi rie onatt Lhe 6 Ria ome he pe Ree PPE Ear etre Paes s Proce ea coe fet eee ot fe ee Fe FE R 5 te Mitel Bande “ Ps o = . i el . 7 ee oe ae ee eR, 68, ee ae tetas eves gee e ea eo ee “pee Tr gm. 5 eee 7S Rs *s = “a . 7 ed SS ee oar nd ke . f= Jr 3 . ' ‘ " ei 8S RROD ho He geek shee hh ed 5 et ; ih a oe eS SS Ee I : ale Gel ae oy ep . . oe Tiel ere tot ee f 4 REPS TS ORES SST S ¥.*-¥.3:4.°% * oa md oe 9 Smo gin rs “ = ~4 r ree , ee ae Cd * @ 4 ena ae oe a ee : CET go ivnd at Re So a es 2} - 4a aire re es ake Md wk SARA T oe ae | S a c » Oe 3 thehud be ht es i pat tae =e ror. Ps >. 4 os ee eS a state ah eel Re gl fins . Set ra d — 2 | a = ae ee ae ” Ce = o tte oe ee rs et ake ee a ae 4 « eer e | aa bt he dt do tte hh £ a ~ ~ Ps 5 om tbe a One A ny, - weetetat.s_ zt! Pe Bg a -- a | Ate hatin a oA Sn a8 2s 2 Ff yee nd tt: 3 | om | : = 2 |< Pe 3 a oe oe Bes ¢ Ps | os we i bi a pe a 54 YOUTH IN CONFLICT of Sam Jones, aided by his wishes and his neighbors. The mother promises to look after her child dis- cretely; as her eyes meet the court they are moist and grateful. The father’s lawyer strongly presents his plea that the child, at least one-half the time, be subjected to the influence of his prominent law-abiding client. “He will bear all expense. I ask this court not to deprive this child of the noble influence of her father. Let her spend summers with him and win- ters with her mother. After all he zs her father, he has sacred rights.” But the Juvenile Court is not concerned with rights of parents as such. Their contract is with each other: this court should conserve the interests, the welfare of the child. It is never for the welfare of the child to be sub- jected to influence of two conflicting parents. Ii wwe would rear a mentally healthy child, it is better that she live with one parent, unless of course she can have two; but that is an increasing rarity in human life of the American child who comes before Juvenile Court. “Case XTL It is now dark: court has lasted all day. The concluding case is that of an unmarried mother and her baby. The girl is seventeen years old. Four years she has been a ward of court. Reared in an orphanage, at fourteen she was placed to work in a family. Her parents are dead. In the home where she worked she alleged she was initiated into sex- experiences by the man of the family and sent to Juvenile Court by his wite. Casual foster-homeA DAY IN THE JUVENILE COURT 55 placements followed. No one really wanted the girl who was plain and a great talker. Finally because of staying out late with boys, she was committed to the State Training School for Girls. Here she was tractable and good-natured. She learned to do use- ful things: in short became a home-maker. She had few permanent interests save making clothes and linens which she stored in a “hope chest.” Hers was a friendless existence. She was not attractive to men or boys. Her mentality was “dull average,” in school her record was good, she managed to finish two years in high school. Paroled from school she was permitted to live with an elderly woman who took great care of her. This apparently met with the girl’s wishes, she had asked to be placed where there were “no men folks to bother her.’”’ She was occupied with fancied at- tentions from male neighbors. Suddenly it was discovered she was pregnant. She named a prominent young man in the com- munity, there was no evidence that she told the truth. There were no relatives competent, so she was placed in a maternity home where for six months she was trained in personal hygiene. She also learned to care for her baby. She comes now before court in order that a per- manent plan can be made for her welfare. Rosy with health, encircling her healthy baby in her arms, she is a picture of motherhood which would not be displeasing to a physician. Her eyes shine with new vigor and happiness. “What is his name?” the court asks. aGarl,” “And now tell us the truth. Who is the father ?”’ a Mo Ta Petey . pe Ff od rt. Se ah al ot ee » 7? rbedia = i . a © o } ling a TS rs . eer ee) re om e*sheue tS Pee ey te oe Lees ose . Sets S ee Le os ay Swe he eet ssn eabere BENE ee AEST FS Te 7 eo Soest seat TY So Se oe tetsete fs aes * | Sate sad Perey se soar re —2— eo = ea OK? > Co ro Merit Bad td Sette ler ee Le Oo ET St ee ee Et ee ied oe nd ee JEtR ISIS he oe ce tet a eee ios eS et ee se eg we Fe enact es — ba O . os EE MS Fe = ~~. ~ =" rs Ce Le See teasee a pe pice Bk ae hele a een et P - , res See ss $ xe bd + ~ e ag Ba mi Pee » Pte id aa Pe eet oP eee ad * a 7 enh BE OA Se ere - & etebs os ule, o™- < en par SS ar . ’ > Sete oe oe - i a * aban. 7a Te Ms Fite a = PX PRES E BH °C ¢y evag + eres oe - a ae Yo ee = " p > I oe * ee a, ilies Dood = 5 a a - eat a “ A a ee ee ee - a Pe peek at aoe ee i Ai eae ~~. € a . Se ePas ar esEss or ewe _— es nd SEVse 7 — ‘as * - Sa al den et anole - a rs - aang “ +e +y «@- = oe 4 ap - ; i. slo md ae See... & +. J in -o. ee i ide eh tae ot bee eh ed ete oe ts a ae BT} se aa | ry ee eae Bi ee 56 YOUTH IN CONFLICT “Oh, let me really tell the truth! It was not Mr. X—-; it was indeed not him. I am simply ashamed to tell you.” ‘Why, who was it then?” “Tt was Jim—’” Jim, the ice-man, a young fellow of spotless neat- ness, beloved of housewives, as he never made muss in the kitchen. Jim, a casual bachelor of Armenian descent, had now decamped leaving not a trace. ‘Whose fault was it that Jim did this to your” “Oh, it was mine! I as good as let him. I did indeed. I thought he might marry me if I had a child.” (So had reckoned Arabella in Hardy’s “Jude the Obscure,” but she had only pretended, whereas our young mother cheerfully had borne her child. ) “Now what do you wish to do?” “TI am going to keep my baby, my little Carl, for- ever, and work for him.” “Are you sure you can be a good mother?” “Oh, ma’am, you watch and see!” There could be no doubt, as one observed the maternal posture of the girl, her satisfied arms curv- ing about her child in quiet ecstasy of happiness, that Carl’s physical needs would receive their right- ful attention. Courts must take the short view of these matters; if any one thing is clearly fixed in law and nature it is the right of an infant to be fed and petted by the female who bore him. Carl at present is no more concerned with mys- teries of his future than Jim is concerned for him. Both are content to have sought of the girl only her contribution to their transitory warmth and comfort. Carl, however, did not know that a year later hisA DAY IN THE JUVENILE COURT 57 young mother would be courted and married by a middle-aged oil-digger and that he and his mother would go to live in a country town with modern con- veniences, including an enormous baby carriage with blue ribbons for Carl. The little State School girl knew all along what she wanted; it took society some time to furnish it. Conclusion to Chapter I Court is over. These boys and girls will be seen frequently again. Those placed under supervision of probation officer will return for change of plan or commendation in the trying business of “making good,” until, in judgment of court, the case with safety to child and neighborhood can be dismissed ; jurisdiction, power to supervise, help, protect and control extends until the age of twenty-one.” Some will fail to make adjustments and will be placed in institutions. In every case the court will seek to make probation a constructive power, capable of fulfilling need of the child for wise parenthood. On what principle have these twelve cases been selected out of thousands of matters which come yearly before court? Certainly selection has been made with no thought of illustrating completely all types of problems and personalities dealt with. So complex is the work, so vast and rushing the stream of disordered, perplexed humanity, that complete presentation would be impossible. Whole classes of cases under the jurisdiction of the modern Juvenile 1In California the marriage of a girl under twenty-one who is a ward of the Court does not release her from supervision unless so ordered by the Court. Statutes of Calif., 1915, p. 1225. This provision has been upheld by the Appellate Court, 30 Calif. App. 188. SS Lo Y ey hee é Pe oe bi Tat Mead oon 4%. : ——s ~, a J os - eo > 4 bed ~ * = oy & ar ee --e. on s% ‘ — Par) * ad s * ceo ts Teri > Peeese$ 82 oe psaekie 4 esol a ees ¥o~ Far) a x. f ‘3 el = ey ye YS = ee eS a rst Fy ae A a a . ~— ety Peper ton cet s ad al +rear - r ln of ' oF @ + aro ea a tae S yng, ox. . a fis « - 4 i. >. Sa Seeks ore epee ee eesti eat re Saeed be inte be SS eR Pe TERE. $e oe Se ret ee ge PS at 2: ad Set Sk tad '- + 7 a. = 2 : - Py s3earie i: estes} et oe PS er Pe adi, Mk od ae eth de Pk Pe SPE ¢ t het b ohh bie te ekhd ae er ee Pe “ - ae ee ee ee ae a ea us i he te 7 Pee ee et eeess - 2.5 © td aa ose biog! we oo os aa A bed Cr 7s ot as en ee — ee — Se fa ro a 3 a eS Set Ik tel et a le - Per ae Sets, oe ¢=a¢ - a y . ne * - i 8 ON, eh ee ee ee * 2 ca = — 4 ae oi ~ Hg be x ios 38 se 2 bo Ci ha be alto tee ded 8 ae ee Fs et Ay ee = -- ef - z = « a ee * het at] Ne Sn OS a ne A een Ae eS —<— ia hd . + Sol ioe. - rte; = <5 testetet ete Yi ¢ ¢ # Sl ae ee - a ee, a - - a =f < 2h fa ee 58 YOUTH IN CONFLICT Court have been omitted intentionally: for example, matters of adoption, guardianship, dependency, failure-to-provide, and the feeble-minded. The feeble-minded are a relatively simple problem. They comprise, it is variously estimated, from one-tenth to one-third the population of Juvenile Court, their needs are well understood, and unless with lack of intelligence they combine emotional disturbances which make control difficult, it is merely a matter of securing adequate social facilities for care, edu- cation, custody or community supervision.* Out of experience of Juvenile Court arise certain persistent images, frequently recurring types of human difficulty which appear to have significance for the social conflict: it has been the work of this chapter to present these. In every neighborhood in America, in every Juvenile Court these cases present themselves, under aspects varying with place and culture, but in human fundamentals the same: for example, there are children of immigrants whose quest for enlarged spiritual or economic life has not been realized in this country. Parents have not been able to infect their children with their ideals. Children have been cut off from their background, which in many immigrant groups, would have en- riched life with art, imagination, sense for beauty, emotional warmth. Gifts of race are unproductive in lives of the children who are in conflict with their parents, and whose physical and mental cravings are in conflict with goals of industrial civilization. These ‘Children of Loneliness’ inflict property damage. Their misplaced or thwarted energy 1Dr. Charles Bernstein, in “Mental Hygiene,” Vol. IV, pp. 1-28, describes a hopeful experiment in the social treatment of mental defectives, January, 1920.A DAY IN THE JUVENILE COURT 59 rushes forth in acts of ‘malicious mischief.” A large proportion yield with success to early, intelli- gent probation supervision. Their need for nourish- ing food, medical attention, vivid, colorful experi- ences is being partially met by social organizations, playgrounds, modern “neighborhood” schools and settlements.* Constantly large numbers of boys like Clarence, girls like Clara, come before Juvenile Court with no apparent serious maladjustment. Their parents are average Americans. One wishes to avoid dog- matism, or harsh criticism, but certain facts are true of the home life of these children; it is all de- voted to “making a living” in some place where there are “modern conveniences.” In three generations of American family life the goal has changed from rearing healthy, active children to goals of modern business. Children are prematurely encased in brick and stone. Routine is dull, monotonous, need for adventure is not met. These boys and girls become incorrigible, steal, lie, run away, throw morals over- board. Their treatment is extraordinarily difficult because there is seemingly no way of changing habits and ideas of adults who control them. Always there are cold, aloof girls like Evelyn who steal and swindle. They are seriously mal- adjusted personalities, with a mental twist; they re- quire services of a psychiatrist. Probation alone cannot help them.’ The fifth case portrays a situation rarely absent from a Juvenile Court calendar, the unnecessary appearance of children in court. No amount of 1See article on Chinese children, Nora Sterry: Jourwal of Applied Sociology, Vol. 7, No. 6, pp. 325-333, July, 1923. 2See William Healy: “Mental Conflicts.” .~ a - 7 os | — ie ie mes a Soe” —Sy let Liti+ te &4-ae it Gea” dp Hh ree nae ee = pS Ny x ~ oe nt Eh 4 rere Men oe ll os - poe ong oe 2A eye = re ys 3st. eS <2 2 oe aagce Ss eee reat” ey Tt to = ea ute ee. ee oe et —_—> 7 . a 7 ecren 8 ite ae ‘<4 te St E , oy x bs — Per eat ys eee Se 33) 2. ey LS te ale be p Sra ee ~ i ee SS i a Porte ’ - Sih cs a od rere es oe Fee es a tie ee a Se hea ya re plete oe eee sere ete et ee ge te SS oe ere g od = to SSS = plead ea 7 a Yad Ges 4.4 \ me i ie or os “4 . | isteA oe od he bth ' Le ap pe ee a ile . 2 Siewert ere: oe. *.- _ = eS Se eed 7 a es Te me : P' ; pede, — a eo PS os 1 - hm a Ps p a --. bs a PEK Po eter re Bi te tk hb hn ol ok ee foe ee ‘ Ss os. 2 > Fe: i ee ‘ LF -u oer = oe oe F) ae hea ie ek et | fete eee oases. Seo ad = a « ie p A a ed at * ee | 5 U * — hal pee wort 3 es . eis ie ee - - i Oe tee Se vis tate te “4 i ee . — eee La a - ernrrecr roe Ps aa ng _ eee Pie Fe ee - * * D ay exe aw SE pe A ta ee ok lle ik ee so tl os Kr eS. Stes oa he ee eS SS a eee a 2 a @ a a) a .£ | ’ eS 74 Fad suh tot et bs ents hhh hd shih ee eh he ek ag “= ©@ 7 te SS el ee Pe - i—* thea | += ; R Ped. 29 TS ei or SP te _ _— a *; hi Co Pi aw ey se ta 1 gt a oar) phe e ro an oA a a aw ~ YOUTH IN CONFLICT preliminary investigation appears to abolish this evi! because trends of neighborhood gossip are so strong, torted that often misdeeds of children seem great indeed. In court testimony of neighbors put under oath, collapses. In many cases charges are trivial, again false. The community should be trained to know that charges, often of gravest nature, are made without foundation, even in “respectable” neighborhoods. If Juvenile Court procedure is good, and the children are not subjected to publicity, there ‘s not often serious damage by the unnecessary liti- gation, save that parents lose time and work, and neighborhood ill-will is strengthened. The duty of the court is to dismiss promptly every unwarranted petition, to educate adults as tar as possible in the delightful art of living peacefully with children. The case of Charles, nine-year-old stabber, is typical of scores of violent assaults committed by children of psychopathic tendencies. Cruelty in their home life flows through them into the community.’ Case seven presented a group of young people in expressed, open conflict with parents, and current rules of morality. They readily assent to their own seduction, the community fails properly to protect them in matter of hotels, rooming houses, taxicabs and places of amusement. Their homes are “good.” Such cases are a challenge to our present social standards and must be interpreted as such. Consuela’s case illustrates power of the Juvenile Court to deal effectively with problems of prostitu- ala Wain SO Gis ~ 1 By cruelty we need not understand gross physical acts. Often misuse of force, mental or moral, will produce in the child fear or anger or acts of violence which are defense- reactions.A DAY IN THE JUVENILE COURT OI tion and such serious crimes as murder. It typifies that small proportion of cases where the girl delin- quent is a “slave’’ in some brothel. These condi- tions exist, as shown by popularized vice-commission reports, but they are rare. By no means all girl prostitutes have low mentality, but where the young girl “voluntarily” submits to life in the underworld for long periods of time, there is often an element of mental retardation. Cruel, depraved adults who debase children are not rare. Ruth’s story is typical of much Juvenile Court work. The runaway “Josephine” and her craze for movies, is a case so frequent as to be stereotyped. The eleventh case, that of the young woman accused of immorality and unfitness to retain cus- tody of her child, is common, If a young woman is rough in manner, slangy and offhand with social workers and police officials, she is viewed with sus- picion as a person of loose conduct. Courts have little difficulty with such cases; on the one hand evi- dence is flimsy; on the other the condition of the child, if well cared for, is best evidence that the mother is capable of safeguarding her welfare. The unmarried mother problem is so complex, embracing as it does almost every type of personal- ity, all levels of intelligence and all social classes, that any selection of type is arbitrary. Still it is wise to remember that sometimes maternity 1s a con- structive act... And sometimes society has provided so few legitimate opportunities to young domestics to meet men socially that cravings for illicit inter- course are natural results. 1See Mrs. Dummer’s introduction to the “Unadjusted Girl” by Wm. I. Thomas. os - yt oS a rae - 3 S273 Pyke ee eK i at a a ha nS ee a ) a f.f= tits 8s its 485 rt eh teeter tte eos ete er ete <¥- ans ad © — a +e Sk oe > 2 SS a ee Serr tei ese FoF Eta tS . ts

oe + + $-- nies orit a ois ; et Yt <. ‘s aaa ae - : ea Roo: Se Fs Pa a o> a. eer eet en eh deed Ol Gi weSaete ~~ eee neat! oe “itt. eis ee: a +. - oe. ol a tas © were « - me © tie SF — oe nd sek ah pty 2 oe ee en eset. tat ee ak oe ‘oer ' .*_* at rn oh pes fod oe ee ee ee a at Cae on em and ah > ste + ate Sostaetr :* ¢-o-5 - y ee hae ee, ot ee 1 ee eee see *S e~ 664978 46-3 4 ete 3 - ee Bn ra ri ete Stes. : y teh aed ea et adh teh Ser i he ee eee eR a Sl De a _—_ -_ - > Pon a a -¢ 2 wate fea. ee < a d i ES A ag PS et eos 8s Pa ee 24 Sa - : a . emis o ei Sa ae. Pee e $eeo tote te wt Lt es ot, Fe pe | wk kl dee % > - Pa. a ao eet etd = - - Ta, eee es ee Sa et cleat sid a ed el ‘a * i, elt kee he a ae Pa > 4 hh ait te et ae ete tews st. oe pe ee owe ae hee 2 pee es GF Soe ork chad I — bs La a Se ~ os et oe es oe ee pa, * Ja PEE SS ¢ ¥ i ee tae. ae a SE tk A lool et oak Do a - - 3D wn hoe abe ee Bad a a} ' i Anetta hat eA) lhe SA Cie ae * © — --.— $2222 a arn ' eA ba "ey: eg ea op eh pret Z YOUTH IN CONFLICT These twelve cases, then, partially show the range of Juvenile Court material, limited to no social or intellectual level; they show main trends of conflict between child and community, and illustrate certain major patterns of the delinquency that runs through the web and texture of modern civilization,CHAPTER II THE CONFLICT IN THE HOME REAL Estate DEALER: Home: a definition: “A Home: Own Your Own. You will feel Happier. Lot thirty by seventy-nine feet. Bungalow, four rooms and garage. Modern Up To The Minute.” American Poet: ‘Home is a place, where, if you have to go there, they have to take you in.” James Hinton: * “Our happy Christian homes are the real dark places of the earth.” The Home: Coventry Patmore: ? “For something that abode endued With temple-like repose With ordered freedom, sweet and fair A tent, pitched in a world not right.” These partial glimpses of home express its many aspects. I'o the Juvenile Court, also to the psychia- trist, the saying “A family is a tyranny ruled over by its meanest member,” is a description of the conflict in homes which, in process of becoming “broken,” send their members to courts, clinics and hospitals for insane. The home has primary tasks to fulfill for its young: to shelter and nourish infancy in comfort, 1 Quoted by Havelock Ellis, “Little Essays in Love and Vir- tue,” p. 20. * Anna Garlin Spencer quotes in “The Family and Its Mem- bers,” p. 20. 63 yy ES | rey wee =. So 7. -t- a = a eas) eIys= A wees Pee ges? Pore: me > ee ae ae ~ ts a ets Bees FS te ts + a , oe ep an ssiaae oS SF tow ih See Big ay een ie Cae ts + reerer es Sess ce TH eke eee aes s bh thledion At ~~ 2a Ss; shat t 4. haa ts Bese 2 a eS 7 ~ arbre SSeS ae ee Pw oes rt eee i oh — 7 — i. os rsx is — a rs oe Shoes re oy Sr Se Tes one ied ae ; nes -* =i pee 2) 3 5 ea: ® 255 ee ees Sng ba. ee, bul J ay a. a. id aan ae .- bd - bl ~ oe a nt PPeteRL cee eters ro ae e te 4ie a a 4 387%. <7 o7 a. bh ts e~ @ * Se ok ed eka kc a | aoe gress: yee ees : Pe eee PE =. noe MS Se Str ge hae gd Nak Ret a oh oe ES sta + aa Pm. c oe as eo eae. ae SS ee eh ¢*% Js. 34 + =~ org + Teuate ? 2 «£.e¢ z b i 2 ee ~~ s ~e ae os Pap, . _= =: a = aie! are Sa —— oa . ethan ec a pA ak ok pak teal > ee De ee i Dede te ” aan} . a ale a) er 1 he) = a oe md ce oe rd oe a eee ea - - et tee ee bh to ae De 5 EO iN e hee a be Fs aa oe ‘ 0 * : iD ; ne ee y r Py . pe a) F **¢ _ i-7 — Res ee - * * 4 pe gk: o ae ra Pat ie By ty nd ial - - ee et ee tat e+ a a ~~ , a Por Sy ar | Ps PARTE BA a asececgisd giver ° eM —* Saag eeteny hd Bb ce eee eae p : " £545 = t- 85 nt Ae te ee ee Y E ’ ' Ss “-* Lt, - - * s ‘ : = $4 i ot . est et > eS 3: ‘A os oe eee e at ~% . sa - Ake s bl v s i ae a | a. a 7 Per 4444 7 aS Te CREME Co ORES ce “eres greg *pene a ee a « rol, oc, ae al: ee oe. Ap ae SES ee eee “el ead ee oe oo poe _ See es at ee 27 roe e Serecs steaks . - = = Be: YOUTH IN CONFLICT without inflicting damage of premature anxiety; to enable the child to win health, virility and social esteem: to educate it to meet behavior codes of the community, to respond effectively to human situa- tions which produce the great emotions, love, fear and anger; to furnish practice in the art of living together on a small scale where human relationships are kindly and simple; finally the home has as its supreme task the weaning of youth, this time not from the breast of the mother, but from depend- ence, from relying too much on that kindliness and simplicity of home, so that youth may not fail to become imbued with joy of struggle, work and serv- ice among sterner human relationships outside. Home should furnish the child with a clew, a thread. which, mingling later with results of his own spiritual discoveries, will become the guiding line of life, and reveal his place in nature. The home not only furnishes the child with its first knowledge of human personalities, but may open or shut the door to many fascinating interests: nature, adventure, books, ideas, discovery and conquest, failure and defeat. To do these things would be the work of the adequate home. Social workers need not concern themselves with theoretical disputes about the family. They, like parents, must make the most of it. The family is in experimental stage,—that is to say,—now as from the beginning it is modifying its structure to meet enlarging needs of human beings. According to point of view the family may be soing up or down; the social worker may be sure the family is not going out. As long as babies cry and smile, or children gasp with delight on being tossed, or boys fly kites, or girls put on adornment for eraduation, sacramentTHE CONFLICT IN THE HOME 65 or marriage, a woman and man will be found standing together, raising funds to enjoy the spec- tacle. Social workers, and all those who seek to influ- ence the child, should accustom themselves to view the home clearly and simply. In the biologically healthy family the father is dominant but not cruel or mean: he has initiative in family affairs, in his work and social relations. He is in love with his wife and takes an interest in the welfare of each of his children. The mother is a satisfied woman. She ‘s comfortable, that is to say, she is not restlessly seeking her life-gratification apart from mate and children. If she goes out to do something tor the community she is simply spreading the cloak of her mothering a little wider. Her idea of her tamily may include other families, larger groups of men and women, cities, the country, the whole world per- haps, as women like Jane Addams do; but in these wider contacts the true mother may be known by the fact that she seeks not to exploit herself, nor to gain personal distinction : she is not trying to domi- nate, but to nourish, and her attitude toward child- hood, her feeling toward true sources of satisfaction ‘n life will not change. This mother will desire the welfare of each of her children, without selfishness, whims, hypocrisy or pretense. Both parents will genuinely love and enjoy children, will seek to under- stand them, will have respect for their unfolding per- sonalities. Each will have “interests outside the home.’”’ that is to say, be occupied with some thoughts and feelings beyond bread-winning, and their per- sonal relationship to one another. But as long as 1 Kempf: “Psychopathology. ’ A most illuminating study of the family. Pp. 76-117. em iy a endl le el “ ad e+ a) al - 7 SS . s + as rf ie bs ay Le: a dl Fa eases, oF yt! totes ‘ Psefes? Sed .' ill a ik Slit oo 3 ETT ies ee . Ale ee et Se | iy ee ee ee ee Pe Neg ae ET (4 + ers = Pers > po abrkute 2) so Y ——. & = Ske te mae SEIN te sea] or * ~ = os i Cee ese tS ry rete = - ar ts potato te, ast, > tn Nema a " . ~ ie | Pa a ge te SVT te a ee ee ee 4 on 3 ee re rp 5 Wittig ee ee ee |p Sebebverere sererekbeeis ds beinee lsd ==> SS Se a er ee ts ie ee oe? ee % Natt ee ee _ ’ 2 oe ke Po ~— AS: ¥ees | ES Ee Sb Saale ko od pl eo | i ees va lS Sgt pee ee eo ee 73 TiGete Bs ete eg eke tetoat ¥: eres +t Pe ena etek ds '.? 8 .t-3.8.5 12 re See. t.% > i bok fol ik ee ae oe oe ee 2: - $t ok ph ee ¢- au Bb: * Le et ae es BS Sf ee ees = e- ¥ - ~ — ~t . — 3 . pn ets o CERES Ss ~ 6 25 = pr el tte al Bo eae BS Bh 8h rod - ie ae Pa FS ES B a avs © oe pe BF pee 6a 5 o4 oe Be = ‘= ° on ay =e tet oo | a a Snr Sa " a ee ered * —__ , a a a dt ts 7 a ph Be oe pe mahal 4 5 | > othe = ie eee be | wei. c. . ae ae - a gp oteP it a, F - 4 wos tetet eee eee re eee oe ekg te TL ES PT: > aesthetic ed: i ee ey os = add +s « St es all \ \ a ee ae nt a - * Si. see eT Tee } ge Be 7 rere M =e 66 YOUTH IN CONFLICT children are being reared, the chief interest will be growth of the children in body, intelligence, per- sonality and social relationships. No child has a good home if these fundamentals are lacking, no matter what conveniences or modern up-to-the-minute devices there may be in the house- hold. No home is unfit 1f there is harmony between the parents and the children are wisely loved, how- ever great may be some social worker’s disapproval of the cat asleep on the bed, or disorder in the kitchen. Doubtless it will be objected that this statement of family aims is too limited. It is demanding too much of parents, is cramping their lives. On the contrary, rightly understood, the interests of child- hood are broad as those of the race itself; there are no limits to growth of the individual who seeks to serve youth. It is true that many parents cannot find their satisfaction in children, and for them exists conflict between interests in business, pleasure, per- sonal beauty, art, science, adventure and the interests of children. Such parents are restless until they obtain freedom from insistent demands of babies; they ask no questions when the boy or girl seeks the streets and automobile, or readily they accept lies told them by the young people because the adults so passionately desire peace, or license to do as they please. Such adults may serve society creditably and be useful to their neighbors, or create some worth- while thing: the tragic thing is that they should be parents if they do not love children. It is surprising how many parents, how many adults, fail to love children: that is, in the big, disinterested biological way of unselfishly rearing a child to physical and mental health, without demanding in return someTHE CONFLICT IN THE HOME 67 subtle payment that forever robs the young of full growth to independent adulthood. Doubtless it will be felt that it is hard to find the normal family. The writer does not pretend to knowledge that would unravel domestic problems of our “broken homes.”’ All that is clear is practically no child ever brought before the Juvenile Court has a home that fulfilled the standards of the biologically healthy family group. Or to state it differently, that home where interests of childhood are secondary to those of business, pleasure or personal ambition, is potentially a delinquent-producing home. The child, struggling from infancy to win affec- tion and esteem from each member of the family, is living in a world of conflict. This is healthy. This is splendid. The normal child should earn his way by acts and attitudes which are pleasing to good parents, and bring rewards of approval, suc- cess and love. It is conflict which makes life inter- esting. But it should not be unequal; nor should demands be harsh or evil or beyond the powers of the child. Selfish parental attitudes produce delinquency. Often the conflict rages unseen between interests of parents and child, and is unexpressed, save in ways so baffling, so apparently removed from the family circle that the true cause of delinquency is not guessed. Paul was the notorious run-away of three states. He began at four years of age. He lived in the suburbs of a large city. He ran the streets without fear. He never returned home voluntarily, but went submissively with police or social worker. ‘These excursions occurred every few days. When he was older he ran away by electric cars and automobiles. ee Ee Sete ‘, ‘—?, [ee a oe (rater teal = to sh ose hoo SSS) i $s et - aa és r . ~y ty owe E “ ae ee es em / \ rT Pe hee = s ae cs ee 1a, 2 rie Teg Tiny se ee ‘ pS ny rj - ‘+#eo Serre ~ oT > Ses toes TT Sheree e eS ae dese et Ee ROSES ES See > s, tne o Per erirs> eae oa ee a i an a ln bi ve a. es Se D1 - 5 it ~~ ain S Tt: po ees pea Pog gt ee S ote eee ~~ N ts 2 ints 3 eiyity el ae eee a, a ae are? 2p re ane Er ee a] er Pr ee te a i ee, CY ee Ce Sa ae tt Pe 3-4 et. Se 5 C7 Pe a ae at ‘eo oy &* 7 a y “ eit - os mart ate: Mee -—o — Sear > - Le en pie tp Tot ES > a . s od ont ee — wok. | Sorte ts a J 23E5 a a os ee son Peer es Sty 2 sees > La ame - yw es . ell oe So Pe ed ee s+ soe a Eh ete oe et neh et err ST ~ ae ee a Sar e Ty pers Teietet on in iaay ee, « ds ioe Phat pha eeteeete : a ap eh ee, Tt te oP eae = an —. 4 eteielet ss = a reo to bpp ee | . $4 BL eee ee ek et ee oe 2: Seae=ere re Sees errs i iy dy ip Le 2 i , - eee et a - | ee J | od on ' ps - 7 7 > - 2 Per He A AE eS Bee one, + or eee or rane Ee eee eds aa me abe - > tts ao See phy Ps Li va pa oe ok ek ee i eens di | he ere * — > ee ne RE ee oo ‘ » ete e sist aes te ae, oe es ah rt th et ti i eh ld Pt ¢ a " a _ ae eee ms pet ae we os. - ea - 3 a , ‘ os on nT ba. bd r Lehn taht” 68 YOUTH IN CONFLICT He knew the country from mountain to desert and back to the sea. When sent to a Playground Camp “On the Rim of the World,” he ran into the moun- tains. A welfare organization placed him in six carefully chosen and supervised private homes. Before he was eleven years old he had come before the Juvenile Court at least thirty times for running away. He never stole. Unlike Healy's boy,* no one was indulgent to him en route. He often went hungry because he was too shy to ask for food; he did not gain petting of adults by his running away. Paul was free from serious physical defect, the laboratories of physician and psychologist could dis- cover no syphilis or epilepsy, or nervous disorder. Mentally he was retarded, (Intelligence Quotient eighty-four per cent) so that his absorption in machinery, in maps and street-cars (he knew every carline for hundreds of miles, and played games with boys in the Detention Home using twenty as units in an imaginary traffic system, usually without error ) could not furnish his teachers with much hope for vocational training. His personality was shy, rather “shut-in,’ always contented, never mis- chievous. He liked a good view, would climb a hill and look with pleasure at the landscape, drawing a deep breath. He had no special friends or human love-objects except a quiet affection for his mother. No efforts to prevent running away had effect. When he was seven years old he responded to the question : “Why do you run away?” “There is no grass in my yard at home, either in the front or in the back.” But this was not the real reason, for when his 1Healy, Wm.: “Judge Baker Foundation Case Studies,” Series I, case 7, p. Ila.THE CONFLICT IN THE HOME 69 probation officer supplied grass, toys, miniature rail- ways, and a tool shop in the home, he ran just the same. Psychiatric analysis of his difficulty failed to find a clew. His father and mother coaxed and punished to no avail. His father tied him up, sewed labels on his clothes, and when this failed, had a metal tag welded about his neck so that he could be identified. Finally the father had a ball and chain made for Paul and the court intervened. Paul’s mother was a big, kindly woman, devoted to her three boys, one seventeen and one younger than Paul. Paul’s father had been a ship's car- penter. He was irritable, unsatisfied and restless at home. He provided well. Suddenly he was arrested, sent to jail, tried and convicted of sodomy. The older and younger sons were witnesses against him, so were other boys in the neighborhood. Paul resolutely maintained his father had never approached him in this manner, nor was there evidence that he had. Paul’s ability to express himself in words is too poorly developed, and his whole personality too infantile for us to be sure of our ground. It seems probable that at about the time running away began, Paul (having been trained by his mother to modesty) received some impression from his father’s acts, or attitude, which shocked him. Unable to take comfort at home, he took refuge in the periphery. Between his childhood need for security and his father’s perversion, came conflict. The swift movement of his muscles, the change of scene, the excitement of the road at first gave him a feeling of relief and security, finally afforded him pleasure and satisfaction, and the habit of running away took possession of him, body and soul. All ——) 3 pee = a - hat 423m Pe 7 iy oJ aa 1 Se ee od Seu Ss re .® Stat Seal © Pe: Pe i <> em, Fe Led vaio inet tate) Ae Bs a ——e & = et ete ae | Rad ae oY esi i ee Shay t. Fyvbtee zf b -st ry im Se ss teee 24 a oo PS . rs ee “7S Spine. Sess ede Se oi oy et TS pS _ ee - ee a = P— ees cae 2 : Sats wae nents es iets ees peor 5 eps esse es es rea TST; ans ety 2+ aie 2S - a i 2 = ee a a. oS (Sse —- pe t 4 ts Sa ry. 2 ee es et a ee ee aa 2 we s ON We ee ee << 5 os Sr cede a —" —s es tet Fe — ee oy of Sd bs PA BY BE SB teva Se rey oe Py SRE, wre bo a ee Gol ret tt) tte ray * a eo ee ee eee ere ee — oe yr) <, ee Ee eae =a i234 -s-* a sie ae Fe BoD Ee =k a pe ol ye ¥ St Se a oe a -_ 2~I-s2>- pero - ha bet i Se c a fe 28 fd ve p eo ee es ae. pm a - Sr . SK a. so eo 9 Ro eg org ad — ea bee Ege 15+ VFS 75 esorerecererse wee Ee NE Rew ke py Ee s bee Pee %-@7%4-% Pek tee s+*s 4 . ss a ake taegletert =: Pera 3 ss “et te a Pr | Sn pita : de a 4 = to “t+, 2-4. }. Een. wah. * pas: ere TS ot Pee et Be he be ee a aed ere M - u a ef 6 te daw a oy ee ee ty Bh a ee _ pe Pal? : ie ; wesesrattrters2 ze ** ak aie 5 a eS ee vr S ae . eee Bee tn) ~ » ge * a a ee ie i pe ak SES. Se hash ghee bd = 2S 8S Se ere es S ; | en el Siok et nS Sas he Di te - pa oe Ee pe EE he he Aya oS, ee ee gw oar «< La E ad Hab teteray: Froese ss yA andl mn get, at a oi ok a . as _ a fered a ened wt Sn a a oe rs 5 re + treo. ae - tips i Ny th, ty - Mat a ae tei Md 3 ee be eee fa eS hich i rt ih den eh oi he he he oe eh he ai ae J eT — eg eee ty Oy, gs A or - Ce Ps = a a ed RES EN Se Sate a Sk ee ad aPe> » = a a oe > = Aes ~ eit tee “a 70 YOUTH IN CONFLICT this is theoretical in Paul’s case, as our conclusions must often be in cases of young, timid, inarticulate children. Clearly Paul’s father was devoted to cruel pleasures, did not truly love his wife, and was un- able, or unwilling to serve the best interests of each of his children.’ A boy of six was brought to Juvenile Court by his father, a ‘“‘shell-shocked”’ soldier. He was a child of superior intelligence, dark eyed, healthy, attrac- tive. He had temper tantrums, tore and destroyed clothing and household articles. He tried to set fire to houses and to gouge out the eyes of his infant brother. The child’s mother was frail, she loved her husband, but was fearful of pregnancy ; her children meant to her only agony and terror. She exag- gerated all discomforts, even nursing was to her a sufficient cause of nerves, tears and debility. Her whims and anxieties filled both her husband and herself with constant alarm. On being removed from this home, temporarily, the boy of six showed no further marked disorders of temper. He became tractable, affectionate, interested in his play and school. Such cases, when neglected, come later to criminal courts and insanity commissions on charge of arson, violent assault, or perversions. This child of six yielded almost immediately to the simple treatment of being surrounded with adults who were more ‘nterested in him than in their own fears and anxieties. A recent poet speaks of a plant in the tropics as a “sreen vine angering for life.” * This expression 1 Paul now is in an ‘nstitution: arrangements are being made for treatment in the light of this new information. 2 Wallace Stevens: “Harmonium,” Alfred A. Knopf, p. 138.THE CONFLICT IN THE HOME 71 can be applied to some children who come before the court; literally they appear to be “angering for life,” so intense is their struggle, so great is their need for real support. Their energy manifests itself in strange acts; they lie, steal, set fires, fling them- Selves into passionate attitudes, become violently angry, annoy and bewilder their parents and teachers who do not guess the underlying cause which is their own adult attitudes, and selfish absorptions. In cer- tain homes it is as if the older members stunted and dwarfed the younger by absorbing all the nourish- ment, that is to say, the attention, approval, affec- tion and chance to win social esteem which are the sources of growth to personality. Vivian was thirteen years old. She was an attrac- tive girl with average intelligence. When brought before the Juvenile Court she had been riding in automobiles with men late at night, and occasionally drinking liquor. Her real difficulty, however, was ungovernable temper. She had been a child prod- igy, dancing on the professional stage for seven or eight years previous. Although attractive to men and prematurely exposed to masculine attention, she had never yielded to a lover. Once, before going on with her act she had fancied some older girl was to be preferred in the scene, and she attacked this girl, and set fire to the wings of the theater. On being placed in a private school by her mother, she tried to burn it down. When expelled, she went to live in a hotel room with her mother; so frequent were tantrums, screaming, tearing of clothes, smashing furniture, that her mother was asked by landlords and police to move from place to place. Her parents were divorced. Her father was a cruel, domineering man, her mother of cold tem- ry ~ —— - oe ¢ coe - ete Pe ie - ee a at nee ee] - “ “usr ard Pe 2 t24 + Tt $7 oe ae Cy hares x * Pees Pa PS Seat a ti eo tl Ses hae * : ~ _ 4 Eret ts sos. eg A ERLE OR TS oe ee Oe Sey ey. peebistisatacisecsecicasesa = . aga ro tteTa lisa: 3 _ = P. Ft sTS Seererts Silla Bye 53 ea a Bersarpres sees 253 p a we = ld c —s 4 -s : 2 os 2. . 5 me ed es * at i ee E bat erp == arse ge ’ : - . ie . 7 — sa —~ ma Pp Pe ey ecwe Sates Ah ee tes 2 © pS @« bea BSS Ypres yy oe eee tot aa me yO Sgt Se eee as - le ae oe pire Fg et Sivth Neng ey Dad —! - lan Ye | --s Sein . ~ ¥ a ye . id Se Se na Ps en Boe B 7 ry “> : t - Lie Ts ~ A ee tee oe Ss ca ton ie ~ rapt. te re pan hey. pete 5 < a nee re ee ee OS Te > ae oe oe oe ee ee Pe Siete eS TE + es % — > ~~ iP ay 4° t ~— ~ Wisse ite - eae eee StS Sete re eres fp - PS atia a 2 r a ‘a na aieceryreryre a ee et hae ee Si thet ok ut ee ee ee 46 < a ‘> egeses ee ee ee “tee ae oo . ey oom hee “ oe iar * 7 i i a oie heh ie See eh eee BERLE ee * * ~~ ae Ee §-4—% of - + -_* aa lent a - ee ee fay hee PS yg eye FF ps a eae ee teal ae teh a 9: met fA hoy hp ee ee oe Py eer ea ‘cae oF oe - = - Sa aD i ah a ih eed a a i - ° + “aia tte .- SSPseasests — Peer mee eS see : lle tell tek age a Pe > fink ee he eS Se FETs es toy ~*~ Cade b teen 42% Px Pe oe Se ot sh ht dt ede ges - - ™ f & : d rT Othe se eRe eareeteeerswsopesasrse Chr esevererergeme ese Srig ieee sy | i tthe ees = 72 YOUTH IN CONFLICT perament, devoted to finery, to pleasures of living in comfortable surroundings. Vivian had never known family affection, or normal play. Her pos- session of physical charm had been used by her mother, first to gain admiration and pleasure for herself in “owning such an attractive daughter,” later to earn a living for both on the professional Stage. Vivian’s temper tantrums after two years of treat- ment in a private school (where the routine is sim- ple and the muscular outlets vigorous) have almost disappeared, and with them all desire for excite- ments of the theater, which, to tell the truth, never appealed to her. She is content to romp and study like any youngster of fifteen. In Vivian’s case there was struggle to win her mother’s interest and affec- tion. When her mind was turned from this hope- less task to the more possible goal of succeeding in an atmosphere of healthy, country school life, her behavior became normal. To the maladjusted child in the famuily-group, life is an anxiety; it dwells under a nameless shadow of fear, often a sense of guilt and inferiority. It is forced into the domestic arena, sometimes as par- ticipant, sometimes as silent spectator condemned to lose no matter which partner wins. Adults often imagine in domestic strife the only damage done the child is neglect, or temporary suffering, if it is de- prived of a mother’s physical care, or the bread winning capacity of the father. But the damage is more extensive and may permanently destroy the child’s mental health, No amount of “patching it up” or “returning to live together for the sake of the child’ can restore the child if there is an under- current of hostility, suspicion and dislike between ; } cee ee eee i iTHE CONFLICT IN THE HOME Cw 7 the parent. For little children are not so much influenced by words and actions of adults as by attitudes.’ The court has seen a little boy cuddled against the breast of a hard-swearing, hard-working father, alleged to be “violent tempered and cruel” by the mother, refuse to go to this same mother, whose complacent smile illustrated her inner content with her own righteousness, but the child knew, the fa- ther was a source of comfort to him, and the mother a source of anxiety. Children, like animals, respond to the attitudes of human beings which reveal their inmost nature. A father and mother of good social position quar- reled constantly. The wife worried over supposed infidelity of the husband, and on several occasions separated from him. After reconciliation the hus- band left on business. The wife employed a detec- tive who surprised the man in a hotel room with a girl, and acting under orders from the wife, took them both to the police station. There was public- ity and scandal. Nevertheless, after consulting with their many friends, both parents decided “to patch it up for the sake of the children.’ The home is an armed camp of a triumphant wronged woman, and a half-defiant sulky male, with the children tak- ing sides as the needs and profit of the situation suggest. There are two, a girl of three, now going into tuberculosis,” and a boy of a year who is devel- Oping temper tantrums. For welfare of the child it is best to subject it to 1 Kempf: “Psychopathology,” p. 747. 2That pulmonary tuberculosis may be conditioned by anxiety and emotional maladjustment is suggested by Dr. W. A. White. See “Mechanisms of Character Formation,” pp. 196, 268, Mac- millan Co., 1920. ad ' Tog —i dee :\~lo roy ie S 4 s ra ne 2s ~ 2 Leek 7 Ss" ra te | . 4 >, a ee _ ~~ > & re som ae Mee a Cy ed we Tisse: .@ x To ae eS ee. ry eee Ese ms ~ oe os — 3 ess STS % r ep kal pet tially este erates ers a he 7 : ns ers : ~ . 7 on’ Se A 7 a2 2Sksks us a a eC re . ey Sy eae ; rs Ex} Sap es Be 7 ae ce) oe Sot ewe Jott yt. YS ees Ps sas Seite ee Toss ca o 2 = > . eS cSFe! Fa Sree 5 pees COTES OTHEPTELETE ITE ISG i A ° ss * an 2. ‘ -% 4 FS > 4 - i “~ a * ree eo! ie Pe S oe 4 CEPR: y - ri eer a ae ester grees “6. M i ois } Pe PCR, ok >A Zp ee ale ee ~ a wT reste dao es eae x! -5 pr ae o . = fap} eee np in teal i. . A cn ¥ ae i a * . ’ Eo ES of 2.20 StS eee, he dg ne a i Ps - ~ . ~ @ =a i-at bee ot oe ok oe z . a rs ey ee es na “ = ow te ot — mathe 7 Sey Pind hd hd cg tach cic Ph TE rl Be ek te I eo ee eel ciet ot rt fete Fite e eS 7 . S A ~ , ~ —— a ee is Toes oF ak Seeee alse csi — ha hte = be bet oad dod a ~ ek a ali bot tet eet pet yee ep slgtetetoleteter itetis alike ek A rel hel od oF ts ~ = tee wy “ee A Cee tae ; we & —_— yy a) ha re J p4 Pasty ie ttn a >. sats = os aoe & dite = P a oe We Ws ev . 2 ee ee ee > i oy a es ae mm Serr ses re i Shata S—" Betecrisr PPPs SSS serar aces EPES Se eRe es > ea es i PS a2 ae Sy 4. ad - @teiane ektissre iy at ae oe | ee od a Fy SS SS <7 a oto = PeSy eres’ T2758 ar i od Me ow | ~~ 7 ca ae rr ree ere + eet es or BERT >2 i » sa ieeesy eh ~ a “<* Ss * enn pe i cl = ae ” hs a <= Ly fete ore ie Soe a> S ae pa ae = =. es - ta ha ea ny * Er ~ ee eet pa ee gt ae —- we oe Le At : : E ES eres st tabe—srd eS tro psec aa ~ et ee 34= os uae ULES it ioe sh di cern hb a ot srat st ote ri 3 =? vara are ‘io ee nin Fe Pe. i A ee id : / iu oe. ~ oe ie + 1 hw roa 5 te cel tel hell sk te Ro lh et el eee Petee tsk it tata peeea ee ees oe oi ae ~ ae a . ad Seek Se ak Quseergrerereevehrighyeesy | Pee cet tsi et we PPeeeee pert eenics cate 4% Ps ase a ® ) + ome fe le ee * ™« = ‘nou & * “> ws . 4 ; a 4 yan Bene ener. Set . . - n,m lee detae tees Ie | a : ie ke mt wheat oho ae oe °s7 on or Pe Peres ae , _ ehh he ie ee heh DL he BS et sett ed : S ee Sa ~ rh, Ped seth endl on on la ae ee ee a. a en : cers = y _o. Lh Fe * a .P ar st = ge ~¢, appa CR a 24 a PE A Bd SS a - 7 be 5 ee tin ho a! a - bd A — % rant 2 —— ae Oo _—) ES ee hs a a as var} as pai Boe —— _s a - ‘ . Se s 4 “2 2 So . oe oe he ee * - ae Pe - a ea oe ee Pn ae ey | - Se a rr fk Te oe pe A te Ll aoe 4 76 YOUTH IN CONFLICT their children and fulfill the saying of the Chinese philosopher : “We keep only that which we set free.” Such families realize times are changing and they have courage and faith. This description of the healthy parental attitude is not modern. ‘The Talmud expresses it in the admonition: “Limit not thy children to thine own idea. They were born in a different time.” Such children never come before the Juvenile Court, but as healthy young people, they become excellent parents, social workers, or leaders on in- tellectual frontiers. The task of the family is to develop admiration for behavior-codes that mean preservation and health of the family. If the guiding principle of the family is impotent in the second or third generation, something is radically wrong. Radically wrong indeed is the attitude of parents in Juvenile Court who are timid and fear their own children. At home they make feeble efforts to make their children “obey,” “not go out nights,” “quit swearing,” or “chasing out” with wild companions, protests which the young interpret as “nagging, “fuss,” and “not being able to get along.” In court these parents shelter their selfish, egotistical young people by lying, evading and other deceptions. In the presence of the children they are frightened; be- fore answering a question they will pause, look fur- tively at the girl, who returns this pathetic appeal with haughty stare, then the mother will reply: “No, I don’t want Mary sent away. Really she was never out after eleven o’clock. I always knew who she was with.” 1 Lao-tse: Chinese philosopher. 1THE CONFLICT IN THE HOME i, NJ mh The court in such cases will send the girl out o the room. The mother with a sigh of relief, or at outburst of tears, will pour out her story: “Mary is out till five A. M. frequently; she is cruel to her mother, outrageous to her father; she is lazy, unclean, quarrelsome, and is driving me insane.” Why cannot this mother face Mary with calm affirmation of the family-stand on questions of self- ish pleasure, pre-nuptial chastity and industry? Because the mother herself has lost faith in old standards of virtue. She lacks vigor to declare an emancipation, but she is full of self-pity for her drudging life; its lack of pleasure; she recalls her own drab, misunderstood, frequently-punished youth (when the Puritan home was losing its arts, crafts, its good cookery, and somber, rich coloring of the old faith, and there remained little of the spirit and very much of the letter of colonial church and home discipline), so in her words, she “wants Mary to have a good time.” Secretly the mother is filled with admiration of Mary. Again she lives her childhood in this girl, willing to suffer abuse and toil, fearful of repres- sing this “wildness” which expresses more or less distortedly her own wishes and ideas. To save such girls and mothers it is necessary to remove them from their reversed, unnatural posi- tion. The girl should be jarred into awareness of her mother’s pitiable condition, her chivalry should be awakened. If the girl then is capable of vigor- ous interest in life, not just its tinsel, she may be- come a leader in her home, and both mother and daughter enter together on a more satisfying, less destructive project of rejuvenation. — oe wala Pear 4 ree Se pe be 0 Pree Lt thd ioe et ee ASE eees eaee _ Sees hs peter tetee Seay e eet es - oo * a Se no hee 3 aa ~t= -_ = = os x Pe. oY ae een —s pS pare es hy a... 3 eee Se see ee a) —/ ey he ee, > is re Re es ce al et ee “.3 mt os 4 9 al the _*- i he eg ee oe . eo Neem — LP Chad eSwerypeecere fe Qik FE gf Ned s a ao: ‘ah oo ae ij eee Pe oe tee . RE 3 T+ es - 2 Se Ay oe et 7 aed ~~. <2 | ee io oe ee ee ee a - ee ee eS ~ e "ste +s eotenp-peeeteresere;g hese rg PE ET Rg Be rutin ews ae aa maar Si a a ee . CS OS BE BE. ek PO Pe * hae | | eiered | oa eon > +o. eh ud re | be elas oe SPrEse reste ele aeepoe as, — a = ee, A, Pee oo, 4. o a bo os g ¢ a. Ce ae we a at @ me y ge - a. a a Ce ee ae - - eee eed oes rd hed sod ee - ~_ 7 , a - we Ss A . - in r s Fs + o> % ba et ge Tl ap me . PI + . = i a age, ae - eae - te Fe i a a Pages FS _ eta, ent + Oe gt 7 te, hn — som G A ee tle chew ye epee = tea sy ties (as ae REST bx to ne latin Rh ak BA ol peal tl ek te RT r) % , iT 78 YOUTH IN CONFLICT In this kind of expressed conflict and rebellion between parent and child, there is no fundamental difference in aim, All that is necessary to do is to show parents that they must discover what ideas and morals they can hold to, without pretense or hypoc- risy, reduce the remainder to clear statement, cease fretting and “nagging”; and the children, who in reality have the same outlook as the parents, begin to understand and to respect the family point of view. If the family ideal is not in harmony with real- ity, if it is outworn or has become hypocritical, the effect it produces in the young may be monstrous. Patricia was the daughter, adopted in early in- fancy, of a man who clung to Southern ideals of charm in women, and a mother who lived a gay, fashionable life. Patricia was intelligent and healthy. During childhood she was dressed in silken underwear and reared with every refinement pos- sible. Her parents were “correct’’ in their morals, and clung as long as possible to a belief in their daughter’s virtue. Patricia at thirteen years of age came before the Juvenile Court having had almost innumerable contacts with truck drivers and young park loafers. The father said: “It is impossible that this girl knew what she was doing. All women are good, they are angels. It is men who debase them. They are thoughtless, or frivolous, but never wicked until led astray by men.” The girl was sent away to a private school, per- haps to sow there the results of her parents’ dis- torted views, while the father, crushed under the weight of an impossible ideal, sickened with heart disease.THE CONFLICT IN THE HOME 79 Quite otherwise is expressed conflict between adolescents and parents where adults are wholly self- ish. Self-centered parents often have well- adjusted, successful children; the parents “leave the children to themselves,” go their way, demanding little or nothing. If prevailing community stand- ards of conduct are good, the young people readily become independent, upright and vigorous. ‘These successfully “neglected” children, however, only become adjusted where the breach between parent and child is complete; there must be no half-meas- ures in fathers’ absent-mindedness and mothers’ gayety, no sudden erratic assumption of the dis- carded parental scepter: boy and girl, save for eco- nomic support, for best results, should be lett to seek their goals outside the cooling family circle. If these parents produce results in their own lives that are at all creditable, the children often are proud to take them as models. There is a vast difference between offspring of adult absorption in adult pur suits and offspring of adults who not only are self- ish, but seek to dominate and to possess their young. Stephen was nineteen; his father, a prominent musician, was divorced from the mother, who was economically independent. Stephen loved girls; he had been in more than one “scrape,” his reputation in school and neighborhood was bad. Finally he met Gertrude, the fifteen-year-old daughter of a divorced woman, whose moral standards were ques- tioned in the neighborhood. An older sister was a fugitive and “immoral.” No one knew the where- abouts of the girls’ father. Stephen’s mother, who could not control him, — ert gene? ou lite as 2 eS _ | » ee ~} ry hon 5 et ae ho SP ee a7 ~ 4 -. cd cay mt. ad ~ é a ae ee * ee te att es am » ghine e ce Peers 3 ad s - tf «.< << _ od Tp ti i + 2k SS Serre SF eae r Lt eS Se ad 7 Py rs ‘eto . oy ae on Me md Sa Reps ees Tt Se ee oy eeer eee <3 < aesana eae a r ° 3 o er ty Si wo) A nae Yo Pa ae Peer) es coo = - 7 BUTS RE ES tei Were rs ss Ss te Sa ee Set 5 ae ee oe = é 7 i oT ee: SEst ites: ee er melote Perry ; eas , m Pp F F . s - ? Se ioe a ? ~ 5 Se hale ead Lg ph eb tng RIE SS EE . ~ ey pe tecah pnd hE = va. ‘ . + + he ee gh: 3 ae oa oe et p Rv he == a natin, gk, a . +a he De eet oe Doe Le er eee Peres. SP i Sat ee ee Oe fg rR PS “, Z : 4 * oe ee ae - - £4 6 © Ee oe oo ee , ~ — ana : a2 Pil a el kgs ee ee Ty Lat. 2? ee ee ae 7 Pree eee Ks =: a x Pn ap a hh epee eg ° lp ee - a non we a aoe ee 4 eS ae pT ee akties tt st irs pete fee Sr Fe a EE _-. 3 52 ia. case a ee ee Se ee ere Se m7 ~~ > - Stee ery ieee eo et eee So YOUTH IN CONFLICT showed little anxiety over her son’s conduct until he declared his intentions of marrying Gertrude, whose social position’? was so much lower than his own. Ihe young couple eloped to a distant city: they did not marry. They had no money, both worked, Stephen for the first time in his life. He took sick. Gertrude nursed him. Finally, although there were warrants for arrest of both, they decided to return. The mother of the girl concealed them from the authorities, made no effort to separate them, and finally had them married. Stephen’s mother at once started annulment proceedings.