LCo co) >0 -OW rLo 6L Z ~ IrAl BRSITV AY' I sr ff -i t ['HE tIX5~ MVI ANNUAL REPORT ----_--=OF THE CHILDREN'S COURT OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK ( 1927 "FOR EVERY CHILD LET TRUTH SPRING FROM EARTH AND JUSTICE AND MERCY LOOK DOWN FROM HEAVEN."-Inscription on the cornerstone of Children's Court Building in Manhattan r i ~JC r c4&a444 ý/- 17-Ie, CHILDREN'S COURT OF THE City of New York Justices who officiated in the Children's Court of the City of New York during the year 1927. Justices HoN. FRANKLIN HON. HON. HON. HON. CHASE HOYT, Presiding Justic EDWARD F. BOYLE JAMES J. CONWAY' PETER B. HANSON2 SAMUEL D. LEVY HON. GEO. J. O'KEEFE HON. ROBERT J. WILKIN* HON. WILLIAM YOUNG *Deceased December 3rd, 1927. 'Appointed July 21st, 1927. 'Appointed Decemnber 13th, 1927. LOCATIONS OF COURTS NEW YORK COUNTY, PARTS I. and II................ 137 East 22d Street KINGS COUNTY, PARTS I. and II................ 111 Schermerhorn Street BRONX COUNTY...............................868 Washington Avenue QUEENS COUNTY..............153-22-24 Jamaica Avenue, Jamaica, L. I. RICHMOND COUNTY.....................Borough Hall, St. George, S. I. ADMINISTRATION HEADQUARTERS 137 East 22d Street. CHIEF CLERK ADOLPHUS RAGAN. DEPUTY CHIEF CLERK DENNIS A. LAMBERT. CHIEF PROBATION OFFICER BERNARD J. FAGAN. SECRETARY TO PRESIDING JUSTICE ALBERT C. GILLIGAN. CLERKS OF COURTS JAMES F. GILLESPIE................................New York County WILLIAM C. McKEE....................................Kings County FRANK A. MARRON....................................Bronx County THOMAS J. O'BRIEN...........................................Queens County EUGENE E. KENNY................................................ Richmond County DEPUTY 'CLERKS OF COURTS ELMER L. CLARK..................................New York County DANIEL F. FOGARTY....................................Kings County EDWARD A. LOORAM..................................Bronx County DEPUTY CHIEF PROBATION OFFICERS MORRIS MARCUS........................................Kings County JULIA M. O'CONNOR...................................Bronx County January 31, 1928. To the Secretary of the State of Nezw York and the Mayor of The City of New York: Sirs-In compliance with the provisions of Section 64 of Chapter 254 of the Laws of 1924, I have the honor of transmitting to you the Annual Report of the Children's Court! of the City of New York for the year 1927. Respectfully yours, (Signed) FRANKLIN CHASE HOYT, Presiding Justice. CHILDREN'S %COURT 137 East 22nd St. City of New York January 31st, 1928. Report of the Presiding Justice Justice Robert J. Wilkin of the Children's Court died on December third, Nineteen Hundred Twenty-seven. Even the day before his death he had been carrying on his work with the same devotion and enthusiasm which he had evinced many years ago when he started to blaze new trails for the protection of handicapped and neglected children. As the senior Justice of our bench, as our dear friend and counselor and as one of the earliest pioneers in the establishment of children's courts, the community and ourselves have suffered a great loss which it will be difficult to fill. His wise leadership and his devoted service in the cause of child welfare deserves to be held in lasting remembrance and it is our sincere hope that during the coming year we may find an appropriate way of erecting a suitable memorial to his memory. Establishment of The creation of a new and additional judgene Court.f ship in the Children's Court on the 21st day of July, 1927, has made it possible for us to carry through a plan, which we have had in contemplation for some time past, of increasing the number of court sessions in both the counties of Queens and the Bronx and of affording relief in the Brooklyn Court by the assignment there of an additional Justice for certain days in the week. Ever since the establishment of the Children's Court of the City of New York, the parts of the court situated in the Counties of the Bronx, Queens and Richmond have been treated as one unit (generally referred to as our "Circuit Part") which has been presided over by one justice on monthly or semi-monthly assignments and which has been manned by the same or nearly the same staff of officials and employees. By reason of this situation it was necessary to divide up the working days of the week between these three parts giving three court ses sions a week in the Bronx, two in Queens and one in Richmond County. In view of the very rapid growth of the two former counties it was becoming increasingly evident that an extra court session should be held in both these parts of the court and at the same time the growing calendars in Kings County proved the necessity of affording some relief to the Brooklyn Court by the assignment there of an extra justice for at least two days in the week. The appointment of this additional justice, therefore, has permitted the discontinuance of our former "Circuit Part" since the 16th of January, 1928, and the establishment in its stead of two new divisions of the court, one covering the Counties of the Bronx and Richmond and the other the County of Queens together with certain extra sessions in the County of Kings. Under this new plan court is being held four days a week in the Bronx, three days a week in Queens County and two extra sittings a week have been provided for in Brooklyn. To carry out this plan and to accomplish this revision of our court schedules it was necessary, of course, in addition to the appointment of an extra justice, to obtain the establishment of certain new positions such as stenographers, court attendants, court clerk and interpreters for the purpose of carrying on the work of the new division. We are gratified to report that these new positions were duly and promptly authorized by the authorities in consequence of the creation of the extra judgeship and that they now have been satisfactorily filled from the existing civil service lists. These additional court days in the three counties mentioned should greatly increase the efficiency of the work of the court and should enable it to keep abreast with the growth of the population in these localities for some time to come. It is certain that the situation in these counties called for an immediate extension of our service and we appreciate very deeply the prompt response which the Mayor and the City authorities accorded to our plea for the establishment of an extra part of our court in order to meet these conditions. New Court Houses In past reports we have repeatedly called for the Countiesro attention to the very unsatisfactory conditions which have existed for some years relative to our court-houses or rather the buildings which we have been using for court purposes in the Counties of Queens and the Bronx. In our report for 1925 we again stated: "The rooms or premises which the court now occupies in both Bronx and Queens Counties are wretchedly inadequate and are really a disgrace to the City. The former, in addition, is most inconveniently situated at the extreme southern end of the county, while the latter is positively a menace to the safety and health of the children who may be so unfortunate as to have to enter it. Both these counties are increasing in population more rapidly than any other parts of the City and it is most imperative that something should be done to provide appropriate buildings for the court in these localities so that their children's cases can be decently handled and that the existing conditions which handicap and interfere with the development of these divisions of our court may be corrected." Fortunately for the court and all concerned very real progress was made during the year 1927 towards providing the court in both these counties with adequate