Show Somebody's Boy goy Editors Editor's note The following following following follow follow- ing ing article was submitted by Merrill L. L Hermansen former former for for- t mer attorney in Manti and Ephraim It is taken from froma a Florida Juvenile Court publication entitled Somebody's Somebody's Some Some- body's Boy written by Walter Walter Wal Wale Waleter ter Scott Criswell editor THE SOIL WHERE DELINQUENCY GROWS I I am looking at two newspaper newspaper newspaper news news- 1 paper clippings I One emanates from New NewYork NewYork York via the Associated Press It reads in substance families out of the estimated two million families in this polyglot conglomeration of people who live in our largest city produce 75 per cent of the delinquents Percentage wise this is to say that less than one per percent cent tent I of New Yorks York's families produce produce produce pro pro- duce 75 per cent of the delinquents delinquents de de- de in that city These figures were quoted by Judge Nathan Kaplan of the Domestic Relations Court which is what the Juvenile Court is now called The figures were vouched for by the Director Ralph Whelan of the City Youth Board AS IT WAS IN T THE E BEGINNING r r The other other- clipping are I taken from Somebody's Boy BoyI I dated Feb 18 1922 which is 40 years ago Your ent enterprising editor I blushingly admit that I am he lifted the story from a little book called of Youth written by Judge Franklin Chase Hoyt then the judge of the Childrens Children's Court CourtE I E of New York Again blushes of shame on the part art of your t Editor for this literary larr lar lar- larceny r ceny I have named the r story story story- r PSYCHOSOMATICS I IN REVERSE REVERS Judge Hoyt tells thie little story among others which h I think not only shows how parents parents par par- contribute to their childrens childrens children's children's childrens chil chil- drens dren's wrongdoing but also shows the power of the example example ex ex- ex- ex ample mple of one I and determined child to lead leada a group into either wrong or right Five boys in age from 12 to 14 were arraigned before Justice Hoyt charged with having entered Into a store and stolen some groceries They all admitted their offense of of- an and the case was put over for a week for gation When the day for disposition disposition disposition dis dis- position arrived the Judge found on examining the proa probation pro pro- a bation officers officer's report that In addition to their breaking and entering the boys had been consistent truants truants' from school Turning to the first boy the judge remarked Tom Isee I Isee Isee see that you have been playing playing play play- ing hooky a good deal during this past term tenn SICKNESS AND NON ATTENDANCE I Before Tom had a chance to reply his father who was standing beside him interrupted ted Oh no judge he didn't play hookey He Ile was sick t Paying no attention for the t moment to the father the judge asked Tom to explain his absences Sure judge I was sick all the time he replied What was your illness in September he was asked I had the was the ready answer And in October The same thing he re re- Yes added his fond parent parent par par- ent he was very sick What happened in November November Novem Novem- ber Sore throat he answered somewhat haltingly His fath fath- father fathy y er nodded gravely But you were absent a great deal in December Had you not recovered by that time k I Tom hesitated and gave his inquisitor an agonized look Measles he almost whis whis- I am sorry to hear that you have been so ill the judge remarked sympathetically cally You must be very tired and weak One of the court attendants was asked to bring up a chair for Tom the judge saying that he thought a boy should not stand on his feet after so many trying exp experiences The chair was was brought but the uncomfortable T Tom m wriggled wriggled wriggled wrig wrig- and hesitated I can stand up all right judge he pleaded I couldn't possibly let you r replied plied the judge quite seri seri- You are evidently in pretty bad shape and I dont don't want to have you grow any worse The second of the five was then questioned Jim gave practically th the same excuses as had Tom except that new had had tragically figured figured fig fig- figured in his young life His mother stood sponsor for all of his statements As a result a second chair was brought and Jim very r reluctantly sat down beside Tom Next the judge talked with Frank who also pleaded various various var var- vars ious sous illnesses illnesses' as excuses for his continued absences and whose statements were all verified by his father Consequently Consequently Consequently Conse Conse- t a third chair was put into useI useI useI use I wonder if I am going to find room for you all in the hospital tonight the judge cheerfully remarked as he turned to the fourth boy This observation caused Tom to look at Jim and Jim to glance at Frank with visible signs of perturbation The leaven had begun to work Salvatore the fourth youngster youngster youngster young young- ster wavered obviously Yes he had been sick but not so sick Sometimes he had to atay at home to mind the baby His mother disclaimed this last assertion but agreed with Salvatore as to the frequency frequency fre fre- quency of his indispositions So one more chair received an unwilling occupant IS THERE A DOCTOR OR AMBULANCE Al IN THE AUDIENCE Please telephone to the hospital and hurry up that ambulance said the judge turning once more to the court attendant These boys seem to be in a very bad way and andI I think they need immediate care Agitated sniffles were painfully painfully painfully pain pain- fully audible in the vicinity of the four seated boys but no attention was paid to them The last in the group was Joe He also had been absent every month in the term tenn Well Joe said the judge what have you got to say Were you sick too No sir was his emphatic reply I played hookey With that he cast a contemptuous contemptuous glance at the four miserable miserable miserable mis mis- erable objects seated in their chairs It was more than flesh and blood could stand Tom sensed the desperateness of the situation situation sit sit- and held up hi his hand for permission to speak the matter Tom the judged asked anxiously Dont tell me you are feeling worse No judge I aint sick at atall atall atall all he fairly shouted I was not much sick anyway I played hookey I did Well of urse c-urse if that's the case you dont don't need the chair any longer Come over here and stand beside Joe Please inform the hospital hospital- this to the obliging court attendant attendant at at- tend ant that there will be only three patients instead of of four With that three more hands shot up Jim Frank and Salvatore Salvatore Salvatore Sal Sal- all wanted to speak at once Sure we played hookey We aint sick boys We just lied The remaining chairs were all t taken ken away and with them was removed one of the greatest greatest greatest great great- est obstacles in handling the case for the truth having at last been brought out it became an easy matter for the boys and the judge to discuss their actions intelligently and to give them a chance on pro pro- bation We have in our Juvenile Courts and probation systems one of the most effective means for discovering and remedying conditions condition which lead to lawlessness crime and misery if allowed to go unchecked unchecked unchecked un un- un- un checked and Judge Hoyt is isone isone isone one of the many men all over this broad land of ours who are striving to use this means to develop and elevate the citizens of tomorrow |