* Gertrude was with child. Stephen was fond of her and was working. His mother repeatedly said he “should be punished.” “I simply demand justice for my rights as a mother.” Ihe court refused annulment, but Stephen was sent to an Industrial Reformatory, while the Juve- nile Court cared for Gertrude in a maternity home. The Juvenile Court pointed out to both young peo- ple the constructive possibilities: Stephen need not feel bitterness; he could learn a useful trade. After his parole his wife and child would be waiting for him. To the girl hope and encouragement were given. Both the mother of the girl and the mother of the boy now began to oppose this plan, to use every artifice, threat and command to separate the young people. Gertrude’s mother “would not have her daughter married to a jail-bird.” But these chil- dren of broken homes clung to the only security they 1 Under the California Statute of 1922 a boy under twenty- one or girl under eighteen cannot marry without the consent of the parents, and such marriages contracted under age are sub- ject to annulment.THE CONFLICT IN THE HOME SI knew: opposition made the affair stable. In thir- teen months Stephen was paroled. The first month’s rent of a cottage was paid for him. Now twenty-one, he re-married the girl. Gertrude and he, with the baby, for over a year have lived to- gether in peace and industry. Stephen’s mother now says she took this course to train him: it was the ‘‘only way to give him a les- son,” and some of the neighbors seeing his devotion to his home, agree with her. But Stephen does not see his mother; the estrangement, at present, is complete. Another form conflict takes is the economic one. Some parents appear to think they have vested prop- erty right in their children and seek to coerce them when their rights are not yielding dividends. We are used to this requirement in cases of foreign parents, whose custom it may be to regard the fam- ily as an economic unit, but in certain American families it appears to have no other motive than selfishness. A girl of seventeen was brought before court by the mother of a boy about the same age; both were accused of immorality. There was no evidence. The fact was that the young people were deeply in love, the boy, who earned a hundred and fifty dol- lars per month with a paper route and went to school, was beginning to spend more time with his sweetheart than with his mother. Many a mother would find cause for pain in this situation, but few would care to expose it in court. The element which rankled most was money. The boy had bought a second-hand Ford in which he took his girl out riding. They invited the mother, but she refused. They kept good hours, and apparently er} ~ . " aed rd >< os » oe ' — ing = CJ co is oS aa oe op eos? ite 32) oa low oie aiesega?e? ae te ee ee alt = —_—= we Ste ae tese et ~ . - ney ry p ys Ne ee Ce +m Fee es aoa (> ao to = a*3 aa . a oe te Priest ee) . ie a as | ee ES ae 7 Se oes py a eect heres oy Seek st te ey iS neh teSPrP TEES. vy es me Be VY P= © ~ Ey q Qs a et FG oe eS ae 67s 3 stares Lana a na a a ™ —~ —_ om ag ae A it ge ck he . “ 2-2 Ss 3 ‘e. SSS 4 ae rites ns — &- ~ a é — 3 a - = Speier oS ee et a = a > os Pept -t.00 4 LS Po _ - pr er I a Tes To Sas et =, _—_— . 4 tei CES zm 26 27 5 = . ~~ er Seto = ite | a eon eS 3 Pp = <3% — a to on ee ay atin al to be treks a eee et teed ng ed, a ¢ ct seie eee he oe ee pe nee ig ee = oY SSS teenie: Se ’ "= S* A ee a ee ON Mi Med _— aeSi wth eee a) P _ = s+ tor a a tT e+ a ” ee * aoe ee ‘i ef ef es 7+ OF Al sea ee Tse et cere risa tet Stal Sens t ees tite tees od Sees Le bee hie a. eee = ala ri na ye - sen ns ee pa atta oul, he] . c : + - a] ba ~ ow - - a. oH - ae PY ~ ws _— e be od - i oe ys ey ie p e - . au? 4 Ee P : ; eee ae Pe tT - . + - - cath eo F< y ae a at ate a . o> o> - - SS r 5 aed ‘ man te r . Ps ~ e* «@ - 5 y ~ = od — - vd wl i a2 it afoot a tee ¢ 5 Pf ne ee Fae Sty eres * fr St aes . * : a } a Biches ak ht a oth ey ie bl 7] ‘ Oi , ‘ ie 82 YOUTH IN CONFLICT there was nothing harmful in their relations. The boy paid his mother for his board and room, and vas entirely self-supporting. “But he has no right, no right,” the mother kept repeating, “to that machine at all; it is mine; every- thing he has is mine.” Such parental attitudes permanently belittle the moral influence which a mother may hope to wield in behalf of a virile son; weak boys may give in, become intimidated or ev ade the issue by running away. The desire and practice of possession is not lim- ited to adults; boys may seek to dominate their mothers, and girls to control their fathers. Betty was sixteen. She was the dominant spirit in an alliance with her father who gave all and re- ceived nothing. The mother was dead. Betty dressed elaborately, spent much money and became so delinquent with boys that it was thought best to remove her to another city. The father bought a new bungalow, comfortably furnished, placed his daughter in high school, yielded to her entreaties for a new car, neglected his business to safeguard her. ‘Together they came to court to report: “How is Betty doing?” “Your Honor, she is obeying the rules of the court, but in order to have her do so I must lock up her clothes at night, and mine as well, or she will steal out doors.” Betty is so deeply bored that she represses yawn- ing with difficulty : “What is the real trouble, Betty? Are you not satisfied ?”’ “Oh, I simply hate this town! There is nothing to do.”THE CONFLICT IN THE HOME 83 “Did you ever try making your father happy ?” Betty looks astonished. She blurts out: “Oh, him! Why he can’t ever be happy now that mother is dead!’’ This same Betty, though indifferent to her fa- ther, will not permit him to attend dances, or other social functions, is jealous of his friends, the rea- son in her cold little mind is: " There is absolutely no use of father spending his money that way.” For girls like Betty a brief course of vigorous routine in a correctional school is the best treat- ment. Over and above various types of conflict which occur in maladjusted family-life is one permanent source of difficulty: difference in feeling tone, the emotional attitude of age-groups. To youth the Outstanding characteristic of age is its hardness, its inability “to understand.” This is the judgment that one class always passes on another, but it is especially true of age-groups. Each group thinks the other cruel, heartless and unfeeling. Jack, gaz- ing with rapture at his handful of magic beans for which he has sold the family cow, suffers depres- sion when his mother weeps over the empty larder, in the famous tale of Jack and the Beanstalk. It is symbolic. Only rare spirits among children and adults grasp the fundamental truth: the emotional life of each has a different rhythm and tempo: youth may lack the attributes of steady warmth, of simplicity and continuity of feeling; maturity may lack spontaneity and perhaps must grope for ability to understand rapid fluctuations of mood. If neither group has tolerance for the biological position of the other, there is suffering. tides a * > Cd . See Steg: ees ~~. rr es es Pere Sor Ste bas bse teers Pei rere oe psee ress ~ - ate hs > a ae fe a Sido tear ee te Ee’ a ot + ee ry eee Bi a tee, > Fs - = ~ i 4 tS + b * a e i cs Pas Py en Peer soo. poajeie . r Sik eT ee + * 4Ee bale bona A t of | = an es ry = = pe ed ane ~ eee eke tet | - i oe es i ie ae eal eee” whe ok Sree tevetatn ar tuen rele t eae vate ete: eee eee ss —_* wea 8 2" oe ae f2fercr 322? ae +S e+ #4 2 2 = » * a a -~ = s*< a bi leche te i eA REE he ot hee 5a Bat BEEZ 3 ae 4 * Slee 4 ft... ng he, Pass HE 2 speek ep. 3 Peg nste dare Lease Te epee eenotrs pee pace pe: —. SPs 2S Pad St cel ral a cee den ele nk et he et De “2 7 = _ a —— ee ee ' ote latent te _— — SMR eet eee to tes ie ee Me 5 y Pe A Se So phot oe - ed 4 . a on | P - st tsa e 84 YOUTH IN CONFLICT It is instructive to observe often with what exact- ness the young follow the life-histories of their parents who have despaired of ever seeing them amount to anything. Nothing is further from the conscious ambition of these young people than to take their parents as models, and the parents, if they have sense of humor or vision of race-prog- ress, should not feel hurt. The children look on the wrinkles and sagging postures of adults, their ac- ceptance of monotony in life; and if one were to place such a figure on a pedestal for youth to ad- mire, the cry would be: “Am I indeed to be like my father, or like my mother! Why, that is just the same as being a failure!” Parents should realize that this attitude is normal, and when their children display it, or make polite attempts to conceal it, they are merely expressing that forward-looking tendency which is the hope of our race. In fact, if parents try to lessen the differ- ence between themselves and their children, becom- ing more youthful, they themselves will profit. If adults become true companions of youth, learning new muscular skills, “taking up,” swimming, fenc- ing, dancing and new games; if they expose them- selves to hardships of trips and adventures, if they seek to preserve openness of mind and flexibility of feeling, life will once more flow in them with its warmth and color. Too frequently they lose their golden opportunity. John, a youth in college, dances too much: jazz, tennis, ridiculous trips to the roller-coaster, pranks, and crude noise seem unaccountably to give him pleasure. The scholarly father is annoyed at this frivolity, in which he sometimes joins, however,THE CONFLICT IN THE HOME 8 cy for he has a conscientious idea that he must be a companion to his son. Fearing lest his son disap- point family tradition, he tactfully “exposes” him to more ‘“‘worth while” activities, lectures, books, symphonies and good conversations, and since the father believes not in force, but in power of sugges- tion, timidly assails him with talk on pleasures of the scholarly life. John is either deaf or bored. The father suffers anxiety lest his son become a ‘*Jazz-hound,” “a cake-eater’”’ and a “lounge lizard- daddy.” In the meantime life has no other plan for John than turning him out as nearly as possible like his father. Suddenly the boy takes to reading philos- ophy. Enchanted, absorbed he wanders on the frontier of the “land of the uncleared fields,’ until plunging deeper, he recognizes with all the forces of his body and mind that this kingdom is his. No longer does he respond when girls call him up on the telephone; dancing and “stunts” have lost their thrill. Encasing his feet in slippers John sits far into the night pouring over Kant. Now his father, viewing this transformation with delight, congratulating himself on the success with which he has “rescued” John, begins to grow a lit- 'tle wistful. Where is that gay young companion who had such scant mercy for his father, dragging him out on impossible trails, with no respect for wind or blood-pressure? Alas, he is gone, forever ‘vanished, and the college professor, his father, has lost his own last chance to take the sag out of his abdomen or to learn any new tricks. Youth has its genuine contribution to make to ‘family life; youth is an asset as well as a problem. Neither age-group can be healthy and virile with- out self-respect. Pi >. aes ‘ are s es? =< ore a aati | tee — * - at ea.4 eres ce } Pe Cees : s ee ee 5 “a= ‘Ce. sore eSENS ee 3} aS i = ars r Sears yearerare gees sss Teatedsarbs Sex ey STOLE SF rey a oe Gat nine Wok bell 3 ree: eee od ory eT Seta? Baie, ee és Neetelas tly! > hee s Ba a eT er £- Fi < LG oeerrweet ree trees * = ae Sa ars ee oe es tt a fiWre*e 54 5e 4 ee SS Sea | ere “ei nr*? aT} Sdre iw Shakeel oe bn eeeekee Ee et piace ieieitercteict iatere: ‘ a ad “* ied PIE dod Rolain = way: ee ot ee bk ee ed ee hei beh el oe Be ee ie ae . ap es bi <_Fr i tn Me hd oa oe mar Seip lpi ptripisteceletsle siti) ts a bi etetsigi sts tet RST ec Rss a 7S ts ia hss ie rere we yea be eee tes $2 SiS od Pt Ot ek Pte PoP Peek : te*ete rg ietrtet «i a teat inde Sah en i dee el ed lien. | Rd hh fl tek el eh on oh hee eek bi hh eee PRP ohriassaeg atte shah tt g49 39 tte Pas eet eT a S86 YOUTH IN CONFLICT It is the fashion of our age, as in other ages of rapid change, to emphasize youth unduly. Boys and girls are made tremendously aware of their own importance; maturity is busy placating them or pay- ing them homage, and in various subtle ways imitat- ing them. This is not fair to youth. It suggests that parents are secretly bankrupt. “Being a child must not hinder becoming a man. Becoming a man must not hinder being a child.”’ * When each stage of life is lived in health, life is complete and there is no need for maturity to be- come wistful or to run out of spiritual capital. In Juvenile Court many young people fail be- cause their parents have lost faith in themselves. In the true “democratic” family, the family where biological requirements of each member are under- stood, there is neither delinquency nor conflict. There is balance, an interaction of forces, a “peace between equals.” The child, during growth deserves to be nested securely; he should not know anxiety caused by strife, disharmony or unsatisfied longings of either parent. His parents should be genuinely interested in family-life, throughout infancy, childhood and youth, the child should have the same two love- united parents. Fathers who lose initiative in fam- ily affairs, or become too timid, or too tyrannical ; mothers who wish to domineer, or to evade family life, mothers whose desire is not to nourish life and feeling in children, but to absorb it,—tend to pro- duce children who fill our courts and hospitals. Within the adequate home there should be toler- ance, flexibility and scope for new departures. Lite 1 Schleiermacher.THE CONFLICT IN THE HOME 87 should be viewed as perpetual conflict; a Spiritual and biological venture that deserves our utmost. Child and adult go together up the same trail. One departs a little sooner than the other. There should not be strife between them, eS => aed a oe a 7 . = a ee > oe ss er rt ~_ & can 7 re be ba eee Bee TT Ss Pa a o = = oe ty ey dae et es ps ars * La | rere + E33 oar as T5% $ ri ; . a wi foe Boge le eg a ee pe; ea te S23 in eS rere a4 Ha sth ee ext eeses es coe or Pd Feta ee on = s+ - ie -~_—* =< = eo ed a a a o yi bd Can] ree + Pr i” ie “+ a “a io had ae ta “?" nL Per i ' an 2] i i ” 1 a —wy oe soe ad ~> s Sp yiseiy aces bsdaieisapes ay ine na raklneiraks ee < « a $-t-+e net Se SFT * PeIEER ES ies tole ¥=} * ry ie ed — e<=¢= Set A et en, ae, ae ae Saree ty -s - i < Tepe hk ge Pratt eri cies be bib CHAPTER III CONFLICT IN THE SCHOOL a ctene ere ret ar Seer eetrpeeeprssestee te retS tS oiady tig “pds Spe ee an tod A Tk, Sac pee alle g a p a ee gh re DEES PC HE as Corie ee Pere: we Sore die 3d, ots esos siete se totat * reese sig ieee + ret pial e 2 te tt2e me - THE relation between Juvenile Court and school is reciprocal; if the court must return troublesome boys and girls to school, it is school which 1s respon- sible for production of many delinquents. The child enters school as its third or fourth social group, usually about the sixth year.* As with the family, the social worker should have a clear, simple view of the social task of the school. This is two-sided; first to give instruction, to furnish tools for intellectual progress, to supply certain facts and motor abilities deemed important in mod- f ern life; second, it must develop emotional attitudes at in the child that tend to make it socially minded, as we say, prepare for life, make a good citizen. The educated person must be able to live in a group without offense, do good team-work and feel right- ly toward other human beings. That is to say, school must furnish instruction and serve as a lab- oratory for training in social relationships. This task the school consciously recognizes, it has no quarrel with its role; camps among educators pre- sent not so much conflict in aim as disputes how best to attain it. a ieeca + a? i od 4 | 4 ar a SRLS METOTO TOTS EG OTT OT ETI ETES ey Si oe ee a Ce ee Pe ae ee ee. et Tas rir bc nape se Leseae a Seet AE eS © tor $4 342 5 lel i Seed ee z . Rieneey ee SE ne dal he Bet Real dt tai Bec sh eee et iss Soe! ae ae a 3 1In the order in which the child meets the social groups they are: Family, neighborhood (merely a collection of other fami- lies) church, school, industrial work group, play group, and the service or professional group. Eduard Lindeman, “The Com- munity,” pp. 26 to 39. eee Press, 1921. sa ha eh th tel el el oe tek ta ; r= “4 v-$ poet ote - 5 Pr ete ahnt Da aT$ << a ™ ee ae ' bs ise eave ° ‘ a a ee | oeCONFLICT IN THE SCHOOL 8g The social worker cannot presume to criticize the school or offer advice on educational controversies. He has neither knowledge nor skill to be of assist- ance in making or administering the curriculum. His profession brings him in contact with the waste, the discarded, rejected, or unwilling among the school population. These come to the social work- ers work-shop relate school casualties in courts, clinics and hospitals, and the social worker looks them over with an eye to their reconstructive pos- sibilities. Clearly if terrific damages have been inflicted on children in process of getting them educated, the social worker would like to arrive at a better under- standing with the school. As we have seen in the last chapter, the child enters school with certain past social experiences in mind. He enters with a fixed emotional attitude compounded of success and failures at home. In school he encounters another circle of adults and children, each capable of being a source of comfort Or anxiety. School is to him another arena where he wins or loses approval of other human beings, thus adding to self-esteem and enriching personal- ity, or deepening sense of guilt and inferiority. To | the school he carries his ready-made rebellion, sub- | mission, fear of failure, dependence or self-reliance. These new adults, the teachers, are simply other | parents, rewarding, blaming, petting, loving, or crit- ficizing according to their own mysterious stand- ;ards of action. The child reacts to teachers in ways ;already conditioned by the home. Unless the teach- ser has developed genuine insight into problems of | personality, including her own, she is more than likely to fix in the child some undesirable, destruc- a re & lt a Sees psa ee" 3 7 <2 Y’ eee Se he Be 2 . or r get ge ee ct be td Sw bal al es < ems + fe ™}+ Ste Seee hs & PS F Cow = ant Song beng . . vires a oe oa et ip se. m - = : Fegtercr Re aekg he ae py ey i oe | he Se pet Ree saz3s82 pers Fildes ieee ef $2) Behe : a eee: 3 a are * E ree ct ee Ce tee! o) o Pte * rr e5 e ‘tS co 7 See eee 5 —* | A ’ rs ok 3c bs es oe a rnd eeret Sts . Tes Ee tro eee - ~) a tae ene 2% 4 é re 7 Se SS se Seg te Sa o ers eee ee er ee Ste Peers = ——e =— > a eT - me _ tddee, ca ele art eet fa oe St tact ie tT TA > oe . 7 Py So ~8\ SG a6 a = — ee = = ee ee eee bi tii hj epesenbotes ae Ts - Siee - ee go bs ere ao o - = Sets aes - .~% Pe hf ft’ pm od '‘ > a a < ral vite et at cet th Sa — ft Sha ees eae. A 4.4. és - oo Cree! efi y Te ee a ee o 8 4 re eeKre Serer. : ee ae ee oe ae > ee ‘ _ ~ = ial helt eed hk Al oh eh pl ee ° A oe ere . echinacea ifs fy ee ee = pe pee Ek yy 4 pe he Sk es ‘ered — - Pi 2 i a wagllag, gui god 4 t. ek ak SF ny gh + 2 p- ae ie oe: ; a. 2 cal - Far SlesePr Sr eeosvest a a - a ou = “ ‘a ects 2 ests sr aed = + . 7 bso dere th al kk tt tht dt on oe oe a ~ st eth la. « “ Ps a Foy pee - 4 if St PP oe a 3 hac 32 ar a es eof er os A ‘gs eT ot x: = | oh | - = ke ad a Te go YOUTH IN CONFLICT tive emotional attitude, and this far more through what she is, what she does, than what she teaches. The major practical problems of school in rela- tion to Juvenile Court are truancy, anti-social con- duct, malicious mischief, theft, matters of dress, fashion, and sex-morality. Truancy may be a misplaced virtue. It may oc- cur in obedience to a selfish, distrustful, lazy or avaricious parent. It may be a biological protest against bad air, physical detects, or healthy criti- cism of a course of study hopelessly dull, heavy, mechanical and uninteresting. Frequently it is an at- tempt to evade responsibility, to escape meeting an issue; again it is a mode of self-expression, or of taking revenge. The manner in which the first serious truancy is handled may decide the fate of the child as to whether or not it will enter upon a career of delin- quency. This matter is so serious that special bureaus should at once be created within the school to give expert study and socialized treatment to truants. No doubt Departments of Compulsory Education are constructed with this thought in mind. Often, however, irreparable damage by teachers, police, “hooky-cops” is done before the child reaches workers of this department, the workers themselves may be handicapped by ignorance, bad training, oor administration, or too many cases. Often the whole department is wrongfully conceived and ani- mated by a penal point of view, rather than knowl- 1 Some parents order their children to stay at home to keep younger children, do work, etc. This occurs among foreign parents, but is by no means limited to them. See Russian case, p. 11. The best remedy is to fine parents for child’s non-attend- ance. Child need not appear in court at all.CONFLICT IN THE SCHOOL Ol edge that truancy in young children 1s often the first danger signal of maladjustment requiring sym- pathetic understanding and wisdom. In some city school systems, if a boy absents him- self from school, a warrant is issued for his arrest; he is treated like a criminal. Again he may be roughly handled by the attendance officer, turned out of his school by the principal to be sent to a “Special School” or Parental Class where, without further investigation, some hardy young teache intellectually and socially not far advanced beyond the dell nquent, herds him with “bad boys” and young “rough-necks’” and ionorantly administer “swats” with a paddle to make him manly, an baseball to make him “a regular guy’ withou slightest reference to the needs of childhood.* ‘The boy may be placed in such a school at eight years of and there spend the remainder of his school lite, Educational reform may sweep the general school system, the curriculum may become rich and plastic, but these ‘parental’ schools will be admin- ‘dered on theory of punishment, not education. At best the boy forms permanent associations with om bad age gangs of “young toughs, almost illiterate, at worst he is maimed physically and mentally. In six hundred and twenty cases of truancy in boys brought in 1923 to Juvenile Hall, the Los Angeles County Detention Home for the Juvenile Court, there were only sixty who were not in need of medical attention. Physically retarded or diseased children tend, 1 1 Reference here is to the widespread practice of maintaining discipline classes, or “parental schools,’ under the Board ot Education, for the correction of truancy and other dei! quencies. ~ > oe as a ~- LPast: te abet Sete Stesr. Sc. + bee a oka SPS Se oa oe Fe - +340 Soro Ty ee StS os ee oes per sve rere Ts x yet eed = F a3 ee ee to } *. 22 eS SS ree reas re. cs - snl lem med Srv Pat ee) Pee re a . a he 7 = fae Sates ae} Aa Saeed * ry — ae ee ey ~~ s 9 ak healed ee ~e PS Xmee ae a - 5 eo he ek be od bt ate Bo —- el ef pli Trap tate al rah ee he ek et oe ht de Dal dk teen eh ho sy Pe 4,- . ne aes 2 —— St tea bt od oh oad te pele stocgrereretbriversetrers ea ra. kite 5c-pe- oe | : ENE LeeLee eh arpitigescss ; ’ } * ad pty “ “tts. = sa Sep Teh B+ 4, Be a hee: ae > « Pa se Ler eer 7 ate : SE sare ~~ 3 4 ~~ - my Co ns VEE PCIE PES tr te Sy eee test Hane >. ~ ld os De ia er ns ae coats >< or mee eh 3 ke oa are ee ay ee tye & E oS a. . +" tet he = i y 37 >> ~ car scs =e ne he oe oe ay a a ty at a ox ge 5 Z - ne Pde i. Bossa5a 582 3 es at 7 = SS oe A oe fey. es: a ee ae eee om ose yi H ~~ tan eh * ee pe em Fe As 9 esr Sco es tor a * ¥ sq ¢" ohh ' =. 7. es * A ——— a - Seprerenesse Snag hase Si oe at ee 4 ~~ - ri < a a ae A eT * ——_—e aan s 4 beds bos wh eC St Pee at ke EF | ci ehlus. 2s per 4+ - - 4 ee ee ee ee ee —s/. - ‘ *séz — oo bth bh a neh ona betel Bel tel hk he oh he hee ee eee eek ed eso Shy fot ol pESPLTEL ES Se hr oe, Uh Se Pe LUT Sh Behe se ee tt att Bae “ieee a ea * eS ee Sad bwae pire dh +e bees 2 yt * ; i) ee are ek fel Sd en ket Dd Saad Peete hOB SE SES RE Ot ee eeeegeeetar EPS SS Te Srheetatee is eater pe tet nS a Ps pio tek.t. Tt 2 e a Se ee eee oe, aa ee ent a ¥ AG RAPA TEE Ree en RMpeSASrT eles SSRApER Type PoDRERFEL I SIIOMTP TE 5 ee oe ~~ “~« ae. BRE Do Patties . - = te — i cea + ae ie ’ ag -f. iy il s oo e "¢ fs 3.2 ee 7] ’ rr O04 YOUTH IN CONFLICT no intellectual reason why he could not have suc- ceeded in school. His physical wants were now attended to. It was impossible for the court not to raise the question on observing his shrunken figure, and despairing eyes, whether if this boy had suc- ceeded in burning the school house he, or the adult community, had committed the greater damage. Frank, a boy of thirteen, came of Italian parents, perpetually quarreling. His father was an artist in clay models, his mother an invalid. Frank's solace was in books. He enjoyed his school, and was up to grade. His intelligence was superior-normal. He was transferred to a new school where, as he afterwards asserted :-— “Tt was bad: the kids were all numskulls, and the teacher had no learning.” * He played truant for several days, sleeping out in the fields along the river district. For this offense he was sent to a special class for truants where the course of study was restricted. Truancy became habitual. He was morose and sullen. He began to steal in order to buy food which enabled him to stay away. He lived the predatory lite. When confined in the Detention Home he de- manded books of Stevenson, Twain and Defoe and Scott. His teacher appeared against him in court. “What is the cause of Frank’s truancy?” asked the Court. “He has absolutely no brains. It would be neces- sary to bore a hole in his skull and pour the brains in,’ responded the educator facetiously. 1 This brilliant boy is typical of cases in the foreign district where certain children have marked intellectual ability and others are seriously defective. The teacher is forced to attend to the needs of the mass.CONFLICT IN THE SCHOOL Q5 “Frank, have you complaint to make of your school ?” “Gee! I’d rather die than go to that school. Why, the teacher never corrects your papers. I wrote a composition and he just crumpled it up and put it in the waste-basket,” said Frank. This child was transferred by request of court to a socialized neighborhood school. He graduated with distinction. The most difficult thing to over- come was his sense of hostility, bravado, hardness and “toughness.” Truancy was over just as soon as he was given the proper amount of mental nourishment. In searching for causes of maladjustment in school, it should be understood that it is trifles which make children happy or unhappy. These trifles are so easily overlooked that only persons with genuine insight into child-life can discover their existence and true role. Usually trifles are not slight or fortuitous sources of irritation, but they pierce back to some sensitive tap-root of feel- ing that arouses the entire personality to pain.’ They touch off a complex situation, often imbedded in the family drama. The child is defenseless against this attack and responds in the only way it knows, by tantrums, running away, or other emo- tional release. Eleanor was the daughter of a retired sur- geon, and a distinguished mother. For the four- teen years of her life she had known two out- standing kinds of misery: poverty, and the endless 1See Skeat, W. W.: “Etymological Dictionary of the Eng- lish Language.” Trifle: Middle English; a mockery, raillery ; a little jest. This ancient derivation of our word “trifle” 1s highly significant. The child literally often feels “mocked” by it. es Te ant =a52 BUS ie ie eS i. —— on | by “3-9 y at Seat Cees = ri Se eo Sw! oe tow “tw & > 4 am % a -s rhe) era: RES SITUS eet Ss Oe SSS Pisa ares cy p< a bo ae a ie SES a eh oe ; * ee ae oe ee AS , Ps oS 9S ee: - Tt rs oes ~ =, a : al ee oye ees ee te Sg . a - AL Bd es eet Bq Pee “ A 4 ype e. To Bry ~~ 4 4 .—s - ~~ a oe ee 4 ajacetass es rine Sm, od - cS al > ew eee * Sat =~ « + < Set eh ee ee br gt 2 hp apesew bree? t t r ee + acae oe) tiaras nde 3} = Pai «ts ee es on a = ‘ - id é 7 a8 s eee aS > “ere g¢(gsgeri +. Ye oe | ~e- ~ eee EP Se « rs . a ssebabebessererag ptectese ere tbl gs ergs Sgislgsecescle eet ties hes BSS eso Sees PERSIE ete . Stes! pe e - ipaesiggrg itp = Be ru" Se tte ek ie a Ok oc TL FF ees on ey ae RS. oon £ : ee eT eSES oA : Seesiseetee eee De etalk etd ood bh oe le ee ee hk eee RS De eae ee Sree tee eee Phat eat se Leh it pe webs stad ee co al foe leg wert gt ater, St ¥ ei ptetet sss eteesi ees : es swe £ Si tick Tad el Srey ork el ek eh peg, ee ot eo en 2 Pees es + eal bal bd o" ~ pe Polini g~ wt s : oe Tes wee a oe Pak ewe ay: G6 YOUTH IN CONFLICT dwelling on the greatness of the family tradition as compared with its present shrunken estate. The father, no longer able to wield the knife, used his tongue. He jeered at fate, his wife and children. Eleanor was a frail, blonde girl with good native ability, and a persistent capacity for suffering. She passed through the usual grades in school and was finally promoted to a cooking class. She was in- terested in this. One day her teacher said: “You must not wear a dark apron to this class. All the girls must wear white aprons.” Eleanor said nothing, but appeared day after day in her dark blue apron. The teacher, interpreting this as rebellion, or indifference, ordered Eleanor to appear in the required apron or to report to the principal. Eleanor disappeared. Several days later she was found hiding under a porch, half starved, cold and in a kind of stubborn panic. She refused to give her name and was taken to the Detention Home. With great difficulty the court obtained her story: she was afraid to ask at home for the white apron, and thus expose herself to mocking complaints of her father, and she was afraid to return to school. For six years the court has been dealing with Eleanor. Her suspicious temperament, her tend- ency to evade responsibility, her shrinking from criticism, have involved her in a career of delin- quency, the seeds of which were undoubtedly pre- sent in her home life. Had the school been sen- sitive to her needs or on the watch for those ¢rifles which had power to wound her self-esteem at its most vital spot, Eleanor would have found relief, rather than accentuation of her fear of failureCONFLICT IN THE SCHOOL Q7 which sapped her energy and resulted in her aban- donment to the easy life of the streets. Doubtless the matter is more complex. ‘The delinquent career is composed of innumerable fac- tors, physical, mental, emotional, social, of which the school episode is but one. As case-studies are evolved this complexity is emphasized, most of hitherto relied on causes and explanations go over- board. To explain Eleanor’s conduct, whose fore- bears had no careers of delinquency or insanity, and whose own mental equipment was adequate for a successful journey through life, one must turn to those factors which appear to lie beneath motive and which furnish driving power in a crisis. The school is. not responsible for the emotional attitudes with which pupils enter, but the school should frankly realize that success, or failure, will be determined, not by intelligence of students, nor by richness of course of study, but in the degree of skill with which it develops ‘the emotional life of children. In each student crisis arise, seemingly without adequate basis, the every day matters of the first school success, or failure, first punishment, humiliation, reward, criticism, ridicule, undetected cheating, or unmerited approval will serve as the core around which a cluster of emotional habits will cling. Nothing taught in the curriculum of ethics, so- ciology, civics, town-planning, one’s duty to neigh- bors will have power of itself to alter the set “of this fundamental attitude. Enforced participation in student activities, such as self-government or merit-svstems, will not change the nature of emo- tional life which determines the kind of response 7 7 es a ae dee es 4 i Ny ' Tn > Pwo eee ere Tey | Peis hsti. ba x *-a2 tf 3 ¢ 7 eee t No Tal Sing Pe. ed 225 Cer 2 t= Bs STrereer:s : a. oo 2 a4 ake co * oe eee De he ’ Pees Ser eee. is a rs eas eters. * a qh LR eT tee ces eee rer eres .3 7 re » ~ 5 Pa de ot Se SS EST TEES pkeapepacacbet sae eae ates as es ee Tere fy eS sats Ss he toe ot -_ . ae * ae at | eo: J hee ROE SO =a. er \ ag Se | ap et a er sey eae’ — — no ay vg | Se te ee eect terre Saal 4 he- a ‘etl, * | Pu oe 7 > - I a ae ae TP 2ec ca eee aaa - A an ma en eS SS oe ee, pa oe ee SF erertes ~ — 2 a a Ps - . b * oa _ — aoe os a a - 74 bad . i. i _ Es + * “oe 4 hg ti Sg sergrerpee ~~ 2s 7 6 2. 2 ea ‘ rn: a rs a a > BF erat > - oI Se ae ee — = a Lam ee Pee Los ae ~ - @ eis. , . 3 ei 3 a it “ 5 Fahey x ete. a ; at Ces eee a ae ee — rf eee - sr tc rete + ee ee Ed - m a eed Ret et ies sd 5 Pe Le oe a) at ~ tds op a Se fh hie oe - a tao - a Per 4g ot oe se Tg Dy a, ‘ = - - a pablo fk ~ eee ee eee — a Ret a A PO al a a eo a A a 4 - ¢ r - * - =OnuP ee ee a _ e* 6.4 we - t = Ss a er re et oe re a - 2. ee at gt don oe a oe a - Pee. A ek A el tl te ct J - se = . -~e aainpalt |B eel Date Ratt adn 2 SST) <5 = rac eas i. 4 Oo ie _ We 98 YOUTH IN CONFLICT the individual will make to socialized life in the community. Response, depending as it does on personality, can be schooled only in an atmosphere created by understanding in socially mature adults. Sarcasm, impatience, egotism, bad temper, favoritism, stu- pidity, indifference to suffering of others, lack of love for children, are serious faults in parents, but doubly in teachers, to whom the state has entrusted the duty of correcting defects of home-life, and who have the whole business of education in hand. The school in a true deep sense develops, or mars, the personality of the child, largely through indirect channels, and extra-curricular activities, the subtle personal and social relationships the child estab- lishes with teachers and children. We need not specify which kind of personality is best in teachers. Stern teachers, serious, indus- trious, just, exacting, difficult to please, may be of value to students whose home-life is all bluff; “easy-go-lucky” carefree young teachers may be precisely the antidote to the child whose anxi0us, scrupulous parents have given him a bad case of nerves;-to a strong child rebuff may be wholesome. Some act of indifference, even cruelty may stim- ulate the opposition necessary to success. Henri Wolf. who founded the first teachers’ seminary, thereby introducing the principle of group-discus- sion in pedagogy, said he conceived the idea as a young student after suffering from indifference of his professors, and their inability to understand his difficulties. Here conflict was stimulating. Teachers may be old or young, of any tempera- ment, the more variety the better, because the child should have rich experience in personalities, butCONFLICT IN THE SCHOOL 99 there are certain essentials of personality which every teacher should possess. There should be in- sight into nature of the emotions.’ The teacher should have ability to detect early signs Of emotional maladjustment in children, should feel respect for complexities of personality, above all should understand why force in dealing with emotional disorders is blind, stupid, useless and often cruel and dangerous. The teacher her- self should have made adequate adjustment to life, should not look to children to supply her with op- portunities for outlet to anger, fear, wish to dom- inate, or to be dominated. She should not use af- fections of children to gratify her need of love and approval; her own adult human relationships should be established satisfactorily. The most im- portant personality attribute of the successful teacher is ability to create and foster a sense of vitality and enthusiasm for life. In this sense her attitude should be parental, that is to say, in the interests of health and virility. Truancy from such a teacher would be rather unlikely. Anti-social conduct in school, such as malicious mischief, breaking into and entering school, smash- ing furniture, creating muss and litter, stealing, should be handled by the school itself. There 1s growing tendency for the school to recognize re- sponsibility. It is not necessary for the school to 1 Every teacher should be familiar with the studies of Wat- son, Kempf, White and Adolf Meyer, and should be a member of the local Mental Hygiene Organization or of the National Committee for Mental Hygiene, 370 Seventh Avenue, New York City. 2See Dr. Jessie Taft: “Mental Hygiene of School Life.” May, 1923, Proceedings, National Conference of Social Work. Tee shetaa ck 4 Sal et Sek tek lk OO Yo feaea ss e. ied ot es tart eee amy . ‘tort et Key a ae) o ére =) & a ne ee Sn ste Siete berate Sirs eeioiseicasteas F Pats Aaa t err ss . ao’ es Sei bay oe etzs BS = > oe fo er te > a FPR -~ $ Tt Pe $a Pe ie ews as. 5 See eed + es eS ~ “ gt. F< eae tee Pal Sea tet al tak . Se ee ae el | a ad ae ees 3 eS a. a a ee Vee rely tS. _ “7 vis a to aPe at ae as ea. mi g 5 rel ak at ee hk eo he doe a he es eh eh OPE PS BS TS AS eee a te Pe eee eet kee 4 ps 873 F ie po c tx ta oe oe i ee, 2 - ae 1 S. _ Lig ee ~— i a “ uw >. % ca al » ; ae & La =} +, * i oe a1 ar it + At way, ie . ae ea er ; ve ie " TOO YOUTH IN CONFLICT invoke authority of Juvenile Court unless custody of the child is in question. Infractions against peace and integrity of school life yield readily to social treatment, that is to say, if closer coopera- tion of home, school and neighborhood is brought about by a social worker employed by the school.’ If the school deals with its behavior problems, it should deal with them understandingly, in light of best Juvenile Court procedure. The average teacher has an archaic view of Juvenile Court. She thinks it exists to punish children. She 1s sur- prised or displeased when this does not take place. The Juvenile Court uses discipline, of course, but treatment is based on a constructive plan arrived at by conference of Judge, probation officer, physician and psychologist. Peter was described as a greedy, malicious boy who stole lunches, and when punished threw stones in basement windows. The teacher thought Peter should be punished in Detention Home by loss of meals and was annoyed when this eight-year-old Italian, whose mother was dead and whose father had attended so carelessly to his wants that he was anemic and underweight, was fed the customary chicken dinner on Christmas. The school can handle delinquency problems only by applying scientific method and a spirit of con- structive mental hygiene. A group of girls in an opportunity school for court wards were discussing the idea whether they would like to see the school take over the work of Juvenile Court: 1 Such as the visiting teacher, but this person must be a thoroughly trained and experienced case-worker if results are to be satisfactory.CONFLICT IN THE SCHOOL IOI “Why, whoever thought of such an idea,” ex- claimed the President of the Student Body. “No one ever heard of a school teacher who had more than one wew of anything.” This girl herself was an illustration of bad pro- cedure within the school group. She was an adopted child, of aged foster parents; her father was devoted to her, but her mother was devoted to making street comedies for moving pictures. Somehow X became out of joint. She stole in school. Accused by her teacher, publicly humil- iated, disgraced and unwelcome at home, she fled and was missing for several days. Again placed in school, she stole and was unwisely treated. Not the slightest attempt was made to find out why she stole. Examination in court (after the school had “branded her a ‘thief’ ”’) showed an intelligent, eager, ambitious young person, in a fever of anxiety about a simple matter, which an elementary lesson in sex- hygiene would have relieved. X was placed in the opportunity school, where she has been success- ful and happy for over a year, and where she won herself a place of esteem in public high school. Endless will be mistakes of school if it tries to safeguard morals of its students, without insight. Elva, aged thirteen, had been “boarded out’ by her father. She stole a pink silk undershirt from the woman in charge of her, who complained to the school. An impromptu “trial” was held in the prin- cipal’s office; the girl, with scant regard for rules of evidence, was declared guilty. As the child stubbornly denied her “guilt” she was punished. How could the principal guess that Elva’s mother, who had been an inmate of a state reformatory, had committed suicide, and at her boarding home 2) Be be rs . > —_ tos) + eae Jt eta 4s - *-a Lets? - . = a Seat aa? am ee al 4 . er La Jt r Cae. See ny 4 2*4* 7: ears s 7 . - «i Teese terres nin nae ee es - Sears ee tit; cas = peer ty te ee ae &. ESN ETS - ae rd rr —— oe risk rer ee tr he grees as a Si Teter e. rere bees Shree a ~ 23 So tre Stet re Ct rd - nd FRIES Sou tre i Lfctit: * SS ee oe 5 es See > r a Cae Saas - . et Rites oy he PS S3 eee me we. “ mes =. a ee we eo eee . ah | ile ot fo te Pe Pre ee EAS SS do te te Root esistsesee Pe py - ra Des meses ity aetiatatie ant kt ad - a -~ “ iia a aol cole id ah ee a ee - Ps id _ ~j~ pron 4 Sl eek he teh ka i oh ht Sl te Be og — = —— a al ~ _ *- ae a . — ao in oa ripe pS ts ed cae J. eee Pe, bea po | * Mn s raf ee eS ee at bad Pn [gate et i ht Dae he gre ek di a oe Dad heh Seer ss eres . allt, ast lel tee” Co tata Ts Sipe gear oh teeny estteze s - pa as 4 3% & i ee i a a . ——SeeerS er. SS « re es — 4 - ~ . *t72> ee Ss S27 Teleawlan er 1 ee he a Se a eee ee nth eee Z*CAS IF iS ees _ r ae oy e > : ~. ine 102 YOUTH IN CONFLICT the “foster-mother” taunted Elva with insinuations so that the child (outwardly a healthy, rosy, snub- nosed little girl) developed a feeling of guilt and inferiority which had weakened her power to study, and finally caused moral collapse. If the school sometimes mishandles its delin- quency cases, there are compensating, glorious ex- ceptions. It all depends on attitude of mind toward delinquency, and training, skill and good-will of the teacher. May was a tall, thin girl, a sickly orphan who had been brought up in the home of a conscientious woman, mother of a girl about May’s age. May suffered jealousy. One day the clothing of the daughter of the home was found slashed and snipped into pieces. May denied doing it. She was locked in a room and fed bread and milk (which she refused) until the woman finally, to avoid scandal, took May to court. May was resolute in denial. The court explained that at present it was not necessary to discover the mystery of slashed clothes ; the important thing was the shocking mental and physical state into which the child had worked herself. After examination and physical restora- tion, May was placed in a home where she attended a small high school; the principal was asked to co- operate in reconstruction of May. Years of effort by this socially minded woman are now being rewarded. May took a purse from school within a few weeks of admission. No attempt by the prin- cipal was made to “prove” this, or to compel a painful “confession.” May was told the probabili- ties pointed to her; if she wished she could make restitution. It was explained to her that stealing is a grave symptom of inner trouble, all her friendsCONFLICT IN THE SCHOOL 102 were now trying to help her and pending the “cure” it would be best for her to work out of school hours to repay incidental losses. She need not “confess” in words, no force would be used to make her pay if she felt innocent. Three times in two years May yielded to impulse to steal small articles, each time she made restitution. For over a year there has been no stealing; delinquency with boys broke out recently. The court offered to remove the trouble- some girl from high school. “No,” said the principal. “This girl is making steady progress in school. Her attitude is not rebel- lious, it is that of one appealing for help. This is our job, unless’ we fail, or the girl begins to injure others, we are going to keep May in school.” May is about to graduate, after four years’ intel- ligent supervision in this high school. The group of children whose behavior problems cause the most serious concern in school are not, as is usually supposed abnormal, or super-normal, but the dull, average or dull-normal group.” These children have difficulty with lessons, they do not ordinarily receive much individual attention from teachers unless they misbehave, they readily compensate for intellectual mediocrity by © starting something.” Lacking in special abilities, possessing few signs of appealing helplessness, they appear on the face of it, what they are, in reality, dull. It 1s hard for the teacher to take interest 1n them, yet personal interest is vitally necessary for their erowth. If the social aim of school 1s remembered 1 Those with intelligence quotients of 80 to 90 per cent. — See Elizabeth Woods, Ph.D., “What Every Teacher Should Know About Everv Child.” Also, “The Slow Learning Child,” Proc. National Conference of Social Work, 1923, Washington, D. C. ‘Beas, " Stik te J cs Se pe Ser : : | ete OSes ts oe ae pte os - eve ot ca ns es | .* stock: Soe toes 5 m a se . pasktt Hs ee ee os * Ae isseines eat of RP ee OS Hage Haeses * J Fy Pas rs fet a 37 Parte ~ tel $Peisrsas yee: fee tts e i § Se agi tened = pet tt eee ft. = eh) eS ee ee bn oe Fire eee te en Pee ee Sees er Pett rae Kons 2 ne ee gee. iy est n dein ts s a Ro *- teas bs ° Bytes eters) rey a yw me ae & ta —++ as. tT? 3s 7 as a eT Ww ey a. | ae £2 Sette a ee te teed r. = — = ~ 7) ee? -. . | 7. _ r |. ah | et . aegcraire. © <«~ ee ee et oe bed] | res Ged iets eek Bl deal ee a eeeias — Ter ” P : , ae : 2 oo: ae. ; * 7 a a rea 5 pli oes Ps ms f eR eo he el bt ee heeeie se ee ey OD Oe, ey, a Sp hE PEST FS SESE TS oa pes. era ange +i ae SS <>< bsp ah | t: " ee eee “f a pe ek Paty at ay te - ‘ ; ee ere ne 8 ot gl wt ot oe a ne ee eee bs + oa ees CRE Dh ith ahead A Lee ae Pee Fe aes ol Do ee eee - "o paee ered ae ge ~ < =, . > ie - al - oe ee ot he het Del ee eh ke at al) = na ie Spreneepegscrs et : ~ [3 3{SPSp Meow Ones care re. I04 YOUTH IN CONFLICT these children will not be permitted to become dis- couraged or crushed by failure; they will be set upon tasks within their powers. It is increasingly being recognized that competi- tion is a poor instrument in a school room. Pres- sure of competition has caused untold, unproductive suffering among children, and has contributed to delinquency. Such suffering is unproductive be- cause it harms the loser, and cannot make him any brighter, it injures the winner by making him con- ceited. The modern progressive school sets the child a task which uses all his ability, the exercise of which is its own reward. Invidious comparisons between dull and bright pupils are not permitted. The dull child, then, has no motive to have recourse to violent, anti-social means of gaining attention. Dr. Elizabeth Woods is of the opinion that much of the flow of obscene literature in high schools is caused by setting ‘“‘dull’” disqualified boys and girls to tasks beyond their intellectual preparation, con- stantly fearful of failure and damage to prestige, they circulate a ware * which has more value because it is forbidden, and in possession of which they gain distinction. One high school principal asserts that if one looks for obscene literature one or two months after entry of the freshman class, and deals with it pa- tiently in non-emphatic ways, by personal education of the offender, that particular class will be free for the remainder of the four years, and there will be little difficulty with lapses of morality. 1It is recognized, of course, that the production of obscene literature by adults for profit from sales to children is often the true source of this evil. See Reports: Jessie Binford: Supt. Juvenile Protective Association of Chicago.CONFLICT IN THE SCHOOL I0O5 In treating this situation as in all others of the school, a vigorous enlightened policy of adjusting individuals to their educational requirements and possibilities will accomplish apparent miracles. It is a matter for comment that greatly loved teachers rarely have anything stolen from them, there are entire schools where thieving’ is almost unknown, so great is the respect of children for the good name of the school. In these schools there is always a more or less expressed policy in feeling- tone, the air of friendliness,—‘‘one for all, all for one.’ In such schools respect for property may be punctilious. If teachers possess a morally invigorating and confidence-inspiring personality, they will create this atmosphere in their schools without affectation. It cannot, of course, be forced. The teacher who brought Mary to court to complain of willful in- corrigibility, insolence, laziness and menacing in- fluence on other children, could offer no overt act as proof. Finally bursting into tears, the teacher sobbed : “Well, I have always known that Mary does not love me.” Much as the court recognized the gravity of this Situation, conditioning as it did the whole question of Mary’s success, or failure, in school,—the court could suggest no remedy, any more than it could effect by court order the bursting forth of green shoots from the bulbs growing in their crystal bowl on the table. Yet this teacher believed Mary’s af- 1J—n the writer’s experience chiefly these are found in “poor” neighborhoods where the school is the product of special neigh- borliness and idealism: such for example as the Macy School of Los Angeles. ae 5 ee se tee - tee re eases 4 =e a ys ba Sut Sar Oe 8 Tt*a7T2 64 2% veee. ; a. To 14apey tie be < ¥bstiie: ae Gx Sa ee = 7 ‘ Pedic ak ae A ESS toes ee ey Py 4 } fe ~/ eet +e Ss 5 ced ee eC tre ory es tint thee bee eae oe a Po M i= é. es p eee Te Tes Sat ae a * pete ee et a MTR earer testes Tt) ar ae a ee Be ee ~ ee e eo ee ee ae * * ee i mes a ees a Toae Se aoe -_ serge eit: ts — ™ mat ft oy gt g ern Pe ae a I —> wt - 5 a3 Fa > a a ewe 5 tourieci ets F< spokes twee 5 es A. ej bras Sass. 2 ete: = ee Pe ee ee Oho a i P a ak ect hh a - 2 se oo n ae | es » le - <)> ; 4 e<-% sea a een e , estes seee el Sl ae A St le ak Ho eh ok ey SE Gs ae ee BSL, pe ey, acl aa i dh eg Sah te tet Be a Pak me oe o pos. ; pars Fae RS EY: 4 oa oe pa > 7 aed ae : nue ae oe sc i al ak th on het at ig — a ae — io aon ae ee eet ao 3 | a en tr oe tars el er a “ - we 2 : i a ha ey i + ae ee — ee. . s* if ph OE Ss Sahat bk ak ol a a a ae! ef xr + ' ' - - a re bee ie ; ant . SetePr Eres leVeSrictaeesy | ee eas OP tate to Prot ee 4 oe 2S. Oo 6: Se ed 106 YOUTH IN CONFLICT fection, her vested right, and thought she should be punished for withholding it. Often the teacher with creative personality finds something in the “dull average” pupils which causes them to shoot ahead. A dreaming boy of eleven failed so repeatedly in his arithmetic that he was promoted .. . in order that his teacher might be rid of him. The new teacher noticed his drooped head and stammering tongue, his really remarkable ability to commit all mathematical errors possible, and she tried to draw him out. The boy had discovered that words made a fool of him, so he was silent. After several weeks of security, for the new teacher let him alone, he was asked: “What is it you think about most when we are doing arithmetic?” “J was figuring out how thin it could be.” “Yes,” said the teacher quietly in a moment of rare insight, “what would you do with it?” ‘‘Why, the fish could live there,” said the boy. It was discovered that this boy was a shy naturalist, devoted to life-interests of finny and crawling crea- tures. He was absorbed in the mental building of an aquarium. In a few months he was on his feet, with chalk and pointer, demonstrating not only arithmetic, but properties of fluids and solids to the class. In the retarded, dull child the school must recog- nize possibility of mental conflict and anxiety as a cause. Could one know the burden of unuttered grief of these children, masked by ordinary “‘slug- gish’’ faces, and seemingly healthy bodies, one might pause before inflicting ridicule, or force, uponCONFLICT IN THE SCHOOL IO7 them. Their attention is often absorbed by the home-situation. It is no exaggeration to say that unwanted children are sometimes subjected to miseries, jealousies, adult misfits and mismatings as strenuous as those of the tragic dramas we teach our college students. Could one expect some muinta- ture Hamlet, brooding over knowledge of his moth- er’s infidelity, te be alert on the subject of fractions, or would young C:dipus be absorbed in such a story as the ‘“‘Rape of the Lock’’? ‘These so-called dra- matic themes of family life are of every-day occur- rénce in lives of children who become delinquent, all the more to be wisely, sympathetically dealt with be- cause they have no glamor of mystery, but are staged in the apartment house or on a subdivided city lot. Before “‘dullness” is made as a diagnosis, prob- ability of an absorbing inner emotional conflict should be ruled out. Nowadays the school must concern itself with problems of dress and fashion. This matter is usually supposed to be connected with the problem of morality. The social worker objects to “flashiness’’ of dress in students, use of rouge, expensive materials, ‘‘ex- treme’ styles, not so much because these tend to premature sex-attraction, for it is true that whatever the prevailing fashions, boys and girls become ac- customed to them, and are not so prone to seduction from causes that excite their elders, as that these styles emphasize class-distinction and ape, for the most part, the parasitic class. Moving picture ac- tresses and spenders of alimony are not the best models for girls; the “town sheik’’ or matinee idol’s / a “- er o Cy . : tt8 i ae hone ot hon is Be ft ee oe - Te. eos a ~s=$ 3 pe 2 * ae 6 ae Pete, * a] a Se ~ 4to es teen > > i. o* _= gs poll Rett oe Bak ee Bk ly ds 3 4 cs opt at el toi aes PSPSPS SSE Porthos Peet Me - - - - ae ee ee J ot... = Sah decide del soe a> 6 arb tonoe la pA eee ee eee eth Ek ee tik he a egies Pe Poe Seek TS Pe ot r ea an "= 4 rp a in - i a - - _* ati Pant sar . $e a ~< , bud ane Ee eee al eee ae a ee _ — oe oe - % ile a i - Pe ie ath eek ee ON ie de gk ee ae ae - a - x eh a ara ‘ aa eae re a rs -< - Ee » fy be = * a a a — Ps ee ee a Seats etst seis Fe we ’ o r= eS Pe hte hk rictecensepegacrse mr 108 YOUTH IN CONFLICT bell trousers and eyebrow paint seem out of place on a high-school boy. It is a matter of taste as much as of morals. Personal criticism is a poor way to bring change ‘1 fashion. When school and home cooperate in arousing the feeling that it is bad taste to dress like the parasitic class, the young people are usually content to dress in a manner more becoming to youth. If parents secretly, or openly, admire ex- travagance, and if young teachers imitate frivolous and unesthetic modes of dress, the difficulty is strengthened. Since clothes express personality and life-goals, as the personalities become at school enriched and enlarged, and life-goals of school tend to become vigorous, modes of dress will be more individual and less contaminated by foibles of the street. Often the appearance of a girl in the extreme of style, although she is cheaply and shabbily clothed and poorly washed, is the danger signal to an alert teacher. The girl’s attention is no longer on affairs within the school-group, but she is having her head turned by predatory males, or she may herself have turned adventurer. Myerson, who for two years examined mentally girls listed as sex-offenders by social agencies of Boston, found that: “the girl usually ‘picked up’ dressed immodestly or in the extreme of style.” * The girl or boy who is well-adjusted in school life, full of enthusiasm for school activities, will not readily suffer attention to be drained off in direction of flapping ear-rings, startling modes of wearing hair, or arduous slavery of “make-up” 1 Abraham Myerson, M.D.: “The Foundations of Person- ality,” Little, Brown, and Co., 192I, Pp. 303-CONFLICT IN THE SCHOOL 109 complexion. It is a matter of balance. Doubtless style has its rdle to play in emancipation of young people, but for the sake of sincerity and productive work of school life, the “lure” of cheap, gaudy, parasitic fashion should be combated by the entire school group. It is to be regretted that choice now, in some city high schools, seems to rest largely between fashions set by movie-queens, or army and navy. The problem of sex-morality in high school has been sketched in another chapter. It is a serious matter to mingle youth of both sexes during adoles- cence with no adequate sex-instruction available either in home or school. In many places this lack is being met by schools themselves. Lapses which occur for the most part are caused by ignorance or lack of clear ideas and standards. Such offenders are benefited enormously by simple, understanding treatment, promptly administered. From the social worker’s point of view, doors of the school should not be closed to erring boys and girls after they have been placed under guidance. Guidance must come from a source expert in adoles- cent difficulties; girls should be under supervision of a wise woman counselor; boys under a man physician, teacher or other male of absolute clarity and integrity. It must be remembered that hypoc- risy is resented bitterly, and can never be concealed from young people. Equally resented is the cold “unfeeling” type of supervision and criticism that youth with insight fears or holds in contempt, for ‘t is based either on shallowness or something more abnormal. No matter what the offense has been, unless there is danger of physical infection, or it has been the - -« TEE ™ — hod 4 +e a , - ee Cor*Fo.s. - S| Pn 2 re teal + *» cy eet es Ms Petri ees *s oe ee Cat. Ter l ee e » : + he a2 2y, ann = Bayseriieriyesee ee TS te BE FETT EPS fet, 4 jw? ek Se eee ek TT peeIeOR Erte te ee nF ee eres + ~i gow 9) eget we en ae ee teers Sh so bee yb EB 5 t- " oefi is oe PARIS SP GPE TE TSE IET IEF a — ~ re Pa ben ‘or ee oF at oe oe = 4 i. . * 3 ae ee ae a+ ec ea posta ¥z en a ph ail eehbeok gue PoPtee Sh re a el dt tre teh ek = = SS Fe fs . | ee de =o > easlss et ee ee tee od eS Pe ie lh ae td bok hie Ps - a atet ee, ; Lf pa Sete ee eee pee g low ee Pn ce ee a ae re ey 5 p> ~' +> ih ee ry tu” fa Pe 2 ¥ eT one aes * ma 7 i on ~ he ne : Be. | ° Pen - ee a - eee ee AS re oe —— +e. ay oa a ae a 4S ea ee ro -. _— YOUTH IN CONFLICT IIo decision of court to remove the young person from the community should he or she be excluded from school. The expelled student is a hero. The schools, for their own protection, should receive the offender and reéducate him. The school is to-day showing reanimation and a quickened sense of its responsibility toward young persons in conflict. Self-government programs, use of the project method, enriched courses of study, more attention paid to diagnosis of individual dif- ferences, greater flexibility in discipline, vastly more heed given to beauty, to arts, literature, music and natural science, an increasing respect for personal- ity, more cautious approach in matters of truancy, backwardness, dullness and anti-social behavior, more reading and more genuine living on the part of teachers, above all, more life, more adventure and color are transforming the schools into true so- cial groups instead of barracks of military disci- pline, and factories for the mechanical molding of “raw” flesh and blood. Within the true social group any conflict that takes place between child and adult will be stimulating to each,CHAPTER IV CONFLICT IN INDUSTRY THE purpose of this chapter is to indicate some of the difficulties which modern youth must meet in adapting its life to demands of our present industrial civilization. The term industry is here loosely used to mean economic activities run for profit. Modern industry has drafted young people to its service in a variety of ways, in numbers hith- erto unheard of. It is inevitable that the life-crav- ings and claims of youth, which generally speaking represent the biological necessities of the race, should be in conflict with industry which represents goals of a certain class. To-day problems of youth have so much to do with problems of our economic civilization that to solve the ills of one is largely to solve the ills of both. Industry challenges atten- tion of the social worker who deals with youth be- cause it has placed a premium, it appears, on the mere fact of the possession of youth. Entire fam- ilies are now being supported on earnings of the most youthful member. A boy, nineteen years of age, was lounging in a transcontinental Pullman, en route to California to rest his nerves. A year before he had been a charm- ing, intelligent boy in his first year 1n college. Now, clad in ‘“‘the latest thing,’ exhausted, with most of his interest in life spent, he “had seen it all,” and had arrived at the conclusion of the writer of Ec- clesiastes. He “did” a comic strip every other day 111 4 hy — er iy oo ie. : * + - eT se rn at i teebies. a aad me oo a or gree es ef el oft - i. * er s - * Py a oe SIRS a asses ms oe Se 8 <— &, P ‘orn: es S¥oras tees eee so Pd Fy s+ Nees ei Ra st: a a “ he aw r bod = 5 ‘ bs * o ee age tie a teete eshte re tet ged Gr tae se S & Poets es ees es bits lj esepmvboerasases es Lk Mo I at clk oe ee er ee ee eye ae Z okt we he Fo oY * bi4 ba A ee rec et ne Ss et WHMSEVS TITY eet hs +t a EeS 4 Pt >t ot oe 3 * - -¢ 5 pt pa Ge OE os oP “eth Sh her dl eal I a ae << ‘ ms ead 3 a 7 - >» ri oe 2 * 28S -_ a ode ed Dod Se a Pag bbb 3h cake ~ wore ut rm tat wa — a . 