and proper quarters for its work. An appropriation of $200,000 was passed for a new court-house in Queens County and a site has already been selected on Union Hall Street in Jamaica, a location which will undoubtedly prove convenient and desirable from every point-of view. It should now be only a matter of a short time before the Queens County Children's Court will be suitably housed and we feel confident that the new building will serve its intended purpose in every respect. In addition to the appropriation granted by the City for the new court-house, a sum of money ($5,000) has been allotted to provide temporary quarters for the court during the period of the construction of its new home and we hope, therefore, that within a few months the conditions which we have complained of for so long will be permanently corrected. In the Bronx we have a similar satisfactory situation to report. An appropriation of $300,000 has been granted for a new court-house and work will be begun upon it, we trust, early in the present year. At this time of writing, the site has not yet been formally selected by the authorities, but one has been proposed which answers our needs in every respect and which would be a splendid one if it can be obtained. As in Queens County, provision has also been made for temporary quarters for the court until the new building can be erected and for this purpose the premises Nos. 868 Washington Avenue which were formerly occupied by the Municipal Court and which are conveniently and centrally situated have been leased by the City for a period of two years. They are now being renovated for our use and in all probability they will be occupied by the court during the coming month. The Justices of the court appreciate most deeply the recognition by the City authorities of the need and desirability of providing adequate facilities for these two parts of our court in the immediate future and we are proud and happy in the realization that at last these two important units in our court system are to have dignified and serviceable court-houses of their own. No Substantial It is most gratifying to report once more that Increase in Juvenile Delinquency. neither juvenile delinquency nor parental neglect is appreciably on the increase in the City of New York. Last year 10,518 cases of individual children were brought before the Court as compared with 10,147 in the year 1926, an increase of 371, and 11,512 in the year 1925, a decrease of 994. The petitions alleging juvenile delinquency in 1927 involved 6,451 children as against 6,209 in 1926, an increase of 242, and 6,970 in 1925, a decrease of 519. Those alleging neglect affected 4,067 children as compared with 3,938 in 1926 an increase of 129, and 4,542 in 1925, a decrease of 475. It is easy, of course, for those who wish to do so to draw various deductions from a given list of figures such as these. It is much more difficult, however, to analyze with any degree of accuracy the precise reasons for the increases or decreases in the number of arraignments of certain classes of children in our court. But one fact seems to stand out clearly and beyond all peradventure from the figures of the past few years and that is that in New York at least, adolescent youth is growing no worse and is standing up splendidly under the acid test of present day changes and conditions. We use the word adolescent advisedly as our court has only jurisdiction up to the age of sixteen and we cannot presume to comment on the& behavior problems or anti-social conduct of that class of youth whose age extends from sixteen to twenty-one. A report such as this must and should deal with actual facts as we know them rather than with vague or conjectural speculations and while we may have rather definite ideas as to the progress and development of modern youth in general we must confine our observations in this instance to the actions and conditions of children up to the age of sixteen. As far as they are concerned the statistics of the Children's Court prove that juvenile delinquency for the past ten years has not only not increased but has actually decreased in spite of the rising tide of the City's population. This does not mean that any relaxation can be tolerated in the work of prevention to stamp out the causes of delinquency and neglect. Far from it, for it should spur us on to greater efforts to provide new facilities along progressive and humane lines for the training and protection of our handicapped children. Very probably fifty or a hundred years from now the achievements of today in child welfare work will be looked upon as mere beginnings, mere scratches on the surface of things. But it does mean that our children are responding finely and surely to many social forces and agencies which have been devised and inaugurated for their benefit during the past ten or fifteen years. It does mean very decidedly that the younger children at least are not filling the training schools and reformatories in increasing numbers. It does mean that modern youth with which we have to deal is bravely struggling on the upward path of progress and is not the menace which some have chosen to proclaim it. Temporary Remands In former reports we have had the occato Institutions. Their Necessity and sion to discuss the necessity of remanding Desirability. children in certain cases to institutions for short periods either for the purpose of observation or of disciplinary training instead of committing them in such cases upon full commitment. Although the reasons for these remands have been fully discussed at various times in the past and the necessity and wisdom of this procedure have been fully proved, in our judgment, by experience, we feel that it would be helpful in view of certain misunderstandings which still seem to exist and of certain vague and incorrect ideas which still seem to prevail in some quarters regarding the subject, to restate at this time the court's position concerning this whole question. At the outset emphasis must be laid on the fact that these remands should not be considered as definite punitive commitments for short periods. No one would favor any practice of that sort. Nor should they be regarded as attempts to "reform" children through the medium of disciplinary training for three or four months. Even the veriest tyro in social work would recognize the uselessness, not to say the absurdity, of any attempt of that sort. But there are a great number of situations which require the temporary commitment of children in our work and which cannot be met intelligently without some such facilities. Very often the court feels that a real social adjustment of a family can be accomplished under the supervision of a probation officer if the neglected children can be cared for for a few months until the parents can straighten out certain matters or possibly move to a new home. Very often the court feels that it can successfully handle the case of a delinquent child if only that child can have the steadying influence of regular training and regular hours for a short time. In some cases a child may break down while on probation but the court will not feel that the lapse is bad enough to deprive the child of all chance of further probation,-only serious enough to call for some change in its corrective treatment for several months and so will order a remand for the purpose of making the child's future probation more effective. In many cases the court is doubtful after receiving an investigation report just what final disposition should be made of a case and feels that the child should be held temporarily for observation and study, before either probation or a full commitment is decided on. To this end therefore, instead of making instanter what might prove eventually to be a hasty and unwise decision the court will seek the aid and assistance of some appropriate training school and ask its authorities to take the child temporarily, to observe his habits and reactions including his mental life and to report back to the court its diagnosis of the case, so that the court may be enabled to choose between ultimate probation or a full commitment as the wisest course of corrective treatment. These are some of the situations which call for a remand and there are many more which might be mentioned. In each of these situations the court in making a remand is simply taking the position that the case before it can still be successfully solved by the court provided that some temporary assistance is afforded to it by the institution. It says in effect: "This is still our case and our problem. We are not through with it although we need some help. We still are willing and anxious to continue our efforts to adjust and correct the child and we do not wish to abandon our attempt to arrive at a solution of the problem until we are convinced that our available means of corrective treatment will prove ineffective and inadequate." On the other hand when the court makes a full and final commitment it holds that the Children's Court is not the proper agency to bring about a social adjustment in the case. It says to the institution: "This is a matter for you to handle-a problem for you to solve. The situation is one which we cannot successfully cope with through any means which we can command. We, therefore, commend the case wholly to your care, feeling certain that only through your agency can the child concerned receive proper protection and training." To those who entertain any doubts as to the wisdom or necessity of temporary remands, we can say that every justice, every official of the Children's Court, and every social worker in intimate contact with it endorses and thoroughly believes in the remand idea. In fact it is almost impossible to imagine any one who follows the daily routine of the court's work, disapproving of the court's efforts to find places for the temporary detention of children for the purposes which we have mentioned. It must be remembered that were all remands to be rejected by the institutions, the court would be left with no alternative for detention purposes between a short holding in the rooms of the Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children for investigation purposes lasting generally but a week or so and a full commitment to some institution or reformatory lasting upwards from one to two years. Such a situation would be almost intolerable. When this question was first agitated a number of years ago after the closing of the Brooklyn Disciplinary Training School, a City institution which received children on remand, the Mayor's Commissioner of Accounts made an exhaustive study of the whole problem and after having taken the testimony of many who either favored or disapproved of the idea of short term remands, issued a comprehensive report strongly urging the need of facilities of this sort for the court. It should also be borne in mind that the law of the State of New York now recognizes the legality of and the necessity for remands inasmuch as Section 24 of Chapter 254 of the Laws of 1924 (The Children's Court Act) provides: "The court * * * shall render judgment as follows: (e) Continue the proceeding and place the child in * * * a duly authorized * * * institution for a certain designated period subject to the orders of the court." At this point the writer of this report believes that it would be helpful for a full understanding of this whole question for him to mention some of the principles and rules which he seeks to follow when making temporary remands to institutions. As he personally arranged with certain institutions for the reception of children upon remands in the year 1917 and discussed with them the conditions upon which such children should be sent by the court, he feels that it would be expedient and possibly illuminating for all concerned if he were to express his own views concerning the common-sense limitations which should govern the court in making remands and the consideration which should be shown the institution agreeing to receive them. The reason that he refers at this point to his own methods and conclusions is that he does not wish or presume to bind any of the other justices of the court by his observations on this subject, although he believes that there is a general agreement of opinion among all concerned relative to the desirability of observing the following principles in the making of remands: A. Remands should be used sparingly and if doubt exists as to whether it would be to the best interest of the child either to remand him or to commit him to an institution such doubt in nearly every instance should be resolved in favor of a full commitment. If a child has already had any form of institutional experience a remand will rarely prove of benefit. A second remand of the same child should never be made except under extraordinary circumstances and then only when the institution has been informed in advance of these circumstances and because of them has agreed to receive the child. B. The return date of a remand should always be regarded as a tentative one and under no circumstances should the child or his parent be informed that he will be released on a definite day. The court should make it clear that all it promises is to review the case at a certain time or within a certain period and that the report from the institution as to the child's behavior and progress will have the greatest possible wveight in determining whether on the return day, the child will be discharged, continued further on remand or finally committed to the institution. C. The court desires and looks for a full report from the institution from time to time as to the child's progress and development while on remand. As it has been pointed out above, one of the chief reasons for the making of remands is to hold the child for study and observation. Naturally, therefore, the diagnosis of the case which may be made by the institution must be regarded by the court as having a most important bearing on the continuance of the remand or on the necessity for a full commitment. The court only asks that such reports should be presented to it for its consideration before the return day so that the parents may be informed in advýance regarding the necessity of continuing the child in the institution if that be the recommendation of the reports. Sometimes it happens that the child is returned to court on the return day expecting to be allowed to go back to his home, his parents are present to receive him and then a letter is handed to the judge suggesting that the child be sent back to the institution for several months more. It can be readily appreciated what a difficult situation this creates for all concerned. On the other hand if the court is notified a week or two in advance that the child presents a behavior problem which can only be adjusted by a cbntinuance of the remand or by a full commitment, the court can review the report, consult with the parents and decide that the child should not be brought back to the court on the return day in case the court agrees with the institution's recommendations. 