7 a Fn! oan ii Sean, oe eae | bs ne Ta es Tare) ek ae a a. s 7 - a a -“- eae - 7 ~ _— - -t- . _-< “ Pt c = aa — 7 ~~. ° ® eat o—-- on . e A ete at Oe eg, POF > — i. Pht ee eee Se ate ae Tee ae peeps 9 7 ES teat ato, the ata kee eo ee at As a ~ P< = thea bas to * => ~ be i a dk = a oa » eae Ps a =e [a sable at = bv PRS Saree teReceaneegegacrs & dad a 3 pe Pe oe ons nt , ee pe arta = . ee = 7 = be we 4 of ee ee ee delta aid ande lg are. a P 2a po ” og oy Aesd id a - > eerily tie - _ - ee y + - 7 ~ a te ie - = II2 YOUTH IN CONFLICT for a metropolitan newspaper and was paid more than the president of his college. Hus father, a sur- geon, did not “earn’’ so much as this boy, whose “talent” had promptly placed the young “artist” under a three-year contract. From his point of view he had arrived; there was no need for further study, or exertion. This boy is typical of the exaggerated role youth is called upon to play in industry. In moving pic- tures hundreds of little children support adults who busy themselves in courts, quarreling over their guardianship. The curls, smiles, lisps and “cute- ness’”’ of childhood have now a money value which runs into thousands of dollars. The effect of theat- rical life upon “child actors” is well known to be thoroughly demoralizing, yet in one city alone in two years over five thousand permits have been issued to children of school age to play in the movies. Not only on the stage is a premium placed on youth, but this tendency is seen throughout the field of production. It has been repeatedly pointed out by experts that what are required to-day in our fac- tories are speed and endurance of young people; not the skill and accuracy of maturity. As a class the younger the worker the more pay he receives. His earning capacity is at its maximum in youth and declines at maturity. If a father of forty-five and two sons of twenty and eighteen are working in a factory, the sons may receive more than twice as much as the father. This reverses the authoritative position at home. Youth’s day is soon over, how- ever; with too much money to spend, and an over- tax on speed and endurance, his physical energies begin to slow down and he is supplanted. TheCONFLICT IN INDUSTRY 113 thing which is demanded of boys and girls 1s both too much and too little; too much exploitation of nervous force, too little use of creativeness and sense of responsibility. In this chapter we will consider problems which arise in relation to delinquency with boys and girls actually working; problems of industrial enterprises which derive profit from gratification of pleasure- cravings of youth, and finally certain disasters which befall the child, as consumer. Work for children is an unsolved problem of our civilization. The hand crafts and cookery of home are diminished, or vanished. Children should work harder than they do to-day, just as they should play harder. They crave activity to the limit of endur- ance.* When, however, they are permitted to work in modern industry without legislative safeguards, they are mercilessly exploited, and a crop of physical de- fects, mental backwardness and moral evils is reaped by the community.* Doubtless the entire matter will have to be tackled vigorously by boards of education who will assume burden of responsibility of supplying work for boys and girls, and supervising them.° A beginning has been made, kind of work done, working conditions, matters of hours and safe- guards are now being scrutinized by educational authorities with a view to establishing vocational guidance. 1 Cleveland Survey: Dr. Henry Thurston, “Use of Leisure Time.” 2See Child Labor Studies of the Consumer's League and of the Children’s Bureau, Washington, Ds Ge 3See Publications of U. S. Department of Labor, Junior Employment Division, Washington, DD, & i e ane 2°252 Bs . . a2 a cal tat Te oe hated eee kl Te and tate tt tone . Sg he SETS a ad Read poe Rent Gas : : Si sia ts be Se 3 i ans eee - - . os ae “ bee net tot I eS re hy eye ws: ae 7 a See pci ct le Gs ae oe ek Te aw a? So > = de % et > a Pm 9 etie eee er on rere > 2 Srp sag x ie ae eee oe Se Te eT . 3 i re _ Pe 7 oe Pete es ce +o & « ee tu ee es i a —" oak etree rit a4 rs caeie, ' - ss es —— Le ted ete - ee oe ae le te dee tee ee Oh. v *s wt > 5 a - - aa right sine — 5 ad ee, ee =» « > he od 2} aS Tenens -_ =. wiw - it ore es o*@ 7 73° _ “oe reagan as oe Set et ell a ee ad ate tea e —- e + ole te : a Mae F po - = 7a oe Se ene ~ A Senge nm ao. 4 ' » e~- tite PA — . vfwera i a ee a ~~. *.. * > 2 OS hae oe Br Bel * ’ Pt. é* <. eo - ee 4 —— Set pe +iVeSese i.e A ee ee oe * , a ns a ~ ed ed aol =e” ¢ ee ea Pe we Ps oe rs is © M et pe — . see, Bon ~ _ oe SS . . ~~ -- Seti cea Ts ae ee at ot: Pe ge Pe a — Ae ee . See iw taton esenet wt ob eit et cheese! a —* oe a Ge Eee - ° i ak Pall eee pie laa dey a Pen - _ ay — Ps ~y ee tf tg Se re sth ns dt shat ten Bik ha eh te Ry ag i ea ys le he aN ool et eae ee Ee et eee Se AOR es 4 y = a a ee 4 a en, i le a ee a r ' 2 a i. : - * Fat 4 oe 7. w IIl4 YOUTH IN CONFLICT Industry, by itself, seems unable to take the child’s welfare as a goal. It permits children to be sacri- ficed needlessly, and probably in the long run with- out profit to industry, on the theory of individual and parental rights to work. For example, no informed person is ignorant of the lasting damage done small boys and girls in street trades, particularly selling newspapers. Irreg- ular hours, freedom from parental oversight, ex- posure to moral evils, are recognized as self-evident. Gangs of boys from six to fourteen years of age spend nights away from home, sleeping in alleys, or on roofs of office buildings, making just enough to buy “eats” in restaurants, and to attend shows, while legislation seems powerless to help because the spirit of modern industry is not antagonistic to the sight of its young children handling its jour- nalistic wares of filth, murder, scandal, cheap adven- ture and advertisements. The irony of this situa- tion is tersely expressed by a decision of the Su- preme Court: when child welfare organizations tried to have boys stop selling newspapers, the court said: these boys were not child-laborers, rather they were “independent merchants’’! Sam was an “independent merchant.’ He was ten. He rarely slept at home. He was literally half- starved because he ate only what pleased him, soda pop, and “hot dogs with mustard.”’ For six months he wandered in and out of cheap hotels, sometimes paying for a room he shared with tramps, sometimes sleeping in an automobile so that he could be on hand when the newspaper was printed. Sam knew every crime, every perversion, by name with detail. The only tears he shed were drawn from him when the last of the illusions of his youth was destroyed,CONFLICT IN INDUSTRY IIl5 —an illusion about another phase of industry : base ball. He was waiting for the latest edition of he “Baseball” graft scandals: “Oh, gee!’ he cried to one of the older boys who “had the dope,” “it ain’t true, is it? It can’t be crooked? Qh, gee! It ain’t true?” Sam is a chronic liar, thief and runaway. His attitude toward prostitution, vice, graft and crime is fixed, permanently anti-social. His childhood, youth and manhood have been squandered to the fifth leading industry of America. The man of the street smiles contemptuously at the idea of newspaper selling harming any healthy boy. ‘The fact is that newspaper selling is one of the largest contributing causes to delinquency among city boys, and for the sake of producing half a dozen exceptions who rise from newsboy to pub- lisher, it is a chance too remote to take in behalf of handicapped boys. The kind of work done by boys and girls who are under care of courts and social agencies is a matter of greatest importance. Research as to the effect of the work record of delinquent children has yet to be undertaken, that is to say, no exhaustive study has been made. Experience has pointed some dangerous occupa- tions. Domestic service for girls is always to be regarded with caution. ‘“‘Servant’’ girls have long hours, monotonous routine, restricted opportunities for harmless social life, few companions their own age, and insufficient Dereon from domestic con- flicts in homes where they labor. The “hired girl” is not part of the family circle, but she is the spec- tator of intimacies and subterfuges of modern fam- ily life. She must “take sides,” if silently, between = — Bee as . « - r 7 oe oe s tO ‘ a°3*5- 7 Sey - Sb akale ba juvge Gr te hat hs ora <5 re eh ee eae ry A “ a 4 _ 7 Wri. i. ae a ay a Biers t=d24ateet 25 Lai SERIES Tres Ts : - ; a , Pe ~— > . ett. : Sey Sree tse - eS Pere ee ee oy ee see) as Sea ez > eg 2b oe hse week. SE 35 creeres as ee eS ay Tag as “ee | a << Ca ti bi iigapaseseeere ie ME ts 2s ke toes ‘nt * a ed ~~ oe - Ve) eS eet oe 2 - rs ‘4bright a Ls ie as a as bl od eh Oe ge te ak gull es TB ee FE ee 3 * 7 eS - gags e% od E..: sal ee , ee ~ - ee a ete te tse. og heel — A eon Ty pe ha Le | - - iG Ce oe 5 es ae ee ee ee ott A <¢ ors i P e a eo sy - peene-piercesesese te Sle ie ee se ak rT A Me Pty ag ha. v ¥? : ee ee ee Dy oe he ees Feresej ‘ a eA — 9 ie Ss - me le , date ie oy Pi (igs = ee oh 7 esti ote a ie ba aa ht ane se be ie hd ne Ment te ‘rs a . Ps iad ht aS ef DRA ek eh el ee eh te ko ial, ooh a eee re taal -7¢ ra _ a) 3-3 ae = x = a eT ea BER , 6 a ° a ead ¢anee * — al i A St Sl SS len # — ee ee pe. oy a ad ee oe ad ee Se, viet ele tik at + = > nant 4 koed 116 YOUTH IN CONFLICT husband and wife, parents and children, brothers and sisters. The family “cloak” is to her no secret and no shelter, she dwells close to the seamy side. She becomes discouraged, and prematurely callous and disillusioned as to home life. In surveys of occupations of girls and women in correctional schools, the greatest number have been found to be in domestic service. This is partly due to the fact that home service draws its recruits largely from ranks of backward, unskilled members of broken families, but it cannot be denied that the servant “class” is habitually exposed to seduction and lack of proper safeguards. The foster-home for young girls, carefully supervised, chosen in light of child- placement principles, where genuine mothering is given, is not to be compared with mere “working out.” But the foster-home is a place of unselfish- ness, where the girl is received as a young ward of the home. It is a profession and an art absent in many communities. Such foster-homes produce occasionally excellent results, but their number, in comparison to the industrial demand for domestic service is slight.* Cruel as is physical waste of youth in textile in- dustries, mills, foundries, factories, canneries, fruit, cotton and beet fields and the like, the writer is of opinion that boys and girls suffer less permanent damage to character in industries which are produc- tive, that is to say, where they can deal with proc- esses of production, than in “service” industries such as “‘soda jerks,” messenger, telephone operator, 1For an example of the pride taken in young children_in socialized foster-homes, under modern supervision, see The Home Finder, edited by Lucile Lazaar, 141 West 126th Street, New York City.CONFLICT IN INDUSTRY 117 theater-ushering, beauty shop attendants, dance-hall instructors, waitresses, sales-ladies, chamber-maids, bell-boys, and “entertainers.’’ In these latter pur- suits it is mainly youth, beauty, charm and vivacity which sells their service. ‘here is a perpetual de- mand on their power to please, soothe, flatter and interest tired adults. A dash of high spirits and “kidding” must be administered to the patron of the article, or service purchased. ‘lo the normal, well- balanced youth, this experience with whims and self- loves of grown people gives life zest; they become excellent readers of personality, it 1s indeed an astute traveling-salesman who can “put anything over on them.” These sleek-haired, groomed, well-dressed young personal service “experts” with ready smiles, quick wit and genuine worldly wisdom, enliven the landscape in many a small town and a great one. It is upon the girl and boy handicapped by back- ground of delinquency, unstable, yearning, eager, inexperienced that the shafts of “kidding,” flattery and other specious attentions fall more disastrously than do industrial accidents, or slow wear and tear of mill and factory. One rule of adult conduct could be applied which would take the sting out of service occupations, and the moral dangers of office and store work as well: the rule of chivalry toward youth. Physical help- lessness of infancy is almost everywhere regarded with solicitude in modern life. Babies and kittens are usually safe, even in traffic. This attitude has been cultivated, because of its necessity for race preservation. ‘The same sense of the helplessness of adolescence to resist adult seduction should be evolved and fostered. Business executives should re ~«e Pose 1 eee rot eal oe i as 4.2 ee a eee - } > at | Fe . i. « Fagl * Pre “> - : Ae Se tae < - Peon ean a oe SS, wt Sot Ne Be nt oe en _ tere az ; cE Sa toaster ey a . a Tea Ps 7% eh ae 24 io TS SENT ETT AT Syed rs . Tae Sa ease +1 Sen ES Petey Cat, = gs ey + S + ~ arat bi oy eS ry oa va} - ~@ es" “#8 — — Pa eter eis 4 tte Peer ats . Lae olen be ae ~ ea 32) ing - beucititenen ilies ad ans A ae ee ee eg . pie Seat Yt Ce ee tat L = oa cet Tr ee pie tae fog | Peer te ee ee eS a’ Pa ee ar ae Coos 5 ca ah fod Sieh ne hd a Se Se Set ees Fatt SS SS Sea @ #68 7% ey = geek ee sen ined “Tet eel Bal’ | — ‘ a ee Se oe eS eeeet eR Laaeat te - yt. - , eat et cts a a Oe ee a i ae a es iS tan ee P a s ce 3 ~ = CM hee eed ee nee Bed a es - “Os > Py P a £ bd Be r 4 = ene neg Bae _ ae eae c- = a. eee tee “ak 1s *e oa ‘Fe ae ea ef ad c+ 7 oa io ioe ee * * 4 2h ere et ks — sf ere: ee BL ke ldo, sh lt a ee = ex ae . i” fae oa . y 5 StS > a Se a ede De ane ao ee -"¥ aad oe o a ’ pt ma “# iar & eS a ve ee a es a a Ne Gee ped S by pes Arh. a ah ST i So lh et heh ek Peer ee ee Seeht: pat, dad nt, z ey a ea pe pe cise ee ee = - a he SES PSP SP SPERIOLS + ~— ga ee tein ole bn oe A dant as 5 eee Bea es oe ot oe — pt. ed bc en ~ ote e) - ~. - 7 ae M ‘ , - A a oS eae ‘Jae aed 118 YOUTH IN CONFLICT start the matter right, so that each adult employee will receive lessons in courtesy, self-control and moral consideration for boys and girls. Youth has a divine right to be silly. “Being silly’ is like the prancing of lambs in spring; it is cowardly, selfish, base, despicable, for adults to take advantage of the charm and gayety and irresponsibility of youth. Industrial enterprises which derive profit from eratification of the pleasure sense of young people are chiefly dance-halls, theaters, hotels, eating places, amusement parks, means of transportation, rail- roads, taxicabs and the like. In addition there flour- ish in most cities underground activities, distribu- tion of unclean literature, pictures and post-cards, peddling of liquor and drugs, and the more or less organized business of prostitution. These latter ac- tivities are partly, or wholly, criminal and under the ban of public disapproval. In communities infested with such profiteers it is chiefly necessary to devise good ways of administering laws and safeguards, al- ready in existence. It is mot these vampires of human weakness who cause initial damage to youth. Damage is usually started by carelessness and igno- rance in industries which derive support and ap- proval from respectable communities. Boys and girls go for a “good time’’ to places of public entertainment and convenience which depend in large measure on youth for patronage. When cases of demoralization occur, a cry is raised that young people are corrupt, and parents careless; few men or women who have profited cold-bloodedly in dollars and cents from young lapses in discretion, or from poor paternal judgment, take responsibility for the result. The truth is that these public entertainers and hotels and the like owe their existence to theCONFLICT IN INDUSTRY I enlarged state of our households. Family life now includes them; there are no longer castles which con- tain in themselves all the means of eating, drinking, relaxing and making merry. For sheer lack of space the family has spread out into the city streets. There is no longer any reason, except greed, why these should not be as safe for boys and girls as for infants.’ For accomplishment of this result only enlight- enment and good-will among hotel managers, rail- road and taxicab companies and places of public amusements are needed. Every one knows adoles- cents should not be in hotels without parental super- vision; if notified, any social worker or police woman would take the young person to the proper guardian. Many of the best hotels, and all of the worst, ask no questions if price of a room is forth- coming. To put a “fake’’ nickel in the slot machine of a public telephone is punishable with imprison- ment and a one thousand dollar fine; to put a run- away fourteen-year-old girl in a hotel room next door to her “sailor-friend” (often in the same room, with not even the usual hotel requirement of bag- gage) and pretend to think she is “married” or “of age’ is in thousands of American communities no offense at all. If any one goes to court it is the little girl.” I am not so sure that law enforcement will solve the problem; so many loop-holes, so much adult “cleverness” there are in this unequal combat be- tween adventuring youth and profit-seeking adults. 1 Jane Addams: “Spirit of Youth in the City Streets,” pp. 51 to 103, MacMillan, New York, I9Q15. 2 Adequate use is not made of the Contributing Law, which contains a remedy for many situations where adult greed, or indifference, has contributed to juvenile delinquency. ! ' + Ny Dnt a etches oO Be -%.. a ed aks “ — Sy to oe ara. oe e 7395 me Aho! a - a ine yee Be es nae ed ot a Ladata, ae ke Gc ~*~ 2 ey re oe ad tiit ones Se ya ee peteeee ar) sty ros cared Pisecest eo . oss ee eee -<3 Pe ee" Si S° ‘ ro " seg tebe See re es : re ee. PG sO te Tr > ee Ps Far cs .anter . pes » oped - ; on oe <<: = > ye ee eS -_ m et, ene bie at 3 4 — - ee ee -—* a 7 he arate 2 5 ¥4 — * peryerr teen Cea liecioaa ry ® Pk Se ae on ee ee ae 2% TS eres) Set 4 ee os vers - 4} - 7 Bp iiecsaceee esters ° ie o ot- Pe tet > 4 bibs) ‘ . oa. pol hanes E22 fie ee ee eS eS Se ee, ee ee ded eed ~-5 ae Tt Pe a Reade | — a et i 2 . c Bese eetpLecEreseseeet ek ee ee Pe er ae . . het ee ot ae te oe -* 5 ob oe Ce ee Stor ewe dt vat ete esi tut rea belie Nel ee eee ee ee ‘ a F wy ey et FX FS PS Po ion et - & 77. dis P iecd eile a ae ee » Pe &- SrErisoesisorwete ll wt ee “ : ey ey ee, MS Pee. Eek 2 ar res ee Oe “SER Se RSS Fa ee ee et Oe Chae a ros ot At Aaa aed ok) aT an ae a. | —. = Piette ab. Seo ase oie tet t.F— ia lh Sth to ah de hd a Srseasectce 3 - ae — pet pee i RE rk Ble a tl oe oh - aoe tal J Foe ou cme S . we eter erasers een ada ee eee - . a a ai a See. Piss eset . tn ln Ps Rie PE at Ob ae Wr ef ge tet ek ae bs en anal ee ae 5 nee — iT, - ss Sade ee es 7 LPa a eae b ded and ret nee en ns Be bet ot eh oe Sh ed ees ‘tote fers t Le. hd vd =a a a > el te ltl at BO a tok ios 4 he 2 —" _ De Ke ee Se Se ee ee ee ode eo oe rons See Phe eea es eere re ae vane a 6 ph ae ww cas , : a Cees wf eS ent. Se Se Pe Oe te ~~ ee rere ee rd a . tea eke Ee AE dese p = ‘ Se Poy te ee ean?) ke ee Bie ce oe al cel ee aed ead Se Siyeer wiser ae gi etct ttt Foy ae pe ek Oe te Bee eg ee tay ey 5 kita tare te it ee Pe, ae te = ~~ 4 => oh A hale Re ah Lo B ee i. om, arene a bn ped ee SP Pe ey ee we a e ote ete ae ae a eee ee he es hi 537 Sepegrereeeeehpielzeg +f 2 Pe * tee ie Le = Sats Jake St rf I22 YOUTH IN CONFLICT There are scores of Paulines on the list of every city court. Downfall is due to the pernicious ar- rangement of business to bring the “means” of pos- sessing extravagant clothing to the minimum wage and apprentice girl. If a respectable stranger of mature years tries to cash a check in a store where he is unidentified, he is subjected to humiliation or ridicule. A pretty girl of fourteen can easily cash a check for a larger amount in the same store. She may have the mental- ity of a child of eight; she may have forged the check; it makes no difference, the money will promptly be paid by the hypnotized cashier. Clearly business and industry need awakening. Many evils from which youth suffers in the indus- trial world are so enshrined in our economic civiliza- tion that to remove them would be to rebuild it en- tirely; profit-economy would have to be replaced by a system based on respect for human life. ‘This is no excuse however for the existence of evils which are incidental to carelessness, stupidity and a greed which, if not lawless, ought promptly to be declared outlaw. The social worker looks forward to recognition of the right of youth to be safe-guarded in personal and social relationships of industry within the next few years, for already there is a more wholesome spirit abroad, brought about chiefly by those splendid young spirits among our college youth who have gone into the industrial conflict in a crusading mood, unhampered by tradition of “sex-appeal,’’ and who are working, not for profit, but to gain under- standing. Any permanent relief to the position of handi- capped boys and girls in industry must recognizeCONFLICT IN INDUSTRY 123 that work should furnish outlets to creative energy; there must be, not further mechanization of work until it is the dehumanized action of Robots,? but youth must have vivid participation in the concrete reality of production, and youth must share in responsibility. 1 Capek’s play entitled, “R.U.R.,” where bio-chemical “ma- chines,” the Robots, have been invented to take the place of human beings in industry. rte or ' 235) eae du toe SPseerr3:. . PS al a Sot tee 2 ain a a 2 -<... ‘ a@uac & i > ~, »* Ce ee eT pee thes. 3 ot Sep B. be eet" Srrirese Sees eo peeeee * * Ti oso wee +t bee SS. Tre Ye ig oe ThE » re Oa ar oe Po + a oi fo ; th Tt ey ” a ¢: *aes a eae eee -_——~-- Te - Ste25¢Ft3 ef va ma a ek bi, BE oot Sil Tay ok oe oe a os > “ps go! seach wi ot «x? at Pe 7 et tte eee ete Ode pe ee DZ. sl a4 et fn Sat ee pee ge et Pe EE peo se Sk fed oo ee ee en - bh, ee be - = regi o oecee es ) Perera - et — i oo 1h - aa: : - a — Ror maint a ue = ee Se =." | oot orb ess a . wa : ry th ayn ft Fe es ot $4 aia. tate r = wows == 4). ogee : aeage SA ae ; Se id eed Met een ee 7 So -wo' @ -: =: aes ni a Sg eg MAD he patna wh oe a) a is +e eek oe. te oe Rees 2° cts an ee : eae Seas teabiteceeateo as te eei ee spss stat sensed ee ee eee 4 pe = tos - bal ‘ - s eae oa a dg Bek dh SSeS Ss reer - os . i ph ae - 7 rs r a Cae el eal oe cee dee ce-— } oe) ar ee Pe i, Dae Ne ls el, ly gs Ce Sa. i ee oe om» tt ee = 1. ee Siz 5 Li a e a a et a tha a. Ll Pes 4. 4), es hr sae Lats > a 7 be ’ a a r ad - eae f \ . _ < at eet Fe . 7 ef . ps : . pth tana ih : i ae ed “ee? es ‘ etl pile eter. a be ee ol Sart we na a “ — 4 pt SASS, Oe, ae ee ays get . le a ~ Pl i a] ae ie e zs - — _ pa an 5 oe Fe! ‘eS ae a " * ee a ‘ - CHAPTER V CONFLICT IN THE COMMUNITY THE CONFLICT IN SOCIAL STANDARDS THE community is a convenient name for the combined influence of human relationships. The community sums up experience for the individual, for it contains all social groups. In this discussion the community has no reference to geographical boundaries, or social entity; it is merely a loose term describing the social atmosphere in which the indi- vidual moves. Lindeman? has pointed out the sig- nificance of the child’s experience with social groups, first the family, whose influence begins to wane as soon as the child meets conflicting ideas of the neighborhood, that collection of other families to which the child is taken visiting, usually about the third or fourth year. Until then George does not challenge the family code as to what is proper for little boys in the matter of bed-times or interrupt- ing one’s elders, for he has no standard of com- parison. If, on returning from a neighborhood call he remarks: “At Mrs. Brown’s the dog can come into the house,” there is evidence that the leaven of criticism is at work; he sees possibility of remodification of the family code of morals and manners in light of broader experience. Further contact with the 1 Lindeman, Eduard: “The Community,” Association Press, 1921, pp- 17-39. 124CONFLICT IN THE COMMUNITY IZ cyt neighborhood group, school, play and work groups, enlarges the number of conflicting ideas. Each group contributes opportunities for experience and response; as these turn out to be sources of com- fort, joy or exhilaration, or sources of anxiety, doubt and depression, the child builds up emotional attitudes and habits of behavior. Constantly the child seeks to gain approval, or favorable attention from other human beings, to win social esteem. In the normal child this wish for social notice and ap- probation is dominant over everything else because upon adult favor his entire progress depends. Thus the child is forever making compromises with its own desires, and what is apparently desired of him by adults. Gradually a form of energy 1s developed in the child’s personality which we call will. The greediest child of three will refuse to touch the taboo sugar, if a sufficient value has clus- tered around parental approvals; that is to say, if the wish for social esteem in the child has been wisely strengthened. We have shown (Chapter II) that parents have power to break or distort this wish very early. The child may find the struggle too hard or too uncertain. He then “obeys” through fear, or as we say in popular speech, “he has no will power.” Kempf thinks that will is better understood if we describe it as the wish. If the object of the wish 1s strongly and clearly defined, so that the child can grasp it as a goal, present in lovely or appealing forms to imagination, the wish becomes a guiding- line. The child develops will mainly through wish- ing.” 1Kempf, Edward J.: “Psychopathology,” p. 57. (See also Holt, E. B.: “The Freudian Wish.”) bi teh ‘> i PS a 2+ ety TS : —" aie Ce Set tbe Ge he dia idee ae eS ee i + e atlas i iy eS ee SCRE SY SA! ees Pre sad 3 =e - caSasezitte: EES TTE TE TE Nise Se os ie) Pes ) i = ee oe BtAya re ST tee li in i ‘ei * set tes Sa ets: ee eS AE a to aa RIA HF :* ore ty 4, 2 bs hot oe b ee : es eres ees | = =< ee ie Ss Ld id ee arr —— tab ed Xk: Fie er> atade) each the bth aS ere Piete cat eas 4 eee | Pata ts Pee. ~ ob had ~ prertesessseret beg ae '‘S+otrs 4 7. io Mel] J Siu’ « m « ei wertrec ot =? eae 7. o a 4 we ee a * 7 -- 4 ‘To be ta Pan ot et a ee: eee zs > 6 * a? aa * ee ae ee ee apap & ip Oat a a A on hd sence rg mt en pity arn bo ¢ ft oar = nd Pe ee ee le “~ 5 = > Tae « , eee ee * * ‘eheas hist ape: Cp Be a oo S pa wh tte ae 7 - Pe eh SPA 2 a 4 prerereaperesrarses ca ts gh aad ghee oe ee oe eS s a ee ‘ -— _— EE ES es ne eee "oar dat ae atin i tay th eae a ae ate be 4, th. 2, cht. ee ot es P oa eae e Pe hat dt seine eid a Le ke | eT was oi a eal lek hE 126 YOUTH IN CONFLICT The child must wish, it is evident, for something which has been made desirable; in matters of social conduct the child takes the color of its wish from what has been approved, or disapproved by the adult community. All social groups exercise censorship over con- duct, even in its most trivial aspects. Approval or disapproval is constantly being conveyed to the in- dividual from the group as to personal habits, man- nerisms, dress, gait, speech, etiquette, business and moral conduct. Whether he sleeps well at night, or digests his meals is largely due to what he thinks his neighbors are thinking of him, or how success- fully he is able to harmonize his behavior with what he has imagined is the respectable course of action. Mr. Zero cannot enjoy heaven itself if he feels that its pleasures conflict with social standards of neighbors back on earth.? Censorship of the community, power through which it secures obedience to standards of conduct, is exercised both directly, through developed organs of expression, and indirectly by a more insidious method. Recognized channels for broadcasting moral views of the community are legal decisions, pulpit, press, conversation, lectures, debates, thea- ters, moving pictures, magazines, popular books, etc. There is a court of higher appeal, however blind and ignorant it may be, which has vaster in- fluence, the court of “public opinion.” The indi- vidual gathers the drift of public opinion from words, actions, gestures, attitudes, smiles, shrugs, 1A humorous account of the human being’s love of being noticed is given by Clarence Day: “Our Simian World,” Alfred A. Knopf, N. Y., 1922, p. 8o. 2Elmer Rice: “The Adding Machine.”CONFLICT IN THE COMMUNITY 127 sudden silences, coolnesses, frowns and guffaws of the “plain man on the street.” It is this public opin- ion which has such deadly power to make or crush. Cheerfully a youth goes to the gallows if he thinks the “neighbors” believe him a hero for “setting that guy.” The legal decision has no weight, even if ‘t costs the condemned his life; he is sustained by the feeling of social esteem which he has gathered = ‘71 from favorable comments of press and court-room spectators, together with consciousness that the “sang is with him.” It is useless for the church to preach chastity on Sunday if Cleopatra is being shown on Monday at the Neighborhood Theatre ; that is to say, it is obvious to Mary there are de- cidedly two adult, permissible ways of looking at the matter. This ability of the adult community to express its varying needs, attitudes and opinions 1n sO many different ways is the chief cause of present day adolescent confusion and instability. [here are, as Thomas has pointed out, so many conflicting ways of defining the social situation.’ Primitive peoples and more simple civilizations than our own have no difficulty in impressing their young with a single, authoritative standard in which every one believes. To-day, not only are there many ways of defining what 1s right and wrong, but each the community because view can rapidly permeate travel. of increased devices for talk and Young persons have the cift of hearing not only what is said, but overtones of what 1s not said but implied. Each social group, in silently or expressly appraising the moral value of conduct ot its mem- bers. is answering burning questions o1 youth with 1 Thomas, W. I.: “The Unadjusted Girl.” Cd ; a tT +325. 5" 4. baat Ps » oa _>* | P + ing ae [Take os 7 a ps rE 5 Lpetaes ose Sretepresezes eg est hits = ss “ 2. : tt re oe tee es Eo ee bere. Ts s rh eal ae) er hea he eee at eee ee aah Soe get ke le ak: ied eee we SR eee ~* oe « ee oe = a ~- n oe, > ame Ps S 4“. P $+ 7. eihe ot or’ a Se PS SEC EST aT arc: © — . ah oe Ps = ~ ~ ' na “ * OP es wee a oe e Pi e+ > 7 oe ede | . 4 Sent dhe de eth tte ek De ee ee pares ; » a dh moe - ey gis Sot whore gtat 2. CEU rae E we hry ee tet is Sse roee ° a ed i de i ot ~~ f . — Boh, . a a9 ° ia a oe ’ - Ls 3 siestoperepere - - Sra ee Pe eS tot aA. a oe Se ps of oe. oe PF lore rss seen “ a ae 4 a Vas} i+ £' Le | 4 - Pie) rags a tm a P hag | - i hen : oh ny ee a Cd — 128 YOUTH IN CONFLICT reference to ethics: How shall one love oneself and do one’s duty to one’s neighbors; What is the right attitude toward sex, property, manners and fash- ion? Adults must recognize that those who answer these questions in the same way tend to split off by themselves to become members of separate systems of thought, feeling and culture. \When young peo- ple violate sacred family traditions and smile com- placently, with no loss of self-esteem, it is not be- cause they have become anti-social; it indicates prob- ably that they dwell in some other island of social- culture which smiles upon their activities, and_which is endorsed by some powerful group of adults.|) Al- most all delinquencies of youth are the expressed social standards of a part of the adult community which is under no indictment, and which flourishes without condemnation. Illustrations are so numer- ous as to be superfluous: graft and corruption in government and business, selfishness and indiffer- ence to the principle of welfare in industry, tend to strengthen the social position of dishonest indi- viduals; war and violence that of all who commit assaults ; the habit of using persons to one’s personal advantage, the impulse to possess and to dominate other personalities in order to promote one’s own ego selfishly, is the root which nourishes the pros- titute and her patrons, and all those who do vio- lence to the emotional life of others. The social worker should train himself to view the normal community as an energy in motion. Its standards are not static. Youth is in perpetual change also, the growth process. Each is dynamic. Adaptation between youth and community is there- fore normally difficult. \To add to complexity, the young person holds a dual position. Yesterday heCONFLICT IN THE COMMUNITY [29 was told that he was “almost a man; mother and father were expecting big things of him’; to-day, after a burst of manly self-assertion, he was told “he was nothing but a child, lacking judgment and ex- perience.’ Thus his status changes as his actions and attitudes are in agreement.or conflict with opin- ions and convenience of adults.* \Not only is youth, in the eyes of the community both child and adult, but his own emotional fluctuations, periods of de- pendence and inferiority, alternating with moods of exhilaration plunge him now into serfdom, now into heroic conflict. At the moment of triumph he is likely to collapse; at the moment of submission he is likely to rebel ; his personality is not fixed, all is fluid within him. The normal task of the young is to challenge social standards accepted in his time. He accom- fishes this wholesome function not..so.much through rebellion as by questioning: “Ts this necessary?” “Why?” “Is ths true, or right?” He perpetually affirms the requirement of human beings for fresh definitions. He affirms the need for vivid contact with reality, for emotional warmth and richness, for heightened moments of experience, and for more simple, practical, common-sense ap- roaches to human problems. It is futile to inquire if the position of youth in this or that generation is right or wrong, progres- sive or regressive. Conflict between “Fathers and Sons” ? is merely the two sides of the same process, 1 This has been well pointed out by Jessie Taft, Ph.D.: “Mental Hygiene Problems of Normal Adolescence, 1921, Pp. 2. 2 Turgenev’s novel, “Fathers and Sons,” with supreme genius describes this eternal conflict. I oe a tui} ~s vasesnglesiathhy : “oe 2 oto Ses = » 354 SS ie oe Be Fae. $4 Se 5—. he Cer - - ae ee: Ser eS teh les 7 : ester: amy ae: , ‘ ms epee me ye eae ee Ke Peer Pi lth eer lr rr) 3d b) ES) es Ps ae 4 rene ys * eas 2 ¥- oe 4 oo. 2 a+ ert er: a. ez arts +5 ; ? i t i. er . ’* eS — ~ a a ye G 4 5) ~~ 4 Eee Pees) t. tak ews < = erey ant ee ey $3 ta TSR, axe He w ~ + * ae, iets a + Dad ee Sore Se he ae i > a ~: , ee ey we sire theeen Seer teers se a nd 4-9, Wal te 2. thai | et ters ha Pe tat” - Set oes 3 er ee he a, , - vs F .st er * eahet “AP * oe Pod c= ome —— ¢ _ a” T ‘= & © Yea = = Ae ga * eee 25 AM a a a a hs dil el Pala at il A ~ - * i b Pa =~ er | a. 2a 3 > ie a Peel os a: aa a [er a a oe oe ee or. ws id . rT ie oe ; ee 2 alles *«* San Cr ee . a © a - = Se et be ene eee ee Soe a es ~t—<—<« ~ 4 _ > b ll nag 5 . i te rae ee : a vette: ht EP Do Oe Be - — nl. ey ei . an ee ae | ii g@=4%2t27— aa \ A ad | a ia _ Py ‘— - + eT e ~* lt Gee ages el no ee eP ete heh el ee Le —* = ms ol fees oe S44 a 1 * we eS a —_ od F + ne, *~. Ce ¥ ie Rass on io * i f J (he Mi a i ‘ Ly be Pa on + « H+ a ry - +e oft ie poe . ae eer ert A Ee ide ‘» at 4 2 ie ff , b o Gy ea = ' f A Ps by je * ‘ ' i he ee & , I30 YOUTH IN CONFLICT or two currents in the same stream. W e should not lose perspective. As soon as our arteries begin to harden we forfeit consciousness of past rebel- lion; we view with suspicion those bobbed-haired, flat-flanked young recruits, we are inclined to think they go too far. We are blind to everything except that we are being supplanted. Thus it is that more often grandparents, rather than parents, give youth comradeship and unselfish understanding. At any age 1t should be remembered that it is love, adventure and conflict which give value to life. To comprehend the true nature of the conflict youth is waging with social standards we must ex- amine conduct when he thinks he is complying, as well as when he becomes openly delinquent. In the matter of marriage, for example: a sailor meets an eighteen-year-old girl at a dance. She tells him her life is cramped and unhappy at home; he urges her to come up to his room to talk it over; she By this time he has become “really fond” her refusal he interprets as due either to feeling or that she is a “good girl.” Reas refuses. of her, lack of sured as to the state of her feelings, he insists that she meet him next day, down at the “electric station,’ ’ and they will get married. In the morning the girl tele- phones her employer that she will not be down to work, she is getting married; her parents living together, she lives with an aunt who has no need to know, so she is not told. are not after all It is the girl’s money that pays for rent of the hotel room, although the sailor in a burst of generosity has pur- chased the license. In a few days there is serious trouble. The young husband brings hi s sailor friends to the room. When it is late he won’t turn them out; why should he? Let them stay all night.CONFLICT IN THE COMMUNITY I3I The girl, whose waking hours for years have been filled with day-dreams of marriage, finds this idea, and all the barren reality, too much to bear. In the morning, after a week of marriage, she flees to Juve- nile Court. The physician finds she is infected; in a week she has found a lover, lost a job, married a husband and forfeited him, for of course the sailor in indignation has gone back to his ship; now the young wife must enter a hospital. A year later this young woman obtains a divorce; her sailor hus- band has not seen her again, or written. She re- turns to the home of her aunt, secures a job and appears to have profited by experience. In this case neither young person feels standards of correct social behavior have been violated; the boy, if he thinks at all, is of opinion he acted nobly in marrying; the girl herself is likely to concur.’ This is typical of change of outlook upon mar- riage which is reflected in every community. Few realize how markedly the thing itself has changed. Marriage used to mean setting up a household. Fach contributed product of labor, of preparation to the home; the young man might have house and lot, his trade, or craft; the girl her linens and skill in making life comfortable. It is interesting to note that the word consort meant originally, “fone who shares property with another, a partner.” * To- day it may be that nothing is shared but transitory irritation with restraints of the parental home or momentary appeal of physical intimacy. There is no authoritative public demand for a planned, durable 1 Eleanor Rowland Wembridge, author of some illuminating articles on adolescents appearing in the Survey. 2 Skeat, Walter W.: “Etymological Dictionary of the English Language.” eats ste toe 7s" Set Se poe. TT er ~ ea 33 oe be. 882.i.4 16% s iE: CN sete Meta Sat ak ne Ae, ma aes . +> 7 eth esres Freese Bay $35 35~-% 3 jy eee ees t =o ede Sis ss ee PS Ot ae 7 » tee + ee > - Pets a is s a at had wt J cy ee . Le =| > e-2e bebe aa, eo ee es Pe > hr - o —* ceen i 7 Sts eee ah Set Hee TS aeazsici Peers <7 Pee ete oe Ct ee) eo “<2 e So ee rs whe inal Swen) Ser So ml eae ae eee SeIS TR errr eee pt am ’ si 2 ee. te $ -er. | 132 YOUTH IN CONFLICT i Dl naan te be Eee" : i pa Ite Zz marriage, capable ot family formation. A marriage license is like a hunting license: it is awkward to be caught without one; well-intentioned young people comply with the statute. We need not inquire why social standards which place emphasis on prepara- tion for family-making are so lacking to-day: lack must be explained by sociologist and churchman. Our concern is with the resulting conflict between biological impulses and shifting standards. There is undoubtedly an influence at work in the modern world which is cheapening these impulses, and tending to make human nature an object of con- tempt. Are we indeed “putting to shame the charms of life” and thus leaving “unleashed the acquisitive instincts of men?” * If so, these transitory, dollarless, youthful mar- riages, begun in carelessness, ended in indifference are a challenge to goals of our economic civiliza- tion. The parents of these young couples mark decay of the Puritan home which has lost its biologi- cal sanity, and therefore its power to mold ideals of youth.” Planned marriages are not possible unless human life is valued in and for itself; unless the life-stream is felt as a thrillingly delightful possession to be handed on with strength and vigor to the children. Since joy and virility have left the homes which pro- duced so many of the young people who come to our courts and hospitals, it is inevitable that they will make no conscious effort to promote goals of fam- ily-formation. bh te denn wor Dt eee ee e3sistz ‘ il ot ede oO oe) _64> & $t57 Se ee ete Po ekg Ed . f =e i * ri ToT ew a ba “E12 4st ’ peda e st be es Ts te ues cts tt te or Fe" 4° $c e- ee bed re aed a - > & _ ‘ ore ye Po ee “oo? -<« =~ ® *-># . a C—~ . ¥ ae = eS eee os. re on . 2. Fe Fn ay THC Ses ave 7S lia owen? A = — hiaibentdseaseeieaeeetes Poe es eat pte paws = REPT CoTP eter ese e PE re Se - “ao a Pe Ha ot ot, a. a “> ~gigrzytct steer # + - +e: GA or pail cgi thee fon ee - " i A il es en a Re ee ee oe es - =e - 7 c “ ae e.& wee inte ae . ne ‘lh s: Pa 1Van Wyck Brooks. 2See the “Puritan Home,” George Herbert Palmer, Atlantic Monthly, November 1921, Vol. 128, pp. 589-599. An excellent description of the Puritan home at its best. 2h Bry do, go ee eS aa - 5 3 | —— a. -* 2 Lt —_ 7 A aaa ei th eS ol ek tek ek hee ee he beh es Ge fg Se ree PESTS SES AG op Pies pee oe Pte tet a | = pe A . . a ) ead NCONFLICT IN THE COMMUNITY Ww We should estimate this critical comment on morals of the past at its true value. Youth is al- ways critical of the emotional solutions of age. It is said that the colonists of Oneida, who believed in a kind of group marriage, and who were satisfied after a generation of trial, had to abandon this phase of communal life because of the criticism of their children who “reverted” to monogamy! To-day youth’s best contribution to adult society is frankness. Hypocrisy, the shield and standard- bearer of the average mature community, is aban- doned by boys and girls who, whatever their delin- quencies, cannot be accused of pretense. Frankness will not be discovered by parents who declare: “T know everything my daughter is thinking of; she never conceals anything.” To those who have wisdom not to talk too much, and humility of the courteous listener who is eager to know, one who is not desirous of impressing youth with his own “sympathetic” personality, are revealed the genuine attitudes of boys and girls to-day on moral questions. Who can say the same of adults? What this attitude is on the sex side of morality we can only wait and see. There are to-day more friendships between boys and girls than formerly. The sexes are getting better acquainted with the personalities and requirements of each other, That this cannot but result in wholesome alliances is the opinion of some of the enlightened workers with girl and boy delinquents. It is sometimes asked what then should be the attitude of social teachers of the young on experimental dealings with morals. Should they be recognized as necessary? Does promiscuity ever “help a girl to find herself”? Or, _— a _ a * eee cy se ' : = a S ahah ee R™3.*a:* aot i Se * : as as Eiebeeect tee J et wt ae PS C—% Se hie & ” ees CIE STREET est Repke ke ep tir iw aes oe = + eo = a 3 q Ne ao! re. P< hfe Babes eset a a ae % C2 he > hs ae > Eero es) ye ee, HS YS" S250 to ° = Rg tae Suet rey hs ty os! a an | - ov . -~ = ine Ree are a as rs Pd —_ a a oe Peres Ewe eh gh get J Por ry ot eo Pet oe b a a7 Pd oe > a. eterna k a Zs ~*~ eens ESSERE SEAS Poe eae ey 3 ra rT a, er nd a ee i oe all ee re ra ie tes ee Bs RIS r > ite, es See eee ee os ed vd SoA Ee Te ees es ¥ . ee +e 6 Se = + ew Sie ss ee am Tae ota aS ee | Pertti itt ts - eee: 4 54 58) Te eerad | +i - - > - - i a et 2S, 2 BL ee ee AEF. + pid DepED e Re Ee hee id ool Db REAL | oo tape ssg lazy EST e Se Ey Sia $oP 71245925; Mptgg rie: ' +a . i = cs —_ es Ste beta belek, hel te tad el Oe Sh pipareistosetestscties erectee me eh ed tet ee | ae ee P a Lane | Pa o_o ® A ee ee ." Ps A pe ee 2 - * . ae - ee gd wise Ls J > ang Sas ane ork oe Tet sey maw oe eo Sa rah So he em hel a eh pe +’ -t - = Sn - a Ta | Ps - . 7 _ a a = ke et pl ie 3 <2 a - ate Dal lk pe me don ee a Pe “ a eke ee P= ay a ae el ae eee ee acd + i Ps we +. oS ee he ey ee A a a ol sak an | x — Re Relate hahah Sat ah tol el os ee es oe & a i= 36 rie — > 4 ee oe _— ce oe 134 YOUTH IN CONFLICT as one critic puts it bluntly: “Is not sex-experience necessary for development?’ Is not monogamic marriage a failure? I think we can answer clearly. Health and joy in youth depend on energy flowing in constructive channels, unblocked by the “insidious censorship” of the community. During the growth period youth should be wisely protected from the innumer- ble blights, frosts and diseases of modern society. All primitive peoples have educated their young to believe in the wisdom and soundness of the pre- vailing code. If it must be altered, adults can better bear responsibilities and penalties that fall on the head of the innovator. Youth should be sacred to growth. Infractions of sexual morality tend to wreckage, from various causes,—hypocrisy, selfish- ness, loss of self-esteem. It is the social worker’s duty to prevent wreckage by giving the individual opportunity to arrive at insight before standards have been violated. Force, dogmatism, harshness, have no value in the social w orkers’ kit, and shoul d be flung away as tools of the past. The social worker should reach a clear, healthful definition of the situation first himself, should know that promis- cuity is probably a survival of demands of infancy,’ by no means do “wild oats” produce their boasted harvest of virility and wisdom. The social worker should believe genuinely in ideals of family-formation and she should not be a crabbed complainer as the prematurely soured case- worker is sometimes prone to be. Whatever in the community cheapens and belittles 1 Wilfred Lay: “The Mother Imago,” 1920. Printed for private circulation. Address Mrs. Wm. F. Dummer, 679 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, III.CONFLICT IN THE COMMUNITY 135 the social nature of marriage, will hamper and delay development of youth to maturity. Forced mar- riages, marriages arranged to keep men out of prison and girls out of correctional schools, break- ing up homes by social workers on insufficient rea- son, tend to weaken the status of marriage. Bed- room tarces, screen comedies, comic strips, jokes and news-items which ridicule marriage, pollute the sources of public opinion from which youth takes its cue. It is not that one should wish to fetter art, or honest expressions of criticism. Havelock Ellis’ notes that The Fourteenth Century Knight of Tour Landry in giving fatherly advice to his young daughters, presupposed them familiar with the evils of life to a degree which would shock modesty to- day. Morality can survive enlightenment; it cannot survive cheap, cynical, degradation applied day after day, not because the writer, singer or “artist” dis- likes marriage, but because he panders for profit. Contrast the procedure of primitive African Negroes! Like most “savages” they have respect for child-rearing and home-making. Young girls among the Yaos, a people of British Central Africa, on arriving at puberty have ceremonials which dis- play feats of household skill, dancing and ability to endure physical pain without flinching; they are decorated with bells and weapons of warriors to commemorate courage, they are feasted and anointed, and finally in sight of the entire people, the young girls carry upon their shoulders a house constructed for the occasion, in order that all may see they are about to become “pillars of the home.” * 1 “Little Essays of Love and Virtue,” p. 18. | “Van Waters, Miriam: “Adolescent Girl Among Primitive Peoples,” 1913, p. 64. > . ¥3 F 3 esbaind lin —_— oe oe" ee Ca a » Lo it aie aiaaeas a. A ct . peoee a eget eS, Tote ie be GU PY TS eee rd 7 “Et Re Dey Him tie ~~ re? A 5 ah a oe ro =2° Yt | ee ee ee == - Seer ti pm ee mee ee _ ao $e a4 S625 27:57 5 ee ee ey tk JTL. pee ser Wed has Rs Rsk @ oe See ne se atein etree i a. el —~ 3.93 Saas re ta eH _ | et Se, OSS eee ek nt ae ee ee ee . ee - Py van pee eon rtWHMIS Eg Ty* ; Me PE qo ae neh pe ee ee Te 3 os tere bad Pera ed bortecdct ost Tt ee | " So atived a ea et ee ok ot Oe Peed ark th - = . aa a . ca RED Oe hae tae as - aria . esedakeire - Bh ae - wa poe % . Ps - | A ddan, _.. ‘>a mt — om FIPS Flee we res op eren Sree ee arte es ae ete te ee tet te eee ee t= aps Maen pa oe. ras = oe _— « i - i. he - ms ee tin rio eo moe ee hoa aa e et ey Ts e+ oo, mel el a Xft “ee ae » re - . : {tsi Spade oe - he Dd ein oe ad ac oh dial Sk sl i mae PE ES ] * eo wes os -2 ~©@ i oe : eat ee Gare dee tat astis a Ee RESTS ET a: Ce ied at Tae ke Co. pos et ete a i eee . oe oe SE PSOE eh Pe et oS. Pe ie 2 yt DH a oe pe oe ‘Fe vb-% eta. ee eee te iy el lt ee oe eet gate a er of f a oe ri . Ten - - © - oa pa an Se OS tite lee pe se Stee + \ a ae | 136 YOUTH IN CONFLICT So little is genuinely known of moral life past and present that it is idle to ask if boys and girls are more lax in sex matters now than formerly. It is safer to make no comparisons. In certain com- munities epidemics of “high school scandals” oc- cur; these are usually exaggerated 1n newspapers. It is believed that the tendency toward freer asso- ciation of the sexes is lessening the numbers of prostitutes. Juvenile Court officials everywhere notice that sex offenders are younger; more girls in_the earliest teens come before the court. Jt would—be~-surpris- ing if this were not so since little attempt is made to shelter children or to provide safe-guards from cynicism; the youngest children are steeped in cheap, prevailing currents.of public opinion about relations of the sexes which are making the social standards of our day. There is hardly a child, for example, who does not read headlines of news- papers—and the comic strip! It has been said that if a girl to-day practices virtue, probably she does not believe in it. It should be understood clearly that the social standard is not a mere matter of opinion, evolved in rational discussion like a platform of college ethics. The social standard built of stored-up praise and blame of human beings, represents a form of energy which is the chief driving power behind the wish, or the will of individuals. Gradually the young person accepts social standards which appeal irresistibly; these become his guiding line, chief motive or, as we say, form character. On what is appeal based? Youth selects, out of the clamor of public opinion, one or more authenticCONFLICT IN THE COMMUNITY 137 voices which have power over him, all others he ignores. He gathers from this reservoir of energy that which his being needs for growth; his selec- tion of the adequate social standard is so far from being a matter of chance that it should be made the future study of our race. We are still so ignorant of forces which mold personality that we express Surprise when a chance discovery reveals them: we name them trifles. For science there are no trifles. Murther study of the life-history of emotions as they develop from the conditioned reflex, and build their habits of loving, fearing and angering, must be made for adolescents as Watson has done for infants." We suspect that the same laws hold true: the young person clings to those social standards which give comfort, rather than fear, irritation and anxiety. Comfort must be understood in its deepest sense, as something which fulfills the needs of the entire being. It agrees with essential goals of personality. Pain is not always antagonistic to comfort, which may indeed require suffering, even death. Joan of Arc found comfort in those social standards which express courage and faith in the unseen. The mockery of the judges, the certainty of the flames, were not sources of fear and anxiety to her; doubt- less she would have become irritated (i.e., angry) only when her movements toward spiritual freedom were hampered.” The same forms of energy are at work when girls and boys seek adventure in city Streets. Craving for heightened experience will 1 Watson, J. B.: “Psychology from the Standpoint of a Be- haviorist,” pp. 198-230. * Watson, J. B.: “Psychology from the Standpoint of a Be- haviorist,” p. 213. Anger in infants results from restricting the movements. fy oy a. L A - ta a8. z a 2* 24250 % To! a a ny te ee <3) + , : ee est: Cae ner Se ee be | Peer eres bey pl egto teas hs 235352 vier i rostes crete aie _— Ar, Sf=. y ’ eit b e - ‘2. | cee - EF ed] a a - - a eee. seses 7 ile ok el te a “7 Pe PS . a : Paar rie. | ‘ * . Lakes 2 ates Peete oe doled edospecceng—rrectetes ere ret ay SSR ear ese ss Ss . pe Se oF oe 7 i> eh pT e+, | er CT el eS The PA: 7) ’ . eG r = Es Per oreeeeore * °F. s #- a hs - - ae 4 6 7 * ait ‘ | hs ~Segi gs rectores & Be _ - Zeist, 7 at 24 ° , ee re Se he eh re ee dl ee Dk ed as en raf te et ee ee ee ee ee ee ee : r aes 5 it a foe a gt a ee ‘s tad a eh gn A tad A, heh tit Se eel el el | ek pe oe Re 2 alias pe cd 7 — “eae a —_—— - o eo ee oe ry uz - 2. ela aerk tt ad edited ee “4, ae = As hl ie ie he ol - Z aoe a, _ (Phe) = \m — 138 YOUTH IN CONFLICT uphold Joan of Arc at the stake and give the mod- ern girl courage to weather a domestic scene. That social results are so wide apart is a challenge to our present day adult community. To achieve better results it is necessary to free moral opinions from their irritating effect upon the young. Parents, teachers, all social groups which desire to influence children to follow certain social standards and re- frain from others, should learn how to express blame and praise without becoming annoying or ridiculous. The mother in court who upbraided her daughter for the “low ambition of being a chocolate-dipper” said: “T knew Ella was beginning to coarsen when she started saying ‘his’n’ and ‘her’n.’”’ is placing emphasis on the wrong things. In Ella's mind no distinction exists in disapproval expressed : men, automobiles, grammar, diseases, chocolate- dipping, late hours; all are berated alike. Before the adolescent from the “good home’’ becomes delin- quent, she is usually an irritated and exasperated young person. To invigorate our standards with some wholesome breath of life, to make them something worth living and dying for, it is necessary to remove pettiness, whims and selfishness. Kant found contemplation of the moral law as sublimely exhilarating as gazing at the starry heavens; too often we fill youth with feeling for our moral code which arouses nothing more than the contemptuous indifference with which the footworn traveler sees the sign: “KEEP OFF THE GRASS.”CONFLICT IN THE COMMUNITY 139 Social standards to be effective to youth should be grouped around essential experiences of life and interactions of human beings. Matters of taste and manners which give style and distinction to life. which add vastly to comfort and convenience of social intercourse, should be cultivated in children. but they should not be confused with matters of the life and death interests of the race. Cosmetics, tobacco, length of hair, skirt and trouser, slang, gum-chewing, noise, boisterous laughter, knives and forks, disrespect for elders, should not obscure the simple, eternal verities of human experience, kindliness, virility, honesty and love. It is well to reflect that probably the present day bad manners of our young are protests against senseless repressive monotony in which so many children have been reared. We have seen that social standards are built up from various expressions of opinion about human life. Social workers find their task in aiding devel- opment of youth made enormously difficult by the habits of isolation which are cultivated by social groups which have the most to give. Religion, art, and science are the three great fields of human ex- perience which have power to furnish youth with a guiding line. Rich in heightened moments, they offer channels in which creative energy may flow. Primitive peoples in these fields too are superior to us since they make all their youth possessors of main principles of their religion, art and science: primitive boys and girls have contact with the per- sonalities, ideas and activities of the community, which represent the most interesting and affecting fruits of human experience. If there are mysteries and a technical vocabulary, youth is initiated. Pera sssels - 2 ba a So -_ - ? ty Ph Pra Te - + = ce Se. oe ee oe =. ~ dd Ser 9 Pot #o =3-3> 26 A. ee ’ SS es 2442353" (Teeth ee RSE 2 -3-2* re | 723 8. , i? 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Bs Pe ah Sa cl ph» agen AS Ae pen ps ae ee ly tte tal nek hg eee ee, - Pe gu an ad Cee DS eee i cee ee tel ol et - a _ s rhs a Ee 4 rn on ee ee ey on re ae va > « ae ar oe. wa ee = . + > — - J ao) ae 2, ed Es a Ee eet fon = a et Se et G Ae re ee ee od eee oe ee ee e 34% ‘mes i a aa “~~ oe =) Ve o-e-a* en - ¥ 2s j ee - > eet aod oat ne Fe teehee on aon fl eS OP er ee or ete> meee eP2 = a © fol lehe + Pw Opes ear+ ee Fa Ea el Fe ee al a a w * srr. ¢ part _— = eea-e a a +> oe a fa ar: ee ia . - ~~ el ae rere- idl a —? 4 os ae a Ak he he ae ee oe te Cas pir ey, ee ai « te pt ot pe et ge in J cree. Se a La eS? SETA ESS ree —_—_- e--* ele Fe e i i pa oe 2h FS ee ae a 7 eso 5 > eet 140 YOUTH IN CONFLICT To-day the some two hundred thousand delin- quent boys and girls in correctional schools, hun- dreds of thousands before courts and social agencies, know little about religion, art and science. The young people in dance-halls, cabarets, resorts, mil- lions who throng city streets in a ceaseless, unhappy quest for “something to do” have certainly not been reached by any valid adventure of the spirit. The social worker hesitates to criticize the church, but viewing prisons, hospitals, reformatories and courts, with one’s ears echoing stories of drab lives, unlit by warmth of any genuine religious experience, children whose hearts have never beat faster for the mystic presence of any spiritual being, youths by hundreds who believe in nothing, know nothing of the feeling of an enlarged, creative power except that which may somehow come to them from their luck charms, “hunches,” and in- numerable modern idols and fetishes; the social worker seeing all this and knowing that to these half-starved and bewildered young spirits the least drop of living water would be as a miracle, ques- tions whether it is essential for churchmen to busy themselves with talk of Fundamentalism versus Modernism. If clergymen cannot awaken youth to faith, humility and gratitude, or quicken his en- thusiasm for life beyond himself, the church cannot cope with delinquency. Doubtless the modern church is reaching many young people with its classes, organizations, brotherhoods and _ sister- hoods; one cannot praise too highly the work of some of its protective bureaus and committees. This proves that the church is concerned for the welfare of erring youth, but it is church turned so- cial worker. Social activities within the church doCONFLICT IN THE COMMUNITY [4] not fulfill the whole need, nor supply authentic spir- itual leadership. In spite of friendly visitors, cam- paigns, drives and educational movies in churches, it is evident that lives of the young delinquents have been left singularly untouched by religion. Not only are juvenile court boys and girls ignorant for the most part of the history of religion, its dogmas, creeds and ritual, but its literature, festivals, its great personalities, its warm and vivid experiences are unknown. If you ask: “What saying of a clergyman has most im- pressed you?” the average young delinquent stares and is blankly unable to answer anything at all. Nor is this state of affairs due to callousness, or stupidity on the part of youth. The fact is they have not heard anything from the church that is memorable, moving, soul-stirring or liberating in all their lives. The social worker does not question that there exist religious personalities to-day who are capable of uttering truths precious to youth; the pity is that the vocabulary is either too technical, or the isolation too complete. They fail to make con- nection with ideas and emotions of the young who are to become delinquent. Religion does not flow from the church into the community in which the young delinquent moves, hence the church has no authoritative voice in those social standards which are to-day most powertully in conflict with the moral code. Art expresses the vivid experiences of human life. Its themes, the substances with which it deals, —sounds, color, rhythm, forms, movements, har- monies, masses, words, are part of the elemental stuff of imagination and emotions. Art and feeling for beauty have power to furnish a guiding line to - — Baa) i Rees wu - ] > - - — - ‘ eee OT a f te one ee a a Y =e oN 7 Ps Pa ae) See oe bef tr az. = Lalit in on $33% fray te Shite + ve eer te oe ee Or Pas82e?Tesst et Pe ee - eet WET tt eerie a Sa ol th rh . eee mg ee seer tr ty 7 oto | 4 ots ae Ort wee 4 “ig 1 t+ Sr er itetec hey a < ree Pee: a 4 rss x ates ~~ _ -s ree hee ee Sa 5d +e —~ % an S$a ta t, 7 eee eos « FSS Tes CS “s foe — Pt a ry ry me Be. >a tet Pana A et et toe a Sod ee © ne ree a « * Hy = a ~~" % Fan ee ee a eee > ~~ > at SE IEE teal ete oePpt re te ae 4 PTS SETS eHAEPSTE ALES AL 74 a S es —t 3 Ps - oc. ove ef y Tats a. he -~ a ll “af af ok ce ve _ ~ grtrere re oe RS Tae Pape ae 1htgs6e aos Lae Bis . = oe BL Sw ae eesed 3s 4 i. e * ¢ ran iol. - a oe | a ~~ ee ae es 4 Ps rye | ware ‘= a > - ° o a dt ay oe ee. ; - a endo 8* SO . a. em rT eo CJ wear” a A - 7 ay % r- Pe eae a E ¢ < eee oles - ov enh at 4 en SerEoesce cts fe seenerpesny a a me rs 78 2 ee, ae Pre aati a ad ms > 3 we ttn. ta tetat +74. . as ‘>i — = Mi a a i Ps na - aaa ae + it, he a a _ ila : - a i w-* 2-2 ame a >" ~ rs —~¢ wilh otal are -. - (aes ac an Ps ao ae Pate et ei ew a . Ao pet me, Se Pa he es eee Sank Oe ee od, a a-ak 2 — , “——s- ao bs bs 7 rr he a; Be ta tT re t ie e eth “we 4h! +. 4 f Ms + .7 4 [ee So fat) H rf a cH F i i ae ee aT Pl ane 2 ~ by ” tage ., Le . a. , hn are Nat hon SD I42 YOUTH IN CONFLICT youth, and those who have given their lives to art are enemies of greed, hate and hypocrisy. Much of the subject matter of literature, opera, drama, poetry, sculpture and music is based on suffering and conflict; indeed the very kind of life-themes which juvenile court youth knows best. Why then the tremendous cultural isolation of artists? Why the need for words and techniques so utterly be- yond the human audience that can most understand the emotional values? Tolstoi’s tales for peasants, read by millions; words of Lincoln; the enduring life of folk-tales, of Shakespeare, arts and crafts of the Middle Ages, the world-wide appeal of art- objects of “King Tut,” tend to show that simple beauty is universal. When art grows complex and esoteric, and artists split into cults, ore when there is strife and pride among artists, or where emphasis is On profit, art forfeits its universal appeal. There is need to-day, as never before, for creation of beau- titul objects and works of imagination which Speak clearly and simply to human beings; work which again gives value to human life, and is not encrusted with self-seeking of the artists. Anatole France sums up the matter for writers of literature: “Do you think it shows any superiority on the part of scribblers that they should isolate them- selves in some little corner and fumble for words, rehash epithets and polish phrases, without a thought for the world about them? I think it is rather an infirmity.” “Great writers have not mean souls. That, Mr. Brown, is all their secret. They profoundly love their fellow-men. They are generous... . They do not limit their affections. They pity all suffer-CONFLICT IN THE COMMUNITY 143 ing, and strive to soothe it. They take compassion on the poor players who perform in the comic tragedy, or the tragi-comedy, of destiny. Pity, you see, is the very basis of genius.” * We do not mean that art should become propa- ganda. The thing which would furnish youth, es- pecially delinquent youth, with fresh energy for constructive life, would come into existence through art when artists felt human problems with sufficient vividness and simplicity to compel clear ex ‘pression. With the artist, it must be a matter of conviction, a change of emotional attitude toward rejected humanity. It is always a source of surprise to those who do not know delinquents to observe with what eagerness they receive worth-while music, literature, or the plastic arts. ‘The highest works of genius make appeal, ee that which is merely clever is likely to bore then In some modern a bandits, murderers and sex-offenders furnish most of the excitement. This is exceedingly short-sighted policy on the part of the leaders of youth. Artists should assume leadership. The individual delinquent’s conflict with social standards cannot be solved at the level of the conflict. Let artists help youth to express their creative longings. Science, in becoming more clear, direct an 1 intel- lisible. has a tremendous role to play in showing youth his place in nature, and in filling him with enthusiasm for life. That scientists recognize the danger of p ermitting too great gaps to occur between their researches and the mass of mankind is becom- 1 France, Anatole: “Opinions Recorded by Paul Gsell,” Al- fred A, Knopf, pp. 62, 125. 1922 Sot eieiaegere wreneiag 20ST en winks et! he re . al oe ew bee 2325-95 -_ =~S2r er rrad ro Pon a bei uigts tes > fr eee a aetre et To. oc eee es tet Tee hoe We snd ‘ FITS PEP te tee 4 ee he P| 7 > $2)54 ra; Tt) ar bn tee hbo s rs 2 one 5 pest ned pie] > = sis eiel ee, eed ete sete tees = aaa. % oe ti TISa T35 & —_ | - rates ee x SA ies 8 2 3 she 5432 ht . SS I os ak 2 TEs a ee to eee ede sa oy % _~ whet Fe ee bo oye tT ~ by ed ~ Pe ey Pa es ‘ae ® ga . Sa te Ses ste-i-4>x*er> > a — ae . -2 4 Se F fas ingacir ee rs ta ry Leere te Line et et ee gF Lvs es + - aa reat eek ™ cs 4 se »% ~ fie Ieee eee Fd *-- ee a tet el ed De eT — ao Sa ee om =< ao. Zs Se eS et Pe a ee Y ee ae ris zta ia etY, a — SPE PLES Ty < ne Per eh ke a eb Steet es pe ee es: Se en ad * -@-@: PToeal a a te ~ a oS ae ed —*, - ® ar se . e425 s ule Jb Pi ed mh a pe é —— —s " - - haa a . od o~ a a ek alt; ail ee Pa 4 os > * a = Be eS ee eth te ee ee ed Se dk oe ee ek ee ae a se he Ma De eed ae sah Sk a ee cent pe ded Biv iiDehp same anes ees — Pas +t ‘ - oo" "> ST Ps ee ree st = §—s6<¢ +7. Ps : t-- * ° a ~* J a. os ” Pa - F.ue a ¥ atrittesesss a * 77 aa De 7 i ee aay Atti ee ee ok ee ans “—— - a — +h Se ~* .-* oe fe ee iediog co. a . A a . | 7. +. - Oe ek ee See ee ee eG * =- >> $F EP Od Pe pes. £3505 = ~~ * —i.L - a a ak, co 4 ee ‘ores. — wie? st .F ~——_— me | e-4 a i a = dt i i i.e a o 7 i einer. a: Pty Bk. = Ea 144 YOUTH IN CONFLICT ing evident in the number of well-written, simply expressed scientific books that are appearing.* Youth can be fired with mysteries of science if brought within range of his imagination before he is prematurely dulled by mediocre teaching. Yeo- mans, in his brilliant little book on modern educa- tion, has furnished good examples.’ If any one doubts that subject matter and atti- tudes of religion, art and science are almost un- known to average youth, let him try the experiment of making a list of questions for boys and girls of average intelligence: “What are the lessons of the Sermon on the Mount?” “Of what spiritual meaning is baptism, marriage, a funeral service, Easter, Christmas ?”’ “Explain: “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.’ ”’ “What did Christ mean when he said: ‘Unless ye become as little children ye cannot enter the king- dom of Heaven.’ ” ‘He that is without sin among you let him cast the first stone.’ ”’ ‘Name a symphony you have heard.” ‘Name one great composer of music (who did not write jazz).”’ “Tell the story of the love of Dante for Beatrice.”’ “Why was Hamlet unhappy ?” “What did Thomas Jefferson say about rebellion and conflicts in American public life?” “Why are plants green?” 1See especially “The Outline of Science,” edited Dy cle Arthur Thomson, in 4 vols. G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1922. 2Edward Yeomans: “Shackled Youth,” Atlantic Monthly Press, 1921.CONFLICT IN THE COMMUNITY I45 “Name one star, besides Venus and Mars.” “How can we be called children of the sun?” “How is human life reproduced?” Let each one collect these answers for himself, and make others, far simpler questions. He will be surprised, even stunned at the result. On the other hand do not attribute it to dullness of the children. Let them prepare a list for you: “Who won the last automobile championship race?” “Who are the five most married moving picture stars?” “Who wrote the Love Bird?” “Name the eight best jazz orchestras in town.” “What is the income of Rudolf Valentino?” And so on. Clearly certain sections of community thought and action get themselves expressed to youth far better than others. Culture and virtue among adults are paying too high a price for their distinction, their isolation. Unless means of communication are found for opinions and ideas of creators among the human race, modern youth will adopt the religion of paganism, and moral codes of the daily press. ie same - : — ee oe 4 s Seetrsrtrs aes Ah 2% 3 te ee ee ca ret Side Ae te reer eer Perel Cae bs — 2 ee sr toe he | Sa Neola) “oe a sper: eaon§ 252 a ~ 2* tg tetse: Pest rere sere ae ee ee ee he oe PES ery F- a Ser 2caé Si FCeS eo S555. te oe l. bets Pppeeee te tree seers se es oe ee ete ste: Ps : a Sas a od <3 32 $2253 ase St Sa a o> a) ez oe ae er & yy Y ny eg bad a 2-8 . a oS we : a ate . ‘ i wy ate: " sea es Sees ré tes ee + ie ia Ua te ree. rE o Se aan ps ae ee We _—+ heb i gt —— ee "4 - ee ae a mon “eS Se travel ira tk *_: 5 ee —e om | aris hs te we Roe = a a m ERE a Pes 4 J 2 > im po “te oe seapasies + = + ae ae ak a Ss ae © or eS vey ~ Pepere rests ei oly SUS papa: — to bal, ea ee: a a . Wer tia t tet ie : i - er j ri a 3 ty" 4 a a SS ee ee a —. eS et a t. a “ = : ey gts eal ‘a) ~¥: r ee pe tet Ta sot ba bade Pre ee ee and ae ee 725335 — ee tt? Slee ae Se Ea a Ps - a a . ra a —— — ~ . a ; f ° - ? es .* - et td at tee ed eh ee ee ak “9 Biot stn same : sad bul eked ot ee Pe Re eee ar - ae oe > a 4 a as ci 9 : sd « 4 m ot > ioe * of = = e Po e * e te — reg. ~-¥ - a oe med cad 0 a ee oe : + 7 Tere "= - * aioe noo. “ ow di ses Be at eS. 5 iF ~t—?—F P Ps a a tig ea - ad . 7 ea -s ee e- ah ee ae Bele ‘ * sad ed " _ Po 4 ; a ow % y - ra a a - a #3 Z ee ee * > aie . & B a a> a-"9 lb a ee aaa e ” = - i a = - - ct. - . rp — r -* CHAPTER VI THE ATTITUDE OF DELINQUENCY DELINQUENCY, as a word, has a varied history. The Latin de, away or from; linguere, to leave, was not in Latin literature applied to children. It meant failure, neglect of duty, abandonment of an agree- ment.* Roman parents who assumed responsibility for conduct of children would have felt it an ab- surdity to use such a term in speaking of them. In the time of Cromwell the common English way of describing a follower of Charles I, was to refer to him as a delinquent ; that is to say, he had abandoned the cause of the people. To-day we say taxes are delinquent; we mean they are neglected or omitted: we do not apply the word to ourselves as delinquent for not paying. Modern social work has reserved use of the word delinquent almost exclusively for children. It is material for thoughtful analysis, since words absorb into themselves thought, emotional attitude and philosophy of life. In terming children we have failed to educate properly delinquent, we have shifted the burden from adults to children. In contrast to primitive society civilized society places responsibility of delinquency on children, It is supposed we treat children to-day better than for- merly. It is true we deal less strenuously with the child who has been labeled an offender. In early 1W. W. Skeat: “Etymological Dictionary of the English Language.” 146THE ATTITUDE OF DELINQUENCY I47 English common law, the child over seven years of age was held responsible for his acts, and frequently young children were put to death. There was the so-called “‘twilight period” from seven to fourteen where full culpability was not taken for granted, and immaturity might be pleaded as a defense. I: the state of New Jersey as late as 1825, a boy o twelve was hanged. The law pursuing its relentless logic, (where there is crime, or injury, there must be responsibility) held even animals capable of guilt, and a complaint against an old sow and her litter of pigs for damaging a crop resulted in a solemn conviction and execution of the mother, al- though it was conceded t the young pigs were not to blame. But ancient and middle age public opinion did not encourage bringing children before court as criminals. Parents. schoolmaster, priest, or village elder administered correction when needed. There was a sound public opinion moreover that adults, not children, should be held responsible. Our Colonial Dutch forefathers placed on the statute books of New York in 1615 the following law against Sabbath-breaking: If any child were ‘‘caught on the street playing, running or shouting previous to the termination of the last preaching, the officers of the law may take their hat, or upper garment, which shall not be restored to their parents until they have paid a fine.” Here all the loss, inconvenience and penalty eT. directly on the parents. The Juvenile Court came into existence to remedy a great evil. In the United States in 1898 at the time Julia Lathrop made her survey of conditions in jails and penitentiaries, thousands of children throughout the country had been brought before 1 f Ba Pee _ s . Pee aoa Pete ps i t +e eg! ca Ps eae ny Ar NSE teu Sep bree ceersns Sette eee: SER La eek: * 7 eet eo. ea es > -s _ Tease Pind 52 a . < —— eirtahs tS Sy Ore rie Seok Sed ie iene eS = = a Ed ta poe ~~" i 4 rer v4. % a ET) arene aks a4 aga, peeer : a ee Cs eraSSTetiSRrir ss Pa bo ae ee Sant a [ae ted eo - p Seat ot) i> Pepe Ee SS 253s vi ESTE PETES ETE 4 J _ oe a x = Ss etereetretitesrece set ssecy 7 Ss oe @aew~e A oe Ee rae FS eG re it ie tut id col Se to a ~ a ee ees 5 A iw oa kk pat reet ee ka ribs at = WHIM EI “i ene. a a nat - chen, < re « 7 ~ “~4< —2> © i ‘2. mp has sl oa + * ew iwse taTe ror +. e2@ en eee er ee Sie. 2 4 sf : > pa . Tee. sas ay et oe oe ae 7 . ee > aed > a Py ater ce ah — a _— » > ss ror * s CA oe oe oe es - a ts dap da | and A om a “ od aad En 7 ete ee Pa em, a wy eo Pe oa tA eet: Phewecenpagier= te erste lees ever = a a ale ated a ae : — aor a ped > + at a a 4 a ace a 7 Meet ie seae ee te tT tees | oT ee oS ey {i ° ae = = E 148 YOUTH IN CONFLICT adult criminal courts, tried for offenses, and pun- ished as adults. The moral damage thus done to childhood can never be computed; it was an evil as vast and barbarous as slavery. As a result of pro- test of a few, Juvenile Courts were provided in many places, and to-day there are twenty-five dis- tinct separate Children’s Courts in the United States.1 The work has hardly begun, however; not only are there states without organized Juvenile Courts, but in many courts where organization is present, we find the spirit of the old method. We cannot return to the ancient method of han- dling children who become problems. It is apparent- ly a law of social evolution that a function once lost cannot be recovered in just that form. We cannot travel the road back, and rear up iron-clad parents who put their children to death. We will not revert to the days of Abraham, whose struggle with the problem of human sacrifice is symbolic of the role parents have played for ages in the history of our race. There are indications that society may develop new controls of youth, superior to family-control, as youth itself becomes more enlightened and more self-conscious.” Meantime as the community struggles with its new problems of juvenile control, and as the work of the Children’s Courts is presented more widely, there is a tendency to rush to Juvenile Court all youth that is troublesome, to label all young offend- ers as delinquent. The court attracts to itself, in early stages of growth, extravagant hopes and praises, and the maliciously bitter attacks of the half-educated who have not ability to grasp its sig- 1 See publications of the National Probation Assoc. 2For example, “The Youth Movement.”THE ATTITUDE OF DELINQUENCY I49 nificance or to understand its principles. The com- munity is sometimes misled by clamor of these folk into regarding their children’s court, now as a panacea for all ills of childhood, or again as a kind of branding iron which automatically scorches a sign or stigma on each child who passes its thresh- old. Each community builds up its own concept of Juvenile Court; in proportion to the number of enlightened, educated people of good will in the community, court work is either good or bad. It is public opinion that classifies children into delinquent, or non-delinquent. Thus the very method created by the community to deal with mal- adjusted children, is made to increase the difficulty of adjustment. As soon as children are classified they tend to develop attitudes and habits of re- sponse in keeping with their role. Certain young people, by no means the most serious offenders, often display in Courts an attitude which is thor- oughly delinquent or abandoned. The attitude of delinquency assumed by children is a compound of insolence, bravado, scorn, poise, wit, youthful cunning and resourcefulness in lying, impossible to describe unless witnessed. The atti- tude is seen to best advantage in police courts, in Juvenile Courts, where procedure is like the crim- inal courts, and in some juvenile reformatories where smoldering feuds break out on occasion into riots. The “hardness,” flippancy, world-weariness, fearless disrespect of young girls in the “so-called” Morals Courts, has frequently been commented on. Adult criminals would not dare to taunt or to defy the judge in this manner. Youth has more courage, less prudence. e. - wa et - " Dy . —_ ‘ht }2)) ee | So So eS r oe ae ee a eee ss ¢ ape i ee (ee, errr 4 ee Ce bee tat te et tere re See Sees oe be ea N oar 4 ae +a ik eo a Sues Mt ie oe Be ore PEST STS" x | ae nf ae Ps es Bae Tyorae tee Fe Ss eo aes ‘S oer qhere nets Sas SIRs eas ee ee es eet Ss a bees Siesta oe eee a J a Les oe rs = J a es Sse a sy $e, Ge ee =a Se ie qe. "e oho. et be ae ae) <: - 3 ~- — —* ay PrN ” ery a Pe = Pas es ba hy Ry? eee errr Sete rrr n Sigs Spe FH5 ee eee ee ez Pe OES ep -2g ads f= et ee H. aq my eg ss. 2+ eee Se te i= same 2 7 — oPie, Sire on Ls ke 4 Sa zor. a te cee ee] 3h atten ae ‘om a Ce eet ot PS te 2 2k $-3- — a _—*~- exe ee ho ka hk ak he - . 4 id e - el £5 eee Teed ey Pes. >a 2 —* mn oh Oe LF ca pb = a Titer ss o sae-e=stet Re ed a ' o &, _- to oe PS ae ~ sh “* ho. | - ‘ a ee | ’ tlgladgiesseres 4 tk hal oh. mahi. ps ws $ ey ht nl ek ed PS aes aay 2S a i ee a . a a aa a <«% + > F 4 Pe PEI PLAS ge Red be lee ot et td Teeth Sree ee ko iiat eo eeiaisa 44 e2 TH erect oon eo. - hy ges aha gh. ~~ -e = pe. Sal. F oe ass ed - eal, ee . 4 —— a - —+- i a mj r* ¢ - po om - pos mn we» ee i - x ah » ¥ oo. . e Toe a to a 4 et eel lym ae Le i Boos - an - a A lt i a ee ee ed ae to =e ett 3e4 7 5 e . Pa ao Me ee * ie a 4 a . ae pip Ly Tt Tee a A ; a ba w- > + t | a Sen aa ore be ee f! Pan 4) em Si Py Pa a = e-) i we _ 150 YOUTH IN CONFLICT When the delinquent attitude is studied it is shown to be a defense-reaction built up of habits long used in self-protection. It is the natural prod- uct of a series of more or less “trifling’’ experiences with adults who have confronted, mocked, insulted, hunted, or set them apart. When this boy was eleven, he came before the court as a young delinquent in need of a home. He was a meek boy with straw-colored hair and an expression which earned him the nickname of “White Rabbit.’”’ He was placed in a boarding home from which he promptly ran away. He was caught by a deputy-sheriff and taken to the deten- tion home. There he cried a great deal, and said he was homesick. The court replaced him in a dairy. In two years he had grown into a husky boy who would pass for fifteen. The dairy man re- turned him to court alleging he stole two bottles of milk; the real reason, however, was that the boy was beginning to eat too much. He was transferred from a woman to a man probation officer. Because of quarantine at the detention home his probation officer held him for “safe-keeping’’ in a suburban jail. White Rabbit related his experiences : “He took me there late one night and said he was coming for me the next day. I didn’t undress. I sat up all night, and the next day behind the bars waiting. I did not see any prisoners, but I sure felt awful. In the afternoon I unpacked my things and packed them up three times. He didn’t come. I thought I would die the next night. The jailer said my probation officer was too busy. I wrote him a letter. They treated me all right, gave me coffee and everything, but I was nearly crazy. I wrote three more letters, but I never got any answer. ' ee nar eTHE ATTITUDE OF DELINQUENCY I5I { waited there ten days, and I thought that bird? had forgotten all about me. Then he came one night late. I hustled into my clothes and he took me to the detention home. He said there had beet a lot of sickness there. I told him I had kind of expected him before and he just laughed. Gee! I could have killed that fellow!” White Rabbit was again boarded with a private family. The foster-father expected him to study a great deal, and did not understand that the boy’s nentality was not adequate to the demands of high school. He again ran away. He was found in company with an older boy who was wanted for grand larceny. White Rabbit was now sixteen. He had in his possession a jack-knife which the older boy claimed was stolen from him. There had been a dispute about two silk shirts. Both boys were handcuffed and taken to court, the probation officer saying to White Rabbit: “PIL put you somewhere now where you can’t run away.” As the man related to the Judge his “long strug- gle to redeem this boy,’”’ and the boy’s “ingratitude and habitual running away and consorting with thieves,” White Rabbit smiled contemptuously. He Ils now in a reformatory for young male offenders between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one. In this case the elements of the delinquent attitude can be traced; a little boy chased by a deputy-sheriff, 1 Use of terms bird, bull, cop, etc., as expressions of con- -empt for the police, is part of the vocabulary of the crook. As the child learns these slang terms, he assumes the manners as well as the speech of those who are at war with society. Unanswered letters tend to destroy the confidence of the child. Dr. William White states that he replies personally to ill the letters sent him by his insane patients, ad as 2’ Setar. mm ® Pree ee eer - - or rs 3 ada bet & be wy £. oe) Biot Re ta Sg tassttt Actes. eee me — ht Fis > eer oe Te “Wet eae mt Fy. Breese, eet = ey ues | ee me Sarit: J ad ~ u 2 id soto tes. 2% th ee + ce ei oe ee rym =t 2% €52*37ee5 _ - = % — a. 47 ba ‘ Lad —- - oo, a =. . eee Seip trae eee rySf et ye Soteerergmp el Ves 7i bh tt ote Ee eed 5.5 a, ae en ee t ef eS bs ete igivises ~ er e~-e” . ate St: he bee i 4 a Pe He Gk Sag ee PO Lat tegrerece Sigsespetrpeecers pA 7%, 2 Pie Pebercenp-ttes, San | = a _ nl . as 4 are ers (Po Ph. 2 * Babwy! a ety eres eke ; . ee ee 5 aie eR to ote elie hed ac oe fa : ek ee ee ae 7 ato as toe = a Ged nd 2 hn fees “d . ee ae f os a Paki os. | ei ie PSS EA ed oe ek i | rol ar rn ee @ Ree & Fe ey ee pom te eee A ce a See i i oa Es a a . =. - or er w - co de ai a eee ee hee ete ee ete ape TS Set | Pe a eee = P| rae - 2. k- - a Pa Fs, ~ oe ey : pre ss et or etet et rd + oe Pw Pate tere e coe 7 tte ss 2 ee a Se ae a AL ot oe 3 x. 7 2 a ee hn a a a e i. | 3 F I52 YOUTH IN CONFLICT failure on the part of the probation officer to explain fully about the jail-lodging; broken faith, unan- swered letters, calling a healthy boy’s milk-drinking a theft, and so on. Delinquent attitudes are built up of similar “‘slight” matters. Preconceived opinions held by those who come first in contact with the offending child have much to do with the evolution of the delinquent response. Teachers, social workers, police, may display race or class prejudices, or “‘have it in” for the younger members of some troublesome family. One teacher greeted each of the boys of a large Polish family on school entrance: “Well! so you are another X ! I expected it. Don’t you start anything around here like your brother Sam!” An attitude of weary anticipation of failure may be expressed: ‘How then is Mary Louise doing in her new foster-home ?” “Oh, she is doing all right . . . for Mary Louise. She'll never be anything different, you know.” A symposium was held in the public schools on the question: “Why do children lie?” The most revealing, the most deeply scientific an- swer was: “In order to get along with adults.” A probation officer who did not like colored peo- ple unless they were her intellectual inferiors had in charge a keen, brilliant young Negro girl who wished to become a lawyer. This girl’s entire per- sonality apparently changed during a few months under her new probation officer. From a good- humored, courteous person, she changed to a violent,THE ATTITUDE OF DELINQUENCY 153 defiant girl who chased this woman with a knife; there was a change of officers, and the girl resumed her former personality. The court has known this girl all her life, and only this one outbreak occurred. Unwise treatment by adults is one of the chief causes of the delinquent’s hostile, anti-social atti- tude. It is possible to treat the young offender in such a manner that he will cooperate in a plan for his own treatment. Threatening, bantering, accus- ing, Or smashing down the personal self-respect of the child will destroy the influence of the adult, and develop hate or resistance. Court officials and judges cannot apply their ordi- nary standards of legal etiquette to young children, or to those who are helpless. A smiling Mexican messenger boy of sixteen en- tered a court room to deliver a telegram; after the manner of messenger boys he had put his message in the lining of his hat. ~ Lake off your hat,”’ said the bailiff. The boy, who knew little English, smiled and proceeded to approach the judge. " Take that grin off your face,” warned the bailiff. The boy handed the telegram to the judge, who told him to keep his hat off. As the smiling boy tried to leave the court room he was fined five dol- lars for contempt.’ Bringing of children into court on warrants, use of handcuffs, or other mechanical restraints, use of criminal terminology, such as: “complaint,” “‘trial,’”’ “sentence,” “criminal,” tend simply to produce in children the typical “crook attitude.” When this 1 For an excellent account in literature of how a peaceful, law-abiding man may acquire the attitude of delinquency, see “The Majesty of Justice,” by Anatole France. ref v7 an nee - 7 - - 7 os n tities > oo oe fi eek te oo » © =. ay Ses ? o. ~~ 28 re oa tet ae 7 ra = + b ot 1: oe ee ty ieee: > *42 Be . rl a tert mek. Se ‘<< sy Se See eee teers) es +a Sats Yee Tae. ~ ‘ei ~ i 242. Tm hehes soe eRee EE erase: sy ~s Mayne Peres tres f eT Fe , eats Bs a a Epes SoS 7 eg we > = = re et a3 eS eos Was Oo ab ee ~~ a he e- arpa. es ~ Tae ee) ve ts tees ya “ ° rate 6 S834 Se be, » be he. path ings ange Sone | Pa = pate et Cee pie Se eas ae, ST eas | Pte ee en oe Se =e att - re Pe ~ Ee Xe a bed 7 2 Re PTT Serres te ys ereees eye Se ee s+ 3ba5aa5 RS sSubelvdassé: Sar PR oe Fo 7 ” ry > arti, ~ es.4 ~~ - —_ _ - -_- - * hee eel te oe Pe ee on es ‘ba eo tok ae re ae > PES SESE oe Led We tiete eS - ath hr ‘Sod oe 4 oh + ss gt tet = od we eRbSE sada ded ee ee Werte ies toda a ra ed ad a) | da =Ppa. et Fe aseweSrig ieee sy. \ i eeeess beree) e325 oe a rf ek Dal - > . 3 bs as eTSe~ -* pg hs pe ree rf reset erFrirpes teres te ee . o a 2 Se, a a a Brserserecereren ec eee pane res rae es RSPR E HPS eset ese La ms ~ = ek i, fi. fetotcen’ gua cbid hee s¢ : onsite a : = a - ~ ite ae Ae soe ee 4. Be ae oe > - atu & pe * wha. rs. Petes a A Sd zero Ps a fn aks pe ea 22 ‘ e+. 2 = . - - _ ef - _ — o%y et — ES Bes Sa tale kA a hk ah at rh old Sel ee - Ped | a ae ae os. 2... a ied — Se re tee eee se eo ter k ee ° -.- ~ ae " fe i io et = Ad ae aor a i ‘ ‘ 154 YOUTH IN CONFLICT unwise court procedure is coupled with bad pre- court methods, over-much use of police in uniform, or police who use slang, such as “who pulled this job?”, “T’ll give you a jolt in the tank for this,” or “T’ll send you up, young fellow,” or “youre sure some jazz baby, kid,” or who use harshness and methods of force in dealing with young children; teachers or social workers who use some form of “third degree,” in obtaining a “confession,” or who threaten the child with criminal proceedings, the result is the production of an attitude of mind which is the very essence of delinquency. The problem of adults should be to shelter chil- dren from the speech, manners, emotional attitudes, and habits of thought of the outlaw, and the under- world. Youth easily slips into the attitude of war- fare against society; courage, resourcefulness to a degree that is almost heroic may be born in an effort to reach freedom from restraints and treat- ment that youth interprets as tyranny. For exam- ple: one story from a girls’ correctional school in the Middle West reads like a tale of heroism. Two girls of fourteen and sixteen had been punished for minor infractions of discipline until they ran away. When caught they were shut in cell-rooms and fed bread and milk for two weeks. They were lodged on the fourth story of an old fashioned wooden building with half rotten gratings and drain pipes. It was mid-winter and a prairie blizzard was rag- ing. Clad in their cheap institutional clothing and weakened by fasting, these young girls made their descent by clinging to the icy drains. This feat 1s an almost unbelievable example of skill and endur- ance. It shows that the attitude of rebellion and delinquency may tap the deepest resources of human F 1 i yl f :THE ATTITUDE OF DELINQUENCY I55 energy. Adults must not be so blind as to think this energy can be destroyed. [hey must assist young people to discover channels where it may flow with- out ruin. Socialized Juvenile Courts in many different parts of the country may be visited where one may not see a single boy or girl with a hardened attitude. They come before the court frankly and simply; they tell their misdeeds as children would do before the face of a wise, tender and strong parent, feeling that they must tell and cannot lie. When such a court has been in operation for several years, the “attitude of delinquency” in its extreme form al- most entirely disappears from the community. The untrained worker cannot grasp the signif- icance of this, nor believe in its importance. Hon- est policemen and probation officers feel they do right in combating wrong doing with all the force of their natures. They cite instances of boys of twelve attempting to murder them; one policeman admitted that he had never felt such fear in his life as he experienced when a small boy “held a gun on him.” Officers relate stories of just escaping having their brains knocked out. They explain the skill, chicanery, daring and entire lack of conscience of “young boy and girl crooks.” Sheriffs who have handled riots in girls’ correctional schools testify that the foul language, the obscenity, violence, and sheer wickedness of these girls, who demolish whole buildings, set fire to institutions, maim or kill em- ployees, is beyond imagination.’ This is true. There is no reason for these outraged officers of the law to show sentimentality toward these young 1 State schools or reformatories of Ohio, Kansas, New York, California, are among those which have had serious riots. bo3 a2 pe a - Sete. ll al a = lial SoP=ara Bs too a . + tee a Set Sosa te Peererre tery» “Brees eSS2Pl at ore pat SVS Se Se Risa eee wie Pe he toes 2 Stk a ate: Teeter os ey =. eo eeueeeres reSees FETs Tere eo ae) : ede Oe ee ery erty be. reset — 7 ey ere rs aol es pee eee ete ereocte ro . SESE Stee oe Lee: eee SIU eTe. Sy er p Rae rs z ri - = i ss rj - er ee Sy se SS ESS ok oe Se Sy oe esses e and t an tide eo +t: ional & 7 ee Mya « met + 2 = tue —~_ . a De te be Oe base al me tek See Say Real 4 . ‘ a TF = ne hee ens Se SRS Se iebobe ae bed P > ~a a ae ee “ ed 2 = are 4 a Py eer. Sse es) a Ty = ® E i. at OP eS og Oe IRER ee ae + Mt 7 os ie. I~ ™ . —t pe SESTEPEVG STE 2 ETT, pS ot pe oF Pe eS. ts Ss yt i ah ae Sete rt ee pp dn :- ec 44 SelEtTt>. - . ee ee Tr st Oot as ti 1s of af +8 fo Co ts ie eee "rces ¢ eee ee ae no -* = ae ~ —e! “—x7 * a. PP Pe eee eee eee ee oe oe ee oe eS PST ets teats settee oe - te eee Be - Fahne eee ios SET . (ses 8 A - _ os a, ae tae | A at oe tat a = 3% ° = ~ = F ae ee 4 eS ae ee a ee ee ee ee Pen ae Eta a ee de ae we = 5 ae in rue eA a Le ee es Doh dale tote le i Sn rg on a apt fee tell nl eh ee ll al “a ee ae rs ~~? $=% ed ha ere ei eye _-— St pe oe oe oe aaa es ore a nn en i. eae - aaah a oe ee ee — oe - opeyesceepes Sr eszhe ws P aa rs a, oe ao a Sseess a de he - - cng oe oh te wd er Ps, ae ae See ee a oe en ttt hal ale Et ee A eek eel el ceed ee eS pak pe AS a a aa . 5 A Pat gat - or Le a ee oe ST BS oe eo tl ee ee ‘ a ‘ bj , vi Ny y ‘ aa ac \ bef et ez 156 YOUTH IN CONFLICT people. Like the insane they are capable of untold damage. But this attitude is unnecessary. These same girls and boys can be stilled by the presence of one calm spirit, whereas a company of deputy- sheriffs would cause a fresh riot. As in the man- agement of the insane, attendants who show tran- quillity of mind, and a little skill in personality, have successfully handled the most obstreperous; so with young delinquents, the apparently violent and dangerous yield almost without a struggle to simple approach of a human being, without fear, prejudice or hatred. Where communities have not bullied their juve- nile delinquents, where the attitude of adults for many years has been wisely parental, and the offi- cers and social workers of the court have been trained in courtesy toward children, the delinquent attitude no longer develops, and that community has taken the longest stride forward in solving the prob- lem of delinquency. On last analysis the true definition of delinquency would be something not properly to be applied to children; some act, or breach of faith which would tend to destroy the dignity and integrity of human life. This would be the act of an adult, or a mature personality,—not the act of a child.b+ bt) aba ee waertinw’ ; Py 7 ‘ ‘ ta eee Tt Pe Pee b re j pp en —————— levadecdh Tit THE ADJUSTMENT OF DELINQUENCY a =.CHAPTER VII JUVENILE COURT PROCEDURE’ In adjustment of delinquency procedure of the Juvenile Court colors the entire process, and estab- lishes the status of the offending child in public opinion. If the court conceives its function as a quasi-criminal tribunal where children are punished for offenses with rather less formality than in adult courts, the neighborhood opinion, and that of police, school, church, business organizations and newspapers will be penal. If the court is filled with the spirit of welfare, the community is led to view the delinquent as one who is handicapped and in need of help. The legal basis on which the Juvenile Court was created is the law of equity. In Anglo Saxon times there was the common law under which criminals were tried, and civil suits brought, and a law of equity, administered in the court of chancery. The chancellor, and his representatives, masters 1n chan- cery, or referees as we call them to-day, were the direct channel through which power of the King (symbolizing the State) could flow for relief and protection of those who were helpless before the common law. Aubyn de Clyton in 1321, complain- 1 The writer elsewhere, in “Crime, Abnormal Minds and the Law,” Hoag, E. B., and Williams, E. H., Bobbs-Merrill Co., 1023, pp. 158-167, has described the Socialization of Juvenile Court procedure. 159 - —] em > 2 ae" > oo to i ree a : 2 <3, ie f on a ‘ae i> ne a | oe — - bs=3 » Saat he? Stee Were? _ + = se deel el Bt i Bl - ~Crrere a a5 es : Apeesas a oe a ee ne “> = iy a ne a226 — a eee eo es P ae 0 ae Fee A tS ra sv2es = * a eh ak a el el el mel - a go 7 4 Let pe ot oF = - fT as ae "aoe, A. eo Se, Rg . a Sk cs geek Seal lh Shh oe a all aa " ® < we > _— Ne Se ee een Re a eee + oe ee ms ae op ame ae = 4 a. iin a oa PE tle ed ot rire * ie ee ee - “oF Ae pe 7 - - — r . fi i rag Peas by re eet a oo oh epg: Le rag 3- erica ee ce + ie ‘mss — Te wt +a ee 63 . ee ee ee ae (roars = oe Se ett aerate eo = ao in BAe: Soa eels atl a & FA, - Q “ ~~ a eS ee ee ee a le alle on, ” Fra «3 - — 4 + My ite hl ah, A ke | a) ae P+ -+ J eggs . ah oe eam - ‘ i ee ey t re Po aa re —s ek hee ee Bee 7 and =< = ed aes ir St =e sce Sgr iz este: pos til ae Sorters, an a a, Lo 2 ee ee ee 7 a eee r | en 7 iw tap Soe a ee i aah ~ ws _ Get tied ee ee 160 YOUTH IN CONFLICT ing of “a gross and outrageous trespass,” petitions the chancellor, setting forth his reason for not going to common law, in that “said Johan and Philip hold their heads so high and are so threatening that the said Aubyn does not dare contest with them.’ ? The King felt himself to be the ultimate guardian of his people. Estates of minors having no guard- ian, persons of unsound mind, helpless because of insanity, minors whose parents were unfit or in- digent, from earliest beginnings of English legal history have been dealt with by chancery proceed- ings in the court of equity. It was said the arm of the chancellor was so long that it could stretch out for the protection of the weakest child in the king- dom. In the modern state this power is known as parens patrie, the state as parent. In the United States, dependent children were always provided for by courts which either were courts of equity, or used the same function. It was recognized that the court was guardian of the child, had power to appoint persons to look after its wel- fare, to take any means necessary to preserve it. When Juvenile Court laws were written in this country by the various states since 1899, the delin- quent child was placed under the same jurisdiction, for the same reason: i.e., lack of proper effective parental guardianship. Juvenile Court was given power to deal with the offending child without crim- inal procedure, or formality, with one aim always in view: the ultimate welfare of the child. No mat- ter what offense has been committed, in no case: “Shall an order adjudging a person to be a ward 1 Henderson, John G,: “Chancery Practice,” Chicago, 1904, p. 121.JUVENILE COURT PROCEDURE 161 of Juvenile Court be deemed to be a conviction of crimes”? That no doubt can exist as to the method in which the child shall be treated, detained and disciplined while under jurisdiction of court, it has been spe- cially stated: “This act shall be liberally construed, to the end that its purpose may be carried out, to wit, that the care, custody and discipline of a ward of the Juve- nile Court, as defined in this act, shall approximate as nearly as may be that which should be given by his parents.” ” This citation on spirit of the law, or its construc- tion, is taken from California merely for the reason that nearly all Juvenile Court legislation contains it, either expressly or implicitly. Against the spirit of this law is use of anything penal, warrants directed against the child, (war- rants in behalf of a child may be necessary to ob- tain relief from cruel or law-breaking adults, or of an older minor for his protection,) handcuffs, jail detention, unnecessary detention in the county home, harsh or purely legalistic questioning in court, newspaper publicity, use of threats or intim- idation, presence of uniformed policemen, or show of violence. It has been pointed out elsewhere that use of wrong words in court procedure tends to make it penal, since words and attitude of proba- 1California Juvenile Court Law, Section 5. California Statutes, approved June 5, 1915, amended 1917; p. 1002, See Juvenile Court Standards, Children’s Bureau, Washington, D. C., Publication No. 121. 2 Section 24, California Juvenile Court Law. See also “The Standard Juvenile Court Law,” published by The National Probation Association. er Pe ' ~ a > i ia Ew feed Lx Wie 4 3 7 Ye ee ‘AF aeu Ss’ J > ~~ tes? 5 TTT Poe ail eke Wree rsa g es Ls ari a ae Ca ae o ve ne ee EN Cee hey Ne ye oe oe es 2 ps = - Tey poe = * Fi : - ey ee S-- ES cm ioe ae et - - es ay . . oe 2S = id - ; 3 mh Sy ee ee ate | =. oe a ma Ee et pete | ~~ eS - Pe Ty Te m ~ a nah > » a4 Pe dei ‘ Bets hs hostesses Ferer se Ph eye as e — ee ee ees r= bt * _ re Pa a . ey . cs kace bait ee > re, Ee 74 pa od -~- .*-2 pa ae ae pee “pEs = = oe Oe et Eee a Pe Tes ~ q >< i —<. ee ee Pos eet ey ed oe Y os i en ee ee es iat peesesse re + - ry . — Sse ee tare ete 5 te te od od Pe tet Te ee eIEUR ees ee oe a « *? i. oepecte™, 29 «\ ss - , -" idan rerprers? aes 5 he be iol Pee) =e ooh ed —_ == a toreri vitesse is pie & ct gevea e © cL TUSSr e _ ee et Oe Sod ee pple le of a ee se 8 esses % > r a . > at =o pa ta 35S: a . : ~ nan > “b« al <2 i " a * Te ae eek oe oe ek il le Bi . Sept ati sy epee ~-* aad 7™ . a ie 2? ed - * ee a ot - 2 ~4 - 7 6 Sree ee ~ £2. pep as fat ee Stet tis ee ee ae koe eo el tot Sah el ol = oe te a be Pe pes. - rer pe pee eS eS a oe Alf dopa pe - ot i SPS PIESP SPOOLS TOT OOS ete Pe - - PBaseaslstcrrese: ih a aia ty tI Te ine S's us aie Pada es Pras aan i ra tes a . ea hae | en i ¥ oe ries Shinai a i ty Me Pra oe Pa ie aw ae ae A> nae ag 162 YOUTH IN CONFLICT tion officers and judge reénforce each other. Petition should be used instead of complaint. flearing instead of trial. Commitment or order of placement instead of sentence. It will not be diffi- cult to acquire the right vocabulary if the attitude of constantly doing some constructive, parental thing for the child is held in mind. It is against the parental nature of the court to place a child on the defensive, so that he must plead guilty or not guilty. The child should be asked simply, without presumption, to tell his own story. Difficulty in obtaining right procedure is some- times due to presence of mature minors in court. In California and Colorado the age limit is twenty- one, in Ohio eighteen, in New York sixteen; the tendency in recent legislation is to extend the age- limit. This means that occasionally boys and girls appear who are physically and mentally adult. It is felt by some judges that it is impossible, or un- wise, to deal with these minors by the usual method. Practically all states have a remedy for this, con- current jurisdiction.” Thus minors who are nearly as mature as adults, can, in discretion of Court, be dealt with in the adult manner. This provision should do away with alarm and enable the judge to deal in the parental manner with older boys and girls who are retained. Parental treatment should be a fixed rule of Juvenile Court, a legal maxim, or sacred legal tradition, as firmly established as dignity of the bench itself. Traditions, safeguard- ing the child from criminal procedure should be 1Van Waters, Miriam: “The Juvenile Court as a Social Laboratory,” Journal of Applied Sociology, Vol. 7, No. 6, pp: 318-324. See also in this book, Chapter I. 2“A Summary of Juvenile Court Legislation,” pp. 15-24.JUVENILE COURT PROCEDURE 163 established and as tenaciously, relentlessly upheld as those which safeguard the court from contempt. It must be done in much the same spirit. Contempt of court, through tradition, has come to have a universal significance, as any word, deed or attitude which in the slightest degree operates to weaken authority, respect, dignity of court. Law- abiding citizens are saturated with this feeling and would no more think of violating etiquette of court than of disturbing the peace of church. An attitude of respect has been built up for centuries. It is, at least, equally necessary during the first decades of Juvenile Court procedure to establish a tradition of respect for rights of childhood. Some one must be always jealously watching to see that the child is not insulted or injured, or his rights disregarded. As now we feel something like a chill of horror when some rash spirit uprises in court to fling contumely at the judge, so instantly in the mind of all officials of the court, witnesses and spectators, Should a feeling of revulsion and protest arise when an injury is done in court to the spirit of the child. Change of emphasis from a legalistic procedure to one based on welfare of child and community, has been called in recent years, the socialization of court procedure. ~The working out of this tendency toward broader functions and a more human emphasis and aim has involved a more liberal procedure or meth- od of transacting the business of the courts. When a court is acting, not as an arbiter of private strife but as the medium of the State’s performance of its sovereign duties as parens patrie and pro- moter of the general welfare, it is natural that some my “= Ie 7% men TiS yee—+ ~ 3140353 “ ke ee hoe a e 7 p- ee > ae et ee eae ~~ 7 oy a “se a I5¥ eee <-t5 es teams RY AS +t a car: , t 4’ ¥ o% Henk - eee ee ae ee et ey eng 4 ee OS or ee ke Sta es Mme St Pe or — Ee Am az 4 3 7 wes qj he 4 he Fy = St ete Bedrecnreeeseg 20k ~" re * tr X a an je, — ress Seve rt pert rer reer egae ees Pe dee Se Loe) =p ad SEE Ssisliesnt eS So re BRSdeesn ag - dd Por 4 eel sy 2 toes = : : RISER tree eee * Skeeeat ae ee) -_ \ bag F pa te | - “2 * Dd. - a ey he el t= ? a ek ett. Ts es et , 3 * ha pal ee eo aE, PS Pe ed pl —-_- — ~ a a a a ae orto edetabetessertsed pte ctet er ees etal ete 25 cs nie le rp ea in, a is pa ea a Ta) Cemenocesrarspr et rateesesese we oa a _ . OS Seg at to eee see ‘ . - 3 ag as a a oo? c teeter sess. Set ea a ar =e & P ey ee ¢ . a eee | Ce ie ie a - En Fa = a4 7 eee ee i = kal eres eed A oe Od fae a ee — ag Sy ee pk a eer - a et ee ee ee oe eet ee ee ee ee -— a es ae . eaig tere _ oo * =" i or eee pa a ae AP A pe et Epa PPPS tes = Tht cape dived add ae Sa -——-+ we pon Ce ee ee oe eR et eee se dette ee ae Le Le et eer es \ 485 Se - =i ot ae or. 2 oF Feat a - An . 164 YOUTH IN CONFLICT of the safeguards of judicial contests should be laid aside. This corollary to the main tendency to which we have referred may be fitly styled the socializa- tion of court procedure.” ? That socialization does not conflict with personal rights recognized by the common law as adopted in our Federal and State constitutions, has been. re- peatedly tested in our higher courts and there is now a sound body of law upholding the major principles of the Juvenile Court. In a children’s court where these principles are at work we find distinct departures from usual criminal procedure. The court room itself is small. It is furnished simply. There is no jury-box, the distinction be- tween bench and bar is not expressed in railings, high platforms, or other formal symbols. If the room is small there will not be much space for spec- tators; child and judge, probation officer and par- ents, are brought closely together in personal con- ference. If hearings are held in a Court House, instead of in a special juvenile building, the cham- bers of the judge are better than the general court room. Each child should have a separate hearing. To permit other boys and girls and their parents to hear, or to witness, as spectators one another’s cases is a practice so self-evidently bad that it ought to be universally condemned. If children hear details of other delinquencies or family situations, they are not only given opportunity to become further ex- perienced in delinquency, or domestic strife, but 1 Hon. Edward F. Waite, Judge of Juvenile Court of Hen- nepin County, Minneapolis, Minn.: “Proceedings of the Con- ference on Juvenile Court Standards,” published by The Chil- dren’s Bureau, No. 97, p. 55, Washington, D. C., 1922.JUVENILE COURT PROCEDURE 165 they tend to build up the delinquent attitude re- ferred to in Chapter VI. Provision should be made for witnesses and children in cases waiting to be heard. There will be no special difficulty about this if the goal of securing the child’s welfare be kept uppermost. The general public should be excluded. Usually this provision is made in the statute. The right of one accused of crime to have a public trial was doubtless secured in modern civilized constitutions after centuries of struggle with lettres de cachet and other summary methods of despotism. But where constitutional right to public trial exists, the court is trying the individual charged with crime. In chancery jurisdiction, where the issue is depend- ency, neglect, in matters of guardianship and wel- fare of the child, there is no such constitutional provision. Exclusion of the public is exercised in behalf of the delinquent child and his parents. So- cial workers, qualified students, other persons of good-will may be admitted at discretion of court, with permission of parents. Newspaper publicity should be banned. No names, ages, addresses, pic- tures, or stories of juvenile cases where identifica- tion is possible should be allowed by the court, or tolerated by the community. Not only may the reputation of the child be impaired, but his chance for succeeding during probation be destroyed by publicity. Newspapers usually agree to withhold Juvenile Court matters. It has been argued that the public cannot be enlightened as to work of the court, and the status of juvenile delinquency in the com- munity, unless they read about it in the newspapers. This argument has little weight since treatment of crime in newspapers gives little or no enlightenment Hy > _ F es < a ee at a Te rod es oo) ey $-se8 - - “=. a oe ae Pry then. ~ =f “ee ey * ~~: a ns =i, - ie rs a *. ene hie es! | Ss a a oe oe es os Ss * x a hr a nh es a “a > «= Se Bae iw Psreteirr esr trere zs. eee Ss Set ee bd be i el il 7 a a a a ey -_ ot eee: Lr sa 3 eee Presetroot eet eet ttt atose Sr Fe fed > Pee RPO: ) ees 4 2 eee > oad ah 2 ee ae ok i he Ee ET = — hs i. -. 