10 D. The period of remand generally speaking should run about three or four months. Any longer time than this is hardly justifiable in that it defeats the very purpose of a remand for a temporary period and the institution would have every right to prefer a full indefinite commitment. Its hard to see upon what grounds an original six or nine month's remand can be justified or upheld. On the other hand a shorter period than three months is also undesirable and most unfair to the institution when the question of traveling, costs of outfits, quarantine and the lack of time for appropriate adjustments are all taken into consideration. Sometimes a case may arise when a remand either for a very short or for a very long period may seem advisable because of some exceptional situation but such a case can always be explained in advance to the institution and its consent obtained before the remand is made. E. The institutional authorities should feel free whenever a remand of doubtful advisability is made, to consult with the court regarding the question of acceptance or rejection of such a remand. If for example the institution has had the same child once before on remand and the court has sent him back again upon the same conditions without any adequate explanation, the institutional authorities should have no hesitation in refusing to accept such child or at least in asking the court to inform them of the purpose of the second remand. In this way much of the misunderstanding and criticism concerning certain remands would be abviated. In return for the help which the institutions have given us in being willing to accept these remands, the court is earnestly seeking to furnish them with information which they should have concerning each individual case. To this end arrangements have now been made to send the institution a full copy of the probation officers investigation with each commitment whether of a temporary or permanent nature, so that the institutional authorities may know the exact status of the procceding when the remand or commitment is made together with the social diagnosis presented by the probation officer. It has been generally agreed that the institution should always have copies of these investigations and only the lack of clerical help up to this time has pre 11 vented the court from taking the initiative in the matter. Now, however, that we have found the means of supplying these copies ourselves, we trust that a better understanding will be promoted between the court and the institution as to the needs of cases so remanded or committed and as to the reasons which actuated the court in entrusting such cases to the care of institutions. It is to be assumed that these reports which form part of the intimate records of the court, will be regarded as confidential by each institution receiving the same. The tendency of the day in all social work is to lay increasing emphasis upon the need for individual study and treatment. As the modern physician seeks to determine the conditions of his patients by careful tests and diagnosis, so must the judges in the children courts seek to observe and appreciate their problems before rendering hasty judgments. Undoubtedly in the future the courts will have facilities for appropriate observation-detention homes for various types of cases far beyond anything which we possess today and they will remand children in serious cases to such detention homes for proper study by the probation officer, the psychiatrist and the social investigator, so that the most appropriate constructive plan of social adjustment may be developed and adopted. Today, however, without such specially designed detention homes, we must fall back and ask the existing institutions to help us in this work, but we feel that we have the right to seek this assistance inasmuch as our purpose is to conserve the welfare of the child in every instance. To us the remand idea is simply a start and an attempt to do that which most of us are convinced will be done more prefectly and upon a more efficient scale in the days to come. We realize that it has entailed a certain amount of hardship and inconvenience upon the institutions to receive these remands but we feel (and we trust that they also feel) that the gain in the treatment and correction of certain types of cases has more than compensated for the trouble they have caused. We also hope that the institutions that are helping us in the maintenance of the remand plan are still aware o! our deep sense of appreciation which we have expressed many times both publicly and privately for all their help in the matter. 12 Establishment of The work of our mental or Psychiatric Psychiatric Service C h Division in the Clinic has kept pace with modern methods. Probation Bureau. Our psychiatrists have evolved a system of high standards and have rendered efficient service to the court. This progressive spirit has been somewhat handicapped by the lack of a staff of psychiatric workers to investigate and administer follow-up treatment for the children selected for psychiatric examination, although the need for this form of service has been obvious to the court for a long time. Our probation staff have given generously of their time and efforts to assist the clinic, but the case-load burden has always prevented the achievement of a satisfying service in clinical cases. However, we have just made a beginning which appears particularly promising. By the efforts of our Chief Probation Officer, the Probation staff in the New York County Division of our court, has been reorganized and among the other changes introduced, a Psychiatric Service Bureau has been established. Three especially selected probation officers have been assigned exclusively to specialize in the investigations and case treatment of clinical cases in New York County. These probation officers are now teceiving additional training to enable them to emphasize the psychiatric phase of their investigations, and to put into operation the case treatment recommendations of our psychiatrists. We need additional probation officers to carry on this work, and to extend its scope of activities to each of the five counties under the court's jurisdiction. During the past year two new justices have been appointed in the Children's Court-the Honorable James J. Conway and the Honorable Peter B. Hanson. The former fills the new justiceship created on July 21st, 1927, while the latter fills the vacancy created by the death of Justice Robert J. Wilkin on December 3rd, 1927. We feel that both the court and the City of New York are to be congratulated upon these splendid appointments and we desire to extend to these, our new colleagues, every good twish for a long and happy and successful service upon the bench of the Children's Court. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF CHILDREN ARRAIGNED DURING 1927 Composite of All Counties or Boroughs January 20, 1928. Hon. FRANKLIN CHASE HOYT, Presiding Justice, Children's Court. Sir-Pursuant to the requirements of Section 41, Chapter 254 of the Laws of 1924, I am transmitting to you herewith a report of the business transacted by the Children's Court during the calendar year 1927. Respectfully submitted, (Signed) ADOLPHUS RAGAN, Chief Clerk. 11 TABLE 1 GENERAL SUMMARY-ALL CASES, 1927 Number of Cases ^----------*- -- ---- ~- ~ -- ~ Delinquent Neglected Material Children Children Witnesses Others f----h---7 (*----h-- /------h-- (--- -^ Total Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Cases Pending, December 31, 1926.. 622 222 94 103. 127 17 58 1 New Cases....... 10,518 5,574 877 1,885 1,640 124 366 38 14 Total Cases Disposed of............. 10,159 5,439 851 1,789 1,571 121 337 39 12 Cases Pending, December 31, 1927.. 981 357 120 199 196 20 87.. 2 TABLE 2 GENERAL SUMMARY OF CASES DISPOSED OF DURING 1927 Total Boys Girls Delinquent Children'................................ 6,290 5,439 851 Neglected Children2................................ 3,360 1,789 1,571 Material Witnesses3................................ 458 121 337 Others4............................................ 51 39 12 Totals................................ 10,159 7,388 2,771 1The law (Chapter 254, Laws of 1924) defines "delinquent child" as follows: "The words 'delinquent child' shall mean a child over seven and under sixteen years of age (a) who violates any law of this state or any ordinance of the city of New York, or who commits any act which if committed by an adult would be an offense punishable otherwise than by death or life imprisonment; (b) who is incorrigible, ungovernable or habitually disobedient and beyond the control of his parents, guardian, custodian or other lawful authority; (c) who is habitually truant; (d) who, without just cause and without the consent of his parent, guardian or other custodian, deserts his home or place of abode; (e) who engages in any occupation; which is in violation of law; (f) who begs or who solicits alms or money in public places; (g) who associates with immoral or vicious persons; (h) who frequents any place the maintenance of which is in violation of law; (i) who habitually uses obscene or profane language; or (j) who so deports himself as wilfully to injure or endanger the morals or health of himself or others." 2 The law (Chapter 254, Laws of 1924) also defines "neglected child" as follows: "The words 'neglected child' shall mean a child under sixteen years of age (a) who is without proper guardianship; (b) who has been abandoned or deserted by either or by both of its parents, or by any other person or persons lawfully charged with its care and custody; (c) whose parent, guardian or person with whom the child lives, by reason of cruelty, mental incapacity, immorality or depravity is unfit properly to care for such child; (d) whose parent or guardian has been sentenced to imprisonment for crime; (e) who is under unlawful or improper supervision, care, custody or restraint by any persons; (f) who wanders about without lawful occupation or restraint, or who is unlawfully kept out of school; (g) whose parent, guardian or custodian neglects or refuses, when able to do so, to provide necessary medical, surgical, institutional or hospital care for such child; (h) who is found in any place the maintenance of which is in violation of laws; (i) who is in such condition of want or suffering or is under such improper guardianship or control as to injure or endanger the morals or health of himself or others." 3 This definition includes, primarily, the victims in statutory rape cases. 4Under this head are included such children as have been committed as out and out mental defectives; but does not include mere mentally deficient or sub-normal children for whom adequate treatment and care may be provided otherwise than in an institution for the feeble-minded. 12 TABLE 3 NATURE OF ALLEGATIONS, 1927 NEW CASES Allegations Total Boys Girls DELINQUENT CHILDREN: 1. Assault.................................. 299 267 32 2. Robbery................................... 43 43 3. Burglary.................................. 991 989 2 4. Unlawful Entry............................ 103 102 1 5. Stealing..................................1,260 1,134 126 6. Disorderly Conduct.........................1,174 1,144 30 7. Peddling or Begging.......................... 81 76 5 8. Ungovernable or Wayward.................... 785 475 310 9. Desertion of Home.......................... 995 678 317 10. Truancy...................................... 57 50 7 11. Violation Railroad Law....................... 99 99 12. Violation Corporation Ordinances.............. 62 58 4 13. Unclassified...................................... 502 459 43 Totals.................................. 6,451 5,574 877 NEGLECTED CHILDREN, MATERIAL WITNESSES AND OTHERS: Neglected Children................................ 3,525 1,885 1,640 Material Witnesses................................. 490 124 366 O thers................................................ 52 38 14 Totals..................................... 4,067 2,047 2,020 Grand Totals..........................10,518 7,621 2,897 TABLE 4 PETITIONERS, 1927 Total Boys Girls ALLEGING DELINQUENCY: Attendance Officers.............................. 229 199 30 Citizens...................................... 1,131 818 313 Parents or Relatives............................... 290 203 87 Police................................... 4,503 4,214 289 S. P. C. C. Officers............................. 298 140 158 Totals.................................. 6,451 5,574 877 ALLEGING NEGLECT, MATERIAL WITNESSES AND OTHERS: Attendance Officers................................ 93 57 36 Parents or Relatives............................... 786 459 327 Police............................................. 666 358 308 S. P. C. C. Officers............................. 2,522 1,173 1,349 Totals................................4,067 2,047 2,020 TOTAL ALLEGATIONS: Attendance Officers................................ 322 256 66 Citizens........................................... 1,131 818 313 Parents or Relatives............................... 1,076 662 414 Police............................................ 5,169 4,572 597 S. P. C. C. Officers................................ 2,820 1,313 1,507 Grand Totals......................... 10,518 7,621 2,897 13 TABLE 5 DELINQUENT CHILDREN JUDGMENTS, 1927 Total Boys Girls Children Arrested and Brought to Court Where No Petition Was Filed................................. 118 114 4 Children Discharged and Petitions Dismissed............ 1,997 1,792 205 Discharged with Warning and Supervision.............. 397 303 94 Allegations Not Sustained After Hearing................ 29 28 1 Total Children Released After Hearing................. 2,541 2,237 304 Total Number of Children Adjudged Delinquent......... 3,749 3,202 547 Grand Total........................... 6,290 5,439 851 TABLE 6 ACTION ON JUVENILE DELINQUENCY PETITIONS, 1927 Cases Disposed of Petitions Dismissed Supervision and Allega- Adjudged Petitions Discharged tions to be DeAllegations Not Dis- with Not linquent Total Taken charged Warning Sustained Children' 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. Boys Assault............. Robbery............. Burglary............ Unlawful Entry....... Stealing............. Disorderly Conduct. Peddling or Begging.... Ungovernable or Wayward Desertion of Home..... Truancy............... Violation Railroad Law.. Violation Corporation Ordinances........... Unclassified............. 261 38 990 98 1,081 1,130 75 459 652 47 99 1 1 23 2 56 453 1 Totals.......... 5,439 11 1 145 1 10 4 165 3 29 12 240 >1 558 39 6 92 7 218 8 54 39.9 195.4 1,792 25 S 20 22 3 45 3 77 2 1 3 8 4 205 GIRLS Assault............ Robbery............. Burglary............. Unlawful Entry......... Stealing........... Disorderly Conduct...... Peddling or Begging.... Ungovernable or Wayward Desertion of Home..... Truancy............... Violation Railroad Law.. Violation Corporation Ordinances............. Unclassified............. 16 21 5 3.6 84 20 41 52 6 20 20 303 2 41 38 6 94 397 7 5 13 3 28.. 1 29 31 4 1 126 29 5 305 302 7 4 37 82 27 785 61 760 464 16 320 375 39. 39 15 219 3,202 6 4 1 98 7 219 184 5 23 547 3,749 Totals.......... 851 Grand Totals.... 6,290 118 1,997 1 See Table 7. _ _~ 14 TABLE 7 DISPOSITION OF CASES OF ADJUDGED DELINQUENT CHILDREN, 1927 Suspended Committed Sentence Placed to in First on InstiAllegations Total Instance Probation tutions Fined BoYs 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. Assault Robberý Burglar Unlawf Stealing Disorde Peddlin Ungove Deserti Truancq Violatic Violatic Unclass........................ 82 S. 27 y..................... 785 Sy ". 785 ul Entry................ 61 S................. 760 rly Conduct........... 464 g or Begging........... 16 rnable or Wayward...... 320 on of Home............ 375 y....................... 39 )n Railroad Law......... 39 n Corporation Ordinances 15 ified.................. 219 Totals................. 