1 eee yas a “ Ps : ~ F - LS #% ¢ ee a ee Re Bie ttl to oe eS . Gy Peni te ¢ Me PPP ee EA i -. Lad = ae ws a wee . — a hy SledpiaSetraberesas-preceetsress et alee ere errr ree ereees Cokes | te bt oe => ey ep ae ei pany eM ee Te ah Tot ipa, 5 placed ae Lp te wey dk 4 4 > ek ey Fe P g eS - - 247 i Sees Tseresec hr eS LI OPPS POOP ST DISET EA TAT PSS Se > - - = a Sy EE PG Fa Ae See ES. es ey ee 4 . Ep RE Ae Oe et gh, oe Pans oa Sere. i , Sin ar Se ee pa pa es bd eS ee sss ae Signer cna ae bolt dele pe, gi ot ee ‘ Peet pasteles see - nad - ee = ese oe . - ~ é ae ee ey Hy Ph ee eg = = Se eee ee wi wee ete es Poe pe ty iat ed Es en ’ I ae, ft, a - * “- S a a tes a Pits to as eh ae * nae ie > oe ae a ae - " A hd eek + Fe eich = ee a 2 -> yy oa a a SlSseogey CS : —_ - i ad ~ a he nia a2 E- 22) Tp he te Pe anes eersesececsases a tad = 166 YOUTH IN CONFLICT as to social facts and causes of crime. A better way for the judge and other court officials to in- form the public is by lectures, or signed newspaper articles, dealing, not with specified cases, but social conditions. Representation of children by attorneys is no barrier to socialization, if attorneys are made to understand it is not a contest of rights, nor conflict between child and adult in which the court serves as arbiter. A socially-minded lawyer who has rid him- self of prejudices and preconceptions of other courts can be of service both to child and juvenile judge. Usually when it is explained that it is the real welfare of the child that is sought, the lawyer becomes a friend. The lawyer, however, must ac- custom himself to relaxed procedure and must not seek to hamper the child and court in their process of arriving at truth. It is greatly to be regretted that law schools do not give more attention to edu- cating young men and women to become family- welfare lawyers. Doubtless this will be the task of the future. In socialized juvenile court procedure, the judge, or referee, will usually ask most of the questions, will conduct the hearing. It is evident that testi- mony received in this way, from child or parent, directly in front of the judge, rather than from the witness stand, will tend to reveal better the true sit- uation. This is, of course, a matter of discretion with the judge. As to whether the child and par- ents shall sit or stand, whether they shall be placed under oath or not, are also questions of detail that each judge will decide for himself. Whatever method of taking testimony is used, the central pur- pose must be remembered: the court wishes toJUVENILE COURT PROCEDURE 167 know the whole truth in order that welfare of the child may be secured. Before question- ing begins the judge usually has the investigation of the probation officer before him, with a more or less complete social history. If this is lacking the case should be continued. Before any final order of court is made the judge will know the physical and mental status of the child, as determined by expert laboratory study. Too much reliance on any one formula will be avoided when the court begins to work out a plan. Cooperation from parents and child will be secured as it is gradually apparent to them that, unlike ordinary procedure where judg- ment of court advances to a decision, irrevocable as Doom’s Day, the Juvenile Court will take plenty of time, provide for rehearings when new facts are discovered, will modify its orders as life-situations of child and family require modification. It is often a source of surprise that Juvenile Court judges are enabled to get the whole truth from children, and even adult witnesses. This 1s due partly to absence of force, embarrassment and intimidation, partly to the fact that those who come, as in case of those who visit clinic or confes- sional, expect not punishment, but relief and under- standing treatment. Investigation has shown that it is easier for the individual to tell the truth, to recall past situations without error, if he is instructed: “Go ahead, relate the story in your own way,” than if he is asked detailed questions. The ques- tion is a challenge, causing the child to take the at- titude of defense. Questioning must take place, to clear up doubtful points or to refresh memory, but it should be used sparingly, and each person should ” ‘ ~ +e ag Cet er. 4 ys {7474 e ee beeen Ieee a _ + > — aan 9 - m7 +a a hw m3 ay, Ae aos ts aa: age Sa RE SE STSS SEN SS, i eh a est te Tey gay Cee ette = a) is. a = dee fT a ms ~« ae 1 i > 2 ee red aeeesd ; o< Md ol Ps . FS ; er eer a Se + aaa. a & «=6 r ~ b tee A S 7 roa 4 ina he) eee , a, t pe es Ul * _—a =. i 23 -a@= +: Ee RE ee Be xx tS —— a on be 52° Cott nd PE er ee IS big) i lj Seasrvesepasdreresaseraseteinas ~~ - oS oT a ae ee eee ett le See pie - 2) i, ies A ee a JMLepaabas | te tte a i — ae i ee ki ae i a ae: ae ee ps gin) eewreten at esehe ee Ee Dt Se So ol ek Oe ee ee ee ere Par ‘Ean eel p< 3 Es Renee aed - a feted a em i Ral, yn he a - oe ReSoesIscorrese ser eS LISP Seles DIES - ay PT Ee ate he ld os eee es i ‘sw ees Sm he a er - - ‘> Se ey hon SS : a a aren ih ly lated Ae ole a ae Sage Soa a Pe PRES Se ee; a as » +2 Pe i > ee a ee » | hae dee idl Ata Poe ey od aah ae ech eo eS ~ eres * ere wi wt - -! ae _ | we J al. al ea cakes | nls ad aad oe ee es ee Pps A . at 7 ee aa om to ~~ pe. a a — aa ~ as hae Ales} LJoDApS he ef o. exh 4 al rs 5 a ~ ta Ke cae ee ee [pe ee te ee 2 ee eS = 168 YOUTH IN CONFLICT be encouraged to relate what he or she actually knows. What in good Juvenile Court procedure shall be the test of truth, that is to say, what shall the court admit as evidence? There is no magic in Juvenile Court that makes hearsay, or unfounded public opinion any safer than in other tribunals. Cus- tomary rules of evidence should be observed, with exception that the judge should not reject as im- material any fact that throws light on the child’s character, or condition. “No judge on any bench has need to be more thoroughly grounded in the principles of evidence and more constantly mindful of them than the judge of a Juvenile Court.’ ? Fears and suspicions of probation officers, hopes and suppositions of welfare workers, should not be substituted for sound, clear, proved knowledge. If it is complained that often it is difficult to prove facts of parental unfitness, for example, and that in order to give children proper protection it is sometimes needful to proceed on insufficient evi- dence, it is well to bear in mind that the court has plenty to do in safeguarding its wards where cases are clear, and that procedure based on faulty evi- dence weakens the Juvenile Court, and ultimately would cause its falling into suspicion and decay. Clear proofs should always be demanded in chil- dren’s cases; skilled workers, with insight and pa- tience, can usually furnish this. In serious behavior-problems in young chil- dren, for example, persistent lying, stealing, 1 Children’s Bureau, Pub, No, 97, Hon, Edward F. Waite, P. 59.JUVENILE COURT PROCEDURE 169 running away, unprovoked assault, erratic sex conduct, etc., where it may be supposed the diffi- culty is one of emotional conflict, the judge will wish clear, explicit statement of the misdeed as it has appeared to parents, teachers or neighbors, but will exclude the child from the room during this testimony. “‘Why—the child has heard it all be- fore, if he has done wrong, should he not be con- fronted?’ Letting this child hear what adults say of him would be justifiable if he were normal, if he were “responsible” for his actions. But in the cases now referred to, it would be like allowing the child to listen to discussion of physician and par- ents, as to how sick he was in an attack of illness; fears and interpretations of adults would retard recovery. Almost all adults are careless in speech before children, and thus really injure them by inflicting premature sophistication. The court has the right to say to these adults: “We now begin to think first of the child. We will try to get the result of your adult observa- tions, and then when we have worked out a plan we can tell the child what is necessary for him to know.” No one can fail to have noticed the attitude of scorn, rebellion, or fear and inferiority, expressed in faces and bodies of little children as some police- man or teacher has recounted “‘wicked lying,” or “smart thieving,’ or ‘‘nastiness,” observed. To “cure” the child, it is essential to get his confidence ; this cannot be done if his spirit has been injured in court to the point of humiliation. In cases of adolescent boys and girls in open, expressed con- flict with current moral standards, the young peo- 7 or > = - ~ * Stas atts etek rs as EAS y= be Sblkhs cee 3 a hod ee eS aa ee —} a &% ~~. & ~ er ees ca x2 Tere P Pear ees er Sr Pe Se epee & eke an’ ~ 22> aieye os es es .o e@ r 4% Mom cso! _=. o = Tee eT ITT Pins ~ rs: er gs 2 Fy t enn ee Nae pak Seek 7 - ll alla - —t — Ato. pa - else os er Ht ee > —_. » C é Perera oe eee Se et steel’ 7 — Es ee = t prs rs : ft Trew * = Patani py - ies 4. 4 AG Se RS Ry Ne me ae 2 “Eke ern ns hepa arp hee hee St 0 Pe we re re pene an P Fool Pouwet 6 Saf pet Ae act Se 0h 4 & a my 3443s CS Pe Se rs eae es -- +s prs ae SES ey etre Pte. a “—- a '’ = x > we . 3 a = eo Rae Keser Peter Tee = Cee a = aS oe ae e Pe a ; Sey = eae 3 - Serer e te eters = & xe ~~ RY, ee Saye te by te pe ee TS Lt eee Se eee ee ee late lek a ae ee+e Pa ito P - iS . i. »s ha oa nee | he bts > -* he ana _ ih oe oe 7 ee hee a ey eal Se oe 7 re oh a a. es > 4 —— SS cerestasess caer ardtere om he utx tz. ¢ t--' _ — jsesedabebeubecesas dre cheeses est et Do I eae essai eee » eS a he eh i a le a 4 a es —— = < “45 S-@eei>estt+e eS 4S . Se a Ag: 4 A 4 tft) SS <= se * Ce | pan . “Pare es: on Mt a ge Oe baal eis 4 - 27-8: a ee = a a os ees te eH eee nh A eer ae das digi haan cet aa ti = = exreere CN ah el tl aah Lak eee ee DAES PTS See eee pe yea Ae , — Reet pert ee ee tt he at % ie gil al +s a mn =i ae ge ee " a" Sm rg om mo nas ~ = en : Mee get Terese os ge hm apm 170 YOUTH IN CONFLICT ple of course should hear all that neighbors and police think of them. The judge who is a specialist in human personalities will use his discretion. That adults can benefit by equity procedure of the court, has been noted. Unfitness in parents has legally been determined a temporary condition, that is to say, parents can be given a chance to become fit. If the Juvenile Court says to a young mother: “Here it is not sought to prove you unfit, or to mcriminate you. Your child is pale and weak. There is evidence that you neglect her to go to dances. Do you, yourself, feel your child is all right?” The mother may brush aside her attorney and reveal such an interest in her child that she will co- operate in a plan for its welfare, even to temporary separation. It should be made impossible to use testimony of parents, given in moments of generous self-sacrifice, for purposes of litigation in other matters, such as divorce complaints. Often in cases where parents have had such an experience in juvenile court, contributing proceedings are un- necessary.* Twenty-seven states* have safeguarding pro- visions against using evidence gained in Juvenile Court against the child in other proceedings. This protection should be extended to parents, who in good faith, for the purposes of child welfare, give evidence against themselves. 1 Prosecution under the statute which makes an adult sub- ject to penalty for the misdemeanor of contributing to the con- ditions which bring the child before the Court. 2 Children’s Bureau: “A Summary of Juvenile Court Legis- lation in the United States,” by Sophonisba P. Breckenridge and Helen R. Jeter. Bureau Publication No. 70, Legal Series No. 5, Washington, D. C., 1921, p. 41.JUVENILE COURT PROCEDURE 171 The dynamic nature of the Juvenile Court, the fact that its orders can be modified without ex- pense, or tedious preparation of technical papers, makes it particularly suited for the purpose of se- curing adequate social treatment. It is a drawback if the staff of the court, its personnel, is constantly changing. If the judge is changed every year or so, 1f probation officers who appear to have prom- ised so much, and give so great a feeling of secur- ity to the child, flit about the country, as is the cus- tom of social workers; it is too much like the shift- ing fathers and mothers and landlords of the child’s own “broken home.” If we really desire to do something constructive for the child who comes before the court, we can assist the community to build up a stable, secure, parental juvenile court, where politician and chronic migratory welfare worker will not be encouraged to enter. To do something constructive for the child is the goal of the entire procedure. In at least sey- enty-five per cent of the cases this will involve pro- bation in the home of the child, or with relatives, or neighbors. Cases, when returned to the com- munity, should either be dismissed, or placed on probation for an extended period, not less than one year.. If the probation staff is not large enough to do the work efficiently, it is better not to place the case on probation. To critics of probation it should be pointed out that probation, as a method conceived by the great leaders of juvenile court phi- losophy, has not yet been applied to any large num- ber of juvenile delinquents. Probation means a plan of social treatment car- 1 Juvenile Court Standards Committee Report, Children’s Bu- reau, Washington, D. C., Publication No. 121, 1923, pp. 7-9. a au ’ Cae aah + “8 ror Se! a heh . et ae ~ ><. ee 4 ; as . ca ee aha PeTrcE > i le ea ss.) << Yo Yt Se pe Ss PS ie nat Sigh 3 Cy er aay oe oe a ve) ied oe ak es ees =x Sy a ~ anghern & thes anes pie eee ee ee as a aa lee oe ee SS ee SS eteeans . . Sy ore Ahtpd a Pre = witless Cae ae es Se = 2 oageazaas —— — Se ee + er eae TT ee } ro ee Pe 8 Pw oe) . b Soa Pe ted e eb aeas 5 le Spl ngs eee ‘ —* —a oy SScreter sitar sistsedetee. eS ee ee: thorn in ST Port 4 es! Se Ss php ay \~ ks wat 4 a a + Bs ca. 3° ~~ eee ia ree Fyn! a a peaee Ptr Seco eee ers ee =~ hs eA Payee pry ee eo SEL a - ee eT ee yt 4 pS te ee ee tae fe ee ey oe ere = = - — 9 eS ro > ss ehe 9) = sme - ort pe ne nD et eat et eet ire «* ten Ang Py - er ar ar Ps - Ts Ye * Teese TS: — : a a = ; ~ a er ee et ees - Wass e Fs al al aha a a ee | a ie yet rat * en es Oa ‘Tin, Can on bee, el Oe ee Es = 4 ae ,- " ys 1 Pe ~ Se ee eee isa)— ~ hs babs a eer Otero? 4 te ee - aa a ee en ee ey ee a a aa SE pat -setaer w = edt | = +e iol el ——— oo Fs ¥ awe - se es » ~~ rs ot = ,e Ite; “. Ss +f panes, . - ow erme- > £2 oS Se “ eS BHI a ae = Eh ee pene | Cad ee a tert nl soe algserererpeecerss a De ark vf -_ : estate an ae ak 7 - CI J 4 Se ee ad a <>... t.. Se en Fy oe BS 4 a a eee eek 5 eee ee Bed ao le eae eH Sn pos fa e Bei ff ey SoG Boe ad Sects eee Perens aIles ae P= ee aes » aa ‘ am + SAP tS oa a os = — >= me ft gt . ee toe SD ee ion 3 “= - ee ee a aot en tee me shy ar > ha he ee ee lbp ed Be ol, 2 - - apeeeresesst e--e qi aS pe a a - “sre oe 7 > em, ag ES _ ee alien eh a 2 a a = 1 Paty tereeseceesnsrsogasrs el si sseoe - yee . Ca a fi it - i > ae ot | ro Mae « aot ee ry i - D < , Ast hh sole wy. _ a i -—" a 172 YOUTH IN CONFLICT ried out in the community which enlists combined forces of home, school, church, settlements, play- grounds and other available social organizations working under skilled personal leadership for a cen- tral, well diagnosed goal. At stages in treatment conferences should be held, and results checked up. New guiding-lines should be followed as conditions alter. But above all, no one should lose sight of the child. He should not be buried under statistics, surveys, and court reports. He should be the one absorbing reality that would justify the endless words, and weight of social machinery used in his behalf. Probation officers often interpret their helpless confusion of thought, and their hurry to cover pages with “reports for Court” as something genuinely accomplished; as in the case of Chaucer's man: “Nowhere a busier man than he thare was And yet he seemth busier Than he was.” The child has in no wise benefited by this “busy- ness.” The judge of the Juvenile Court should have wisdom and power to direct the plan of probation, with assistance of trained social workers as pro- bation officers. Probation should enlist the services of our ablest men and women. As the entire Juvenile Court procedure is now in its infancy, and as the modern community is only just becoming awakened to the burden of delinquency under which it must be destroyed, if it cannot lift it from the shoulders of the young, we may expect growth of knowledge and sincerity of effort in the future.CHAPTER VIII MAKING GOOD In illness such as typhoid fever, to see a child grow every day weaker while disease gains head- way until the crisis, which apparently attacks at moment of greatest weakness, 1S to wonder from what source the organism gets its strength to re- cover. Suddenly the tide which has been running out, begins to flow in; steadily the child gains in weight, color, presently is in better health than be- fore the attack. In physical matters we are accus~ tomed to the restorative energy of life and wait for it to assert itself when we are ill. It is only partially true that delinquency can be likened to disease. Delinquency is a way of responding to the human situation, it involves the whole being,—heredity, physical make-up, intelli- gence, habits of emotional response, life history, in- teraction with other human beings and with nature. We no longer “explain” delinquency by reference to any one part of the child’s being or environment. It is the total situation, the entire stream which must be studied. That a boy who stole oranges, went to court and was “punished” by having his adenoids removed, is a joke frequently heard ; mod- ern court workers believe in restoring the child to the best possible health condition, to remove or al- leviate physical handicaps, but they do not believe that bodily defects are a cause of delinquency, OF 173 Hf bh — : 7 7 es 9 2k ime it a ri 7 niet oe a + ery s ie ie es aaa s+ re pte toe Qa net eee ee teas ahd ie ok - ry a a ae “=e & ate ae ok " rt fa § “ees eT » sz > ; ee 5 ee ~~ =P A oe ere era a Pe ete colt x . une =—* a _ Pe Fy S cpr es inl elt tT a ra. . eS ee 4 ry et he 3 ~ ie 7 PT ee tt Som Rath Oe Ts) ~ = | a ee es Sry Chad _ > EF FS po 2 oe tee “eee Co ae ee — bt aw os (oy er Sy ys Fae as a ~— 23 FF oe eon SS ~— Pe oe ee +. ok mg ae eee ee oe ood 4 a . , ae Pe Renee ee ie ae the PE ee le ee ~ a wy _— seats amelie Pee ye 1-2 oa 4 - Cee ae oe eet eo, ee es - ~ A 2) @ <> pel Mp Epetad dead meee eS Pras ipcachcataze ; 4A > o7 Ge S! gnats =< 2 : 7 7 = ‘7 * so. a le < ce ee i pt Se = mag: Mit 7 icuedi clad Me Se th we he ee ere fess se, ee ee es Se ee eet dee ee a -_ ete eee ee es | et — — oat “zs Peo ere) i eee 5 ee reeens totter eae a-te © tee ~ = > eT See - Sih et eet tok ee Se ea ae tun we be le = oe Se ey tS ee eae =. TS Re er a ae Pest= r : ~~ ¥ ee ee ears > Tae at ee ro o 1 ca Me . Tt a Pe a= ? - eat ee ee Ps —-se™ ork Se a a F. na et tv bapewe ee wees ht (_ak eae a 7: pS - re eae i eel oe oe ee ay Ss co gf ET ps 2 55 pet sese Se et aed Paelgag tend. a ": . gre be GE PP Boe ee at a eh eed ae eo = cece s a RS SR, e ae YI Pp acts fa _ a mA - . 7 S . ee ae ee a _- ak a a ee } [2 pe ee . a ial. a! ee eS 3 Seeres ar esesrR2SSF Bap ees om fete ae a hana a he oe iy one, oe ea feet tat 8 El-e-e. pam os rT + Ot ao nv os ee be ' a , eae > i ae ad Nas Lan Bales tan i ‘4 | re } denuad Ss o \ ree r a: 174. YOUTH IN CONFLICT that feeblemindedness, or psychopathic personality are Causes. These conditions frequently accompany delin- quency, but they explain nothing until the entire in- dividual as a living being is understood in process of adjusting itself to the outside world. What we term delinquency is in reality maladjustment or conflict. But use of these terms also is a mere mat- ter of convenience; the description of results which have obscurely taken place. We know entirely too little about individuals who do not conform to our standards; we have studied interesting facts, what they can do and fail to do; we have studied the in- dividual in cross sections, as static. The living delinquent gives us a new idea. We find he is not simple, and that “‘causes’”’ do not explain him. The first word we should learn is complexity, and the next caution. There are hints, however, about the nature of delinquency which we obtain from observation of physical disease; in each the organism is struggling to adjust itself, or to gain a working balance of forces. It is especially to psychiatry, that branch of medicine which deals with mental and nervous disorders, that we turn for enlightenment. The delinquent are not insane, but they contend with the same problems: that is to say, emotional cravings and outlets of energy which result in behavior, dis- pleasing, or destructive to other human beings. Both delinquent and insane are out of joint with the community." 1This conception of insanity is taken from Dr. William White: “Mechanisms of Character Formation,” and from Dr. Edward Kempf, to whom the writer expresses deep apprecia- tion of the aid given to social workers dealing with the twin- problem of delinquency.MAKING GOOD 175 In treating delinquency the test of success is: Is the individual normally adjusted; can he carry on work, play and human relationships so that the community will not be injured by him? The amount of injury done by the restored delinquent can be estimated only when the community takes some action against him, such as taking him again to court, or caring for him in some public institu- tion. We may assume that the average level of neighborhood conduct must be approximated by the delinquent, who has “made good,’ or he will be rejected. In estimating the number of juvenile delinquents who succeed, the social worker need not adopt a subjective moral standard, but should rely on the number actually tolerated, or absorbed by the community. Do any cases make good absolutely according to the highest social standard available? There are striking cases of rehabilitation quoted. When one examines some of these recorded cases two things are evident: original delinquency has commonly been painted darker than it was in reality; (just as the human mind loves to paint sinners black, and restored sinners white, in every generation) ; sec- ond, the delinquent would often, by his very nature, have “made good,” without treatment. Such cases figure large in hopeful speeches and reports of humanitarians. It is doubtful if any method of treatment has yet been evolved for delinquents that will make any individual at all times, industrious, respectful, unselfish, punctual, scrupulously honest and chaste, grateful and obedient to those in charge of Bam: The fact of the matter is that as we study juvenile delinquency more, we are inclined to be- b ’ a) ° Pele. lL ew ke < " we “etre Ge Se » a es * 25.2405 L420 5.- Tey See cond = Net eee ee ee ey tet Se he as Seacat st _—eP Sree. Laat See oe rete Sa | * a! — Pe. p rm LFuN> Ss a eae e eoame & > Tyo Pt ot oe $3833 - ss. pe > Sty Ss PR ey =e- re Pe ie eevee. ey beeline eee ad a Ss a pea ee ms Bry p s SS Pe tt = Ptr ‘chia ne al ey ee Te Ft | _ Por a tae ~~ ety Baba gt Pad - ae « ben lillian ian 2 ‘vs ales pay ar z Pere es Tt acess a A pe Pere -_ ee ae | Pe Re ane 9 > a ee ee SS - £2<+* oe is Pes - rs Tr a a 56 er se oe b Ade Trae —s ae we eer ee tor ad = SS ak oe a ag nt Nett ee a Bend ~ . . scald ten, Mek bee, Seen, Be \ia See Se Se kg eases 7 eae So i a +, to en ry M4 | td nak eet <3 5 lpesenbveededoaseees: - a ET 2 :> . - - » -— toes a os > _ a — ae SAR SS gah EE Ee hy ee at oh ae tee tae eos Soda —_ ad - Vo —_ . Sal ae tk, Pon, ae ne oh Ae A ed PT eh ee Sor f22.- et pe pe a ea oy = > ae pe ier Sey Loh Dear etapa ect oh im 2 gos ~ — ’ pecacrse WE nl i Rah Dal ha ed ot oN ol el Sal i = me ad }' te Lt 176 YOUTH IN CONFLICT lieve that success is in inverse ratio to age. The longer the process of conflict in the child has been going on with parents, school and community, the deeper the hurt, the more tenacious the habits of defense. What we learn of capacity for suffering in very young children teaches us that they are in- jured far more than perhaps we understand in homes, schools and neighborhoods that neglect, misuse, or failure to love or to discipline adequately. Damage may be irreparable. As we grow wiser in treatment, perhaps the best service, social workers can render will be to declare: “Do not permit delinquency to occur: prevent at all costs the young child from entering this con- flict. The cost 1s too great!” This would mean a radical readjustment of public opinion. Certain homes we now break up would be subsidized by the state; certain very respectable homes, undoubtedly, would have to be smashed for the good of children. Some parents would be locked up for life, many schools put out of com- mission, innumerable new institutions built to house trouble-makers, and many present inmates of institutions taken out. Meantime approximately two hundred thousand young persons, under eighteen years of age, passed through Juvenile Courts of the United “States in 1923. The National Probation Association has com- puted that about seventy-five per cent of these were placed on probation; of this number approxi- mately eighty per cent are reported as completing probation periods with success.? 1 See also Herbert C. Parsons: “Report of Commission on Probation. An Inquiry into the Permanent Results of Proba- tion.” Massachusetts Senate Document 431, March 15, 1924.MAKING GOOD 177 Of those placed in correctional schools there are varying estimates of resulting careers. Many in- stitutions have poor “follow-up” systems, nothing can be known with certainty. Again most indus- trial schools lose track of wards at twenty-one. Schools have different standards of parole. Some term it violation of parole if the ward changes jobs, or place of residence without permission; bad companionship, tobacco, staying out late, failing to report, or to write letters to parole officer, neglect- ing to save money, public dance-halls, cosmetics, are reasons for returning girls to institutions in some instances. No distinction is made in some parole statistics of violation which has consisted in law breaking, or in infractions of regulations. It is instructive to note that practically no juvenile cor- rectional schools report less than sixty per cent of successful paroles. The majority claim from sev- enty-five per cent to eighty-five per cent who make good. In certain instances ninety to ninety-five per cent of graduates of these schools have remained in the community with moderate success, that is to say, of one hundred boys and girls placed out, only from five to ten have required to be again returned to institutions.’ No longer need we hesitate to affirm that the young delinquent can frequently attain satisfactory adjustment in the community under favorable con- ditions. The important point is not how many in- dividuals make good, but what is the process ¢ Is there in delinquency a period like crises in cer- tain diseases, after which the “patient gets well by 1See reports of State Training School for Girls, Gainesville, Texas. Dr. Carrie Weaver Smith, Superintendent. State School for Boys, Whittier, California, Fred Nelles, Superintendent. =.= = = ee - a ine che > = S. oT) oS Perey es. Pe! -_ bet 2 ie Soap ers costing. ee eens 7 : ee ie yo st wor es oa . ee eae ¥: a, om, oe tn San eae?) ERE 5 Be te ceeel Tie bed Br¥ ae ta a a 4 ee el ae of a Nik eas eeeeeet ott te eet a a eh) -* , a th ae oe “-< _——_. - ‘ : aa —s3rere A —_ 828 Lam a twew ts ¢ ry + os » ps . a od fe fat ee TP Fit pt et et oe * Shes Ce Pe Pay beat hag ee. - . 3 Lae | a = ot FS rl eogrer setae Se ee gn tee td L eo > . a —_, . i ae . eS ee Oe emer cee ee Ste ears pl SS « ch od oe ee i. ee i a i Py Pe ee ee ee ee =a ove Oy em ? P - - a ee ye aoa —— 7 rire | ed et eee ele SDSL PIO SRS ELISE ES * ae fs es -e~@egre rs’ _ os 2 -* © au Pe ~ ene ter aoe i he See ad ae oe wiati eel, bE hk aa aa a ee net + - at. on, ee ss Tat Te +6 ~~ Jano OP - wes ee a ha ~ a i a ken ° a e’'. Lie a Said a a a, a ~ —_ ih ea SeeFese mee ie mS si i’ ae ae a ‘ae a ¥ fa 1 i ee Se pg aoe a we aa hee 5 rs 7 . eae ee tae ee oe AS oS cal shel ak eek he lek ES ee gent gape gaia PF i od ta ath Rie PSS SLE SD he ee (ae. a _— « —. ~ ad (es a as en -_ 178 YOUTH IN CONFLICT himself”? Can we point to a certain course of treatment and say with certainty this produced change for the better in the behavior of the delin- quent? ‘To students of human conduct it will cause no surprise to learn that nothing is known with as- surance as to results of treatment we call good, or that which we stigmatize as bad. After two dec- ades of would-be scientific treatment of delinquents we are still in the pre-scientific stage. In course of experimental handling, much of it grossly inade- quate and conditioned by expediency, casual deci- sions, trial and error, placements by convenience, thrusting out of sight those whom we have 1gno- rantly “destroyed,” bringing into lime-light those who have “succeeded,” we gain a kind of rough knowledge. Of all facts known to social workers about human life, facts which deal with changing human behavior yield up their secrets with the most reluctance. As we approach this field with humility born of failure and blundering, and with faith impelled by discarded humanity which has subsequently readjusted itself, we see certain prin- ciples at work. Successful cases present similari- ties, whether they occur in the community, or within institutions; this seems to hold true under widely different environmental and personal condi- tions. It is convenient to name stages in process of “making good” as follows: insight, transference, development of personality, growth of skill, clear ideas of new behavior-goals, and the wish for so- cial esteem), development of new social relation- ships. The terms insight and transference are borrowed from psychiatry.t The social worker uses 1 Kempf: “Psychopathology,” pp. 378, 654.4° G04 9-4 MAKING GoopD 179 them in no technical sense. They express what takes place after successful case-analysis. Insight is used by psychiatrists to denote the stage when the patient understands significant causes. of his emotional and mental disturbance. The patient now faces himself consciously as a problem. The social worker must aid the delinquent to face him- self. To assist the delinquent to gain msight, the so- cial worker does not proceed on any special theory, or use any special technique. The child’s condition physical and mental, will be diagnosed by expert medical and psychological service. If possible study by a psychiatrist should be made; even in “normal” individuals, delinquency involves emo- tional conflict, and denotes some maladjustment, if due to no other cause than placing the child in the attitude of delinquency. The case-study, as under- stood by social workers, should be thorough. No stone should be left unturned to find out all there is to be known about that child’s companions, love- objects, home, school, work, church and neighbor- hood experiences. Never, as Mary Richmond * has pointed out, will there be time to make up for mis- takes and gaps in first knowledge of the case. The social worker with delinquents should build a solid structure of facts upon which he can afterwards rely, in seeming catastrophies, when it may be necessary to make “snap-judgments,”’ and give emergency treatment, as for example when the child runs away, it should be known in advance to whom he is most likely to turn for aid and comfort, what personalities or obstacles he is seeking to evade. In case-study the emphasis should be on the child as 1 “Social Diagnosis.” ~— cy x — =. Sa ee ~ os rt eet rest 3 Ee + s 4 =) a meray ese - <> 2a... =~ & a> abel =. oo = aa rT a 7 at * Dd a SS es ie beet et ee - 2 Tees ver eeee ey <> =r Ser. ene y cae se ee yet Ste ee ee ~>- &- A br th 4 lLpaeerrybet ede tseretas eo fet r Ps A ~~.Pere ta ae if — THATENIL? ee — « “ oe ~~ ee ~~ ‘ - Lt pe Pee, oF, pe gt os tut % er be cet es te. eg + a a ee ee a A eee = . Ja=,- < cs ee Ae ee al ak] — hk eh Ed an ak nk Do gu ph ae oe oe FF i ee eet 6 Ty ae ne ae 7h) ee ee bts a Fe ~ re =a ae ross oe Ce "ae ge YI oe ea nm gt pk eos fg Fa t - a _* = i lad *- o a ee —s Pod. ong = 4 = at =e sch Ire ee al tt tll et Bh Son jel ea so far A i Pek pe Sk Goole he 5 TET SEAS Poop at: Call kien iat Meal tied _ 4 EEA eS ’ s i. a ae ‘ a e ee ee es a + Se 2s “4 Ld (Medd a ae, Son nme a Pte AS - pe ee we P ot * -% Pap oe as ¥en oS Ap ee ee ee ee oe tak ok Bet el toed : egos pease Sessa te takes sise i oe eed SE Pal uae, rt a Bee oh on oe) Pao 2 “7° et) ay ne oY ay > =... A pt ae e S e » ate te te a Soe tee reer SM eet ere eS 5 ae eg FS —— ee ae oe ben eh hee ht es - FSG oi pe os ap Moree rei res 7 ; a -_ ~ A = + t-. 180 YOUTH IN CONFLICT experiencing. It does no good to count the bricks or number the articles of furniture in the child’s home, or the decaying branches on the family tree. It is not home, school, church or neighborhood condi- tions, as such, that are important, but the child as a living, responding, growing human being in midst of forces and personalities. Case-work contains much dead wood. It is not that facts are unimpor- tant; the most humble facts may carry the key to the child’s delinquency, but there must be creative interpretation of facts. The social worker must study the case until it is clear; that is to say, until motives for the young delinquent’s conduct have touched the social worker’s imagination, and he can personally comprehend the delinquency. True understanding, or insight, must come to adult be- fore it can come to child. There are children whose mentality, or emotional make-up, is such that they cannot take an objective view of conduct, hence cannot see themselves as problems, or arrive at insight. When a child be- gins to ask himself: “Why did I do that? Why did I wish to do it? Exactly what did I seek to gain? Am I sorry? Would I rather have peace and security, the good opinion of ‘good’ people, or would I do this forbidden thing over again?” the process is at work. These questions will be put by the social worker into the mind of the delin- quent, at first without reference to moral good or evil. Gradually the nature of the child’s cravings will be discovered. In cases of girl and boy delin- quents these cravings are not usually so complex, or foreign to average humanity that they cannot readily be understood. Where embarrassment, shame or rebellion exist, or where the child showsMAKING GOOD 181 the danger-signal of the shut-in personality, it will be necessary to turn again to psychologist or psy- chiatrist. Gradually, under guidance of the experienced so- cial worker, insight into motives comes almost without effort to the normal child. For example, in Chapter II we saw that Vivian had temper tan- trums and impulses to burn buildings, causes of which she was unaware. When she saw that these displays were an attempt to gain notice and affec- tion from her mother, and that her mother could not be induced to change her life for her child, Vivian coéperated in a plan of school-work which resulted in normal conduct. Insight is known by behavior. There is no embarrassment; the child talks freely. There is no obstacle in flow of con- fidence from child to social worker. There is relief in attitude. The child usually shows enthusiasm for “beginning over again,” for “taking another chance, ’ is more vital in responses, as 1f some new source of energy had been tapped. For sensitive children this is the golden period for reconstructive treatment. It is known to probation officers and workers in juvenile reformatories every day. “Cee! I'll never do that again. I see it ina new light now; wait till I get out of here, you'll see I'll make good” are expressions that mark the stage of insight? Until there is awareness, the attitude popularly described as codperation cannot emerge. Social workers recognize the danger of entering upon a program of treatment before cooperation of the client is secured. Codperation depends, not only on “confidence” but upon degree of imsight which the client has reached, with reference to his own eas ctes ~ bal eal Bab s - ae lal Mae .> Da eee ee as asrhg ooo ot tes ere Te 2 ae —< rs 4 Sede ix Pern -y-2 5-2 eas ae Se le nt er +. > : - es ele Gr ay ce Peete St eo br bis igesesheteers * 7 = * —y——_ — SS . — So a. P Ae pe At eee - c a fo 2 2 ™ in — a at eh ” ee ea a Bs 1s Stat titan ee = . a _ S BS ~~ preeeartaa tet a - Pat -_——__- ie < a4 a - Se een a = ta. fs +) Ps < en ee Oe ae XE e gririeres ete76 ae 5 ee eee ee Be ad EHF ES - m4 ee tS > Sts . ci Sh, ei PAF eK: No-8starkrewekse tate a i ee ee ('s~1 sts Ss Stee | ” died. oo a Pts eae my — ee ee » Oe ed Cd 7 ae “ salad s ae Ste aed 4 34 ok * Sos eet A £ Ed ee st ae | pe a ee a =< Tals ~ = ‘me < ied as bat a * =, a ee ee ee » > afl PE Gaim, a, tt A A i ok ee ee - ae ‘ a a AaPePrersoeasPstoe eres eles LISS Ense See i ke ead Ch ed na a cee ee oe bares seth ely ehaeka as tos “eb one —=-% Cee See eee = a Ra ee K .a ee vs | ee eS ee on he ee pe, Kes ek eh olen ol lS a ° ~ | an x a Supt ie gs cago A ae pa alerted Mico ae +, bibl ari Pay } Ln ay ier ant — “a _ it YOUTH IN CONFLICT problems of conduct and motive. In dealing with delinquent children insight should proceed treat- ment; in serious behavior difficulties no child should be placed on probation or restored to the commu- nity without it. Emergency care, such as court hearings, detention home, temporary boarding home placement, hospital treatment, or “proba- tion” of a sort which aims at mere suppression of another outbreak, may be necessary, pending social diagnosis. No final plan of social treatment of delin- quency should be undertaken until isight has ar- rived. The social worker need not enter the field of scientific discussion as to what has taken place. One school will explain that what has previously been unconsciously motivated has now been raised from the unconscious to the conscious. The fact that the child feels relief, is ready to cooperate, or as in cases cited by Freud, is cured of disease, is explained as due to the so-called therapeutic func- tion of consciousness. What concerns the social worker is that the delinquent child is enabled through insight to enter the process which leads to formation of new social relationships. Something has happened which adds to capacity and apprecia- tion for social values. It appears to be due, not so much to the fact that the child is now conscious of his real motives, as that he knows that another has shared his emotional experiences without condemn- ing him. This sharing, this awareness of his difh- culties by another personality who appears to the child wise, simple and good, is apparently the force which robs the experience of its power to isolate and to damage the child’s spirit. Explanation of the feeling of security and peace, the power toMAKING GOOD 183 make an effort is found when it is remembered that the delinquency expresses conflict. There is no loneliness more isolating than that of the delinquent child whose cravings and whose wish for adult ap- proval and support are at war. Whether this takes form of feeling of inferiority, or appears as rebel- lion, or depredation, makes no essential difference; the result is isolation. The social worker, who in comprehending the child’s motives, makes him real- ize their universal human values, has “cured’’ isola- tion. The child now is conscious of the general human predicament. To make this matter entirely clear: when a boy steals a bicycle and runs away, he may tell his proba- tion officer where he put it, what make it was, how he took it apart and hid the pieces beneath the porch; how he lied to parents, how he outwitted its owner. All this is a mere “confession” and reveals nothing except that the probation officer has secured his “confidence.”” When this boy can tell his probation officer that he thinks his parents do not love him, that he is jealous of his older brother who suc- ceeds in school, that in some mysterious way he felt a thrill of relief in stealing and running away, the basis for insight has been secured. If then, he becomes aware that jealousy and yearning are not uncommon, that the objects of affection will treat him better if he gives up the struggle and seeks supremacy in athletics, or some field where he can excel, his energy has been set free. Transference is another stage in process of mak- ing good. The case-study has revealed the child’s love- ‘objects, persons and things which arouse his warm interest and affection. It is evident that the love-object may be harmful, unattainable, or anti- ai “ —. Pe >! tn 4 as Cd se" Se ete ee ol ee ee Et ys i =~ a “ — . a= Pts 2 nat yi, al) as ] ~ =—. 2 4 e Ss ead mee Gene a be gh -- we - . th Soa E eee Ss me & 4 ates as S33 we ~~ it 2 x ” ie 4 ow Pe pay rs pF er tr er 4 oye vn —* ee eee noth SPS ay eee SR os ett ae Se Samy ot 2 San Gt phaledisai-t- eee we oe Ss ee eS ee - a ey = er der Oat ee ae ek eo ee - ee er te bal ee, Ro ees ee > ae we So ei, Geet SSeS i a a - 7 De Ms Se B es ad se os Slit Ae ee eS oe ee ee we ee mee ~ S - J bel ieee ed fot ont ar oo Pree 4 Se Sa ee aperes esse Pees. ess erties aes a rs Rees AiR ee Se ee 5 ee Sy See See Le - ip = oe ad el tlh ey Ah ee 2s zt oe omerarity = a Tera > 4 ee er ee yr oe hae | te eal tt do en kei ee oe | it ie. Se ee ee i ea as = es a a ls *-* eT bd eed , + Sgt tek. Ba pa ee a. - wes rcaenwe ress Pare = a ad ° FLPleieie. a e+. a . a A -_ =o oad fet Sh tot Seth hea ek ne ka ppt te PLE eee geo > Ps an ae oa SPaT ve MER PsrHrSasesisrsonsesicerere | Se at hr 8 re ete Fe ee eae GO ee ee ee : btathabat eh St aL te pel hel teed ek he hed ek in Sealed ; uy b + a he crs ey ee aT ‘hs ag Loin a et a ad = " - rs 7 » u ee . a = ’ sta FS. : , - a b see 3 a. 7 , TN es et eh et Pt od, sm a ade pres ily som fiat = pets s ule rw ed hal, ie at ae ie heeded hoe bk ok be on ee ee ee ae 5 aa v ~ er - a — M wee é ap He - = ~ & Z- ‘ay seh — “« a A ~ > . a = -+-- Bi pp * =, - se Ps FS, bs > : ade gn a = ft " if - SS + oe @s -@s oe eu a, * =* Ll ptt ty: Ba heh oe Dee oe be te ot he Core eRe oat og ah ars ; a peeecs oe =. ste beos Tso ss = ae ah a” a 184 YOUTH IN CONFLICT social. It is the social worker’s function to assist the child in fixing attention to some love-objects that will not destroy him. Transference, as the term is used in psychiatry, describes rapport be- tween the patient and the doctor who has succeeded in making an analysis of the patient’s difficulty. The social worker uses the word in a broader sense, to mean any love-object capable of aiding treatment. Transference may be to a parent, relative, teacher or companion; it may extend to some animal pet, or hobby; it may turn toward the social worker. There is nothing esoteric about this process. It is natural that the child’s warmth and glow of new self-confidence, his discovery of an understanding personality, will express itself in affection. This is the explanation of those “crushes” and senti- mental attachments that are seen in all schools and institutions. If the social worker does not absorb this energy, or permit the child to become emotion- ally dependent, the transference may be beneficial. The social worker then becomes the wise counse- lor, one who provides vivid contacts with reality, who points out healthy channels of energy and expression. If the social worker is selfish, or un- enlightened, if his personality is not, in reality, be- yond that of the child, there will be waste, or even moral collapse. The adult who ignorantly ap- propriates the child’s affection, and interprets this access of courage, gayety, enthusiasm and vigor, as something caused personally by himself, is commit- ting a serious mistake, if not something worse. Transference should be used constructively, and put to service for the cure, not the further emo- tional dependence of the child. Often the transfer-MAKING GOOD 185 ence will be assisted by the social worker to attach itself to some member of the home-circle. This occurred in the case of Elizabeth. She was a girl of fourteen with an intelligence quotient of one hundred and eight per cent. Her father was a migratory cook, rancher and loafer. When the girl was six her parents were divorced, Elizabeth going with her mother who worked as waitress and cham- ber-maid in lumber towns. Elizabeth became trou- blesome and was placed by her mother, at the age of eight, in a state correctional school where she was “forgotten’’ for four years. The father had moved to another state, married a woman on parole from a hospital for the insane; Elizabeth's mother had disappeared. In sorting out inmates of the state school Elizabeth was “discovered’’ by the authorities and shipped to her father. She was now twelve. For two years she lived in her father’s home with her aged grandmother and in- sane stepmother. She became delinquent with boys; aided by her grandmother’s religious ideas and her own contact with members of a new cult, she developed a psychosis. She had alternating periods of depression in which she fancied herself the worst of sinners, and periods of grandeur in which she claimed to be the wife of a famous moving picture hero. Placed by court in an opportunity school for girls her conduct was so bad that she was expelled. She reverted to habits of a child of three; in mat- ters of personal hygiene she became a nuisance, soil- ing and wetting her clothing, refusing to bathe, etc. Elizabeth was placed under observation in the deten- tion home and a thorough study was made. She 1m- proved, gained the wish to do better ; her intelligence ! 4 Lo re a t, a ee ee tS 4 an’ = Se ore S| o tt ee mores se tes — ay Cee atu est ae = Ree e hte ee ee — ~~. roe ~ ea al 2 oe TIT Str og £54 Fy w* i ¥ ee) en ees eye : al Te a SPR VS rene 39 > ay ns a 4 : = ~~ tt a fa’ Y4 * i tats ~ aS - - ed et ana ee Basses a5 43% sete & ae. a 7 es ae ae pee ey ae eet ee eke ee eee St ee ee ees > * “~ ae - oo re eet es os * E — - ha &. a ‘ r : Sere ee ere oe sre es se STs a ' i 43" -~ atau ae a“<< - - i rod = a - , A - tT Piet S\ wie we e _ he ee ek St ee 6 ¥-e- 2 ee le oe ~ ¥ ih aie at ee ae ed are ee Pere seaeesasepegasrrel et sseopey reese P<% yA st | - ke See a pg oe i re re = a a & Pa m By! Lae Ps es a oe) a re oe) “ Ome kg as itd shy ee re ei ” ft i oe ee eh at ot xr — 186 YOUTH IN CONFLICT facilitated the process of insight. After three months her father’s sister arrived. This aunt was a simple, kindly, maternal woman who refused to believe her niece “abnormal.’’ She maintained that Elizabeth was a normal girl who had never been ‘given a chance.”” She insisted on taking her home. Elizabeth developed affection for her aunt, and has remained for over a year without delinquency or lapses of personal hygiene. Another stage in restoring the delinquent is de- velopment of personality through acquisition of new skill and activities. The story of Mildred un- der supervision of the Child Guidance Clinic? sets forth the process which parallels that of many suc- cessful cases in Juvenile Court experience. Here the child in her own home is aided to discover skill, new ways of meeting responsibility, unexpected re- sources within herself. Succeeding in home tasks, school work, learning gardening, sports, arts, crafts, nature, books, music, caring for younger chil- dren, animals, earning money, doing well in em- ployment, all tend to enrich personality by giving it power to expand and to control new fields. There need be no special talent or ability discov- ered; all that is essential is for the child to feel sat- isfaction in doing some new thing well. He derives fresh mastery, courage and tokens of adult appro- val. With increased confidence born of new activities 1 This case in detail was presented by the writer at the Na- tional Conference of Social Workers, Policewoman’s Section, Washington, D. C., May, 1923. 2 Survey Magazine, New York, February, 1924. See also “Three Problem Children,” 1924, published by Joint Committee on Methods of Preventing Delinquency, The Commonwealth Fund, 50 East 42nd Street, New York.MAKING GOOD 187 the young delinquent is in a better social position. He possesses the coin that wins his way. He is ready to enter new social relationships. When these are satisfactorily cemented, the adjustment is complete; the delinquent and the community can get along together. The delinquent now fits into home or foster- home; he enters into social affairs, church, club. union, settlements, night classes, big brother and big sister organizations, camps, scouts, friendly circles and other neighborhood groups, or if his temperament does not require social intercourse, it is sufficient that he is no longer rejected; he is reconciled to his human family. In the Biblical account of the return of the prod- igal son we note that he was not reunited to his whole family group; his brother felt resentment; doubtless this hostility in time would have yielded if the prodigal had brought home any new songs or began to bestir himself in his brother’s vineyard. It has been remarked by Orfa Jean Shontz?* that there is no parable of return of the prodigal daughter, yet modern work among delinquent girls shows a num- ber of successes, all the more astonishing in face of hostile public opinion and harshness of judgment. When lives of these girls are studied, they must be taken whole. It is our custom to view cases in cross-sections ; we over-emphasize success, and fail- ure. Lives of most of us show hills and valleys; in growth of personality there is no uniform ad- vance, the spirit has its plateaux and underground rivers. In successful lives a certain amount of fail- 1 First woman Referee of the Juvenile Court, appointed 1915, Los Angeles, California. Paper read at Conference of Social Work, San Diego, April, 1922. + a. 7 wv a er BE 5 ee ratte ete “Toe pe a xe a 2~ers eS - 7 aot es Sees Pretty Se Setesereer ee a Sar eS Set eet Pete eee eee eee ees ek ee eS er m1 ~<- —< oe e Stay) (hehe see Sa nt 3 4 . a Pata Peers toe tre Se ores sie 2 754 | Fe 54% uw2a ' — 2.5.4 eo es aes) - rr. rs WEPLEUAE TE le ee, ee ad ms 25 On pe ok ee A hd ce ee ee 2 S. 2 iS Se ah ee aed a ee eT ~ . aan | —s 7 ay. . a et Po ee Rees a . ee ae = a a i" . 2-¢—-i —% 2 a | a aire & SE oe ee Le be oaks e- ‘e* e - oa er a, at et ee a ee es Sj er ee ee go en te St eel Bees SEPA SS aS EPA SIs reg Gt tae et ot ee oes - a, = Sr gf OK fan a. 2 os 4-e> ee ae ye $e ke. (saestgeo ise oes A r Ce ae ae allah gis Titi res a i ge ee ee ee et le Pee ere es - rare ease et se a a Tee Fo ee Ei ES FISLPTSheerrSestls << Ae ge a ee Sapanecrs rarer e Tre t ees a Beet pe ppt te pape (Las Te ia ayPotoe tere ser eS ; bet 9-4 ee A a et ow a ae ot As ne a ee rs = «= — . 2 = oe awl a eee eas — Pao SE Ls 5 al at eed ~ - Se le le ae y etl ine = a a a ‘i> anal ieee ee Se i. Te. ee oe Ps ee eS Se ee ty ae a »* - a 3 aa oe Sw a a - te Patt reer a or a Ln e ek pees fos fl PR RG ok Ke PO ee ae en A Sk te seal eel tt ae 4 4S i i ee a ~ : 4‘ re -.t. - —_- P Se dnt ee ee ge a ih a _ a eed af ‘ear tess ob] Pad ee ee tt oo - <= eS. | is: a | >: 188 YOUTH IN CONFLICT ure is permissible. In lives of delinquent girls the slump is swiftly penalized. As we learn more of human conduct we will take a longer view of these apparent failures, and will not permit them to blind the community as to what is taking place in reality, a gradual reconstruction. There is such a thing as “triumphing from failure to failure,” as some one has said. Sally is a girl of sixteen. She is married, has a healthy, well cared for baby, a ranch with chickens, pigs and goats, a pretty bungalow, an automobile, a husband with fine mustachios. When she was first brought to Juvenile Court she was twelve, a frail child with spinal curvature, twitching movements and weak heart. Her intelligence was dull average. She had temper tantrums, beat and scratched her mother, who was an invalid, swore at her stepfather, who was blind, refused to go to school, was cruel to animals, even putting them to death, was incorri- gible in three private homes. Study of this case revealed a girl with craving for dressing up and showing off; there were other symptoms of self- love and infantile desires which her mother’s illness and stepfather’s harshness had fostered. Placed in a twenty-four hour school, her behavior was a source of anxiety to her teachers, her profanity, temper and running away seemed to yield to no one save the superintendent, and in periods of jeal- ousy this woman could not control her. She was not a success at the school, yet gained there a true picture of her home situation.and herself (for sev- eral weeks she was under daily observation by the psychologist), physical restoration, knowledge of gardening and home-making, and a genuine basis for self-confidence.MAKING GOOD 189 Suddenly she ran away with a young man, a chance “pick-up.” He kept her overnight, then took her to her parents, who literally threw her out. She was again brought before the court. Obsessed with the idea that she was to have a child, she pleaded to be allowed to go to her sister, a young married girl of twenty. In this home Sally saw happy married love for the first time in her life. She became devoted to her sister’s baby and gave up her fancies of being pregnant. There were some backslidings, but nothing catastrophic until Sally, with final gesture of independence, ran away with a rancher whom she captivated in a single visit, as is the short-cut custom of the delinquent girl. They were married immediately. Over fourteen months have passed. Sally is a patient, hard-work- ing mother and wife; every trace of waywardness has vanished as if it had never been. Her devotion to child and husband, gentleness with animals, can be observed daily, together with her pride in her worldly possessions. She is a normal member of her community; her past history could not be guessed by the most experienced. In this case, in spite of the fact that the young sister could offer little supervision, or wisdom of treatment, and in view of the fact that Sally's con- duct amply justified a correctional school commit- ment, the court placed her in the one situation where it was possible for her to enter normal, con- structive human relationships. Her career in the average institution would probably have resulted in rioting, further delinquency, and a fixed psycho- pathic personality. It is a commonplace among workers with delin- quent girls that one cannot without injury reveal s 7 SS a, 7 rs zs ST) —— we oe ae ? ale tee ii Suea op ~ = 2. 5 a a Saree a Pa yt S te one | Sn Ns a eRe Sad —3.°2— a SS Pea. oe gi - [a ne ee a ae a ee ke Ca ee 1 T™ tes et rer. oY reat) ee eee eee eee M 7 ‘ eo See ag * Sha eset se ey ae eek ek wae Ee eS aa mee 8 PA ee -* 56 385 > =e Sy o— * Se — — erry Se oa a . ae) ~- ) Perr hey > x ° meee zee “$250 < é - ete cae en ee ot Bie pe Pr ee ad re ee #26 ie a tee Pett Bees P " 2 . - 2 4 Pe ee ot oe ee ee Pe ae » t , tin . ee ee eae . , whe om sg oe RY eT Le ie * vt i Ow he lee > a . ~—— of 4 - és S ~ ps Ton Sad ie ae: +. 5 tase 5 - Tae tee ee ee Mg oP * r hae het ap ae Dee ee ‘ - a feo at ae ek, oces SARS ES Es eo pe pe — a > ae Pe ae 1 - en an ww ss ST “ Pa ata x - Po rich pti th eh Sh he had ek : ps eae ee es r; @ , en neat? om apne — - 5a Cee a ae eee | bat ee De = - eee hee a ee _ 4 a = 's es i a Pra eons eae anne said ~ err ata de pee ~ — lh ps tied le ie - . hie at ae te “ >. .