3,202 GIRLS Assault....................... 6 Robbery.................... Burglary...................... 4 Unlawful Entry............... 1 Stealing...................... 98 Disorderly Conduct............ 7 Peddling or Begging........... Ungovernable or Wayward..... 219 Desertion of Home............ 184 Truancy....................... 5 Violation Railroad Law........ Violation Corporation Ordinances Unclassified................... 23 Totals.................. 547 Grand Totals......... 3,749 11 1 80 16 116 59. 1 17 27 1 6 3 54 392 1 9 1. 44 436 62 23 564 36 565 106 5 222 234 19 5 6 93 1,940 6 4 1 73 3 126 116 3 17 349 2,289 7 3 141 9 76 11 81 114 19 18 479 6 79 59 2 4 150 629 2 3 288 10.. 28 6 54 391 3.. 'i 4 395 15 TABLE 8 ACTION ON PETITIONS INVOLVING NEGLECTED CHILDREN, MATERIAL WITNESSES AND OTHERS, 1927 Allegations Sustained or Case Discharged Continued After for Total Hearing Disposition' Boys Neglected Children......................'1,789 610 1,179 Material Witnesses...................... 121 121 Others................................... 39 4 35 Totals...................... 1,949 735 1,214 GIRLS Neglected Children...................... 1,571 473 1,098 Material Witnesses...................... 337 337 Others.................................. 12 3 9 Totals...................... 1,920 813 1,107 Grand Totals................ 3,869 1,548 2,321 1 See Table 9. TABLE 9 DISPOSITION IN ALL CASES WHERE ALLEGATIONS WERE SUSTAINED INVOLVING NEGLECTED CHILDREN AND OTHERS, 1927 Committed Placed to Under Total Institutions Supervision Boys Neglected Children.....................a. 1,179 560 619 Others.................................. 35 34 1 Totals....................... 1,214 594 620 GIRLS Neglected Children1......................1,098 490 609 Others.................................. 9 9 Totals....................... 1,107 499 608 Grand Totals............... 2,321 1.093 1,228 16 TABLE 10 NUMBER OF SINGLE, AND GROUP ARRAIGN ME NTS., DELINQUENT AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN., MATERIAL WITNESSES AND OTHERS, 1927 Groups of -Arraigned Groups of Three or Allegations Total Singly Two More DELINQUENT CHILDREN 1. Assault........................ 299 261 22 16 2. Robbery........................ 43 20 8 15 3. Burglary....................... 991 205 296 490 4. Unlawf ul Entry.................. 103 31 30 42 5. Stealing....................... 11260 520 390 350 6. Disorderly Conduct.............. 1,174 371 240 563 7. Peddling or Begging.............. 81 33 28 20 8. Ungovernable or Wayward... 785 680 58 47 9. Desertion of Home.............. 995 887 64 44 10. Truancy........................ 57 53 4 11. Violation Railroad Law.... 99 26 20 12. Violation Corporation Ordinances 62 26 20 16 13. Unclassified..................... 502 331 92 79 Totals.................. 6,451 3,444 1,272 1,735 NEGLECTED CHILDREN., MATERIAL WITNESSES AND OTHERS Neglected Children.................. 3,525 825 763 1,937 Material Witnesses..................... 490 364 82 44 Others.............................. 52 52 Totals.................. 4,067 1,241 845. 1,981 Grand Totals............ 10,518 4,685 2,117 3,716 TABLE 11 VOLUME OF BUSINESS BEFORE, THE COURT DURING 19,27 Hearings New Continued Month Total Cases' Hearings January..................................... 3,154 826 2,328 February......................................... 3,317 877 2,440 March........................................... 3,808 1,022 2,786 April....................................... 3,901 874 3,027 May............................................. 3,501 865 2,636 June............................................. 4,032 979 3,053 July.............................................. 3,104 836 2,268 August.........................2,507 826 1,681 September................................... 3,036 732 2,304 October..................................... 2,829 1,012 1,817 November................................... 3,537 903 2,634 December................................... 4,024 766 3,258 17 TABLE 12 INSTITUTIONS TO WHICH CHILDREN WERE COMMITTED IN 1927, AND THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN COMMITTED TO EACH; ALL CHARGES Number Commitments Name of Institution Total Boys Girls American Female Guardian Society...5 4 1 Asylum Sisters of St. Dominic....32 14 18 Angel Guardian Society................................ 5 3 2 Bedford Reformatory........................ 1 Berkshire Farm School............................... 6 6 Brooklyn Home for Blind and Crippled Children........ 1 1 Brooklyn Training School and Home for Young Girls. 21 21 Brooklyn Nursery........1......................... 1.. 1 Children's Aid Society of Brooklyn.................. 29 13 16 Children's Village.................................. 71 68 3 Colored Orphan Asylum...56 43 13 Colored Orphan Asylum of Brooklyn................ 1 1 Convent of Sisters of Mercy......................... 27 11 16 Council Home for Jewish Girls....................... 19.. 19 Dominican Convent................................. 55 28 27 Eastern District Industrial School................ 3 2 1 Five Points House of Industry...................... 91 46 45 House of Mercy................................... 4.. 4 Holy Angel School..120 26 94 Home for Hebrew Infants........................... 37 19 18 Hebrew Orphan Asylum..113 68 45 Hebrew Sheltering Guardian Society..59 33 26 Hebrew Orphan Asylum, Brooklyn....29 17 12 House of Good Shepherd, New York.................. 29.. 29 House of the Holy Family........................... 27.. 27 House of Refuge.................................. 98 98 Institution of Mercy................................. 9 1 8 Institution Missionary Sisters, 3d Order St. Francis.. 67 27 40 Jewish Board of Guardians...... 89 78 11 Leake & Watts Orphan Asylum....................... 44 26 18 Letchworth Village.......40 31 9 Mission of Immaculate Virgin...213 143 70 New York Catholic Protectory...................... 422 - 405 17 New York Foundling Hospital........................ 86 45 41 New York State Training School and Home for Young Girls.......................................... 27.. 27 Nursery and Child's Hospital........................... 32 14 18 Orphan Asylum, City of Brooklyn..... 5 2 3 Parental School.................................... 4 4 Roman Catholic Orphan Asylum Society, Brooklyn...... 2.. 2 Rome Custodial School................................ 2 2 Salvation Army Rescue and Industrial Home............ 3 1 2 Sacred Heart Orphan Asylum..................2.. 2 St. Agatha's Home.................................... 49 22 27 St. Ann's House of Industry........................... 4 4 St. Agnes' Hospital.................................... 1 1 St. Dominic's Home................................ 51 28 23 St. Germain's Home................................... 56.. 56 St. John's Home..................................... 2 2 St. Malachy's Home................................ 14 5 9 St. Michael's Home................................ 27 15 12 St. Philomena's Home................................. 28.. 28 Truant School........................................ 19 19. Total.................... 2,238 1,370 868 NOTE:-This Table includes 516 children committed after probation but not included in Tables 7 and 9, respectively. They are as follows: Delinquent, 286 (191 boys and 95 girls); Neglected, 230 (106 boys and 124 girls). 18 TABLE 13 DELINQUENT AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN, MATERIAL WITNESSES AND OTHERS Number of Children Arraigned for First Time and the Number Arraigned with Previous Court Records, 1927 Number Number Number Arraigned Arraigned Arraigned Number with One with Two with Three Arraigned Previous Previous or More PreFirst Court Court vious Court Allegations Totals Time Appearance Appearances Appearances BOYS Delinquent Children.. 5,574 4,563 761 163 87 Neglected Children..... 