Sr tS al a a. wa. bd : a he ‘wah ee I9O YOUTH IN CONFLICT case-histories of those who are most striking exam- ples of recovery. If a man has “been through” double pneumonia, or an operation, he and his physician are glad to talk about the cure. If a man has recovered from a “nervous breakdown,” he is not adverse to dwelling on his former insomnia and “blues,” in light of present-day vigorous efficiency. The conqueror of germs and nerves feels no. dis- grace in recounting victory. If a man has been restored from insanity he is likely not to talk about it. The community is still suspicious of insanity. Nor will his physician use his case where it can be identified, particularly if the attack has been severe or the patient now holds a prominent place. In delinquency it is almost fatal to reveal enough so- cial data to permit identification. Bandits, train robbers, murderers, bank swindlers, can, after prison terms, “come back,” as heroes, even to be- coming popular evangelists, and platform speakers. The public is easily assured that reformation has taken place. But a girl who has given herself to many lovers, has suffered disease, abandonment and rough handling, is not expected to reform. If sub- sequently she becomes a healthy, charming woman, devoted to children and husband, she must lose her identity or her prosperity will vanish. Social work- ers understand this and reserve their ‘“‘best cases” until the time arrives of better enlightenment in the community. This reserve has its dangers. The public cannot believe until they see. Some day there will have to be a Clifford Beers (feminine) for delinquent girls, as there has been for mental disease.? i ee Clifford Beers, author of “The Mind That Found tself.” a Fy ryMAKING GOOD IQ! A girl abandoned in infancy by both parents, adopted into a worthless family, abused and forced into a laundry before she was fourteen, seduced by a moving picture director when she tried to sell a scenario, “given” by the director to one of his friends, who in turn passed her on to those to whom he had business obligations,—stage-hands, men of different race; finally after six months of passive delinquency, brought before court at fifteen, in- fected, bewildered, apathetic, exhausted. The same girl at twenty, married, a careful mother, a member of the best social circles, wife of a prom- inent man, a woman who possesses charm, taste, gentleness of manner, insight, and an ability to serve other young people whom she has an especial gift in reaching,—is one illustration of successful case-work. The daughter of an insane mother and brutal father, put into domestic service in early teens, be- came a persistent thief and runaway, a girl of filthy personal hygiene, suspicious, moody, several times before the court for violations, has now reached an adjustment as thrifty housewife. A girl architect, now twenty-three, married to an artist, living quietly in a small town, was formerly a “disorderly person”; at sixteen she led a riot in a reformatory, smashing and burning; from a leather strait-jacket, strapped to a cot, she hurled vile lan- guage and defiance at her attendants; at seventeen she had disappeared for several months to live as a prostitute in the colored district. This girl fin- ished high school, took a technical course, and now free from physical disease or trace of manners of the underworld, she earns a competent salary in her profession, and is furnishing her home with a ® j . . mao Pees » =e 7" ae - or oe oo te a wens . a” ie i > ad + . np a oe ie ble. < te s ~ a) ee ee oy — “e: . ey : i a ~. ~ me lal Ga & veer: a et eo . tre. ~ 4 rs i ~ Pearse ees Tee hts epee Ss 8 ne 5 TTY: a ee 7 <= se Seer. 4 se" er atesss or ~* - . 4 , es ‘ pei rare sees. Si ae EY To oe PS LIS ape he at , = PS ry ESS RIN Ss 7 ~ EERE eee Peters oe See ee TT e > mee eapnde fe Se ck nd il ee bi pe ore eee a | te ee ee = ~ SS a | i oe. ee Cn To er ate - tee = “ * a ma Sas oy — Pe Foy ee er eS ros yt C& oF. = - = * » Rl i <3." +t “wo Do eM emmy Do SiePaheTess od 5 , ey ik. Sa in a | at ee | he oe ae TS ye panes, SX. awe t Pre Ts Pi . ae a me seer Fe ae a ee a o a Pe mn [3 = re, —~ = Pes so es Sb plsliviab wie Fase — as Sy wate tS oa 2a z ns = < md Ss ong es beam ——— Serer ye spe ete pete rere cette ee ets Pe rore eet oe = -—*~ > = ss) cs eS tee ~ ye eee sy . ‘ett et ee (gesasryeoe Pd } . o sy = o~* +f aa r a " “me SS .: me Tas araeaegeeat tree al an ee, ee po a fifa t ye ot oh ps Ot Se -_ Pot @ sce eee Se: at “ee php he Pe eS, SASS ann e a D rp PD - “2 cpa > 2 1 a i. -s - FPP SE Ne bs hes Sh pd RS a Ss Rr es Sa eet ete ee ree r -* 7s ~ a — a | fe. — - os Sn FS PR Pee pe u~ 4 ters tse r= es - dt ace ah ieko erwt se a i ay ls he EE ea rer ae 7 Stags ares ees Li ane eee bean’ ee eee - eta as ee | Ae (at ee ad re Sato 5 ~ pn ee ene eR 4 : aoa. oa pee ee cf ce pepanepes rarest Peet prssssesesetetees Pa te Fe SSL PPE oad gh as tape es al pe eee ae Rk, Sk meee al, ats Re, OR, Pn, lst ie . os Pp -* -3- Cg pe ey ih i [ le od - = ee ee ee ke Cro ctich)/Cehp sane nnes camer sesecsesepesagrs eles sssoges re beet a gece oeteiwscnesties cet etreieeeeeest . Seti ass as - Sod ee ad in a 192 YOUTH IN CONFLICT pictures and draperies of quiet, significant taste. In these four cases adjustment has endured for a length of time sufficient to predict success. In each, marriage was the determining factor. Girls who “make good” do not always marry. Sometimes they are quietly assimilated into their own homes; this requires the greatest skill of which the social worker is capable. Other girls form so- cial relationships outside domestic life and appear to thriye. There is an increasing proportion of delinquent girls who succeed in industry. Thomas, in the Un- adjusted Girl, has called attention to the number of girls in business and club life who have found security or recognition and need no other social relationship. These girls may enjoy masculine so- ciety, but express themselves best in their work and economic independence. Isabel was a tubercular girl who became delin- quent with boys and on several occasions forged checks. She always dressed in latest style and showed taste, not to win attention from boys and men, but as necessary expression of her being. A year's study developed the fact that she was strug- gling for a motor and esthetic success. Three years’ trial and error in the community have re- sulted in securing a successful program. Isabel learned to operate a power machine, she became the fastest piece-work operator in the factory. She de- manded higher wages, and walked out. She se- cured a new job at better pay. She went to night school, studied design, and perfected a new me- chanical short-cut in her machine. Again she demanded more money. She was dressed in a slimee MAKING GOOD 193 tailored frock with faultless lines, a fur coat, slen- der satin shoes and chiffon hose. “What do you want more money for?” asked the exasperated manufacturer. “You're getting more now than any girl I ever had!” “Do you think I can look the way I do on your old eighteen dollars and a hali a week? You bet not, and go straight, see?’ Isabel reached for her becoming hat. She was given twenty dollars. She attended two public dances a week, dancing until exhausted. ‘The other nights were occupied with night school, and home piece work for private customers. Strange to say, her health, which had been poor, improved. There was a restless flame at work in her, but she showed no sign of biological decay. She never repeated her delinquencies with men, though on two occa- sions she ran up big bills in clothing stores, she ulti- mately paid these herself. Isabel changed her job six times until she finally went into partnership in a silk underwear factory. She is contented. For a year she was president of a business girls’ club. She has a quiet scorn of anything she considers “low”? or “common”; she still goes to night school, and has as goal ownership of her own shop. To other court girls, Isabel is a constant incentive. One group of girls rarely make good: those who are permanently celf-satisfied, suspicious of others, willing to make trouble by carrying unpleasant re- marks, their excuse being always: “Well, it is true; she said it;’’ girls who are unable to be frank, or candid, who risk little, but use every chance opening to their own advantage, girls who flatter and imitate their probation officers and attendants, but secretly ; -* sy , oe p23 ory 4 mA a a ry Eat . « 4 7. = ke ite wh “ is ow 4 2 a ty eee ae ah Crs ele Oe ee to te he ere = - 2s Ft at eee ae ogee ee lads 7 ey ae ~ | et eees et Soe F fie eT Te) ~ ee ye eee p ae = tree - * aXe see reer rer es) srr ~ te Ty. . . * ; bas een re tae - hire Lh rats ~—s ea a “ : a> by CT 254 nes 7 - 4 cd i + at eed err Ys Twa PT orener esl A " $3535.30: fy WS -_ S ~ PLGSBLE - 3. Es ae oe — = ss le —_ i 4 ir etn — Ss. Se ~—S es > eet game ge S— Te Ea = 7 = FS ws ea ted ng e=27< a2. & qT = Pe S c~ - ree : - P © - - 7 Si i * ry +c- +45 my ebe ae | get yet re ~ ~ + Re o 7 - _ eF — s “ <0 ong eS Dr ee ey yen ; - ante 9 ae ge t= ST yy Sade ieee Set reste et ttt eet SS | ne.7 Pe ee —— ed yan Shae Ht 4 See ee _— SS Re We, et ee TET + oat ——— - Sixt ge ey. a et Se e ae os - Peak. ene) ed aTa Seer ees See tet St eek a ae eee GS a eiete ese aese —_—s Ath ie ae eee ee Ae a 4 a +’ 3 2 » 3 ae Sevres ales er hese - “ent = Ps Z wd oo; « ee ee os 7 s- a fe . - « erp ee T Aare es ras a ey Peta Py aS tet deed el et eo te on ii te ge ee tt Pete nt ts aka lS i oni ee rs Lah ahd, tok, . Seer! a - Cr a, 7 « ’ t) ke bed ~ « * oo ee Bab a -t-. o> ee Se a do x Pte J eet et ee oe oe ee eee Pee etd le oe ae Ss: PS Ft f & ayPriceTer a ene Re) : Sw + ea oe ah ae a a ed pk on oll g As o- eee aoe be Oe ot Sy! —* o> —2.en- ills. 5 C a TQ4 YOUTH IN CONFLICT undermine authority, girls who are selfish, cool, cau- tious, sarcastic, and immoveably self-righteous. They make remarkable inmates of correctional schools, for they always “snitch,” and are usually neat and industrious. Kempf has noted that among the mentally disturbed there is small chance of recovery for the patient who displays hatred or pro- longed antagonism.* This is equally true of delin- quents. These smug, snobbish girl trouble-makers openly show hate, their reaction is supercilious, and they wish to injure their fellows. Their acts of delinquency comprise petit larceny, slashing and snipping clothes, concealment of valuable objects, forgery, blackmail, swindling, and sordid relations with men, nothing bold,—it usually suits them to go with married men, or “pick-ups.’”’ They usually believe they are “playing safe.” It is not the kind of delinquency they commit which keeps them from “making good.” It is because they can never see themselves as problems, never take criticism, or “feel remorse.’ They apparently do well under supervision, but they are rarely, if ever, sincere; the essential personal attributes remain, cruel and destructive. One of the obstacles to permanent adjustment of delinquent girls is too close supervision. Constant watchfulness, ready-made plans, excessive advice, free help in time of trouble, a kind of fussy, brood- ing anxiety tends to make a girl on probation either helpless or rebellious. She cannot cast off her crutches. To workers, who know the dearth of good probation work throughout the country, this may cause a smile; but there is vast difference be- tween slackness, ignorance, indifferent neglect, 1 Kempf: “Psychopathology,” pp. 516, 550. : : 3 ; : ! aPile ek pee MAKING GOOD 195 which one sees constantly among probation officers and social workers, and an intelligent, sturdy policy of faith and non-interference with natural proc- esses of growth. Clouston, in his Neuroses of Development, has shown how many nervous manifestations in adoles- cence yield to sheer growth, and get well of them- selves. This is true of delinquency which so often is handled better by the indirect than the direct method. Young people must be given a chance to make decisions and to reap natural (not arbitrarily im- posed) consequences of their mistakes. After the process of adjustment has been soundly rooted in good case-work, the best service that can be ren- dered the young delinquent is opportunity for trial and error, the chance to make minor failures with- out being crushed... In this treatment of the most complex section of the problem of delinquency we have tried to show that adjustments are possible, under favorable con- ditions, for cases previously described as hopeless. With extended knowledge and real work, the num- ber of cases that “make good” can be multiplied beyond anything now demonstrated in any commu- nity. The process includes insight, transference, devel- opment of personality, and increased social relation- ships. It must not be understood that these stages, or levels, have any arbitrary sequence; they may occur almost simultaneously. In this field there are “miracles,” i.e., swift transformations of personal- ity which we are too ignorant to understand, but which Christ understood very well. Mere provision of “good conditions,” routine, better economic and _ _ er] Pe bos eae toe ett tee nat a a > 2 SI ri J 2 ae L ra s kat « = . ad ==? 4 a.) “ sie ses: hs eal = alt te ~ Pree eeess S(t 2 ¥ as ad = tom aoe iy 7 as ee ise wr od ag ee ae oo Oe = eS eyes ke Et t tee r ~~ tesesegig? oy S- at oe = -~ ~~ ee nae te Sat Se Oo - el ee pe - etcae Exp ss Tate esa see pigewes ttt 2et asso" Siete ere creer a. Pra) re Ss epee esse ee 2 J 4 Sa ete oy 5 = es See ye Fees ees pee ee eS Pe —s — e re Sa Se el a, ae of e~ , ee oe aes ee “ '% ot Me + a Pra tol a og howl = bar" “¥ ae a ‘ 5 & a. “Pye re I eet be) se De a fs - ~ph a5, 85 ae io a, - Ee F ee 2 © Tatas ae pn gin a —__. = -% = P ~ —* — a eo teen t = - kha ok ok Dal heen - z 2 x oi A le = '-* ¢ e4a~ ies it he an =- pa : +e mE: aa ad peerteseosesiet ard foie 3 a ha fo Bae sel el te ti tet ed y ros oa] 2 ae ry ih decal It mt a eal tea | Ana ah ne eras Ppistesesesese en ce iat heh Sel dee sib he add = ahead PA eh et ee at *s ee eS an n 7 J a a hee Is a ~ 2 an Shas ane ‘ Piel, hia apie thet oo ~ 8 ela le ote we ew ~ - 2 = oe pil i eaeaesdads a = a ms a = ad ‘Lao a SP ee eee eee eed . | Ae ok hae Oe ee Pee. $4264 S| te sss 75 Fa aie on Me oe .— ee a “a PSS 5F ye teats eh he ee ee ee es ricsze ad a ee ee ee ~ Cet ae te a . Sos) Deke . an 7 a bn hel 214 YOUTH IN CONFLICT perhaps, more indignities than adult prisoners would. Occasion of these measures is practically always some trivial beginning, an insolent answer to a superior, or failure to respond punctually to command, although running away, or attempting to do so, smuggling sweets, or tobacco, acts of sex perversion are frequent reasons given. The child who once has been punished is usually a frequent repeater in the discipline-house; minor acts of in- subordination tend to grow into larger ones, the slightly impudent child becomes the chronic run- away and rebel. This is the result of ignorance on the part of the adult; although the child’s insti- tutional life is threatening to become a failure, and his whole career tending to become fixed in delin- quency, there is usually little disposition of the authorities to ask why. They go on punishing. The slightest curiosity on their part as to the per- sonality of the child might have revealed the cause of the initial emotional attitude. First fear of criticism, failure, disapproval, then the attitude of resistance, conflict, have been at the root of many an overt rebellion. The child is weighed down with the feeling of never being able to suit demands, or caprices of the adult world. To change this atti- tude and to make this personal adjustment, the institution must provide definite opportunities for success. The individual project, whereby the child takes Over some specific task which the imagination has raised out of commonplace, is useful. The job may be a humble bit of domestic routine, or it may be raising choice flowers, or creating art objects, or an act of leadership; if it can carry responsibility, and bring merited recognition, it will fulfill a deepTHE VALUE OF CORRECTIONAL EDUCATION 215 need of the personality. There are some state schools where this method is used and they are enabled to get along without discipline houses, or medieval punishments. These schools present ereatest possible contrast to those where squads of boys or girls work mechanically in the factory method, the institution viewing getting work done as its supreme goal, crushing refractory spirits as they seem to retard the business. Confusion of mind exists on this point. The public forgets its correctional institutions until a riot breaks out, and investigation sets in. Then average men and women, disliking sentimentality, are likely to say: “Certainly these boys and girls should be controlled. If it is necessary to use the rod, why not use it?” They feel justified in ridicul- ing the idea that “spanking,” “paddling,” ‘“‘switch- ing,” and the like (the crueler punishments of the breaking-down institution being usually with- held from the public) can hurt any one. It is true that American softness, the tendency of children to shirk pain, and hardship, should not be encouraged. The injury inflicted in correctional institutions is not to be condemned because it gives pain, or is displeasing to sentimentalists, but because it wrecks the spirit of children, and increases delinquency. It is an expensive display of inet- ficiency and bad temper, or weakness. If some one remarks that parents use the rod, and other cor- rective displays of force, let it be clearly understood that chastisement by a wise, loved parent is psycho- logically different from use of corporal punishment by a state official. The social effect of repressive, violent methods of discipline in state correctional schools is wholly bad, and should be universally con- - + ror) 7: < — Sse — er ae 2° — ery} Cee es SSE alt eal j ‘i : = oe ee ees . tied er es rrr, seers ll - ? a os He ta So Sa a ~ a’ oo ee — 2 eee es i ieee oes Seemed as Sav he er ar oe 2a See es 7 = s cd re Sy eT: s a ee wt -< @ x paseadadabaieaeeoRs: ~_ a = te E IT * PZ : “s es : Ss S- 8. Ges > ot ys r~ ay ee , 3 — $25. ste ps ey iM eo moms reese -ne SN) RS :-- . x 4 Peete tree PES Ve. za yg ~~ ae — a. i Si s a P ae | : # ee zy ~ ¥ ‘an 2 eo ee ad o£ oe Lot Toten at oe: ao a . or D man | ee (>< eB e e4o- )5 T3253. 75 see 7 . — _~ o a a ted ee, SS. = e678 1d =e 5 = cei ot et — r: se9e rots oe Peet ret meter rrr oo et at ee oe) is be - a -~e es le ea = ms © ee Ss. ao a a os re. 3 rte a soa ia > = oar Se ear sd be P _ am», FD i ek he aes el ek ee ed a Ls bg. Ss pt p= an & Sie eee Se ot he dad Be cee eh Date bet eek El eA tel el tee el FT) Lh) 4 . a le tiie hi at te, ee an ae 2 a, ose a hd =? ee Les Fa Fae y lal i dee te Ce et ae et lad i opp 4 a “a eu a ok . | ao oe : a. Zr oe ee TAs 2S oo = ae a a pa Pe F I bs Ape eek LT ee, te, e«s aes a) F woe es na Shak at ee a eked, ot . ao ~~?) — a C ef-s > * Spe pea ks fo es . é 5 - te S20 - on ahs ae Pe he i . os a io as oP eS -"e Sed pe ee | Ah pet ee 2 een a ee - ee weak oe ~< a. a. 2 a a aad awa! a or ee ao ss > Ee * ee or $4 Se ¢ — ~s- ok octets -_ a) 216 YOUTH IN CONFLICT demned by social workers, and the community, as costly, inefficient, stupid and dangerous. Contact with the community is the final prob- lem of the correctional school and should be con- sidered from the day the child enters. Group-life is the valuable thing about institutions; in it the child is making constant experiments in citizenship. Some form of participation in student government is desirable, and is found in the most successful schools. The organization need not be formal, and should not be patterned on city governments, or police courts which cannot express the child’s so- cial needs, or feeling of justice. The best form of student government is that which grows up nat- urally within the group, expressing itself in clubs, work and service groups, recreation committees; taking the best that the gang-feeling has to offer: loyalty and response to spontaneous leadership, and rejecting evils of gang life—their anti-social goals. Membership in a student group, which does not pretend to full power to run the institu- tion, but which, within its own restricted field has responsibility, is not arbitrarily controlled by adults, is an excellent way of preparation for com- munity life. Adults find it hard to refrain from tyranny, either physical or spiritual. With the student group they should not be allowed to inter- fere. They should belong to the group, and use their natural strength in leadership, but should resolutely withhold their power to crush or devital- ize activities of the student group. Gradually, group life within the institution should be broadened until students form their own contacts with the community; public school attend- ance, church, club, concerts, recreation and indus-THE VALUE OF CORRECTIONAL EDUCATION 217 trial channels should be allowed to form. Passage of the individual from institution to the world out- side should never be abrupt, but infiltration should be continually at work. This requires skill, good- will and enlightenment on the part of school author- ities, and gradual education of the community. When is a child ready to leave the correctional institution? Certain children require permanent custody, at least in the present state of knowledge, and should be transferred after sufficient study and diagnosis to those institutions equipped to provide for their needs. The majority must be restored to the community. There is a period of saturation beyond which residence in a correctional school is harmful. Some institutions use a credit, or merit system for determining the proper time for gradua- tion. If this system is arbitrary, or is based on mere length of time served, or on the capricious opinion of matrons, or teachers, or if it is left wholly to discretion of the authorities, the individ- ual is not likely to leave at the time when he is most ready to succeed. Some plan of determining efficiency of the student, something which will in- dicate what he has learned and absorbed into his being, is now worked out in a few correctional schools. One institution, known as an opportunity school, appoints an efficiency committee composed of representatives from faculty and students. The scale on which the student is judged, or measured, includes points which reflect daily activities, energy- level, disposition, or character of the student, as well as record of his achievements. In such a point- scale there are no demerits; successes alone are counted. The following efficiency sheet may be useful : ei b - ~*~ 4 e e : J 4 ap . - Piet = * = 4 Ra sa os >. - 4 oe a a Se “= Se Sos (Ct Ps ng bee =. t eae Sma bet * Fa tng “~~ PE a al Rap Ca Cs es oe Soe Ree ae nae: ~~ SSS Pes Siders iie dt om Sr hs © re SS ahete os a ne a To [Ee ee -+ 5 ce we ee PS Be Foy ~~ Z poo oe . ar a2 Pees he ee Se PA PSE Set oy es - ere ere BS 7 or oo - ore a = . ~ ea “" - eo oe et . = Tt ae. = ea + reo .- eet e = : Se <= Ny eo = mae Sic te. Lae 7 ~_. pb eine koe Ct pet ee Pet peal et Bed ey oe BE Pet a a a Sr se we ~ r - L " es . = Pa + ied Sibi: Miiel ae i es w 4 ee ery > nen ke ad aetna, ome Fm Pet hee PERE Ee TARE oat +t eee st rte. o peat eee ST! . = se - - ae ae ete ec - et ae ead SIS eee epee ye oe =~ ke > ee ers ~— ee. ne a ee eT ~S -' onions a " ee en rs y ur 4 i i ae i 7 os ho on “ae »¥ a oe - Al .¥r Me.-_ et Oe -~ \ es py pe oy a pap. ott thet he —_ ee re *@ eats Sree ne et ae = 4 (fase ‘ Po - 4 yes. 3 a . —— eS .—* ae reel a Rd ea an a 1 eh weg) We ate Poe 3 “a poate | 2 Sk oh ie ok Ca ee - 4 ~ 2 nie tele bd oe ek Se ee Eel ce cos oye t_ hs rt oa a ed Se eR ke ok ee 74 . a. 4 ot eer eee Se FS s ¢ Oi eres rs a —* 7 = i ey | a a a i wes a? ~~)? . a. ae oe | « ~- = pall Ca - a on a Ae lina ie e445 Fe — os Ma ond we ~ a a "a we ae fe ee a jit a ve 5 ee, ge Ree et ee es LE Lehre ce ecese er ELT! a. ee ee ok et a ds antl a ae ee a ee Fk ae er aoe pt ap Vaget eh Titeee te tee ee eee ee eT ee FFE KE ET ie ote Pe ee ae ee A a teed i %- re re a pe 218 YOUTH IN CONFLICT DatLty ROUTINE: For clean room every day, I per month For daily bath, clean teeth, clean, neat hair, shoes and clothes in proper order, I per month Punctuality to departments, school and to meals, I per month Courtesy, a good daily average with- out outbreak, Contentment and good-will, an even disposition without marked gloom or tantrums, I per month Balanced diet (eating of eggs, milk and the protective fruits and vege- tables), y Use of good English (without bad grammar or slang and profanity), ™% per month Notebook prepared on any topic of personal hygiene, or temperament, Ito 5 credits to per month tN per month Thus in six months the child who was clean, punctual and courteous could gain forty-two cred- its. For a certificate, one hundred credits are re- quired; for junior standing, one hundred and fifty; for senior graduates, two hundred. Privileges can be arranged to mark each grade. Wath the permis- sion of the court, or other governing body, parole or residence in community under supervision can be worked out. An alumnz organization, with town club house privileges, can be open to holders of a certain number of credits. The remainder of the credits can be distributed as follows: SCHOOL: For each one-half grade made 5 credits For each month of satisfactory conduct I creditTHE VALUE OF CORRECTIONAL EDUCATION LAUNDRY: Successful ironing Successful washing Notebook ATHLETICS : Correct posture Swimming Diving Making a team Good sportsmanship Hikes Leadership in games Cheer leader Notebook in any topic in athletics HANDCRAFT: For handwork accepted by committee, rugs, toys, gifts, mechanics, lamp- shades, pottery, lace, drawings or models GARDEN : Growing plants successfully Cultivating the ground Notebook HouSEKEEPING: Housekeeping Household decoration Household repairs Arrangement of flowers Contributing to attractiveness of home Notebook LIBRARY: For each book on the accredited list, and a satisfactory outline Notebook on Books DRAMATICS : Taking part in a play Making costumes or wert. fe r 5 credits a ae TtO 5 3 credits I ‘<< I ce 2 cc 3 ¢ I ec Sie 3 Ty tO 5 ry L.tosSucer ae ) ce Ttons 1 topSh Pato 5 oie Vato: Se wis Ti tos5aee T'stO. Sas T tOMSuaaen I <é A Co is IsstO a5? ay, Te 0256 Zi ae Iwo as = + tT pa ; bs - Cor? S, e on Pea Ss erat s: e « = - tended atl ey 7m. _<_ eal al dl = “ i id -> ee - B26.464 24 as 4 eee *Sehitshawene bh Ae, Se b 4 Se Oe ee ee —T ' ee tes peer etre ItIZTAsIsy acl San ee oS et - = a a | 3 — = 3 Sara ig ~ es _ <—* Py ——4 iad ae lead = a a } on Saya ee * et Sanat ee oe Be =. 3 a ae a oer) oes ee e eT Rs etsy ae a a ET ee ts Pera > ee Pet we “ery et Ye r es —— a St TS se el FO ee ers s=ts ‘ SrGsa aCe ok on se te et ae es et ee ee inten SeIPERE ies te ig teeter tn a s Ee - aie | cad | Bas << eS ie ae en Sten aati) # fd 4 i : roy Pens ge % —_ a ae 2° = eae TEPTEVESY cic sal a Pa, Ge a 4 ee ft rte ss Si pl a) _— — e ~ — _ i Ce he eae tea hk a aa cetesesganererrasses es rttiiiese ly, by ~ oe me mts om t ih — an tot 7 Sl oak eel Ble i ~ on ad re 2 MST teke ee etter eee 8 ee bee nd ra > 2 - one bee, DK A . a _ ee oat i> 4 pi od ae ok) ae o- ee ead cK. rtitsea PERSHK ETH? ~*~ 6. * + p ee -- aU Hj 2% Ste. = bed Soy Ott 3 al ee Sabpbvarererep pie cteter ses et are es bas | Ae 2 fa 32 — A pees tee ad RTE pH e5 - of ath ra rs i Flies eesti sec. ar a é = aed ad a A ade Fhe - PX Tot seas t = 7) Too ee tt ’ ee ‘ua ' - ‘be ie — > Le ‘ae ae o eG: ~~. ade pee ae at se 2 aa 7 ang ~ n » oa a Se a Se , bit a re] Th Phase a & a a St hk ae Le ee Soe Ai ~~ > + “3 om. - - ——s. , oe A as et 2$22 | ta a et oe ee x i tar ae Rey . fy ea me ae ~ ~_= ~ = od <= bs = oo se ~piEletes : : os" nes b Pt tee ee ed ed ee SS, ees eS es Se a <7 Genes tom ue kid ee eT ee : Ye ee eS ee sie ee a) a a gn me oe Se ct ty ~ a Peo rT To Sere a oo ee eat cat ot ee Oo ne hd a = - eq *@ “8 fe 7a ae pep a ee SG ee oe eee | 7 re ee eae on v=’ n « . el ws a LA a ae on Pee | Hncat it > ' ibe aa i Sie oh ifsted eae " i ee P - 2) SS Ss ee eee ae . a wa PT 1 —a_AS i, Pa = - ad — 4 “« — Te PEE a .—- ~ Se eee Do cei cil ld cane e | gresgrivece po Red Sag fap tat eee pf ok Be a: > Pes Pa ee Se = 4 Be * ti a a a ee AP eat eo ot ee: reeeesesers tes pe per hr oe ee oe } » > bee eee es = a To: - Yeaees pest biepsipsssepeerae eh tN A Pee Se, 2 rai Shh toh oe pk chek — - pa Pa S22 ery2 Tice ai Ca ne ba a i - a, ae , g ° .. bol * i e. ~ eae tot ett atetet << $F rel c - as a i eee ee ere Ce ee ne Bip _ Oa ae ae a em Oe el Ra hhh ET A A el el 7~. "—S LS e et BL = - a sociation, 192I, p. 176. 222 YOUTH IN CONFLICT s. New outlets must be formed for the creative energy of youth; 6. The social status of the individual must be restored, that is to say, he must be absorbed into the community, which in its turn must be educated to recognition that the young person has been re- turned to full citizenship in our common humanity.’ 1 This summary has been reprinted from an article: “The Crue Value of Correctional Education,” Miriam Van Waters, Proceedings of the Annual Congress of American Prison As-CHAPTER X MENTAL HYGIENE AND THE ADJUSTMENT OF DELINQUENCY THERE are certain words which sum up vast areas of human struggle, words which express emotions of the race, the attitude of mind toward the problem involved. Such is the term mental hygiene, coined by Adolf Meyer. The term denotes activities of those who are interested in construc- tive possibilities of mental health. That mental disease, delinquency and other forms of disordered conduct are public health problems is the discovery of this century. Use of the words mental hygiene marks another victory in our long-fought battle against superstitions that block the way to adequate treatment of handicapped human beings. If we recall the doom which twenty-five years ago engulfed tuberculosis sufferers, we gain in- sight as to the predicament of the majority of the insane and delinquent to-day. A diagnosis of tu- herculosis was like a sentence of death, or life im- prisonment. Strict isolation from normal human contacts, gradual enfeeblement, progressive despair were the usual accompaniments of “consumption.” Public opinion shunned the sufferer whose condi- tion was deemed so hopeless; it compelled herding patients in cold, dreary barracks, or leaving them in cellars and garrets of tenement houses to perish miserably. The most enthusiastic humanitarian would never have dreamed of asking hundreds of 223 “ — y~ 1) Naps cry ee J “ ee Maree = ee et. es a - ae or er hen =« Le et eh eT Oe See eee: oSets 6.8 p04 eee S.9 & a ae eed 2 7 > Ia - 7 ad 3) Sey eS ao" ~~ ete oe ag ee ey ert et eee ; 7 - = rs ry = —< r= = - oI a = em fe Sees Se $ayPRer es os ee oo ey dt ape ype ee So 2s SS e er Sw w- i. = x. ee ee Sow a ee “ i te ae — ‘y ~_ — p 4 bs a ted age Men Seah Se el eB ey ee rr ry Se hk rt 4 es es A ps be SIS = + + eet Fsbo eee Were te. . et Pe eet < Pos + a 'S2i5 tas. LS aes er - or a. ee oe } — 3 a nd oe oy ~d i ee Yah aero a es eee -- een toe pee » ‘+ - > oe o ~~ ee 4 aes Se pere se eee eer te Te > SeIE ERE ae be Fy [ « | . a) Pale, es errt I ee) , rr > Ps ee ee a ae , Cee ht ied nok hi eee ee pe Pa en se me — 2 o on ie ok ors re i=" " Seer gt Bete TE CIVICS Te? petit tt is pee EL: “oe - - ro ory ji -_ Te *¢ pe ee a ;.7 fh. - eS eo es raps — ae 4 7 at ee co ae ae de ee Ce SO —— ae “Roe ve es Ss tise set ety ph s =: é TS 1S gi geet crete tec a ee dee oak ee, Me i| 2 - ~eer eee . ~ pe es ge. me = hae ae — -->=—s — eo ‘aka i ook oe es a ee oe a hae an. oe oe ee eS ae “4 = sicere. 2 + aoe tl ‘» howe = = 7 es Tv hn o _ . a SrSSeTHse ce epepesSleFEs? Rd sk sh eal tel pet tel oe ee ieilae ttt Re a ie ee ta 4 ae} Li pe —¥ Se PB eon, ed oh a a ee ae ns ne ee _ A ; | Fs © a a lee td Fh Ae ed ed ~~ ll”) “3 SS sep ee ee ts ee oe aw eae os a - an tile, a, ele, 3% ~ ra

t ca « es ze _—s- o* ay ae Wee Es) - Py iw a nh ee 2 ro+- = 224 YOUTH IN CONFLICT thousands of people in midst of joyous merrymak- ing to think for a moment of tuberculosis on Christ- mas Day. Yet the public health movement in America has done this very thing with its gay- colored anti-tuberculosis stamp. When we send it now with greeting and symbols of affection into homes of those we love, we do not ask them to dwell on sadness of defeat by a wasting illness, rather does the opposite picture suggest itself, victory, the open window, tanned faces of little children, the tooth brush, abundant food, sleep, that does more than “knit up the raveled sleave of care,” sleep in sun and wind-cleaned spaces that is genuinely crea- tive; more significant than all else, the Christmas stamp of the anti-tuberculosis movement, means a public opinion without fear of condemnation. Change in emotional attitude has been caused largely by demonstration of successful treatment of diseased patients and the fact that with increasing scientific knowledge and a growth of public respon- sibility, disease itself can be prevented. Successful demonstration in its turn has been made possible chiefly through the faith and courage of those human beings who conquered fear and changed their attitude. More lately personal health is becoming viewed as an adjustment between the individual and his world. It represents an achievement, perpetually renewed, in which the entire being, mind, body and emotions take part. Illness, at least in the opinion of certain psychiatrists, is thought to be a response of the organism to some life-situation, to thor- oughly understand which it would be necessary to know what the sick individual really wanted, to what field of human experience or attainment heMENTAL HYGIENE 225 was seeking entrance, what forces without and within held him back. Sickness, thus interpreted as an episode in a life-journey becomes more than ever a social health problem. All this the public is beginning to comprehend, and while the great leaders must still wrestle with specific disasters like syphilis, cancer and infectious children’s diseases, their solution is now chiefly a matter of research and human energy. Public opinion is willing, that is to say, to let the patient be cured. It no longer is willing to cast him out of the herd because he is sick. Mental hygiene marks the awakening of man- kind to needs of those who are sick mentally, or who are out of joint with their fellow beings. First of all it is an affirmation, an attitude of mind: it devotes readiness to attack mental problems in the same spirit in which other problems have been met. Before the mental hygiene movement, of course, great physicians labored in this spirit. Mental Hygiene has perhaps added little to the stock of knowledge, or the development of special technique in the field of insanity and behavior disorders. Still its contribution is so great that 1t ranks among most important social movements of all time. Looking back on our troubles: warfare, slavery, poverty, our descendants doubtless will be most saddened at the way we treated those who dis- agreed with, or were unadjusted to, our social codes, and who responded with behavior called m- sanity or delinquency. Perhaps too they will con- sider America’s two outstanding contributions to the relief of the widespread distress of civilization, —the Juvenile Court and the Mental Hygiene Movement. se a. . sores Te ee . restiet Swe ge ee So as e- all nae eel ee — Bee a ee ns Pn a reser rerer er ee. > = aAfe eh i. te me m PO et he t i =~ CT beeing ae ee — - nd ie a SL eae © ~ a ar ees ice aes RESTS Is a as eet Od |e ao a es } : a > aes > teh Toe ot | oe Pr Te aoe » * oa) ad PP Per: i. a he 1, ‘ 6 -— as a es pF yn a ee B y ——-* a ee Ft rs =; e444 eT ee tee b BS ied ae i 4 Se ee pie ee ia eal ee ante. —s ae pt be 4 TS « : as ~~ - Ped a J hae o @-%,. ye — — ee te ee es « es Fe em r x Reus ae Sa i hn oe a a ae i a a J cdadabesereeeeese: er ad ~ SS 2 is zs al Mea - - > ny TS. 7< sey i A — SoS 2 r + ee Fey et Dit oe eee S rh fet A a ed Sad - oe ta = —s Poses a ere fe, PY re MeISeR oes ie ae ST a ee ~~ . co - Pee ar" = 23 ot a oh et hoe ro Le, Mie eer’ in a ro Se - Pe a ee eee Saar I . a alee 4¥ 4 SrtA ad - Seego ty — a \ . on hart Tae) ae ae eo ee a = a 7 =_ _— se 226 YOUTH IN CONFLICT a o> @% aT 3+ 4 sla tee tar ass Mental Hygiene makes appeal to social workers because of its history. Unlike other ameliorations, it originated and is still led by the spirit of one who had been himself disabled. Clifford Beers in 1908 published his book “The Mind that Found Itself.” Other men have written of their experiences while insane, but no one before wrote with such a fiery desire to help his fellow-beings. De Quincey, for example, even the gentle Lamb, thought themselves rather clever fellows when they expressed their flights from reality. Beers saw that insanity is a human problem and that it can be solved only by enlisting the service of all humanity. He found that ignorance and misunderstanding of mental dis- ease was the cause of harsh treatment, loneliness : and violence he endured at the hands of physicians, ai superintendents, attendants and guards. A native fi: of New England, student in a foremost university, he realized the darkness of public opinion every- where, that the insane were outcast because they were dehumanized in the eyes of the community. If a member of a favored social group could suffer this isolation, how much more keenly, he reasoned, would the multitude of unknown men and women suffer. With the restraint of genius he was able to see that the injury was not personal, that cells, dungeons, strait-jackets, beatings, humiliations were not so important issues as was the blank wall that separated the insane from normal contact with sympathy or an understanding attitude on the part of those who had charge of them. His book was written to reveal the mental patient as a human being, responding to the same mental and social situations that other people respond to, but perceiv- ing these situations differently because of mental eaee dere grene teres; as ee a ote ra lgia tite hei ihe SEA ia he eae eae ee BeOS ~ Jere = - a 2 a2: tg tS ek, ae, v'*yto rer = tres | es oh ek ee ea a oe Retreat: Serenescese> ee iH - pe ee ae a ass c pe ot tT i st Pa Pe eS pe ae wen oe ee ee ee i oe ee es ns at Fs ve = ne A Ee ae 8 : = - re —- cuicmial4 es Py - tly Rite hak gah te, ee ee ae as = a * _ mek” pe OT? * 3 ae fe ee BD ei essay es ep ercr ares er rer 7eF: - = i oe on Bab ot de we Pt te J 4 ? .. oP al gt « a. ht tl oA el hel ttl ced ee Be ‘ ° po ee eet ote te - la a Pe a ees a a) ct eT erees ST ae AL Se ad ~ . oe oe —— e.: "Bats me Cn nk - ae : | 7 ee eat bs Vy or — + ister an a a hea! rer ney " “eh Nae y os iMENTAL HYGIENE 227 illness. So clear, simple and unselfish an account of human disability has never before been given. The book (which was a literary triumph) sounded the note whose overtones brought together the first Mental Hygiene Society, Connecticut, 1908. The following year the National Committee for Mental Hygiene was created, and within four years had enlisted America’s most illustrious names; phy- sicians, clergymen, judges, lawyers, educators, men of science, social workers. Shortly, over twenty states organized Mental Hygiene societies. The ac- tivity spread to Europe and no less than ten coun- tries have organized leagues; it has become an in- ternational movement. If this progress is anaylzed from a social work- er’s viewpoint, it will be evident that its success 1s due to its plan of codperation between science and social work. The Mental Hygiene movement has a definite social program, and views social treat- ment of conduct disorders as its chief function, It correlates medicine, psychology, psychiatry and so- cial work into a single force to combat maladjust- ment. It has long been recognized that “forces are not innate, but are accompaniments of activity.” What has not been so clear is that human activity is a response to a situation that is primarily social. So- cial workers have come to see that their chief con- tribution to science will be the unraveling of the earliest texture of the social relationship, how the child was led in infancy to form habits of fear, mis- trust, suspicion, and egotism, or habits of faith, co- operation and loyalty. As Adolf Meyer said in his wisdom: “It is in each man’s social relationships that his mental history is largely written.” J s) = | ) Pe} — ae eh ote — . ieee ah ae eat hl 7 ail PSS or eg i ee a a i rs BJ. o-—t< a S 7 > Pg > OE Oi Meme Fe % ; > te — Soa ae . = fF . a ab eet ee 2 r a ~ Ser ) rt hg . oe ESE Seer —. rn ow ESET me toe eee tsse Sorry os cere ie S Pee eGo eka ese = Tess eae —— oe ce a Ye re —— i — cis = — a ay rt. 3 oF or & Ed at Tw * < i es 4 or rae ite s - RISER ces eee a Kiet he ge are ere 1 e- Pee Pe el ne ee ne on ed Le a3a - 7 7 ; ; —_E— GU heereece eel choo] ais decane eo Be a ee a ae eee A jel et nl Be eee at & Se JES | ie ‘—i- od ee Ae oe oe ~ — - 2 ? pe Pe oS dan cs cS 3 theses h essa ee ‘ - rose ese Lyere z gh | Sk Rag ee Fes By =. z ge ee sigtetecswtstete aR SS SS ¢pesets SAse a ors — er worn | ees J dels See ho ~ tL) © > . 4 ? . @ fe ? —eeee ~~ S ee. 43 led ee h - . 7 oe ee rs on ~* i a. al a = O~— 5 ee Te ee ee es ; ph irl ~ aan) << = aes a a eahea ene ebaee be eeeea tao ot p se. eet <. ore +e he dk | Sisteit reese se Sess ber Piece Rat ae, 5 iz = ni a —_ Ps z aka * a S a a - - e+ - Sy. ~ 5s we pt. aut a as pon -~ . ra « * a _ eee pe a do a wd Bh ht a PE Serer ts-t~ hee om ohare ot se 3 Se ie Pw Op es eareetelecsagepacacrs sist sssopey PTR 7 pt ae gs a a en hE 228 YOUTH IN CONFLICT No one is so well equipped as the social worker for determining actually what are the social rela- tionships of the individual. This is a different mat- ter from simply noting the persons and objects in the environment. It is their interplay which is im- portant. Frequently it is noted that one member of a family may have a startlingly different moral code from e rest, the “black sheep,’ or the “Joan of Arc,’ or “Don Juan” emerging in contrast to the We ie ieahiag -tone. It is only the social worker who can trace, by patient investigation, how this at- titude has been built up, whether within the home, or without. Hence the social worker has thrust light into many a dark nook where all that was not understood was swept together by scientists in one heap, and labeled, innate or inherited. The social worker must supply to psychiatry social facts for diagnosis, and mental hygiene recognizes that no real diagnosis is possible without social interpreta- tion. Until this union of psychiatry and social work it was not clear how we were ever to obtain a life- history of the emotions of an individual. Watson has shown that the emotions of the infant are sim- ple, that the baby is not born afraid of the dark, or rats or snakes or making addresses in public; he is not born with feelings of love for his parents, or with anger for social injustice, or resentment at not being asked to serve on a committee. These he acquires through education. His educators are those who feed, clothe and cleanse him, lift, rock, stroke, and hold him. Love attaches itself to all that gives comfort and security to the child; anger at first iS aroused only when free movements of the child areMENTAL HYGIENE 229 restricted ; fear comes with loss of physical support.* Gradually through operation of the conditioned re- flex these primitive feelings, love, anger and fear, attach themselves to an ever widening circle of persons and objects, and man, a social being with all his thousand whims, artifices, prejudices and deep capacities for pleasure and pain is developed. How? This question can be answered only as we retrace the steps the unfolding personality has tray- eled. No laboratory analysis can reveal all the journey, nor explain why it was taken. The social worker in rapport with the client is the only one who will give us a genetic study of the emotions. Another outcome of mental hygiene is the con- structive social treatment program in the light of knowledge gained from physician, psychologist and psychiatrist. The Civil Service candidate for friendly visitor who was asked to explain how she would seek aid for her client from family, physician, clergyman, psychiatrist, schools and courts, and who answered she would go: “to the family for music and books, to the physician for the good of the body, to the clergyman for the good of the soul, to the psychiatrist for information, to the schools for information, to the courts for advice,’ indicated pretty clearly the general attitude of mind toward scientific mental research. It was chiefly for information. There have been psychologists and psychiatrists before the mental hygiene movement 1 Watson, W.: “Psychology from the Standpoint of a Be- haviorist,”’ pp. 198-207. — = er — se bd ms -. _ Lik tae oe 5 ~ pol adh = ~ - eae - ~ el ee ae NO era ies ea a ~* “A et 2 ae ee Oe Sy ) eT - me , an = Seon ge » yasaeee : ‘ = c 5 ~ ou 44.9 a> Ses yee $oseeee tens 5 iT ees ea m as ~ hie ad a ~~: + —S-s & hae Se es at ee 4 ae a = - hn esos ! a ete te, ae x ~—_< es Pe boat ~ « Loe + @ _e os >a a =< y ~ pede ee I ena erg ttt eal ligt ent La ne Noe eee ce A = " p es Fe ae ee et ee SLs She Ty a a. es > ye rn P “+ . er ~ es 2 of Si in - -~? ine z pt eo ee - 3 a ry Se yes — 8 sms = ican e See ay ay a 7 zta a oe Pe ted ated 7 Se eke a S73 : 7 SRT page FR PO SP ies. 233 ee oe cS le sade ® . , + - Pe Rd nett e ee onda ha Peet eee Peet BEBE S Pate le tind «4 tata bea ee et oes fe ES Se oy Oe ot oe Se PEP eR EES hae si ~ > ap a By ek, tek op de ed terse vese te eter ete Se Teer Pe eth ee eke TS EAE es a preetreees? 3 bred ow) ps - pe ted ss a - 7 be a . — ~- SH ececrse a a a ge = ar peat, te aa i pr 3 3-4 fe bs a 4a ae A ee ee a x uth oe, et «+ a - 0 a aed om a Se Be a ed oie ieee ee eee iat es ess ee ot i gtd 4 + ot Aa” a i ek on De el | as [or is . “ i co ao Pe 4 t-te. = hi Mr ee : A ey, es - ha ee ye See -— a oo > ' rn 4 a: & + iy a 4 ‘ a ay ae re aa ey Pt Fi ey : ran *4 “% an ‘ead id nd rae = and aad td oe ' ‘ f _ 230 YOUTH IN CONFLICT who endeavored to have their recommendations put into effect; the out-patient clinics of many hospitals have previously employed social workers, but the mental hygiene movement differs in that its life- blood is social treatment. Let it be remembered that very much of the time spent on the mentally sick, and the delinquent has gone to classification. This is important work if based on real observation and experiment, and if the individual has sufficient confidence in the exam- ining expert to fully reveal himself; that is to say, the results of classification are important if true. But by itself this accomplishes nothing for the delin- quent. A court may have an elaborate organization of clinics, laboratories and trained social workers all busily compiling records, but let us not make the error of supposing this equipment a substitute for social treatment. The benefit derived may go only to the workers who learn to cultivate labor and an inquiring habit of mind. Social treatment denotes the process of assisting the individual to make ade- quate use of sources of energy he may possess; it means tireless attention to details of adjustment, power to supply nourishment necessary to growth of personality. To be quite clear: scientific work should not be belittled, but it cannot, of itself, supply this nourish- ment. In biology endless work has been devoted to classifying animals and birds by skeleton and foot- structure. This labor will not of itself save our animals and birds from extinction. Only when per- sons who love animals and combat their extinction are set to work is the world made any safer, or pleas- anter for living creatures. Fostering of life is something quite different fromMENTAL HYGIENE 231 ability to understand it, although it may well be that rearing and knowledge reénforce each other. Ged- des and Thompson, in introduction to their book on evolution, make a profound observation; they never so truly understood laws of evolution as when they sweat to make grass grow on their own fields. To be responsible for the life of a blade of grass, to see to it genuinely that it gets the best chance to grow, teaches one to know the ways of life, where nothing can be hastened, or forced; as grass has its own rhythm of rest and growth, its own needs and inner mysteries, so with human beings. The aims of the Mental Hygiene movement are to make widespread the knowledge of causes of men- tal ill-health, to secure proper treatment for those whose condition requires custody, to increase our ‘nstitutional facilities so that feebleminded, epileptic and insane can be properly housed and cared for, to gain adequate legislation where it is lacking, to as- sist in colonization of defectives, and thus lighten Gnancial burdens of the community, to apply thera- peutic measures whenever possible, to bring about awakened interest in normal mental health to par- ents, teachers and other social groups, and to prevent delinquency and other disorders of conduct. For this purpose the National Committee for Mental Hygiene has established child guidance clinics in various parts of the United States under the direction of Dr. V. V. Anderson. The child guidance clinic, with its staff of psychiatrists, psy- chologists, physicians and social workers offers diagnosis and social treatment to the problem child whose mentality is such that treatment in the com- munity is likely to be successful, but whose emotional 1 Geddes and Thompson: “Evolution.” oe be ae i wbeeek ee eee! — tt ee os nati ~_ ks « - =~ Pae a i a ~~ 4 bo pale = Ps 1°732.¢ me ; ae — .? — —-*- Mente Oo. eS ae Cie TPUS Ie - > See es eA ek wt fe Fo 3 ¥ ey } yee et ee aw bd | ry e- = oe Ce eee ce ChTRORCE 2054.47. et ' bee rah ‘9s hae Se ene Seg eee es: ~~ m tines a pap ne Al yn Ere oi a =. os se pe Zz . a _ * re my Ta ene ee er et wt te 3 i. en ae ge Ld a ad ” oa ate on in Tri a Sd “ye 4 i i ‘ ‘ - 7 s ee Nt - tote tes es 1 f>epto# a Se a ph Ee ee eA a i a ot be 4 (eeqemegis aa edi, a a ae a er - = iets ibe dh ed nal ath oc. oa BOE LS MATS: = >. ; rs * “7 %- eR or — tS ~~ Se ae ea < a a ae ee . = = ay PS 2+ 7s o* : a a cy ) oe Se ass os | o-— < = us = it a ~ <_< — +e ks ean ae ee le ee ee ied aie, bea he ad = 2 | tet Sake Ret gos SOR shat ema ie Py epee reed tet ea rs ned es ete - aes aT S , bat dail aie tte anal ek ae me - -s ‘ ery sy S- a os eS res = — . ee = —_ ee =a ent ee ee ee » 5 2 TS se ee -o.s eae . pn! rs 5 > Ps => oe ae | Sorers ts rs ei« = ~ aa pare y 6-49 . + aE je . Peseta Se 2 eeIRERe ee ee » os= ae el i ' ” * POPE TE Te ett ee tee eet BL ee oi eee ee oe ok Dee tLe a ep and a Tits ase -_ es ay ae os tt wee? -— 4 7 «te- 73> a e peo . - an) Sis teh es + -3 3 £ at pe seat nes 1 | “| i iad =—* =. ~ a a coe praisase = ——_ Ext ays ea ~ a a st a Ppa a a a ad wert s, 4° %- wep ay me - ina | —_ te tstecs= pee Se ee - Pat 7S ee ae ae ts © Fy ane he Serecerer ele espapetasr aces RST teres =. *- a lo os be ter pire at wate et at r= . "<= may epi, Bk (Per Ss A te a U ©. tees : te + +"! we i) ee a) ‘ ‘i r > - 4 ate \ eT eee a ed cy bol ha Steal ite hp at en in ae, = oh -— * i i ae le a Se Pky 4 | oll ss ee at el See eee aks F: a Se ae ge Se Pe A ES ek one =% p< 3 Ps a Sf 54s et bo _ =<. et et SSPE og MPT oot ete Ri CHAPTER 2 WHO ARE SUCCESSFUL WORKERS WITH DELINQUENTS? In social work emphasis has changed from sit- uations, poverty, disease, disaster, to personality which is now seen to be chief of the forces of recon- struction. Who can work best with disordered man- kind? Tolstoi explains certain failures thus: “It all lies in the fact that men think there are circumstances when one may deal with human be- ings without love, and there are no such circum- stances. One may deal with things without love; one may cut down trees, make bricks, hammer iron, without love. But you cannot deal with men with- out it just as you cannot deal with bees without be- ing careful. If you deal carelessly with bees, you will injure them and will yourself be injured. And so with men.” What is the explanation of the tranquilizing per- sonality who can put a child at ease, or bring seren- ity rather than anxiety and irritation? Can the right type of personality be developed through education and training? What relation has intelligence, or vocational cleverness to capacity for success in treat- ing human beings? These inquiries are suggested as we note variation in results of treatment when ap- parently similar methods are used. There are areas of human work which must reject all but the fittest. Art, religion, psychiatry and so- cial work are fields whose full harvest yields itself 234SUCCESSFUL WORKERS WITH DELINQUENTS 235 up only in response to some fortunate kind of human energy; they are alike in this: each deals with sit- uations, or problems which call forth behavior and emotion; each depend for existence upon voluntary response, rather than force; requires a special attr- tude of mind and inculcates a discipline upon its leaders. Art, religion, psychiatry and social work demand submission of self to something beyond learning technique, or practicing rules. Ability to succeed requires something more than talent. Those who seek to deal with the responding human per- sonality need more than training and intelligence as commonly conceived. Sheer cleverness does not create beauty, or holiness, or social response in hu- man beings, although it may build bridges, erect institutions, run machines, compile social investiga- tions and give some kinds of social treatment. When the problem of altering human behavior is entered, we are ina different world. Neither knowl- edge nor good-will can force behavior into a new channel; the more direct the attack by means of force, the more subtly does human nature evade us, the more humiliating is, our failure. Christ said that as “the wind bloweth where it listéth so 1s every man of the spirit.’ Novelists and poets have told us love cannot be made to comply with demand or sense of obligation; the Greek dramatists developed the idea of fate in the great passions and crises of life, but only recently has science become sufficiently enlightened to show us that conduct, emotion, all responses, even the humblest, are due to processes the complexity of which we are only beginning to guess. Human behavior would seem at times to rest in bed- rock of some ancient, forgotten cosmic river-bed, or again to emerge from the chance situation of to-day ah ae eo Ray i 75 ee 8 PS > ay = ey anh TIM Oe ee se a = - > +e 4 se bare) ; = - m he oe tee 2s ys iterate tos 3 ea j bet Fay 5 LEEPER SS SS. - a] a a, eS ee: wits Rng = E S =e re 3 a : ~ — ~~ teat / " fa ~~ be a herd ee cat ae wi 3 tt. -E~"< “7 os _ ~e --* Sst eee ted we et Tee ey eee tte th et oe tod OS eo * es ~- ~—_ yo a 1 - eS treet cotta tes es nme bat Tear 17 ob A8 ee ee 1 pe . > coresmeseergrenceseeSragiyee sy | “ 5 he ah oe hh Ce PE ee eS eset. oe on ef - ae a oe 6S Se ol - ae ee Sarees Cy" ~ ry eee rd Tat hag a. oe at = iam ap gh S* FS ors Cows yes cteserees ret aresesy ate Pe Bae ee i a ra Se ee eee ee + - oe & pe fs Psd. App Sad ee ek oe Renter. Mente. Foe A ~ ee - oe 4. a n ek, el eat a Feats e - Po = es O80 frets ied Epes SS a + Pt 34 : Bee ae ~ Pao E A Ss , | ae tent aed ee . St PS Pe 9 tS +a are os + - as, el, ee, ad a a a > ra Poe a. oes a Oe 5 ee eed Sed ae ee a eh cal eat eck lh eS She Det Dal she a Bat hing ~ eg eo ae nn a Bak ~ a cS ate a. Gol Te. § a peli ~ = > a a ae ie cs ~y taeda al ae — get Bek he hd a a hee a) ie Lae a ay A. ==. etree 23¢ YOUTH IN CONFLICT as lightly as thistle-down; yet always it is caused. The ability which discovers determining factors of conduct, the special gift for research may not be all the same thing as ability to assist, or to induce modification, although doubtless the two skills must interchange their sources of light. It has frequently been remarked in this decade that we are only just beginning to apply our knowledge and ability to the solution of human problems; ’ it is a little sad to note that the skill we have heaped up in process of sub- duing natural forces and materials is still mistakenly being applied to human nature, which is not the kind of energy to be subdued with mechanical means. As our knowledge of human nature grows, as social consciousness extends, special types of personality are being developed who seek to understand the growth-process of behavior and to acquire power to direct it, Already there are workers equipped to deal with disordered behavior and who seem to have capacity to aid in its adjustment. Have these individuals a peculiar type of personal make-up? It is time that we set forth what we know, and guess, of the personality attributes of successful workers, nor does our inquiry imply disrespect to those who, in good faith, have tackled delinquency and appear to be getting the worst of it. Until growth of the scientific spirit in social work, the maladjusted have commonly been dealt with by two types : those who wish to dominate other human beings by force, and those who, projecting themselves into the situation, have “‘consciousness of kind,” or a fellow-feeling for the maladjusted. Neither type is adequate to perform the service of the true social worker. We are beginning to dis- 1 Robinson, James Harvey: “Mind in the Making.”SUCCESSFUL WORKERS WITH DELINQUENTS 237 tinguish a new group of men and women who have entered the field of delinquency because they seek to understand the springs of human conduct and who possess genuine respect for life. If we study the history of man’s attempt to deal with delinquency we find that penal and custodial in- stitutions have been usually managed by those who love to command. Capable administrators are fre- quently men or women who have the military, or police, habit of mind. By force of leadership or coercion, combined with knack of subduing mate- rials and statistics, they achieve orderly, efficient ‘nstitutions. Their authoritative position is con- genial to them. They have no hesitation in making decisions that affect human lives, since weaker or enfeebled personalities they hold in contempt. They are successful as long as they are in posi- tion to dominate. When authority is challenged they become maladjusted or resort to acts of cruelty, or intrigue. Owing to our method of selecting execu- tives, giving preference to those who can “run the business” with least amount of trouble to boards of managers and political bodies, having in our igno- rance little conception of what the individuals who are to be cared for actually require, such personali- ties often are found at the head of reformatories, correctional schools and hospitals for the insane. Adult inmates who show small capacity for modifica- tion often thrive under such officials. In the pres- ent state of our knowledge they are undoubtedly use- ful for certain classes of delinquents. But they are entirely unfitted to deal with delinquents in emo- tional conflicts, or with those who possess a sensi- tive capacity for modification of behavior. The worst phases of attempt to control by force eA * eh 7 tte ee _ eo ~ ead et ng > aed r pom geen gee -— oe 1 ao -—< FI Re Seer ee LE $6 eSe 5 ths os ety er toe ae ts ak ie > g » Eon . ee J . Serre ee ~ eae “ ; aad - st Ge ee Pt ts Fey Pt ~ es a = 4ezees = ed ew ee Se oe at ee eo eye 4 cose See: ae ale Vera ©, > ~— ee er bs le Pal ted be ek eS Se ee pare ar ae CS ee ey yap xa Ton ee Selahebed eh ee re a he Sb et he Sh te ti “ = an ad es er ~ ee CS aa ee te SES See S — MN Bs c ey - 7 5 : a ea " i x a Pee ark pe fs epee Sy = + 4° a! e ees arma om eee eee — pe gaye. «A —“ ee TEP Panos > Pree) aoe et ae TS ae eres nt hd ee) pad err. eae eee et --= Ieee et id © | r oe ee ee edd ate lai emacs oy Ee me we ee Pe ee ee a ee et Ss RRR EP Ret ed Le ——_— a 7 f ra is e CLA <4)—_ Pye “a 5x5 hs bs A oe Sh oe —— wl ee i Ss es — = © P Tita 7 s: ee res ee od - ss 2 on 7 SELLE 7G deere tere ne he db dice Ded Soe “ar ta, £4 en Sno" * Pe P - _ ‘ ae Se! 5 ek Pes Se dt tet a nhs oe So ee - ly a — eT oo. os Se = a ec _ <= alone ~~ . Sie .. on = Ee ts ed eee et ee ee ee < i So os a Sig er“ = ah ok . ok a - - s . By hata - ie Loot oF ee oy ote tet — 7-2 ai, ine eee ok ae iat on ee ae es al St ae Ss - en turrets hai Si od he ae ar * we = ad Bhat a tee rtd ‘2: Aad, os ns cs c eres M r “4 ee a re a ee-< Fy _ a Sd Fpl aaa ial a ‘o a een aces pn ae 3 7 "2 a a, SN eae i a SPSS es PS LL OLS apes rare es ao a oe ae a we ee aed as eae Jee wctwerosaresees SeTeceapoepeeser=reslsselee Sete rete oe tr Ths ete BA bss WN de ead at od ie,, hee a) hm te Lh Ms . n eo eee Bre ; ws 238 YOUTH IN CONFLICT are seen when it is blind, or fanatical, or where it is combined with inefficiency, greed, stupidity, or emotional disorders. There is then temptation to wreak on helpless subjects moods of jealousy, fear, anger, secret feelings of inferiority, love of flattery, or gratification in the suffering, or discomfort of the weak. Outlets to distorted emotion of the “superior officer” are often disguised under various cloaks of expediency, political pressure, lack of funds, poor equipment, ill health, or are explained to a credulous, or ignorant, public as necessary measures in handling a dangerous or diseased class of human beings. Institution atmosphere is congenial to this type of executive because control is almost unlimited, but the institution has no monopoly on those who crave power and yield to its seductions. They are found among probation and parole officers and many so- cial workers who undertake the supervision of delin- quents and other maladjusted individuals. Such workers have no respect for the personality of their client; they stress his weakness, abnormality, and have no comprehension of his hidden strength. Their attitude is clearly seen as soon as the delin- quent shows resistance, or runs counter to opinions of the worker. Petty acts of tyranny, harsh criti- cism, disparaging remarks about the delinquent’s ability to make good, obstacles placed in the way of carrying out of plans which did not originate in the mind of the officer, as for example when a probationer secures a new kind of employment, or makes an unauthorized arrangement, persistent “follow-up” work which, under guise of “efficiency”’ literally ‘Shounds” the delinquent and retards his ability to make sound decisions or to stand on hiser oe SUCCESSFUL WORKERS WITH DELINQUENTS 239 own feet; all these are manifestations of dominance. The fact that dominance may be traced to a parental motive does not alter the result. Frequently desire to rule is parental, and therefore supposedly benevo- lent in origin. We are learning that the parental attitude itself, if not based on sound biological prin- ciples, if not animated by respect for the growing personality of the child, has its special dangers, and may be a contributing cause to that conflict which expresses itself in acts of delinquency. That wish to gain personal victory over the delin- quent may be unconscious, especially in cases of “re- fined,” trained men and women, incapable of overt acts of violence or forms of self-seeking, (to gain political power, or money) does not lessen the evil. Their service to the delinquent induces weakness and dependence. Failure of the client is not inter- preted as failure of method, but fresh proof of need for constant personal influence. If sudden break- down occurs while the worker is “on the job,’ some remote factor in the situation will be blamed, for example heredity, or worthlessness of delinquents, or some general assertion will be the outlet: “It is impossible to help these boys and girls: they want to be bad!” Social work, undertaken because of wish to dom- inate or to extend personal infiuence, tends to col- lapse. Its effect on the worker is usually disastrous. Pride is followed by disappointment and cynicism. If one were to compile the life-histories of those who have worked with the delinquent and insane, and retired subsequently in defeat, mianagers of institu- tions, officials, probation workers, holders of offices, both high and petty, one discovers a surprising num- ber of casualties. They “break down,” or they be- “ | 3 — tre = 1 oars 5 -~ rei oH. em Fe ee ers 7 23 _ = hgh ~ ore re a ae eo / i sper yyy nd — - . - wr - ey = = ws80et 2 .- - meP K-Tes om rs Pe Le St ett a Lt - ee a “Pale. as: = oy ey 5 Fo ey Se . bd yang sms ~ . +47 Shei thes kee al he re oe Panter — Se XA wt ow Fee. =p ect: = +} oh poh. ~h- ss SS Se a he . tlt & ie ot eh ot eee hs he ce tee ee Te ae ee ak a a ots = yes is 4 nN ae eT ee 8 ee oe ~~ a LHL Ba be2eF a + ee? So 5 a re ee ~ — yg fl avr +t <*- avery Pee -- Se : 3 a ed Phot} 4 - - “i cae Ss oe eet Py . = - a wd eg ar * 9 oa Fey. RA at ot ne ee “2s PB i | bs bs — SHR Witte i < sb A PRE Ye sr : ee ee et at Meth eee a +431 Pog’ | alea p= SL heal te ant } of oe, ee it eee ase , pr Te 9 Oe wat) ee ee ; ed ei eed | Le bee ~~ ee Stree ser ee leSeaarares ee ie nts md mp - Srerteeecsnere SP Ss oe eeepen ar essePi arte ae bi eas ae be oo pa pan Sp er ee: : - -~¢ - ——a-we > iY a —_ 4 eorex me Get, 4 ae a “acy: a a 7s. at oe os —"= bao Ps b 2 a oe «> Po at) - ted = ed ba Ba et ph eg hed PO PP Rae eters *-= - - | * ~ a Lt ea tee se aes Vest eH ste «sm, “oo? wee Ti cs x et ee ee ee sf gn eee eB ot ee > ‘=eews ae etd or Jee ae?) ew retest, ~— es ee ek 4 oe, ~gied + Se oP ts —. ly en, en a - (foS Gah ED: “ tRF i i ode th es DP ewe Dee 2 eee ooo . Mm, Sak, pee oJ ila. ae nl eg ey i a nti wean ah ite tee -—- ares + rte) A -~ , a ile tom Stet/ Pr’ > ~ SDEVCSP LEHR Fhe, alee anes bate ao La, Sa YS fp S eo A ated a a i ae = pe Sh LN col tl bl el te Re ee te hed as > se é c <° ae . — = S33 / Dede sarees: tea aero a oa) a 4 ie eS. a GQ ee, et od hed dee a aR 42 YOUTH IN CONFLICT inake easier the path of the sinner who sins in agree- iment to our inner desires are attitudes of mind com- monly exhibited by the worker with delinquents who is sentimental and who, without reducing mal- adjustment in any particular, continues to speak in public of “raising the fallen” and of “doing some- thing for the under dog.” Both domineering and “sympathetic” type of worker with delinquents expect to succeed through personal influence. The candidate for civil service examination who was asked: “Whom would you consider a hopeless case for probation?’ And who answered: “None are hopeless; there is good in all,” but added: “I would consider a case hopeless if she re- fused to take advice,’’ expressed their underlying philosophy. The results of each type will differ in proportion to training, skill and previous experience, but re- sults gained by either type of personal influence are likely to be unstable. As soon as conditions change, the delinquent responds to older, deeper personal influences, and having no insight, no social goal, no permanent incentive, he merely shifts the scene of his activities and continues to be at war with society. The worker has been only a shield between the delinquent and reality; when the need comes for active personal adjustment the support has collapsed and the individual is helpless, To the new type of social worker seeking to learn the art of human helpfulness is entrusted a supreme opportunity. Upon them it depends whether society will continue to “‘try out” humanitarian theories and principles like probation and parole, or whether medieval darkness will again sweep our courts andSUCCESSFUL WORKERS WITH DELINQUENTS 243 ee institutions. A swelling tide of disrepute threatens to engulf much social work already in existence for delinquents. The public cannot know that probation as conceived by students of human behavior has never been applied to any large area for any length of time. The public cannot be expected to know that “giving another chance,” or turning out of the court- room with an admonition, is not probation; proba- tion is contact with a constructive personality who is enlightened enough by nature and training to be able to translate the findings of scientific research into action useful for social treatment, and to induce growth. Knowledge far outruns practice. There is no longer reasonable doubt that delinquency could be checked, practically eliminated from the normal population, if a sufficient number of social workers would dedicate their lives to application of scientific knowledge of behavior we now possess. Since it is evident that those interested in the delinquent do not intend to abandon him to the politician and the reactionary, and that there is an increasing demand for constructive personalities, it is important to outline some traits of the worker who is likely to be successfull. Let us assume an adequate educational background and necessary preliminary training. The Juvenile Court Standards Committee has required college edu- cation’ or its equivalent, and at least one year of supervised case-work as the minimum requisite train- ing for a probation officer. This modest require- ment is met with but by one probation force in our country.” Training essential in making of a case- 1 Juvenile Court Standards, Children’s Bureau Publication No. i21, Washington, D. C., 1923, p. 7- 2 The Juvenile Court of Detroit, Michigan. tea ; arts ye * at - ie as a ae - , Ss a raster “Gee phe hd + by Re ee b- 2 F Leen -atEen ee b eats ee ee “ oe oy en -*. eater Tee — s. ot ie ee ee ea ty a ee Sot bat ial et ee TSS Sree ee * *. 7. a +s > = aT < Q Tht Se oh ore Perea! Ps at += ey ee 8 es ae on: a a wage yr . » - a _ > eos +e ret soy ee Cv os ~~ Ses Cn ee TS" eT al at he ek ae oe &. ats355 Say ye be he TIT tt ey ies ae es ee ee ee bape ergot ne rr id Gabe es al Ce pes ee a ee See YY oS oe = —— = rh ye St _ - ea he 2 nn el is ry ae I PSS ee ea sy er TS aS * *- 4 vr Ss my . oe te oe me a - Pt F- a 3 Rh deetieed atnir ae dee ie ed et ee St ehh eam ¥ on Raye ars aoe Fy eS SF -— = pA > = _ eo ~ Ss bat Ieee ae piadakass pede teacasanssasaepnetesese . rs . er; “ong ee a « ae 1 = 5 -~ bar ee fer et pat a Seat ree pene end Seg ene o2 > 2 aos See eee ee ae ot a ee [ er | het oe) - Ca — rs 1A; s Pe eet rs ‘ a) yo-— ee = 4 Petr eEeeae ttt ya ee a er Poe eee eters eee et ee oe ee oe PEI ees eeeee +2 — + a ~ Pe + a an =. raed TF Sate ok Se hee oR oe crbescters ist ieete pr terssesyes - . . o ~ -“ ba—eoy ol ee oP et ete rea eT " 4 dieu ad a hs oe ds er hh eo ate : a a oe _ c 1 ee ee ao Soins See fh 4 a ee y~ ss be eee lke b an SPS: i or) = ee pe aoe ae S22 ORyP TI oF dle oe — . ae, - is i ~ “ “ Sl, ale i md, lily ot a as a 2 ed Fee ieee P shes: a eee - rhs bat hth dhe ecaias ad ate ty. J etal eh bank At eS onl tel tel Bio pi Ap ke fo - na a Ce —~ ht Ce ee a | Pe PP, ed is 2 es: — . a ea - A oy) -<9 i P , 4 My ba a a) Pi Tr 246 YOUTH IN CONFLICT be successful in business,) or resentment in face of too constant group-life, or the impulse to smash down rather than build up, or the wish to commit violence to defend one’s solitude . . . in short all these traits of personality which may in accentua- tion mark the abnormal, are frequently possessed by the fortunate personality. The difference is the balance of forces. G. Stanley Hall used to remark: “We are only sane with a working majority of our faculties.” Rosanoff: has found that desirable personalities show a fortunate combination of traits. He points out that in the normal personality we find the power of inhibition, a rational balance (which perhaps is best displayed in the following of a guiding-line, or conduct principle throughout life,) emotional con- trol, or stability, which consists in the ability to maintain uniformity and continuity of feeling, and finally the normal personality is distinguished by superior durability. In social work for those who present personal disabilities, the successful individual must possess these essential attributes of the normal personality which, as we shall see, are particularly called forth in the struggle against delinquency. In the treat- ment of mental illness: “The patient must have full confidence in the physician and in his methods. . . . It follows that the physician must be able to inspire respect and trust . . . ‘he must have a kind disposition, great patience, self-possession, particular freedom from prejudice, an understanding of human nature re- sulting from an abundant knowledge of the world, 1 Rosanoff, A. J.: “A Theory of Personality,” Psychological Bulletin, Vol. 17, 1920, pp. 201-209.SUCCESSFUL WORKERS WITH DELINQUENTS 247 t adroitness in conversation, and a special love of his calling.’ ”’ * If this is the desirable relation of psychiatrist to patient, it should be equally true of client and social worker. “The normal personality has the power of inhibi- tion.” It was recently remarked by one of the judges in a Morals Court that he had small use for the “lady social worker”; his chief worker with the girls of his court was connected with a cabaret, she was a “rough-neck, because it takes a rough-neck to handle delinquents.” The judge’s statement is an extreme example of a widespread opinion that a “rough and ready,” uninhibited person is enabled to understand the wildness of youth. The contrary 1s true. The adjusted personality, with the life of impulse, and life of reason in adequate balance has attained a position from which flows tolerance and understanding. The selfishnesg,of the personality with inferior inhibition makes 1€ difficult for him to appreciate struggles of others. “Gnhibition gives a tremendous driving force to personality and is per- haps the secret source of that superior durability which is the distinguishing characteristic of the normal person. It used to be thought popularly that inhibition wore out the structure. Disuse may cause wearing down of some vital part of one’s being, but inhibi- tion, that voluntary response to stimulus which turns energy into a new channel, or holds it delicately poised in rest, is no mere negation. Sherrington has shown that for nervous tissue, inhibition, so far from decreasing its power of action, increases energy and adds to power. Inhibition may thus make a 1 Rosanoft’s “Manual of Psychiatry,” p. 113. 1 WE ET i war. Pee Titi. © c Petr Bapedag eer e seers oy ey Pe M e a het A eT ed ne ; ° WT eo os _ " he OS tet et 4 Si - na - mee yw & s ed S >. a . Ea eet ee a e. a = - < + = aoe a yy at eros - a ak, eres e = r lel Ma ee ee” De med ® “ ~ a . ie Poy 5 . a rs a el tt eed as * Ny + eT be) ne ay = “> =: ~ s eases t—ses Saebiss tse ke. <2 ee +e pe it) "ys a a 9 =~ ar fy =. - Fy So, o-5 & eh de he nese ~~ = ae ele atleetiene Sek ~ * —s—s yaaa Samad ten SoS b : Ne es “6 *s : P ~~ a a | “ oS as ee ee ee aes creera ses toe ee Sti vrs AG Pe 1 2,2 = is a il a wee Fw Sew y St*eo5 o Fira | earn Fer Pw e he _ ~~ = ~~ e Ses F os ee a Ga re . * ss Py aa aes _ rn ge Nae + Se % oe ¥. £2742 E > +E i hj Ssarrvestraee et a to + Shy4 Pa } - a - — 3 a a is a Pen He -s ee Si Pees et sins wee oe oe) pe PES So ae Sak ew eae ae - " " P id ’ afd re ie segerererg bic ee ae a . Py. b i tof . a B ; b of 44 ee xi ar $ - a eb ph Be et hk hs ~~ fs es 4 . > . - i] ees > tc v _— Sl iad o~ i a eredebebrspesernportecteseseseieta - _— ss a al — a Sat PS el Se ie ee, EO oh oe ee | ee & P Lee eh. a Be S ee at oS eRe Ho - a es wiki <= ot ore Oe: - 2 Ss ote. ay? a ae ed ne eit fEyl ALPE ae Seas eS a ean pa aa i Seti - ae tegen e e - ie tne oe Re ee Ee aso eee “ bs - | - em < i+ ¥ fan nas ap = a 5 PE Se po - at a ne ha ah aie -% po pee oe ed rt ed gin pe AE Se er A hy ey gt, | i ; ? 4 | “ Ps eh eS Ta the iat a he aa oh he ft as *~ ca: a er me! € a) ra a * Yi ae od +) oe Pe Bel oe an am rs _ re er a too ee er? o Ae 248 YOUTH IN CONFLICT reservoir of something which, left to run idly of itself, would dribble away. The social worker possessed of virile warmth and the usual number of human impulses controlled by inhibition, is the one best equipped to serve youth in conflict. Power to say no to one’s selfish demands, power to refrain from actions which tend to injure others, power of guidance over fear, anxiety, anger, irritation, resentment, and love, is absolutely essen- tial to a social worker with delinquents. Respect for human life is grounded on inhibition ; ability to place one’s self imaginatively in place of another, sensitive awareness of some other personal- ity which makes it impossible to use persons as things, or a person to one’s personal advantage ; these attributes of culture and adjustment depend funda- mentally on power of inhibition. Hence the social worker, parent or teacher without requisite inhibi- tion is powerless to deal with human beings con- structively. “The normal personality has rational control.” ’ Applied to social workers the life of reason is seen | in following a guiding-line, or clear idea, as over against the welter of everyday experience. Chaos, | dirty streets, unhappy children, indifferent parents, jeering adults, obstructionists and fanatics, all tend) to produce innumerable ideas and activities pulling | in different directions. Ability to maintain against! the confusion of our modern world, a clear concept: of our place in nature, and our goal as social work-, ers is to attain rational balance. The man of religion believes in holiness, the artist} in beauty, the psychiatrist in normal adjustment, the} social worker in adequate social relationships ; each} has a definitive ideal interest to uphold in midst of}SUCCESSFUL WORKERS WITH DELINQUENTS 249 the clamorous voices of our time, and in so doing he arrives at a guiding-line which is sufficient. Moderation, willingness to let time bring its own inevitable contributions to human progress, is not seen to-day as it would be if our goal-idea was clear. Hence we leap to excesses. Social workers become fretful and nervous. ‘‘Fanaticism consists in re- doubling your efforts when you have forgotten your aim,” remarked an American philosopher.* Social workers, in particular, must guard against fanati- cism, since it implies not only losing aim, but rational control as well. To one who wishes to influence delinquents, ra- tional approach, weighing life in proportion, is the surest guarantee of success; for the delinquent is be- set with conflicting ideas; his greatest need is assur- ance that there exist in the world clear goals that are lighted with serenity. The normal personality possesses emotional con- trol, “the power to maintain uniformity and con- tinuity of feeling.’”’ The especial malady of social workers who deal with disordered human beings is a mood that fluctuates between enthusiasm and despair. They exhibit it in their own lives and in relations to their clients. They start projects and lapse into discouragement or skepticism. In trying to do so much they miss the opportunity that lies nearest. They forget the immediacy of human dis- tress, details that make for successful fathering and mothering, and come finally to deny possibility of human progress. In this they render a great dis- service to social work. “The case worker who depresses himself and others by an attitude oi 1George Santayana: “Introduction to Reason in Common Sense,’ 1906, p. 13. ee Perea eal he 1 thos We OES E> bee bie Met bee sep ‘ af eee ere ie} A) $4 Byer 3 Ye = =f Se —— Sees — ers - Rest yb hte, Sat at Se . ¥- Orme —e Ss eTRER eed ee ees Peer et Pt ee rs rid + at Bb con eri ll Hl Ba ee 8 Geessepene pesetagie siege eet ape Sees a ag = ~ Sf Sek oie eh at dh Re heb i : he | . om ol 7 Voteteleqet sipteie *— ; a. | See ah ed = ae ee $3 8s Pepe ss hess sesh eka) - ee = - - a he) ars he hes Bee ea heh he hse et lee ee eee $223 /2edb ieee ened rarses 5 a Bee oo eereeoers tei yaa ti Sek donk Be th he kd - ; * — Po ss =... eas ‘ a -” ay ome © » « - a ra 2% M — ~ > > A od BEL DA SO Re ode - a r Pe "ete pe * a RN a hi, eg, et s. ie ~~. a> - - ey sie kn he “ ~ ee ee ee « a thts ie es ae i _ i — = eo | i: ee: . - ?t>-3 ce es: © wahe aF le ee tes *-{3- 4 te ee _ - = plat et 2 , a> i ro toe Sees > Cane he - : = ian 2 4: = ed a 250 YOUTH IN CONFLICT skepticism towards progress forgets that he is not alone in facing difficulties.”’* The worker with delinquents who laments the slow growth-process, or who is impatient with erring human nature, creates an atmosphere of despondency against which all but the most courageous lose hope. Only steady, warm, continuous interest in human beings, ability to bring to each day’s work fresh insight into manifold capacities of human nature to recuperate, can successfully combat unrest and delinquency. Perhaps that is the secret of influence of some fortunate personalities; they produce tran- quillity because their emotional energy is flowing 1n a steady current that is not subject to sudden droughts or torrents. They are adjusted to life; they possess what Adolf Meyer calls “constructive composure.” Who can estimate the number of delinquents who have gone under simply because of lack of faith in them by social workers whose emotional control was not uniform? Scores of promising young people have been destroyed in the “making-good” process at some critical moment when everything was de- pendent upon attitude, and the social worker’s chance word of contempt, sarcasm or indifference swung the balance toward defeat. Let no one imagine this mere sentimental exaggeration. It is noted by Kempf? that a patient in St. Elizabeth’s Hospital who suffered from feelings of guilt and inferiority, conditioned by harsh treatment in childhood from her father, was on road to recovery when she was unwisely treated by an attendant. She escaped from the hospital and was found wandering about; the process of cure was interrupted. 1 Mary Richmond, “Social Diagnosis,” p. 361. 2 “Psychopathology,” pp. 83-86.SUCCESSFUL WORKERS WITH DELINQUENTS 251 Being treated meanly by a superior officer is un- doubtedly the contributing factor in many failures of probation and correctional school. The occasion by itself appears so slight to adults concerned, that no importance is attributed to it. When the child is viewed against his complex background it becomes evident that each detail of treatment must be in har- mony with some central plan, some point of view which recognizes delinquency as a symptom of a profound disorder. Balance of forces in the develop- ing personality may be disturbed by sarcasm, dis- couragement or tyranny of the social worker, not be- cause what the adult does is in itself important, but because it may touch off an ancient source of pain or anxiety in the child and set all his being flowing in a channel that is antagonistic. The social worker’s own emotional balance must be so steady that irritation, disappointment, petty set-backs from superiors, or co-workers have no power to alter the feeling-tone and need no outlet in displays of resentment, or distrust of the client. That the social worker with delinquents, should be himself contented and secure in his personal and professional life needs no demonstration. Anything which unduly hampers him in the community, such as an impossible political situation, will make for insecurity, but the only force which can permanently destroy his work will be inner disharmony which ex- presses itself in lack of faith. The mainspring of the social worker’s influence over individual delinquents is an absorbing interest in human experience. To the virile personality everything is an adventure, a test of strength; to the defeated, everything is dull. Children respond almost immediately to one who is filled with vital —?s) 3 ae hl 3 ot 2 te te a FEI ee _— 7 ee eet i ie te Cotes oe >} atte ee sees a a Eres 3S Se, = >. = — Pane * Se ~< at2od= & — ee Coe ee St " - r iT Pe thine se ¥ ES ey a Tard, oe -b.e e a onde) ae a he aN poT ero re et ee = i? ce ane th ee ao eS a 4 - earn eae, x so 4 « we > es a es s hd ad + bs ~ - cy itis Coad Mae Miva CS tod Pte iT 32 — es ~ eer st res es ot, : — apt ag pl endl oe hae ‘ Po = P - oe So aise at * i we SS peta = ia ea ae ee So om ~ak 2. ak k 3 ot fd mp heap sees Pye Pe ee page ‘ 2 fet yet et ted Eos TP Pig | Se oe ce ee __ od ose ar a, We ag > See - te : id a + a zl ie - 7 Se ee ——o ot els re Se Spares erste ree St tte Tore - = Sei eee ed a —————————— yt : NS Ss ee . ee " ont . + pe Smetana at So ee ee ee ~ as @e a a ay hacater ee a oP) - i? a" ~ « give ee ed = * PENG LS CeT sess re TELE VS ATES TE dHsseselabebesboserag-ptectese sees et RIESE LG CF cagk at My eo bea em Res tee tay ae hyip tek ae ‘es ee ~ ‘ter m? « bag “Ss 7 oe, a - gE : RS - i P aE de eces SS See be 5 ae Be > kB * S. ri > Pf. os .~ eo pp a is To. t= +e Gam - a io ered ta ll de Se a dt ie telaltetatitone tee eek TE toed he = ie ™ -i8 sks Sa Sea dR Tt tea ¥ Lea Sy = », _ - eee S “a P > 4 Ls? ee Sa ee Te ee Ronse in = +73 “« ae a :* @ ee ee) oean — - Pars ee Pe “ “SS. - ss P . tt ee wets ey ee? ele cere | ae ss - A = es 7 a ae | Sh. ee ee ee eb scee s 4 0-9 fk a ol Ble Sp pete Opt she L Oe witests cP sted spark i ee Ee sh sa“ J = ° eee es rr ere eeu & 2 rh se ES | etre _% Hae ® a - . a a ed ees vinte tnt. _ es a Am? ot ae ee oe rs RE a EP pe, ey ee we Ae a be Fe Gai = RpRorespereeed< Pees Go ae ae c2- oe ie bl toe etd aa = a el tek ee ae he ak ne gt Se ee a See ess tS} le Serle tebe ee aees ete Se Pte ee PRP eS. ee ot a a sess 1 Ttceteseses: , a | nai Setar es me oh oy . ~~ “sa. ~* «& er A oe os eohatate tl oe BE aS ee ee Bt dh Det Der ed Red dh wa = a a a fae hw: at aot ee - Sy Bite hy sh Won Not « ats . , ¥ a Ae Gat -?— ite 4 . Bd ao pocea pare t ¢ Sat et eae ed See ee Lee es ets tr = = 7) _ cy 4 YOUTH IN CONFLICT by the community, is to display something less than the normal personality. The young social worker should understand that he is a pioneer in the newest of professions; for many years his own discoveries and adventures must be his chief reward. To the seasoned social worker durability is a matter of course. Those splendid veterans of social service, whose names on the lips are like songs of victory, have weathered all storms and faced all black years with serenity. The superior durability of social workers should be their chief asset. Certainly the community, which fed, reared and trained them to understand human behavior and to cement social relationships, is not going to waste time coddling them, if through weakness of personality they be- come psychopathic, or filled with mutual suspicion and self-pity. How shall one know a well adjusted personality? By seeing it in operation in midst of other human beings. It is the result which counts. Ability to deal comprehendingly and gently with conduct, abil- ity to set free the speech and emotion of children and those who are repressed, is one mark of a con- structive personality. Humor is indispensable. A sense of humor 1n- dicates that a proper balance of personality traits has been reached; it shows that energy flows free through all channels and is not stopped somewhere by a sinister blockade. Humor should not be con- fused with wit, or jesting, or making “bright re- marks’ at the expense of weaker human beings. Taunts, gibes, sarcasm, ridicule of clients are all too frequent in work with delinquents. They indicate expression of will to dominate, the scoring of vic- tory by superior intelligence, or strength. Suchhe ooo VECO Mira) aree. ‘TP A ba SUCCESSFUL WORKERS WITH DELINQUENTS 255 wit is sometimes hard to distinguish from cruelty. At a meeting of prison wardens they were dis- cussing the mysterious improvidence of certain pris- oners, who have no sense of their own welfare. “Jim was a two-term loser. He had served ten years of his second sentence and was about to be paroled for good conduct. The night before his release he became very excited, and at midnight he executed a daring escape. “Well, that is easy. Jim knew all right he was wanted somewhere else for something on the out- side.” At this commentary on modern prison life there was loud laughter, and the man who made it passed for a bright fellow. For delinquents it is especially true that: “There is nothing... . Like the clashed edges of two words that kil EES The normal personality should be incapable of wounding a helpless human_ being by display of wit. True humor is founded on genuine liking of human nature and interest in its manifold possibili- ties. It marks the sense of proportion. ‘When a man has only one idea that idea is as serious as can be; when he laughs he is virtually say- ing that he has had another idea.”’ * An apprehensive social worker has apprehensive and fearful clients. The gloomy, humorless worker with delinquents retards their moral progress. Whenever one finds a good institution, a capable 1 Wallace Stevens: “Harmonium,” p. 28, Alfred A. Knopf, 1923. ae ic Weeks: “The Control of the Social Mind,” p. 177. Quoted in Journal of Applied Sociology, Vol. VIII, p. 232. PPP Per PEPER RT Peyer aay poy ee Oe Ee ee aby trae Hy Ra obs” rep. ae bah: ft Leth seclaiatitndeldiatedes SP 2 mere Pret a atic me rey LTT ror rrEFRAT A STL Ey a ei Felt betes LCE L re ve ee el ht tad , hadedet ol koe Ok PPA Th Athy Ug dee Seen ots ye » Be O4* 19564 (Cet ed : me a os a - 4 ve A Qs t a] Ps a ? ath is et ao ros - 7 : ms eg te eS ~ we men ge = P. > es ha ee os a - a ee toe ec - 2 rec te og ¥ Se - Sel inde’ 4 2 Are ms Sader ery ceceseg Lee $Zia dh he ae a) pe 4 5 , pa er Asal hema Te can ion’ 4 4 ae tae ew ba ser 4+-8.5 ye es rT _— >) - 2468 . eet 33 ~~ Ls ; 2 xi += jl ee ye a ~ ak era pe aed tel eal ek. rat NSS ere re . ye -¥ bh A = = bd Poses sarees! Peas : z Pron ere es ee ee Ph oe ae dS = Tm TI (e320 iste er ees a La nt at ye e278 3@ = —— = ey sa | end iM s lo Py azeuessastarec \ egeease Le at a _ eo. - i He: - at oe an — ie —— + ad he git mpeeeteterersretargsereetre tlelsSgtesbertece- , TPES tr ee eT eer e te” ma |e eT +P eres Do el Eth PTT ECPESLELe. Strese ses Sele se ane ers rel es eee font sha eal ren he * oad ~ie « g* é ee. oe ee eo ps ek oh el teal teak al tone ag é})% et eed ee as @ ee oo - 5 MS CP op SP be re ey apceregsecies= na ra ~— z r - a3 — i deg? Sok bn de eta . a - ro 2 . c* he ek” » “ m4 . eae ap a: ben 4 eee Ae hoe ee ae PF ae: > ae cE a i 2+ oe en ee ae Pet es 7 a > a - ki =) 7 z = Teel oles te Bee 8 ae 3? ae] fe ee ee dots Wy fen Y $e - ot - 256 YOUTH IN CONFLICT social organization, a probation office with many successtul cases, there has been at work a normally adjusted personality, or as Emerson said: ‘The lengthened shadow of a great man.” It is time that we recognized that a fortunate combination of personality traits, turned to interests of social ad- justment does indeed constitute greatness. Many individuals have entered the field of social work, given the best that was in them only to face some inner collapse, or insupportable political obstacle, or to be defeated with their own indifference. Stretches of achievement we should honor wherever they occur. Each level of progress has been built up of human energy, and represents a successful period in the life-force of some human being. If later the worker fails or if his work appears to him worthless, we should still recognize the service he has rendered. It is no disgrace to a profession that there are many casualties. To those social workers who become tortured at thought that what they have built will not endure, let us remind them that there is a natural tendency for living things to die, that death is a process as normal as growth. If their work was static and in- animate it would exist always, but since it is a living reality, it must be subject to forces that gradually wear it down and change it into something else. New projects of social work are especially the ob- ject of attack; like all young alive things they require an enormous amount of nourishment. Not to be prepared for this state of affairs is to enter the field of social work in unforgivable innocence. The successful social worker with delinquents is a hardy personality who is discouraged with nothing except static perfection.CHAPTER XII A COMMUNITY PROGRAM Tue utopia of H. G. Wells* differs from other portraits of future human blessedness : it 1s a social production. Mr. Wells takes a friend with him, a botanist ; Utopia is the result of dreams of the author as modified by comments of the botanist. Mr. Wells feels the critic a nuisance, but since the botanist 1s a teetotaler the community program of the model state must not include port wine with the walnuts. In sketching a community program for adjust- ment of delinquency, let us assume an average COM- munity, average critics, with only average amount of good-will and social resources. What can we reasonably expect for the delinquent child within the next decade? x if For treatment we are in position to demand mini- mum essentials : 1. The business of detecting delinquency must still fall largely to the police, as guardians of public safety. Police, therefore, must be specially edu- cated with reference to juvenile delinquency.” They should be taught that Juvenile Court 1s parental ; they, as policemen, are representatives of that power. When it is needful to take in custody a child, each detail of arrest, handling, language, temporary place 1“ Utopia,” H. G. Wells. 2 ea apalite yet Vollmer of Los Angeles, formerly of Berkeley, California, has instituted a strong educational pro- ram for police officers. £ p a / zm Fars. re er ae ee eee rye er eR Vbse | eee Pee COU eee OER Pe Ea Dae ee ae od ™ ‘ .a ; . as . oro Tele eae 1 + rr TE rr Ri : a | , lethal, oe Trt. a er eee tL i ey) Fp PIS p SLLL OL ERD aL PE PEM ONT beet tda te ra be De eRe Hane 7) . 7 a 7 Sea ae ha eg 2 a _ — . | - <«*? 3.7. ot eae te ae et ee PE re oe ee 4 te ne (ese 3- se heme Dy ep pd erry estes St a eames ha Ps ‘- be TTS = 7 re 2 es to os : beeen. © Wr awe. eas — S ed Te — rx Satna fee = dn papi lesaseaye: aye Oy 3 ee wy " a Oe Be a en ke ae ee es ee ee ee 34 5 . oe ae a Te ‘Ss ae =F + er Pes ts ro or ae ees eae a + cae Reema aes . Cae oe re 4 bat eee too. re > 2 sesweelraees ~ “oe eh ea ~~ - ne er ranma ieee ket aaa tea Toa os @~ gente ie tak a Ae a Ps — ae ~~ oat TL -* - ss ny a ee ra De re es ot mie Pen Tl wea see 2. anaes tee +. = lath Mie) = +. a ee alae cen! tied ke ae. - DI ad ia en P pet Hogs — fe eS arise es ivlaed iba G&S a Sedans ote eed eh es PESe resus Poet lie eee RR Net Oe Pt es toe ok Sod Pe ea ee TS Petey tee ete gle peeerreeor rer > Fd . thes tad eebs os - — ~~» *e esevesrighyee 2 Py 4 p+, 23 oe , on a ot REF pn a ae p= 7 coe? i.e re c . + t.> ea “Pe “were. ee 425 toe eo s al Pa ae, a a. an aesn a ree @ _ ote igs ahd id et eae Seen St eee Bed i Fs obs. Se a a p va + eee ed oe ATE FE fa te Phe pee Oe, ~~ Ne ee ae a Ay el oes i Sav ae ret £* e+-s9 wo i+w ta St pnts te! erreur a ee o-« > iG Oe eo ee a oY ee ee ee a Seon ~~ ae M i... --t—s< — a a er at LE pepe a dae 4 ek Bk Pe ee ha 9 - i eek beth oe eh eae Wee e gree se te PEAT ST SST 2 2 a i a a os zz Stina ahd _- es yr ho Tater et a < o -- CL ee ne cen oe coe el el el to - - en Pe Sesopas ry asepsysleFEss Bs Etat aaa. oe — 7. ehh re oe ae Mf ot Al DPS SE eee Se a = et PS FP, me Pe, St or eS be bee .. ai ee ot ne ne a a Pl. She Res > ~ : a - off Dede tees be Px

S3~ . et oe = eeoerere se stares er) f 4 :a ae ’ —— -- 4 “y est ae af ee feces aeeerst gs 7 ~ goseeret are eesgeres “trae ¢ a > - a et BR pe Se Pe or - ~ meal ti Bo De, de ha kh 8 Leth tht PSPS SS - a oe aa San Seer eed Sok eee A ae oe Be a : Pe foey Bast ee ee Pose oe p See ate ee . a ee ae wit we re + eat al 2h, ee te ~ a » ee ge 2 ee _ a ta to Ad pe De eed Pe Oe ee iw - ae ah ee wd aed ie Tl — di ated ot ae pane a — pe - i al, AU, RE RS de ee Pf. ka eee at: bak 1h, 40a pt ee ee a ™ a eam ae Se OS ee Pe Zee I ~ . Po nk, + bal a . a deen tl sel eon le eo hth hal Re dtd ee ae ee ey Oo, =< . - et ot nt i SPI Pie el 2 260 YOUTH IN CONFLICT Court, result in all places where a joint system of control has been attempted. As some one has said of communities who struggle against delinquency with top-heavy machinery, duplicate agencies, of po- lice and court, survivals of old political combats, ata- vistic, rudimentary organs of antiquated charitable societies, each trying to “‘treat” the delinquent in his special way: ““They have an unutterable past and no policy for the future.” There must be one agency invested with exclusive jurisdiction over juvenile delinquency, with power to make all necessary provision; this agency should be the Juvenile Court; the community should hold it responsible for proper administration of its pa- rental duties. The court may call on other agencies for assistance in solving problems, but it is essential that there should be one responsible head. Much confusion, waste of effort, and neglect would be avoided if it were not possible to pass responsibility for delinquent children from hand to hand. 4. The judge of Juvenile Court should be spe- cially fitted for his task, elected or appointed for a long term of years, receive honor and support due him in the community as the one who represents parenthood of the state. 5. The judge should have power, at discretion, to appoint a woman referee with the usual power of masters in chancery, to hear cases of girls and young children. The referee should be a social worker with requisite training. 6. Adequate Juvenile Court legislation should exist.’ 7. A Juvenile Court Committee should be selected 1The National Probation Association, 370 Seventh Avenue, New York City, has published a model juvenile court law.A COMMUNITY PROGRAM 261 to assist the judge. These men and women should serve without pay, represent no partisan politics or self-seeking interests in the community. They need not be experts in matters of probation and procedure. They must be energetic citizens of good-will, with clear ideas on the subject of juvenile delinquency.* in this capacity they interpret the Juvenile Court to the community, and needs of the community to the judge of Juvenile Court. In times of trouble, or when judges are suddenly changed, the committee is a safeguard against political interference or break- down of child welfare principles in the court. Many a gallant, socially-minded worker with delinquents has been swept unsung to his doom during the re- current upheavals of American state and county politics. 8. The probation staff should be well trained social workers of good personality. The minimum requirements of the Juvenile Court Committee on Standards should be followed. The fact that entirely disqualified persons serve as probation officers is the chief cause when probation fails to reduce delin- quency. Probation is doomed if served by ill-trained, half-educated, incapable officers, or if it overloads with too many cases, its good, well-trained officers, or if the probation office is administered politically. The personnel of the probation office is the most 1m- portant single consideration in a community program for treatment of juvenile delinquency. 9. The court should have an adequate system of 1 Slogan of National League of Women Voters: “The great- est social forces of to-day are clear ideas in minds of energetic men and women of good will.” For description of the function and mode of selection of the Juvenile Court or Probation Committee see Juvenile Court Law of California, Section 17. a. TeTTE ET Tae ory ord st«@< F . Ay 4 Tors fa “4° ach 7 1 rs thes n ; ite Miro SH bis Lee rei Ad |p PEN Th be hah it A sir atk eee a =a np at Py ah bade E Ps ™ ee re eS o & ae mame eg th * 2 a * 2 > ih . * — s = « cs ao: > = OS Pe ay ie tae. : 4 ” tesa be ee > a - aa rs ba ee 7s oo, @¢ “e pa A: ae Ko. 9 hee hd 3 = PSS TASS th ee ee ee = ala Aaa ial tte oe se) ‘ - .~ . we pe eee a r .* eke a trerrey we Ps 0 5. yum aoe. Ye ek) ee Gee hs hl F H eer is ltt eh be Mpls ret Pon ee EL Pe i ee ee pe ee aot) a] ; Pe Pi Ty eeeTite” sh ee enced he be de I \ Ee eP ee set oes ts be eielaere.ests! © a! - ee ee as ak ae 1. 3—"5 > ee ar ot Se PELE oe. : ) oe o ne - cee nae eens _o Pe wy oo i - r — o este? ea ees : £5 | ' es ly Py 4 a. - 7 ess cs : - ee oe estglsigtvisertasmy-pheetet ~- a | a oe. fe, Ph ESR SE RT OLA St eh ae Ht tei: eco hd . ee M4 de ae ops a aes . Po eee ue LTR Sere fb rt ge ert oe vas eae Ry ee + Puhaawe Fae ; faite Pigs sist sade edi pase SS ee rors . ae eh ath ah tr tele he ad ~ 7 a mm ~~ i ee oe a P= ee a eutetee. a tes, re ie PPS ee Fm ee a a we | og oto cer # ° a ore al fi 7 em at | ss — = —- * ae a ta. ee te. ba ee ee ae ee Sek ke oe he ue ek ee Oe oe re tate taste tet ers ree ae oe = Sieh a ih Search ak cor tae le ak kde th Rel een te hil en th a hk - a 2 o “a: a - Les ficte ee ee _- 262 YOUTH IN CONFLICT detention for juvenile delinquents. Good procedure requires that the child be kept in his own home whenever possible; it is “possible” more often than we imagine. The next best substitute is a series of private boarding homes, or “shelters” to which the probation officer escorts the child. Trouble with this method, as it works practically, is that the child is taken to police station and jail very frequently. It is not difficult to point out grave abuses in con- nection with any system of detention that uses the jail as lodging for young persons. It is thoroughly pernicious, no matter how it is used or justified. Older communities sometimes pride themselves on having no juvenile detention home; their arrange- ment is good only when compared with communities that have built congregate children’s jails, and called them detention homes.* The detention home should be for short periods only, the child should live as normally as possible in work, school and play.” A strong medical program should be estab- lished for correction of physical defects, and treat- ment of venereal disease. It is well to have the juvenile court committee given supervisory power over management of the detention home. 10. The court should have access to expert med- ical, psychological and psychiatric service for diag- nosis and treatment. In large cities there is no dif- ficulty in securing this. In rural districts and small towns, state boards of charities and corrections can 1 The Boston plan versus Chicago suggest themselves as ex- amples. 2See Judge Hulburt of Detroit: “The Detention Home,” Proceedings of National Probation Association, Toronto, 1924. Also Margaret Bullen, “Detention Home Administration in Los Angeles,” California Conference of Social Work, Long Beach, May, 1924.s Peet mil thatthe eee r - i hae bo bk oe * - Y a OO Get ade’ s - as bebo me LY Pr ake rtr oe ages sit Mie Sethe, Leek tobe trae ee A COMMUNITY PROGRAM 263 be of assistance in supplying expert service, or the State University may work out a program of travel- ing clinics. 3 I1. Probation officers in codperation with the clinic, should develop a definite program, or plan of life, for the child which secures proper social rela- tionship with home, school, church, neighborhood, playground, industrial and social service groups. There should be a fixed policy of supervision of work of the individual officer, and frequent confer- ences with all those who come in contact with the child. Results of probationary treatment should be checked up every six months, or more frequently, and methods revised as conditions change. If treat- ment 1s not working, some carefully deliberated new plan should be made. It should be remembered that intelligent probation service is restricted to a small proportion of juvenile courts. It has not been ap- plied to the majority. 12. In addition to homes of the children, there should be developed the following for use by the probation officer : (a) A special indexed bureau of foster homes, chosen and supervised in light of modern child- placing principles. There should be legislation pro- viding for payment of money for board of children. Details of administration will vary with community tradition. (b) For boys and girls who do not thrive in home life, and who do well in industry, boarding homes and small clubs for those who receive appren- tice and minimum wage. (c) Special small boarding schools and homes for boys and girls of like religious faith. (d) Some form of allotment to mothers such as i i. ae TEIT errr | "Lo-e ke elu tr pad hairs eee, er eee ee Pe ebgtrt. oe ° ° - , or ey ; “id —LtALoeeLo Lh eet Pel ded tho Ott Moho. det aed [er on ver ert R ee a a ieee . RSet fia eee rR EINE] bidet oh oc tm teeth ld bi Le an . uw’ \e - Palomba biel Galet Pato ALS ah A el hod heed! wale alka +e, Tomer rei ere Date be Ud wae} a ht ; [ey . rere S > &: — 7 Sy or al ~~ eo ot See ee S = 4 o-@ ae Breet rf. ~~ as es Pt ty a a Se ca 7 Se SS e “te ee eee be a ttmnoe~ Lane EEE SS ae Ore ee ean RO oe a oe Se to 5-5 7% Py ~ = Setar saa ae Ce a ee ee Pr eee ee ee r ree 5 Cit Ed) . i bree: Etec ile te tt Pee ye ey a a F eee PEC EPL et Pare | - he etl Madey ba DL rT pe bf Y' . t eee * 1 Tee geen bhigan @ : LL | a 4 he te Py Me 7 nr OS Sit hers ete ee sa Ach iat Ageia ' a F er) A — PRUE Lot re trol Pt Ze TER eee , ries aH YE TPES rin ei Ebb aah hii Met Habe hdd atea > b _ a - a per o ot 4 Ps ower Lo P Pe ee ut tN peeceeergrenesseuetrig hice yt a ¢¢ a aed an] i at oe oe 5 * ‘ PEEL Oe he Ga le Ue eee s16+g tee a a ? ; — CJ ie e454 i 7 r be ee F ihe eee Ben he ke kd et Ee BA eee sts sti tee Peis i ct hs te me a aed pe pe ee 2 oe ee ee oe ee ee ade deed ae ane i. t ts 7 e Se eae tee Teo pe Pee Eek ea pe oe Oe To. oe oe ee eee ee as (Lpd pa pa “PEF toe ght hs ts5e te EE eee Ch he he ee ead he a ek tate T<-— - - = a ae ae _ aniuniiat. rs ~ - roe 4 ee oP ; SP eT tate ee t-te ee eae gel eT Tn? aa Ae a + a Ps a a ~* a, eect gia th ress S rrbecery eto belt, 43.59 7 ~ : eee) . . a be Bae ee eet a Pp ere 2a - Py BI ‘rte ees P J hey ad rd 268 YOUTH IN CONFLICT misinformation and superstition. He is ignorant of fit names for the parts of the body, and process of reproduction. He has no way of asking for clean information because he is not in possession of tools, the right words to ask. Latin words used by phy- sicians have no power to serve as substitute for sim- ple mother-tongue expressions which would serve to release pressures and express natural curiosities. The old Anglo-Saxon sex words are encrusted with filth ; they are encountered now chiefly between pages of old books and on the lips of young children. The modern child does not hear sex stories of the Bible. He must gain everything illicitly. He is without vo- cabulary, or clean knowledge. Certain facts may be taught him at home, but the task of acquiring a ra- tional attitude toward sex must largely be fulfilled by the school. Much waste of energy could thus be avoided. As to what such a social hy giene program should include there is difference of opinion.’ The concept of family formation should be ac- quired in school. Sex instruction in the past has been based largely on the requirements of individual virility, virtue and happiness. The youth is not taught the principles of forming a family ; how much it costs, first and last, what are its social advantages and disadvantages, what is expected of a family in modern civilization, what are qualities of a good father, mother, brother, sister, or the indispensable attributes of a bachelor uncle; all these family mat- ters could be profitably discussed in the Junior and High Schools, or wherever adolescents congregate. They are far more likely to be interested now than at some later time. Family problems in the same 1 See publications of the American Bureau of Social Hygiene, New York.44 phe ® mn » eo Lr ee tt te . - eet bien tee D Wa Oi teds lentes = a8 by deide ak bao bet a de Ded b, sé") bh elerea uctecte ns eee ks ra tog been ab re ea eerie ta dea te ge Watetteeete it We, ae nT | ee A COMMUNITY PROGRAM 269 manner as civics or ethics, or culture-history could be attached to each department of the curriculum. This safety-valve of vigorous, critical discussion would ease some of the tension and irritation of the average boy and girl toward his or her own family. 3. A direct attack upon the problem of training boys and girls of school age to understand intancy and childhood has been made by the Merrill-Palmer experiment in Detroit, under the leadership of Helen Thompson Wooley. Observing that behavior-pat- terns of the child are pretty well set by the time of school entrance, Dr. Wooley has organized a nursery school where actual training in handling problems of tiny children is given young students. Youth is the golden period for education in parenthood ; aiter- wards it is too late, and before egotisms of child- hood prevent. A plan whereby young boys and girls can see something beyond themselves, can be lifted to an objective level in study of human emo- tions is one of the surest and best ways, not only to prevent delinquency in the present generation, but to remove the soil of parental misunderstanding in which it flourishes. Formerly training schools for motherhood in Ger. many, England and elsewhere have stressed the phys- ical care of childhood and they have been in hands of physicians and educators. A better approach to natural interests of adolescents is the psychological. Understanding the behavior and emotional develop- ment of young children has its special fascination. Dr. Wooley’s experiment should be extended to other communities as rapidly as trained leadership can be secured. 4. As part of the public school system (high schools, night classes and state universities ) there ] ED r oe 7 eRe bey Me ne Lh beahepbidetah tetanic Fdlee Hes i / : 2 % Lat) ha se as — ine Ft) i By tet hesteasuss * —- ft 2. oe tors ye SO i. Be Neg 2. Tet oe Sa G, ree PS ee Thiet es, mn ay l Foes SSR laine tae te id ee PS Por ee ete 733 5 Cay ty oe - =? ss ole es eS haem, > ot a - > : = Seree toes ~~ a Feats rs 3 bs ee ote a ey . PD SSS es ae eRe a e 4 pet ozs. ==s ; =a - ia Sete es ee a eee areat et tN bebe) \ - ee ee ay? a Uh ed SOO e TEs Sete eee rere ete Dt bees ae eee a Dh ede Di a Be he . ae ye a a « a ee be be & cre. te a 2 ee b ap te ha AJ ePat-s A : a ’ - ?. A Aad | re Pe Fe oe oe Ps P —— 5 o> 2% 4 ol lalae oe: “1. Seas ct a = toes te ee | se Ps 2 a ¢ to nS - a ie | , eb tae pe ny, ies +e - ~~ 7 ta ta ES Ee eee et ha ae snail ae 2 ~ - - daca ang Jae ee eee oo sg ih da den ta ae ep de 3 EE ee ee a - a _ aa ~ od A es a Se oa . ze dts ad o os 270 YOUTH IN CONFLICT should be well rounded provision for training social workers. ‘This should be a recognized vocation for which preparation may begin early in school life. Technical and professional schools for social workers would not be supplanted by these public school courses. Ihe chief benefit derived would be an enlightened community understanding of problems of social work, which in turn would gain enor- mously from democratic infiltration. 5. [he larger program for community education for problems of delinquency and social work would still have to be left to special groups. While all that increases knowledge of human nature and respect for personality will tend to prevent delin- quency, there are specific areas of misinformation that will have to be combated. Delinquency as a community product and a community responsibility must be faced squarely. Just as we are no longer indifferent if the child next door to our own has diphtheria, so we must understand that to save any special class of children from delinquency, all must be saved. The civic organization which addressed to the mother of a small boy, who had been injured by an assault by a boy about his own age, the following letter: ~My DEAR Mrs. PETERs: ~The members of this Community Welfare League were greatly shocked to hear of the distressing mis- fortune suffered by your son Jonathan recently, and our hearts go out to you in deepest sympathy. ~ This League stands for the protection and welfare of our children and we therefore wish to offer to you any assistance or support which it is within our powerhk Pe be bebe eet ol - —— ‘ 0 wah VM OG+4a ders y 4 ARO bS boas it ue oe veh Siar nei Veivne e fr@e Vids dae eA ube le te ante teen bo A COMMUNITY PROGRAM 2/1 to give in any steps which you may decide to take in connection with the matter. “Assuring you again of our deep interest in your trouble, we are “Very truly yours, “CoMMUNITY WELFARE LEAGUE.” did not comprehend that another mother and child were involved, and to lift the burden of delinquency from that neighborhood it would be necessary to consider the delinquent’s welfare as well as that of the injured child. The community must be taught to consider the problem whole and not to be led astray by spectacular cases, OF desire for vengeance. Community control of public opinion through press, clubs, social agencies and business organiza- tions should seek to restrain profiteers in the faults of youth. Money making, or gaining personal ad- vantage by delinquency of juveniles should be under ban of public disapproval. Only in this way can seemingly respectable snares of lures for pleasure- loving young people be wiped out. Community education of well meaning adults who lack “common-sense” 1S necessary. Those who “pick up” boys and girls at night, house them, give id meals, directly encour- rides and shelter, money al age delinquency. Their activity is usually sen- timental: they feel a glow of pride that they have “done a kid a good turn”; they listen uncritically to stories of abuse and misunderstanding, are too ready to believe ill of parents, schools, public officials ; after lavishing “sympathy” on the young adventurer, they turn him out of doors, or condemn him as a “fraud” in court. It is not kindness, but vanity or ignorance that prompts them to assist girls and To tueer FT ere SITTIN ITP — ] 7 4 7 . Weete el poe Si ohet: Gee lee rned - {Leen Heth ah. be *8) 4st hetensasalad ee VEE eae eae ee MEE Ft FATA IY Ree oP a ee Tn ote eae a hia i ices ec ll Pr - 3 : —- ‘ o ee &°% : ile vite be WM poe tet tl eek oP ah ioe Prony wl eS are oe Neiretllibheiek ts hai : » cs = bes ae . - ay: Ey, tan = = i. T bl mete tseg ak Ea ae cog Sod Sr oo. * at 7 oe ae x 2555.50 a et ee pn ast >a hea Sys - qa a oe ree * et rae veh Ht Boo re a ye ee ee Pe as oy . wo ~ es o % es vcore eet. s 7 LFS wat ae hee 2% Ct eo = a “ a aed eo Oe ed oe Fi - . aa +> : Se omy Prereer cae iw xe ee “ ted STiTces 2 IissH Te Ss ‘ Coal re Sk Dw Spee ee to Pint: Rarieed Seat etaessee ; a bend ee a ia ae TPTt tees ets Ter} S rr di cig eseervertrtedsas: : 23! oor. wy FE we ea So en Se Pee eae eT “ag —_ 5 <— es rae. 3 Se ee ‘ + Ee. wo es ee oy Le ~- a - _ Teta Te > ~_ _ e *« = de ae a its. oe 7 > rs nena s bd Bale ast | < os ees eer tr: . > - * | -. © Led ' egrtrerecers etene eee cet Ore te rer tre recers se b an ad he ae | Ps a « 7 - 5 > > at Et ete tet iets tae yt eee en oe eae ee cia t. ey *ei¢grets+ i 7 = ¢ es - — c2 - a a re re = be so ele a PR e pet i bate 5% ae r _ ae A » F ou < Pa e aid es ry cS - Pees, Meta s st ga eee ea ee ee 2." 2 ba . lat es he eee "frhrce S28ePsestcr recesses rst i J 4 - a fees ‘ 5 elias ed Sn fake otek dad et Dealt Del $e 3 ts ee = - Sl a tal dil dell lal ee vos ak hat te ets _ , oh ee eon 7 ee co2 pe. - -te+oce ~ a eh ge ee pe F< ere. Se SPST ite ehh d td 274 YOUTH IN CONFLICT of good children from such enterprises, they must devise natural ways of using their energy; the essen- tial thing is recognition of mutual dependence of child and adult, the necessity for living together. It old men group themselves exclusively together we have what Kempf attributes to arteriosclerosis, war, secret diplomacy, economic tyranny ;? if chil- dren congregate we have delinquency. No age- group can isolate itself without affectation or fa- naticism., Feminists, youth-movements, mature male organizations have repeatedly been tried by primi- tive peoples and others. They leave the child out. They are useful for certain ends, but they tend to sterility. They are biologically unsound. The social worker ought to see the problem very clearly; of far more importance than social agencies and or- ganizations to care for special handicapped groups in the community is the fostering of a healthy com- munity spirit in which fathers, mothers and children share in work, recreation and neighborhood proj- ects. Ihe modern phenomenon of groups of women playing bridge and mah jongg while groups of boys and girls have “petting parties,” or expeditions to steal automobiles, and groups of men are organizing a new club, secret society, or community drive, is definitely related to the problem of juvenile delin- quency. When it is time for the community to organize special protective societies for children, the disease is already present, and the social worker’s task is to guide these enterprises into constructive channels. 8. In every community there should be some Spe- cific organization or committee to insure a clean press. A civic body composed of business men and ' Kempf: “Psychopathology.”a eet ee eee ed Fable bh ieee eG A) atue m eT ee i oe “ 2 de, echo tee a y APS pk he oo dele ll Cry rhe by PS ’ a : A COMMUNITY PROGRAM 275 women, the larger advertisers, newspaper publishers, a few socially minded parents, and social workers might meet together to form a program. The goal should be formation of public opinion and newspaper policy that would keep the press free of lurid stories of crime, sex-delinquencies, divorce and personal scandal. There should be no attempt at censorship. Papers would print these same items of fact as news, but deliberate appeal to lust, blood, robbery and other anti-social impulses would not be so con- stantly stressed. Personal stories of delinquent boys and girls many papers now refuse to print, in com- munities where the Juvenile Court and other social agencies have been doing good work. To lessen the flow of filth in the average daily paper will re- quire something more than coOperation, since the basic principle of these publications is apparently that nothing is mews which does not alarm, terrify, or unduly stimulate the reader. Compulsion is useless; legislation still more so. Only the American business man and woman who pay the bill for cost of the paper, through advertis- ing, and who in increasing numbers are becoming critical of excess of crime and sex stories in their newspapers, can supply a remedy.” The “murder sheet” extra, or the late afternoon “thriller” is sold on the street by the chance appeal of the headline or clever phrase of the newsboy. The buyer pays, elances at the front page, and his curiosity satisficd throws the paper away. The advertising of such sheets is not read, yet it pays for the entire publica- tion. The scandal sheet litters the streets and chokes 1 The Los Angeles Committee on Journalism was formed as the result of resolutions from organizations throughout the United States, representing hundreds of thousands of members. l , AIST Lee eH ae he een Hoe tone batteries t be dys ara vit Nope Ve Dias te brtee s” ” #e a 7 Poe aaa ee el Palak AEE Le Pe eee eh rs ten aay ia Da +e Pe ba he pre yam a ohn TRaeLrarrnrrre eee err Pree ee cr 0 Mite ho ‘tL Ulte Le hh ee oe ee Pa Ja bs eet f pn, : * ates a bash ee a cd 7 ae - -_ "4%ee Et eee 5 ae | 2 a“ ee ry F; be Sa ts os : Pol ee he imo he ests 7 Sesstrestts A iat bat ok oe CT ee rs: 2 4 eS OR te So hi 2 — cee saesoiaes Sao, <> peSre: ark oa = a os Pe Size 7 7 Pee tied a Obes es So" i a oa Dnt oy hat . 5 J he ey aS row y Fy: sen 1 i tg ~~ pabebeeS —" a E TPR SESS oe eres . >. ab Yaa ee, oe! = SS es Ss ing > - -. is "ta ee tee. -) Seeeet aN ¥ ’ ceatt beatae eth eee ech te het od bees be prisiic iti tee Hes RISTO Tio Pet —— = — oe - ry nn iy S| ere ete * Pe 4. 2 S88 eS e te7st > es A = ee Te oe ae | ae ae ae. a 22735 Me Sod £ ae erst ee P i ce. FB i, ey, con | gee) ee ee eee eee & a a. See ee ad Pes Gsive. ot ee ee at Se Be ie bel Be a gr rn sip ao ok en P'S Ps - ma * «= oe . J 7* ee a bad Silt oy > a P as es . teh bee te lhe hh at eletitoetptaiii fore — es a a ae - - ee mn Ser eee aa — : £43 cof 7s - H ~ — ¥ Eg fa] = Fae mp a ee ans | —— Sr 2ePs2Te - - ~ “ep he Se oly Sete, inal dl ae ¢ $~ru ge 9 an doe Ride dt Le ied . a ~ a a — >... ¥ Beeet igs ee ees £ - - hs an sche deh wt ce ie - ae ps. Bais ge, ek ee ee - [deh tien aed ak a - . P a OS Oo Pee er Se ne Fs , eee hs toe or) ert al ’ et ri: .: a mo = — . . “2 t2 42 276 YOUTH IN CONFLICT the ash can; it is quite literally that which it is sym- bolically,— garbage. Social workers can aid in for- mation of business-groups who in time will eliminate this waste of money, and corruption of public sen- timent. 9. Business men and women should be led to form groups for the moral safe-guarding of youth in in- dustry. Commercial exploitation of youth’s search for pleasure and excitement, unscrupulous hotels, places of amusement and the like, the habit of ‘“*kid- ding” young people employed in public-service enter- prises, lack of protecting the morals of adolescents as we now protect the safety of infants,—all this can be controlled best by leaders of industry in the community. Fraternal and economic organizations already show signs of an awakened interest in boys and girls. Social workers should seize this opportu- nity for constructive protective measures for child- hood.’ 10. All clubs and social organizations should give a definite place in their programs to fostering social welfare. Upon them will fall, in communities where social work is pioneering, the opportunity to create public opinion, and to foster enterprises already be- sun. If a club undertakes to do a specific task of social service, it should employ a trained social work- er as executive. Clubs do best when they devote energies to some one movement, such as Mental Hygiene, Travelers’ Aid, or Americanization, or deal with one group of clients, such as the wayward girl, or boy, or provision of foster homes. Isolation of the one problem strengthens effort, and is the first step toward progress. The special danger to 1In this country men’s organizations, like the Rotarians, are becoming awakened to needs of youth’ P 14 eo ee hed oe Tt t +e iS - . — oer Pe phe a W tO s8d5 ie Lh Fable thd td hehe eee Abide hi Meda we ee The > ~~ SJ ant eceryey . a ae Pee Pk, Re etait nh pbb tub abil aaa ke ere vip ashe gun oye a are ies Aelia ys sed hitedbldes telheton ee 1 A < ; ay " 7 ‘4 3 . a os St er F : : ’ » 4 : . e = i - ‘S274 otpa.° ere rs 4 “= ee << . Ae Saket te te A COMMUNITY PROGRAM 277 i e + he Sper be combated is treatment of the handicapped indi- vidual without reference to the family which pro- duced him. If it be born in mind that social work deals with creation and fostering of social rela- tionship, and that the actual conduct of treatment should be directed by a well-trained, recognized so- cial worker, clubs can be a vast constructive force in our American communities. 11. In each community there should be a child- placing agency which controls the home finding and supervision of all young children who are in need of homes other than the parental one. Careless child-placing is responsible for misery and delin- quency to such a widespread extent that no estimate is likely to tell the full tale. Child-placing is now, through guidance of the great leaders of children’s societies in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and New York and elsewhere in possession of standards that make it one of the most delightful and creative of the social arts. No community which places its chil- dren casually, or adopts them indiscriminately can have a good conscience when its youth becomes delin- quent.* 12. The Mental Hygiene movement should be established in the community that seeks to prevent delinquency, or to deal with disordered behavior. (See Chapter XI.) 13. Protective groups should be organized to care for special types of handicapped persons; the Trav- elers’ Aid Societies, Juvenile Protective Associa- tions, are of the greatest importance in a community program and no constructive or preventive work, on sme ese ~ me - = > kd eee . es ~ . oo - Fat IT Es FS SE CSET eS ss : Tey oe +p ee YS el: Be ce a * Pi ‘ewe? =e Uae - ~ te a Se dae oe Lt ee * tt tnt ey Le So ee i: eam ss Ee ry te cater es et Sa Pe Pat neta, ate es See wesers leon Tod “INT aay os ees ~ a al 21 pra 3 pay | a yav eat Leesa eae eh a yt eat ae — S _ Ist ae $i: Sear at ial oT Ciitee: $i; 3 e"E SE mee a. Peer ese Sesnges 1See Bulletin: “Child Welfare League of America.” Dr. Henry W. Thurston, president, 130 East 22nd Street, New York City, N. Y. persicae: raters a eas * rt. St et eet: a ad NS. = ~ a Se ae Spe tet od od ae TO hte eee Seite EC ree ata! : Ses oe a oe ee a ae ae et e ete es - " n (‘TEE rTrLler ry PR IRA TT sede t= te er . Eta Bets eee ee a bee oe eee Pie ee ae) hes bok deeaweaa Ll TL Ore ae : I ntti APL bh Lint la er Pa , Pose Ube CeCe ES ty Se Pree r " Akita tale ry - ite oe ee Pebedbed de eee Sil a te ee eee es Pa a Ae . Ds Be) 804: Bote wo ve vor } ©): dee tae: Hod chee er Come ns ae Peyton Pe Pr Pe ie See ye ets Peere RS RE Ea a morn cov iewtind) hati sp oc ini Dh rie adit an bot Ee Sa | a aaa . ~~ =A 33 PETER ee ats teoeg — Sa al Ped pee — oo ee . ete an a ‘ie Ga ta oe at a oe oe oe ‘" a ee me Ts cf a Sto 16 be ees « - bd ¢ “ Sy et . Skt It. tS eee a K ot Pe Pe ~~ oe : ae eo, ee oe? Tt ppd, gi § ‘+ rd. in ‘ a ed - eu Br Paetedensteseledpdrspeverng-prectese ese re ees eer erp ey rice Pt ee Sy ee soe eee es ms #4 £5353 i ~ | tity ie aad ot ad an i, a ee . ew. : fat. £3 fe7 3 tt ms os. b= j a Pe te ae el a ee Ps ee - 3 + — i —— tee tee omg aa ' ke ee. ae a 2 as Seon ee tS. ee a. Te hE a oe ol eal ee et Ce ee ee ee a ae - » — ce Te Bede od mh. . oe 72 iJ an = a 278 YOUTH IN CONFLICT a comprehensive scale, can be undertaken without them. 14. No large community program can do effective work without a social service exchange, a non-polit- ical system of administering relief, and a loyal co- operative federation of social workers. ‘The means of financing social work of the community must be worked out in each location. Of special value will be formation of qualified social workers into a pro- fessional group, such as the American Medical Association for physicians, or American Bar Asso- ciation for lawyers. Ethics of the profession of social work, matters of technique, training and vocational placement of social workers, can be en- trusted to this group. 15. Each community should formulate some plan for professional training of social workers. Local persons could be sent to the great schools of Social Work in New York, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia and elsewhere; if necessary, several social agencies could combine and send one member for the pur- pose of learning adequate record keeping, or investi- gations, or social treatment, or whatever was lack- ing in the social resources of the community. State universities and colleges are gradually establishing schools, or departments, of social work. No com- munity can afford to blunder along with make-shift social workers, any more than they can employ street sweepers to build bridges on which their lives depend. Training of social workers tends to develop sta- bility of personnel. Changing personnel works hardship in treatment of juvenile delinquency 1The American Association of Social Workers has local groups in most leading communities.wt Cit eee 4 14 ¥pedete id grted cals?) ret Reet Serta A ie Hb aL) eee te ie eas St eek ; sd r . ae A COMMUNITY PROGRAM 279 where so much depends on establishing permanent social relationships. Continuity of treatment is desirable. Change, flux, drift, broken faith, unkept promises, situations that are unstable are agony to children whose own homes are so changing. When social workers can send their own roots deep into the soil of their chosen community, much can be accomplished. 16. Any community which desires to prevent delinquency must provide recreation facilities for all the boys and girls. Camps, playgrounds, winter sports and club rooms, handcraft classes, drama leagues, fire-side industries, swimming pools, gym- nasia, nature-clubs, all these and many more are needful in creating outlets for youths’ leisure time. There should be no special trust in apparatus and organization; the main thing is will to play on part of the community as expressed in a few vigorous personalities gifted in getting along with children. K *K 4K “kK *K The newer communities have no cause for dis- couragement. Older communities have inherited much that is clumsy, unwieldy, laden with tradition and prejudice. Social machinery becomes obsolete almost as soon as it is erected because human nature is dynamic. New communities have the greater opportunity to avoid mistakes and to create living tissue. There will be no serious blunders com- mitted if in a community program a few clear, sim- ple things are held constantly in view. There should be honesty and simplicity of approach. If a com- munity lacks a given social device, it should not be content with any group of persons who apply some new label to their activities and proclaim: “Lo, here 7) - TIGL et ee APE bumkinl LL LAPL IC lacy bi ee Peete ta on * kL! it eteet | ft i. re are ee aS p ~ . : ee! v MET ; Mid eet week Lr rey vue, | ap hPa Dalle i HOR Rede ded Aimed) tne > Ris Pit ites Lo othe PEAT! baie ohn toe ene at Pietro , ; imal tell ae ewer, fee Wigs ee De) en CY PT operetta dos perelnu tl oth eee ao Pi Mab rites eee ee tee et at) bbe) op hmh Teeth Abi Ania OL) habitat gee ale a or ee ate abi ele eee ee Wh ei Li b aharidhed pibved ade RRR | elite bel Tere . PE Prior pee ! 2 if » > - . = Vest edo 3 eT Sere: we ie he a ole . es eee ng Ne oe 2 p Sa? ag 4 a os Ge we se a ee ar teat ae > Pq en sot a - ~A ie fesore eye SS Sind ee ah Ses Sas ws 7 eda ache ~~ tr &<3%5%: eee rs pide aber or te St oe Sy WH Ewin eh RePIrereRebetveres vey) , err ot te et Se Ps Cee ee SCT ee tt ae i ee a “at & phoebe te ee - ta are ee oe es +s ene no ree ater eo St tS eertrens terete aren hn oul San ee, a ee ee . TS rs te en tl ae Se % \*—2 ; -- ree Lo git Si4 ’ ie st oe - Oe % oe Pe - - pt ee % a Te - * a ST Lae cl ft i ae Ks - oe . on SJ) pia ee ed Stare serprereresereseseresere | ap ws ree = | a a 4 $5i142k58so4 eee a — ~ 4 a ute . ea ee 4 ae ha « 329 ‘ ee oe’ 3 ae po « a ta Eo £4 | Jie ee eae a ae ees be ke ee ee ‘whee, Va LL oe ok Seo . —— ee CSS Fg i e- he “A o he ig 4 a as - —- bs z <*> at gS 1 aS PFS ES: - ih heh te tel ee ed 2 Ssiezel ei — » * wa i es Ps i 2 ro bd i ch atid —— bene - P ante act arte th, eh ee ee i ne . Pe - : Pers fe ee a ape + bd - —_ tilted Seal a on 17 — a) = ad a 2g : ee Fe ee = a J - ae ebsites ee ot te et eee ee et ste thE nests steht ae ee a ae eae > <> . » e aa +4) } ~ = ak ————— mi as. rs q et pag - >. F SoS) ict etweee bed _ 280 YOUTH IN CONFLICT we have it!” Patient, enlightened construction is the only thing that counts. Then, the child, at home, at school, in industry, on the streets, in play, in court, police department, or social agency, should stand out as the central theme of interest and love; his being sacred to growth, his welfare the supreme goal of the community. No community program can run of itself. ‘For know, whatever was created needs to be sustained and fed,” wrote Milton, and it might be added that even a tree planted must have a guardian, or some one will cut it down and sell the spot for real estate. Nothing can endure, no institution, so- ciety or organization, no monument, method, or landscape will survive in civilization unless the im- pulse that created it, loved it, builds up consciousness in other human beings that it must be cherished and developed, through days to come, against destructive forces of ignorance, malice, greed and indifference. Social achievement, then, is not one act or a thou- sand; it is a continuous process. There should never come a time when a social worker points with pride and says: “See what I have built!” Even as he speaks walls are crumbling, and decay sets in. Self- complacency is not for social engineers, nor for artists who do social work. Nothing that matters will endure without constant human support. In social creations the only “safe” things are already Rif CAhed a es oo ht be te) TE , a at vba’ art. , rt ape MP eae | a tT Pte eee o ‘ 139) whet arts ey 4 Pr att eT Lott) rt het int bi beds a4 a ee i ee ee pty yA ied feeb hae Eh) tated DCIS Bir ett yen Oraed rr tae CHAPTER XIII SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE OF YOUTH IN CONFLICT In our treatment of problems of juvenile delin- quency we have asked questions; we are not yet ready to propose widespread solutions. We have come to view delinquency as conduct that is not isolated and distinct from normal conduct, but as part of the stream of human behavior, a response to certain situations in modern life. Maladjustment of young people appears in varying guise; now as fail- ure in school, or home, now as illness, “nervous pros- tration,” sudden “breakdowns,” suicide, mental and emotional disorders, again as_acts of delinquency. The organism is seeking its goal. The method it selects to meet life may destroy it and injure society. In last analysis delinquency is a public health prob- lem. For thousands of years courts and officers of the law have struggled to oppose crime and delinquency by means of force. It is doubtful if they have less- ened by one the number which enter prison walls. Some fresh method of approach must be reached, and it is a significant sign of our times that the most hopeful aspects of the treatment and prevention of anti-social conduct are found in the movement against juvenile delinquency. As we survey the field at large, we see that con- structive measures applied to the young have a marked effect in reducing those symptoms which, if 281 —P error 2k bes Gaeie noe FP) Mn oA EL sate C US wes : boned gron, 4 ie eats D rr a " , Cra ree | a Conia re beehbie ruled Et Fads sath eGe® MNO. Deer Red -§ phe. A pt I he rs bat Colt te Sit Sete PRE hae tll ro etl ei te Peary ree CeEepes : rite as SIPEEILIL EL : re io Perla EPPTEFEM bethinhs be $0-omh gl 8) Tt ell Pe he Mae rae ne et ee - db bh Lad tek fe pene otejedee PO ea ne si? | on A . or ) as) are r, f pt ' bd on ee 7) deans / in >? * al ~ eet Shae - oe hae ee hy irre caer — sak Nel Pah. hee = Se ee be = ares io. aie —* ad hk IS. S Ye Fs or: = ; Li del . 2 Tlie uae = es eS Ps :. 3 - ee eS ies a) — aw ie 2 ow FY ry ps ery . = —“ Soe 5 oe ry “ mn ae “a = ry & a 2T4 re nage ima ee. Meee lh ee -o fee 2S Be | Sy et Se +e ee ak ed EP et = - ete yee — af = we Se eS - geese , a oe ! ae: Peas S ee - za : -* oe oreo Pete ers sc A london = Git Oh on ee Paes Teeter tt = i FS Sey esas e res a 4 ere Ce es ee re Fe) > ee >AG hoe 2% 86- 4 ewe : cel SaAR ET eh ad ae lt Bee Tcae ee ease-« _ _—-«. ee . *. bi po (owt 7. ) a on eS SE & ee ee i bihepieene 4 io eo a eh ee cee ae? ys a = Mth PA Dll: ints ip, Jae am, eae, - a a os a a Pd ei » idl dae le ee <7 3st. Pa » ee min So ee a ee 2) pe. -,. Po, ee Pe, ae oe me ee oe es iS aed seer kel de a he at De et eel beg nd . rae ahd ~~ a pt, ee Be eS ee ata ee ie ed 4 ae en 7 ed i os Ratan hs en : er Tee \ sepeersrerereesese sg SESE reer p ee cere sas eset EPS TS HTLV STE EEE) , > Sng uri o. 4 eee. 6 - i . i oe eS s . ~ + i a ree «@ oo 4 ee fae arose ee . ; . , a -_ - cso, ee ae ak, ae. 5 S a + s ia oe re * 6 ” ee ee ae i 7 5 s 2 eletetegt: Dee > Peek ‘Eteesiarses ‘est et ate ‘ eet? 3s ar: 5 me co c a hed ie aN de ok el Berl ie ee eee OS Oe Ee OS Sp eae pepe eee Ptidistrhsierrsect setinkeest est pe pebestse gas ob casi vete ed sp ad eik ieee a . ‘ bee 282 YOUTH IN CONFLICT permitted to go unchecked into adult life, result in such serious conditions as crime and permanently psychopathic traits. It is true that we have under- estimated the plasticity of youth. Casting about us for explanations of the many forms of treatment for the vast numbers of young people in conflict to-day with authority, with older social forms of the family, the school, the church and the community, we seem to see this as “the century of the child.’”” Yet more properly it could be described as the century of the malady of childhood. In truth the attitude of the adult modern world is inappropriate to the demands of youth. Youth, seeking always to win and to enjoy life, finds itself pitted against an order of things where the satisfac- tions of earning and spending money outrun the earlier and more fundamental goals of our race. What is profitable living? For any dominant peo- ple it must always have its center of gravity in the child. Normal biological life demands that child- rearing be an entirely satisfactory occupation to the majority of adults. If they become discontented with children, or if they leave them out of account, children seek their own satisfactions blindly and without guidance. The remedy can be sought in no mere palliations, but must be rooted in a fundamental adjustment in which vital impulses join with a rational guiding principle. That our older institutions of family and group control have partially broken down is a chal- lenge to seek more deeply for fundamentals. Youth in its criticism, expressed by delinquency, is com- pelling a more searching attitude toward our ancient structures. Delinquent children compel the ques- tion: In what way can we consider ourselves more fit" , . , ee FL Pe bea a . Fed “ao le Pn Tt) - Ne ta oe Oo ilk Paes oe ih tt eo: diet bidet ak OLS be] ’ - Ti Pre eet Te Tr ee! peeks ee Ty ee Pees Le ee ae | “ tat blatbittere bE RCE CR hi baie SS be bee ak ae al 4 283 SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE than they? These young people rushing toward delinquency exhibit not only their own strength of purpose, but our weakness. Our interest in them must not be sentimental. When Desdemona told Othello: “T love thee for the distressful strokes thy youth hath suffered,’”’ she expressed the enthusiasm which human beings always feel for triumph of young energy over misery; but the mature adult who seeks to serve youth in conflict must be guided by some- thing more than enthusiasm or pity. We must in truth turn to science for our deliver- ance. Some minds, viewing the framework ot classification, machinery which has been built up to diagnose and to record, the enormous amount of time given to words, to reports, technique and to conferences, doubt the power of science to solve the problem of human maladjustment. The trouble 1s that we have minor scientists as well as minor poets. The authentic voice in the science of human behavior has simply not arisen. Good-will will not solve the problem, nor is phi- losophy or art sufficiently devoted to weaker and handicapped forms of life to effect a solution. Science, with all its mistakes and false values, still remains the fittest instrument with which to delve ‘nto secrets of human behavior. It alone possesses requisite impersonality and far-sightedness : advance cannot be made by science, however, until the public mind is prepared to face the truth without fear. In the meantime there will be increasing conflict. Youth has supreme energy for the struggle. With abundant vitality it experiments with new social forms which we have not the courage to asSay. oy rr a) Ti ee : ve Rite tid Cotte nl PET Le . - ¢ - There is no reason to condone the faults of TNE CLT oe eT UT ere eter hope LP Erp R webduss aavasisg? rene Hall ihe He sad Ge bp wth > tees ba io 1) eet Mes Lp eA kieah i Moorhead aan hd 0 Pe Bikey te bee ee +r Fateh brnet ha a ee Che a 2 Re te, ae oe ee " — i a @eotet! digede eee te A. Aube Le) Lkahauk i) ile ee er hie " pide \. 4) tod a! Te eer Dy wee or fore or Pet wt « - Te é Ms die he Me een of q vt or se Sere ever t se. f- acute rf a reseed ee . al ea » Sat Sg SE - Land S 3 << We Se. oy s — oes - a as 4 ys Sr or he ee . 4 re ee ite, ol S24 ck er $3. Jy ee es SE Pere -—* eons ey te Csor ty ~ ae Se ss 4 3 rey Witte eee eas * al ne Ae eat al et ry " — s ~~ eQcl¥ sto rs itr AEE ee ed ee ¥. es 4 ~—~s al es ee ea aos :ge att he bebe} \ —— sp the Pe? 112+ eee ee ae 2: < ak a] wv be wheres ee: r ee ans ol ral Dale Ad a Bs a » Fi a. - % =" “a. " ort ot & 7 | Maoh oe FX Pe ee, eS i oe oe | = io at ak * wate Ps pat gk be oe ge bk -* eens -_. “ ea te S398 +e te 4 % #: 7 Prspretgap Prectese Pls ret ns Sao pola Pama ee REBT he = aie od . > 2 a) me . eas = . * . S ~ aejom 4 Ir ty Hs Pete $5 as - 4 bh ee ab ere - | eee ao. er se ee, eR PEPSI ATS = +? si aah om de hn ed a wn ae _ ~~ ~ a Poe g a Ps °% be Dis : a ae al » ed ste rer’ eee ead _ -* eee et re oe Pe ee - * * - 4 a, tae - “ a al _o e « - ee en A oa C * _ a. i oe » A. “7 a oe hale or sth hk det ot thi ral, athe e ” Se a =. 2 ee a — . , ’ , ; ‘ ‘y ne +r" B ' p a th ta lel sl ee te bt Ae eta ah ha . = eH teire - 284 YOUTH IN CONFLICT youth. They are glaringly self-evident. What 1s not so apparent is the need for a fresh approach to age-old problems of human association. Certain things grow in spite of opposition of pain and weak- ness. The delinquent child is bearing the burden of experimentation; he has been forced into that posi- tion by adult selfishness. The broken home repre- sents the struggle of adults to free themselves from intolerable situations. When adults are enabled to develop stability of interest, and adequate emotional control, we shall see the burden of delinquency lifted from the shoulders of the children. When children become maladjusted, the public is satisfied by vigor and objectivity of social treatment. Those who know understand that only an inner change of motive and of goal is competent to produce lasting changes in human behavior. When in adult society the emphasis is shifted from transitory economic goals and seeking for power to the primary biological goals of healthy childhood, juvenile delinquency will no longer be an insoluble problem. It will depend on the attitude of adults toward life,? ray A 4% bleh has do be or u y Cre eo P| Y oe es! + are 5 Me vr oh ag aes A ip ea Fade et : bg be ¥} ee ay rh bt} “et “hay B pe “4 i bed : by he { s bi A a » ord oor ate ve ’ aN + ‘ 2 r aN ‘ oe A ii a Cat ed Actr a ri } 4 Pr hs, pe PA ke mf aly Pd ed Sean coer o r4hmy, VP Yrens ra de | Pers Fi 7 : te ” ee rel Ba a ia apa gd y ' Creo oF LP oe se | rr a Sade ed a aera Ph at of oe ae if Pry eran % F Rater to Peer eee ot Ie a ic Ve w55 4 ke tA Te hp a eae et TPT Plows , Ponieiten thee Ll ar tow “Y ‘ aay hy - , a La) oo i3ct Har Aparths ‘- Ses 2 Ms a ate Me-hedwead a“wt- eee) ee) i e nes - "TLT ee | ND 5} ues a + Ae@ean weess wi ie a | pw aus bok co " Ls. ern = ta 996544 eet 4 eis aati ew? boy Ah B Dees NE A ais +A Wlauaten sears’ be BR et : A je ae" Vga. Academic education, 209 Addams, Jane, 65, 119 Adding Machine, The, 10, 126 Adjustment, 233 Adventure, 25, 5I Age, factor in successful ad- justment, 124 Age-groups, 83, 273 Aid, to mothers, 263 Americanization, 16, 20 foreign children cut off from er spiritual background, 5 American Association of So- cial Workers, 244, 278 Anderson, Dr. V. V., 231 Annulment, 80 Anxiety : of adults, 70 child, 106, 251 Approbation, 125 Art, 141, 235, 253 Assaults, 42 Attitude, 33 toward juvenile delinquency, 147, 149, 154 toward sex, 46 in adults, 70, 82 children’s response to, 73 how built up, 125 of the artist, 142 Attorneys, 166 Automobile : as factor in delinquency, 44 camps, 74 Bedwetting, as symptom of anxiety, 74 Beers, Clifford, 190, 226 INDEX kei tes Le mS ’ ee - Paid * Pee a hehehe eS 1 Behavior-codes, 76, 131 problems, 168, 232, 235 Bernstein, Dr. Charles, 58, 264. Bethesda Society, 264 Biological goals, 26 neglect of, 59, 66 of the family, 65 of age-groups, 83 youth, III conflict with social stand- ards, 132, 282 Binford, Jessie, 104, 120 Breadwinning, the sole task, 33 Breckenridge, Sophonisba P., 170 Broken homes, 63, 67, 72 Brooks, Van Wyck, 132 Bullen, Margaret, 262 Burleigh, Edith, 266 California, Appellate Court decision, 199 Campbell, C. Macfie, 233 Case-study for institutions, 201 Censorship: of conduct, 126 of society, 265 Chancery, 9, 159 Child, goals of, 67 Child placing, 277 Child Guidance Clinic, 186, 231 Child-rearing, 46, 66, 231 “Children of Loneliness,” 58 Children’s Bureau, 113, 179, 243 287 Pai ede i ~ Pre & teats tig: ’ ym neg” : Wada A ee Le) thn bol sti tara ik Ped a tr tal od eo “8: = bla'y yt yA a pee Probe) He Pes H , SEresErae o Sop eT eee wy oe eye AL pie Sevres vert renee hele Pearse Seek hee rasake re re er et rd ————— I —>— le es * of ts Ser ess 4 at tt h eae ete eee a | ee Pe ae ST res Se Er 5 a. +e Ts et Si " yr mer rere pes) to rar ” . yr. a ee ee ee eee eee EEE eat tebe tell eee Pe he eee ee ee ee ee Ped Veleeeuraye! } r3o) 7 “ ‘ D Patt ts dank wae PECTPSILIGE EL La) a | ms hah uh beak alot Le Tt. had A Pad pothadel te eee: Pnend bebe bh ld Ce arr | . . . Bore beat fotcie ih tee + entan J bicas- ea ates Miah I Pep creda ae pes sper er haa nb ele aah Mert bh ed wa ete bly Whi bdoite ae Pee ee ~ - ed wipro: * Pra et _ tte ee re . ve - - = PI ‘ a ' a Bs a —. ea ‘>.> ‘ el ok ded ho ee a J A a . 7 - ; * ee a Ace ase FESS TiTles Fret eceses ee hat ohh ek oe et he ee ee * an ae oe oe 5 a 5 net hee a ceo Sth ht ik es eas bd - Eg i fae a el Be ole ge a © el etet mt oe ems * he ie eo e4 ht Gal el el ek ol i Se ee a pe beat ce tial daa’ Rg a4 al al a ihe a ie Church, 272 as social worker, 140 Classification, 230 Clinic, 11 conference for school prob- lems, 92 Clouston, T., 195 Club life for delinquents, 192, 203 Colonization of feebleminded, 58 Comfort, 137 Community standards, 128 Community contact, 211, 216 Community program, 257, 270 Concurrent jurisdiction, 33, 45, 162 Conditioned reflex, 137 Conference-method, 203 Conflict : of rights, 10 conflicting parents, 54, 74 child, 67 expressed, 79 school retardation, 106 as stimulating, 110 Consumers League, 113 Consort, definition of, 131 Contempt of Court, 153, 163 Contributing to delinquency, 15, 119 Correctional education, 200 Credit-associations, 121 Criminal law, as _ contrasted with juvenile procedure, 10, 150 Cruelty, 60, 61 Custody of children, 61 Dance-halls, 120, 140 Day, Clarence, 126 De Quincey, 226 Defense-reaction, 150 Delinquency : produced by parental atti- tude, 67 288 INDEX Delinquency (Cont.) : as expressing an adult code, 129 sex-delinquency at younger age, 130 numbers in correctional schools, 140 definition of, 146, 156, 173, 225, 281 attitude of, 149, 154 expressing conflict, 183 Diet, of delinquents, 20, 22, 4I, 208 Discipline : certain types no trouble, 37 unwise, 154 [45 District Attorney, 20, 31, 37, Domestic Service, 115 Dominate, 36, 65 will to dominate in social work, 236 Dress, 107 Drury, Louise, 264 Dummer, Mrs. Wm. F., 61 Dunham, Francis L., 197 Durability of Social Workers, 254 Education, in correctional school, 208 goals of, 233 Efficiency-chart, 218 Eliot, Thomas, 93 Ellis, Havelock, 63, 135 Emerson, Waldo, 256 Emotional control, 250 Emotions: life history of, 137, 228 habits, 213 El Retiro School for Girls’ Conference, 205, 264 Equity, 159 Failure, 187-188, 195 Family : life-goals, 59, 65, 78, 86, 131 dynamic, 75* et. hae tobe LE — oO , Mh id eet DAPeri io tole PPT ee A bs tefanath sOay 7 " ‘Lie i. belle tr 1 ALERTED Teta s Petes Gao . ; i ce | ' ee INDEX Family (Cont.) : dramatic situations, 105 family formation instruction, 268 Fanaticism, 249, 274 Father : function of, 59 perversion of, 69 false ideals, 78 Fear of failure, 214 Feebleminded, social treatment of, 58 Foster homes, 116, 263 France, Anatole, 143, 153 Francis Parker School, Diego, 208 San Geddes and Thompson, 231 Gentleness, in approach, 41 Gossip, 60 Grandparents, 130 [195 Growth, factor in adjustment, Guiding-line, 76, 125, 139, 141, 246, 248 Guilt, of adult, rather than of child, 45 Hall, G. Stanley, 246 Hall, James Norman, 273 Hatred, as delaying recovery, 194 Healy, Wm., 59, 68 Hearsay evidence, 53 Henderson, John G., 160 High school, “scandal,” 43, 136 Hoag, E. B., 159 Home: definition of, 63 task of, 64 good, 66 Puritan, 77, 133 Humor, sense of, 254 Hulburt, Judge Henry S., 262 Hypocrisy, 78, 133 Identification, of the self with the delinquent, 240 DAbacamete ne. | al PN cp wih i) PP OA Le Partie te he bis d 7h q ae. ee 5 — 7 ° — io Tri Pe ak ay P i eh tee re. phn eo rst ot Pe Se Tr eng ye Pie eh oe Be an MEE eet 5 + Wrist a ba Pl ea Phar ‘ ; bah ih be t*den- 7) ee St ed ys E 289 “Independent merchant,” de- cision of Supreme Court. Newsboys, 114 Individualization, 200 Industry, III, 193 Inferiority-feeling, 72, 129 Inhibition, a force in person- ality, 246 Insight, 35, 101, 106, 134, 178, 182 Institutions, 264 executives of, 238 Institution-fallacy, 198 Isolation: of modern culture, 139, 145 of church, 141 Jail-commitment, in sex of- fense inadequate, 45 evils for children, 150 Jeter, Helen R., 170 Jurisdiction of Juvenile Court, Juvenile Court: parental nature of, II types of cases, 59 relation to normal 67 good procedure, 74, 100, 159 bad procedure, 150, 153 unnecessary Cases, 120 early history, 147 legal basis, 159 construction of law, 161 socialization of, 164 Juvenile Court Committee standards, 171, 243 number of children in 1923, 176 contribution of, 225 control by judge, 259 referee, 260 family, Kant, moral law, 138 Keller, Helen, 252 Kempf, Edward, 35, 65, 99, 125, 174, 178, 194, 250, 274 PEISALTCRETILE ans FTI, Ue pt ed oe ok ee ee Pe eves HSER EBs eA rtboe | poep ena is are i isd ah tl Spe YE Rapa iret leks ic eed led ie en ye » * fam pe sy. 4 Dh Pea Ae abet OLE oe LPer =f vy rect en tre hoes Abies eit Le ea a ee VOR eet ea ; a Ree Pee rer ree Se PT Porn | 4! fesg | kT hom os eee et = a » ore ie io So) ee at ae. * Se Ss = at eat Te [ort — J a . — = 3 Saas ete: oe at a. : ~ ep yy ey A " > eT tele Senee tad A Re ea eee te ER Eee Phy tetris aya +=2- y ty ee be toe coe => a : << = Sette Po ea ey = Ss 5 easy TS: ee 22 : ee ee ee ee rer 5 ree re} eet. it. PASE Ed oe et ad <. > A6F ya a « * i. P rj a foe ee ror a. ey en Qe * * es Se a i oak S weet Lae as reise a alts a « Be “ PERE SS BS yt ay ae ee eS er es go eae gD #4 PSRs: diol keen el eta HY Ca ia Read th ok ahh eri eal ite deat dt abv ee eee Pov Pies wb ee ne - ae 4 a ot ke 5 pW 9*.s5 SSE IS ritheceesepegacrss Sethe — nk + t-. Pe ee ae a a oboe 32% > ro “Kidding,” a factor in delin- quency, 45, 117, 276 Lamb, Charles, 22 lao-tse, 76 Lathrop, Julia, 147 Law-enforcement, 119, 265 Lay, Wilfred, 134 Lazaar, Lucile, 116 Leisure-time, 200, 279 Litigation, unnecessary, 39 Lindeman, Eduard, 88, 124 Love-objects, 68, 1&4 Macy School, 105 Making good, process of, 177 usual in children from good homes, 47 critical moments, 250 Maladjustment, 59, 72, 95, 99, 174, 281 Malicious mischief, 38 as thwarted energy, 59 Marriage factor in adjust- ment, 192 of ward does not end super- vision, 57 law of California, 80 modern standards, 131 cheapening, 134 Maternity, a constructive act, oI Mental health, destroyed, 72, 225 Mental hygiene, 37, 99, 223, 277 Mental retardation, 41 as factor in obscene litera- ture, 43, 104 as factor in prostitution, 48, 61 school problems, 103 Meyer, Adolf, 99, 223, 227 Modern conveniences, as detri- mental, 59 Molecans, 18 Monte Cristo, Count of, 198 290 INDEX Mother: function of, 65, 77 fear of motherhood, 70 whims, 74 Moving pictures, 23, 30, 51 Murder, 48 Myerson, Abraham, 108, 120 National Probation Associa- tion, 176, 244, 260 National Committee for Men- tal Hygiene, 231 Neglected childhood, 51, 273 Neighborhood school, 95, 105 Nelles, Fred, 177 Newspapers, 23, II5, 159, 165 selling by boys, 114 ridicule of marriage, 135 exaggeration of delinquency, 136 morals of, 145 clean, 275 Obscenity, 43 Oneida Colony, 133 Orchard School, Mass., 264 Parental: rights in conflict with child’s interest, 42, 54, 74 praise and blame, 138 humiliation, 44 vigor, 47 conflict in ideals, 58 selfish absorption, 71, 75 fear of children, 76 unfitness may be temporary, 170 desire to dominate, 239 Parens patriz, 160 Parole, 37, 266 Penn, William, 197 Personality : parental respect for, 66 shut-in, 68 sources of growth, 7I, 137et. me hdtolu cali Pee ee BI Pe oF ee vie ee ee TP Di pean ee ee ‘ a ta OWE hehesisenal yy) Nite rene i Vi i . ry P 7 ile . - rs | ry ' Poh bed >. Pebdb bak bie ke feet 4 Geheg Weds 4d: top-w ih att PRY ears tial i hh ed ool bee ated ti’ hea er ee ieeditteciieen te eh dah thes A. INDEX 201 Personality (Cont.): in teachers, 98, 105 changed by attitude, 152 infantile, 37, 252 training, 197 study of in institution, 206 adjustment of, 212, 254 successful with the malad- justed, 234 [245 extraverted and introverted, definition of the normal, 246 Petition, 11, 160 unwarranted, 60 Physical education, 207 Physical examination, 12, 201 in truancy, 92 Police Court, evil of bail, 48 Police, responsibilities of, 257 Punishment (Cont.): correctional institution, 108, 213 Questions, for the young, 144 Rational control, 248 Recreation, 279 Reéducation, 33, 42 fof, 198 Reformatories, early history Religion : conflict between parents and children, 19 need for youth, 140 relation to social work, 235 Response, 36, 235 Richmond, Mary, 179, 250 Rice, Elmer L., 10, 126 Police-women, 119, 258 Riots, 155 Posture: Robinson, James Harvey, 236 as evidence of attitude, 34 Robots, 123 of failure, 208 Probation, 242 success, 174, 182, 194, 262 Probation Committee, 260 Probation Officer, 33, 47, 152, 171 education of, 261 Project method, 214 Promiscuity, 29, 44, 133 Primitive peoples, 127, 134, 135, 139, 146, 273 Prison discipline, 197 Psychiatry : need for, 59, 92 contribution, 174, 228, 235 qualifications for the profes- Rodin, 253 Rosanoff, A. J., 246, 247, 252 Routine, monotony of, 22 Runaway, conditioned by par- ents, 68 Russian, 11 religious sects, 18 conflict between immigrant culture-ideals, 58 Santayana, George, 249 Sarcasm, 254 Schleiermacher, Friedrich, 86 School: curriculum needed for de- linquents, 19, 22, 94, 97 sion, 246 function as a social group, Psychological examination, 12, 88 201 socialized treatment, 90 Psychopathic traits, 42, 245 Puberty ceremony, 135 Public Opinion, 126, 149, 190, 271 Punishment, 17 unavailing, 69 school, 100 “special schools,” 91 punishment, 97 responsibility for vocational guidance, 113 program for preventing de- linquency, 257 Self-assertion, 35, 129 Ce TT es Fal o ey tae aa ee SN WA abate tant ie Toe — +. = ee eke i al Ssrpetcc> Peo oer oe > rs _ i a hs te eS al ne +. 2 ae & —_ 7 Peete esol as wip Eeerary rete te vis ~ Py Cr rary - het oe Te ed ray 3S #2 te it eat ~- —~— ig ay" at Se Se Ve a Ba Oa “4 — — <4 to te erste less secsse phe 2 Se Se ed a : x » ey rire bss az bal ~ és Mere es ry one rs ? * ee ~ sek == os es tet Cee et te Sh a org are rs CS The eae hi ee de > ¥ - + Cee ed 7. . = - we yr ree Cita Pan ee Pervrrriy hy eri) erty re ya tel bike | err ey art Aino ote Par A Lee arereree Cth elare ttre tie ; a Ah ; no bebale ari ieqraea. “ieee ~ nn fit PLS SREP AE Mar ay iehirtihe dt hode tied Mra i-th ep tote Wire itebdes nb A oh a Phechart Nia US hid lalla ano aan oh en dnse 4 3 TP as Reve wee Peass ' Pe et to 3 Tie bt) ps ot 14 ree as meh GLEV4B? sth als be ee a Par 1 es “——— aa ~~ a pl + ew « 2S 4 rate -« i ree eet Ld 7 a 4 J . oe C3 4 A * —— f : ° an. - - & + > a * . + severe thee tenets ‘ ae Se ss aoe Sed F ey 4 - “" a rr e+ a LJ Seog Precttee ~ * -_ . = +> 3794 7 a 24th 4 en ee Ss - : ’ - ~ . iad le a hE Oe bed ae re eer are SP ePepape pers plates eters tees — . Ce ee te eee eat iti ak ~ % a > oe ee, Thee get eae. £3 foe" 44 a7 8 . ed tha te rv means SS SOP ST ee we en gt a +t 35580 a =e b Sh alten eh see de ee . ~~ - or Be - A ’ ih lg oa ‘ara, 3 fe -: Tr. = . = i 3 ie a 2", 2 ede ee eS oe AS , ee “* * t sie ig » 27 eee i Ran edt tte | - be —— bs ~ ay ey ti Fx: res fil. o nt Self-esteem, 128 Self-righteousness, 194 Sentimental workers with de- linquents, 240 Service-industries, 116 Settlements, 59 Sex instruction, 30, 33, 46, 47, IOI, 100, 268 Sherrington, 247 Shontz, Orfa Jean, 187 Skeat, W. W., 95, 131, 146 Smith, Dr. Carrie Weaver, 177 Social achievement, definition, 280 Social esteem, 33, 128, 178 Social groups, 88, 110, 125 Social relationships, 186, 228 Social standards, 128, 137 Social work, training for, 242, 278 Speech defect, infantile per- sonality, 40, 74 Spencer, Anna Garlin, 63 Sterry, Nora, 59 Stevens, Wallace, 70, 255 Student body, opinion of teacher, 10! Survey Magazine, 186, 208, 211 Syphilis, 12, 41 Taft, Jessie, 99, 129 Talk, as a safety-valve, 39 as factor in social standards, 126 adult, as injury to children, 169 Taxicabs, as factors in delin- quency, 43 Teachers: personality of, 22, 8&0, 908, 105 women, 26 visiting, 92, 100 misunderstanding of delin- quency and court, 100 292 INDEX Temper-tantrums, 70, 73, 95, 181 Terminology : a factor in the delinquent at- titude, 151, 153 right use of, 162 Texas, State School for Girls, 177 Thomas, W. G., 127, 192 Thurston, Dr. Henry, 113, 277 Tolstoi, Leo, 234 Training of social workers, 243, 278 Transference, 178, 183 Transportation of girls, legal provision for, 259 Travelers’ Aid Societies, 120 277 Trifles : as mockery, 95 in personality, 137, 150 Truancy, 11, 16, 90, 267 Tuberculosis, 192, 22 as conditioned by anxiety, 73 truancy, 93 Turgeney, Ivan, 129 Unmarried mother, 54, 61 Unwise treatment, 153 Utopia, 257 Vocational guidance, 113 education, 211 Vollmer, August, 257 Van Waters, Miriam, 135, 162 YOO Van Winckle, Mina C., 258 Venereal disease, 265 Visiting teacher, 267 ; Watson, J. B., 99, 137, 220, 245. a a hehe ee d " q roe i an 7 ee Le ah ee, oo - Se bbe Lehr Pe, : ae ’ bt a RF iy he Phe ae be ei treet et earth) Hi . en oe re rT 4 bidet be ee Id et ie et he rd Pe be 4 bah oka bak + Tu ; rah - thoes et oe te Py ee ps D rey we ry Wid Pe be Th D Pa Naren ir Tbh aA rie t ee MTL MWR Sb bes okt ne ee f . - > es 5 i 2 ee ae a eae eee i iy "1 . ern , re ee a tt ee a r* + - Lae ba 4a“ YS ~—* . -_* > cor Th mo eT ty f- a debs 32) <2y. INDEX 293 Weeks, 255 Wish, 25 Welfare: in relation to the will, 126, of child paramount issue, 54 136 legal principle in commit- Wolf, Henri, 98 ment, 199 Woods, Elizabeth, 103 Wells, H. G., 257 Work problems, 113 Wembridge, Eleanor Rowland, W ooley, Helen Thompson, 269 131 White, Wm., 73, 99, 151, 174 Yezierska, Anna, 19 Whittier School for Boys, Yaos, of British Africa, 135 177 Yeomans, Edward, 144 toy re Try nes Morte teC lee Lea le Pir, eye flee Tia be! eo hed |? betuing Pree) eeet! aot TT - rT Tia ah al i PE “hs 7 + heeded doteye tot, ATE 5 deer Se ¥ APS aD oes bbe ee. ee ren ee eT A He Avett bear 4 » ee - Tier : ea ete Aig % a 64, Orato * Weimar ‘ $ ae Pes etn bled ‘ rer np Jade a Ee Byese vetrigiy* ALDERMAN LIBRARY The return of this book is due on the date indicated below DUE DUE >a a ea 3 Tt Ts dl ek 7 se27 Py ~ i Pe een el eet tel el et Bo ch ae or es — p Gar | } ies 4 yee ies FS \ vie nA ee ae a | teddies: Sea Sh ear ; « - er aah , ae eae bs ES f i ee as 3 = 1H 4 7) TAC a. ae AKO 3 A 1. si ‘i * i Ji aie med 5 oo es td oy ~« aS ee SSFP ay ee ee epenateseree ele ek el he ee aie = a ee at SESS % + ad ~ e ee 4 et Usually books are lent out for two weeks, but there are exceptions and the borrower should note carefully the date stamped above. 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