1,885 1,688 152 38 7 Material Witnesses. 124 116 6 2 Others................. 38 14 18 2 4 Totals......... 7,621 6,381 937 205 98 GmLs Delinquent Children..... 877 808 55 11 3 Neglected Children. 1,640 1,515 109 15 1 Material Witnesses.. 366 351 15 Others................. 14 6 7 Totals......... 2,897 2,680 186 27 4 Grand Totals... 10,518 9,061 1,123 232 102 TABLE 14 AGES OF ALL CHILDREN ARRAIGNED, 1927 Neglected Children Material WitGrand Total Delintuent Children nesses and Others Age Total Boys Girls Total Boys Girls Total Boys Girls 2 years and under. 499 292 207........ 499 292 207 3 years........... 196 97 99......... 196 97 99 4 years........... 226 120 106......... 226 120 106 5 years........... 224 121 103......... 224 121 103 6 years........... 259 129 130...... 259 129 130 7 years........... 300 181 119 21 21... 279 160 119 8 years........... 384 254 130 104 95 9 280 159 121 9 years........... 535 371 164 238 212 26 297 159 138 10 years........... 660 489 171 361 329 32 299 160 139 11 years........... 799 628 171 510 481 29 289 147 142 12 years........... 1,077 865 212 796 720 76 281 145 136 13 years.......... 1,428 1,131 297 1,148 992 156 280 139 141 14 years.......... 1,808 1,361 447 1,478 1,237 241 330 124 206 15 years......... 2,123 1,582 541 1,795 1,487 308 328 95 233 Totals......10,518 7,621 2,897 6,451 5,574 877 4,067 2,047 2,020 19 TABLE 15 NEGLECTED CHILDREN Showing the Number of Parents of Children Placed Under Orders to Pay for the Support of Children Committed to Institutions, and the Amounts Which They Were Ordered to Pay, 1927 Number of Orders Amount per Week 6 Orders....................................... at $0.50 68 "C....................1.00 6 "c.................. "t1.25 48 "i.................. "C1.50 203 "................. 2.00 1 Order...................................... "t 2.25 58 Orders..................................... "t 2.50 166.........................................". 3.00 3........................................... "t 3.33 10 "i....................3.50 87..........................................."i 4.00 79 "i................." 5.00 48........................................... " 5.25 11 "i...............................0"t 5.50 8.........................................5.60 2........................................... "t 5.65 4 "................. 6.00 1 Order...................................... 6.25 3 Orders..................................... 6.75 1 O rder...................................... " 10.00 1 "....................".15.00 Total 814 Orders t~) TABLE 16 DELINQUENT CHILDREN Nativity of Children Arraigned During the Year 1927 Other United Ger- Ire- Eng- Nor- CounAllegations Total States Italy Russia many land Austria land way Sweden tries DELINQUENT CHILDREN: 1. Assault......................... 299 288 4 2 1.......... 4 2. Robbery......................... 43 40.. 1............ 2 3. Burglary....................... 991 942 12 1.... 3 3 2 1 17 4. Unlawful Entry................. 103 97......... 1.. 5 5. Stealing....................... 1,260 1,184 29 10. 2.. 4 1 1 1 28 6. Disorderly Conduct.............. 1,174 1,101 17 22 1.. 3 1.... 29 7. Peddling or Begging..............81 66 3 4......... 8 8. Ungovernable or Wayward....... 785 713 11 9.. 1 3.... 47 9. Desertion of Home...o.......... 995 902 20 9 4.. 1 5.... 54 10. Truancy........................ 57 50 2 1............ 4 11. Violation Railroad Law........... 99 98.. 1.. 12. Violation Corporation Ordinances.. 62 58.. 3............ 1 13. Unclassified..................... - 502 474 8 11 1.. 2...... 6 Totals..................... 6,451 6,013 106 84 9 1 16 10 5 2 205 TABLE 17 DELINQUENT CHILDREN Nativity of Parents of Children Arraigned During the Year 1927 Other United Ger- Ire- Eng- Nor- CounTotal States Italy Russia many land Austria land way Sweden tries Allegations DELINQUENT CHILnDREN: 1. Assault........................ 299 115 71 69 9 6 8...... 21 2. Robbery......................... 43 25 9 1 1 2 1.... 4 3. Burglary....................... 991 261 345 167 11 30 28 8 8 5 128 4. Unlawful Entry................. 103 29 44 11 6 5.. 1.. 7 5. Stealing......................... 1,260 295 521 161 23 42 59 3 4 4 148 6. Disorderly Conduct............. 1,174 321 370 267 13 39 30 7 1 5 121 7. Peddling or Begging............. 81 9 32 23... 2.... 15 8. Ungovernable or Wayward....... 785 270 215 85 9 32 31 6 3 2 132 9. Desertion of Home.............. 995 350 260 119 14 61 29 5 7 1 149 10. Truancy......................... 57 14 26 4 2 2 2 1.... 6 11. Violation Railroad Law........... 99 34 27 21 3 6 3.... 5 12. Violation Corporation Ordinances.. 62 22 22 4 2 1 2 1.. 8 13, Unclassified..................... 502 133 172 125 4 14 13 2 3.. 36 Totals..................... 6,451 1,878 2,114 1,057 91 241 213 33 27 17 780 TABLE 18 NEGLECTED CHILDREN, MATERIAL WITNESSES, AND OTHERS Nativity of Children Arraigned During the Year 1927 Other United Ger- Ire- Eng- Nor- CounAllegations Total States Italy Russia many land Austria land way Sweden tries Neglected Children..................... 3,525 3,384 19 7 6 3 4 4 2.. 96 Material Witnesses....................... 490 467 4 1 1.. 1 1 1.. 14 Others................................... 52 48 3 1.... Totals....................... 4,067 3,899 26 9 7 3 5 5 3.. 110 TABLE 19 NEGLECTED CHILDREN, MATERIAL WITNESSES, AND OTHMEs Nativity of Parents of Ohildren Arraigned During the Year 1927 Allegations Total Neglected Children.................... 3,525 Material Witnesses...... #0...............490 Others................................ 52 Totals................... 4,067 United Ger- IreStates Italy Russia many land 1,441 613 452 85 208 206 114 84 8 9 15 19 8.. 3 1,662 746 544 93 220 Eng- NorAustria land way 136 32 10 13 1 3 2 1 151 34 13 Other CounSweden tries 3 545 2 50 4 5 599 -- TABLE 20 COLOR OF CHILDREN ARRAIGNED, 1927 Allegations Delinquent Children................................. Neglected Children, Material Witnesses and Others.. Totals................................ Total 6,451 4,067 10,518 Color White Negro 5,962 489 3,726 341 9,688 830 -- TABLE 21 ARRAIGNMENTS BY COUNTIES, 1927 Delinquent Children Neglected Children Material Witnesses Others County Total Boys Girls Total Boys Girls Total Boys Girls Total Boys Girls New York.............................. 2,619 2,190 429 1,879 1,042 837 124 26 98 21 16 5 Kings................................... 2,115 1,855 260 585 307 278 303 79 224 18 11 7 Bronx.................................. 960 869 91 532 270 262 24 8 16 4 3 1 Queens.................................. 578 499 79 407 200 207 25 3 22 5 5 Richmond................................ 179 161 18 122 66 56 14 8 6 4 3 1 Total......................... 6,451 5,574 877 3,525 1,885 1,640 490 124 366 52 38 14 IN) REPORT OF THE PROBATION BUREAU WITH Statistical Analysis of Social Facts Regarding Children INVESTIGATED 1927 January 20, 1928. HON. FRANKLIN CHASE HoYT, Presiding Justice, Children's Court, New York, N. Y. Sir-Pursuant to the rule of the Board of Justices, I transmit herewith report of the Probation Bureau of the Children's Court of the City of New York for the year 1927. Respectfully submitted, BERNARD J. FAGAN, Chief Probation Officer. TABLE 22 SUMMARY OF WORK DONE Composite New York Kings Bronx Queens Richmond Totals Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls RESULTS AFTER INVESTIGATION: Placed on Probation or Supervision.. 3,788 2,741 1,047 1,188 497 695 235 442 149 314 131 102 35 Paroled Pending Disposition......... 580 313 267 106 157 67 27 98 52 42 29 2 Committed to Institutions........... 1,049 670 379 301 185 189 88 105 51 54 45 21 10 Discharged or Sentence Suspended.. 1,075 840 235 290 104 338 68 107 27 74 29 31 9 Totals................... 6,492 4,564 1,928 1,885 943 1,289 418 752 279 484 234 154 56 RESULTS AFTER PROBATION: Discharged with Improvement....... 3,641 2,570 1,071 1,032 521 712 281 431 135 325 116 70 18 Discharged without Improvement.... 246 208 38 134 19 22 4 28 3 21 2 3 10 Terminated by Commitment......... 571 325 246 145 133 80 51 62 29 26 28 12 5 Absconded or Lost from Oversight... 34 24 10 12 7 9... 1... 1... 1 3 Totals.................... 4,492 3,127 1,365 1,323 680 823 336. 522 167 373 146 86 36 NUMBER SUPERVISED, DISCHARGED AND REMAINING: Continued on Probation from Last Year........................ 2,417 1,615 802 741 384 401 251 253 73 167 63 53 31 Received during the Year........... 4,368 3,054 1,314 1,294 654 762 262 540 201 356 160 102 37 Totals................... 6,785 4,669 2,116 2,035 1,038 1,163 513 793 274 523 223 155 68 Number Passing from Supervision during the Year.............. 4,492 3,127 1,365 1,323 680 823 336 522 167 373 146 86 36 Number Remaining on Probation Dec. 31, 1927.................. 2,293 1,542 751 712 358 340 177 271 107 150 77 69 32 \10 30 TABLE 23 DURATION OF PROBATION Total Boys, Girls, Duration Number Number Number Three Months or Under........................... 954 665 289 Four Months........................................ 462 335 127 Five M onths......................................... 631 461 170 Six Months......................................... 672 516 156 Seven Months...................................... 507 343 164 Eight Months to One Year........................... 899 584 315 Over One Year.................................. 327 209 118 Total.................................. 4,452 3,113 1,339 TABLE 24 PARENTAL CONDITION Total Boys, Girls, Number Number Number CONDITION: Parents Living Together........................ 3,606 2,799 807 Father Dead................................... 770 529 241 M other Dead.................................... 678 420 258 Both Parents Dead.............................. 179 108 71 Father in Institution............................ 48 26 22 Mother in Institution........................... 55 26 29 Both in Institution............................. 11 6 5 Deserted by Father............................ 76 44 32 Deserted by Mother........................... 30 18 12 Deserted by Both Parents....................... 7 4 3 Father not in America.......................... 2 1 1 Mother not in America........................... 1 1 Parents Separated.............................. 902 527 375 Parents not Married............................ 106 59 47 Total................................. 6,471 4,568 1,903 SUMMARY: Parents Living Together........................ 3,606 2,799 807 Homes without Fathers......................... 896 600 296 Homes without Mothers........................ 764 465 299 Both Parents Absent (Children Living with Relatives)...................................... 1,099 645 454 Parents not Married............................ 106 59 47 Total...............................6,471 4,568 1,903 NOTE.-Anyone desiring additional information as to Counties or Boroughs may obtain same by applying to the Chief Probation Officer. 31 TABLE 25 SIZE OF FAMILY AND FAMILY INCOME 2 3 4 5 6 Children Chil- Chil- Chil- Children Total, or Less, dren, dren, dren, or More, Income Number Number Number Number Number Number A. JUVENILE DELINOTTENCVY $25.00 $26.00 $33.00 $41.00 $50.00 per Week or Under 716 to $32.00 per Week 560 to $40.00 per Week 822 to $49.00 per Week 485 per Week and Over 1,408 Total............ 3,991 B. SPECIAL PROCEEDINGS: (Improper Guardianship, etc.): $25.00 per Week or Under 948 $26.00 to $32.00 per Week 427 $33.00 to $40.00 per Week 556 $41.00 to $49.00 per Week 216 $50.00 per Week and Over 333 Total............ 2,480 284 116 156 72 190 818 313 108 122 35 76 654 124 110 170 87 184 675 182 70 87 46 53 438 113 101 175 76 220 685 182 92 113 39 86 512 89 108 130 84 233 644 81 62 86 27 43 299 106 125 191 166 581 1,169 190 95 148 69 75 577 Total No. Total No. C. SUMMARY: Two Children or Less..... Three Children......... Four Children............ Five Children............ Six Children............. Total.............. 1,472 1,113 1,197 943 1,746 6,471 $25.00 per Week or Under.... $26.00 to $32.00 per Week..... $33.00 to $40.00 per Week..... $41.00 to $49.00 per Week.... $50.00 per Week and Over.... T otal................. 1,664 987 1,378 701 1,741 6,471 NoTE.-Anyone desiring additional information as to Counties or Boroughs may obtain same by applying to the Chief Probation Officer. 32 TABLE 26 AGE AND GRADE IN SCHOOL-CHILDREN IN REGULAR CLASSES GRADES High a. AGES: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th School Total Under 7 years....... Cd 7 Years.......... I 0 8 Years...........z 9 Years........... 10 Years............ 11 Years........... 12 Years....... CS 13 Years........... 14 Years.......... 15 and Over........ Total.......... b. SUMMARY: Ahead of Grade....... Normal............. Retarded or Over Age.. Total.......... 102 95 39 9 5 1 1 10 77 100 57 34 8 4 3 2 1 25 70 142 120 52 29 17 5 9 17 96 156 151 110 65 34 15 1 19 85 167 189 162 133 48 1 78 184 215 229 111 3 15 74 190 318 200 5 13 79 198 164 CS.0 4 ' 20 108 158 113 198 227 324 421 476 608 751 1,028 705 252 295 470 645 804 836 800 459 290 4,851... 87 96 114 105 97 92 97 24 712 236 157 262 307 356 399 508 362 266 2,853 16 51 112 224 343 340 200 1...,286 1 - 1 1 - 1 1 - 1 1 1 1 252 295 470 645 804 836 1800 459 290 4,851 ADDITIONAL SUMMARY Number of Children Regular Classes................................................4,851 Special Classes................................................... 23 Ungraded Classes.......................................................237 Holding Working Papers-EmployedI.......Go..........................200 Not Employed.................................................. 221 Illegally Employed...................................................... 24 Not in School and Idle.............................................915 Total................................................ 6,471 NOTE.-Anyone desiring additional information as to Counties or Boroughs may obtain same by applying to the Chief Probation Officer. REPORT OF Chairman of the Medical Board (PSYCHOPATHIC CLINIC) 1927 January 12th, 1928. HON. FRANKLIN CHASE HOYT, Presiding Justice, Children's Court., Manhattan. Sir-Pursuant to the authority vested in me as Chairman of the Medical Board, Children's Court Clinic, I am transmitting to you herewith the annual statistical report of the said clinic for the year 1927. Respectfully submitted, MAX G. SCHLAPP, Chairman. 37 TABLE 27 NUMBER OF CASES Male Female Total Post Graduate....................................282 17 299 Brooklyn Court........................................ 179. Brooklyn Court..10 48 188 Manhattan Court................................... 140 48 188 455 244 699 TABLE 28 SOURCE OF CASES Manhattan Brooklyn Bronx Queens Richmond Total Male.................... 249 103 52 40 11 455 Female.................. 170 40 18 10 6 244 419 143 70 50 17 699 TABLE 29 NATIVITIES OF CHILDREN Male Female Tptal A. NATIVE-BORN CHILD---NATIVE PARENTS: White *..................................... 70 48 118 Black.......................................... 31 28 59 O thers........................................ 1 5 6 Total............................. 102 81 183 B. NATIVE-BORN CHILD--FOREIGN PARENTS: Italy..................................... 126 55 181 Russia........................................ 43 27 70 A ustria....................................... 24 14 38 Ireland....................................... 35 7 42 Germ any...................................... 6 4 10 Scandinavian Countries........................ 3 3 6 England...................................... 11 2 13 Balkan Peninsula............................. 19 5 24 All Others.................................... 47 23 70 Total............................. 314 140 454 C. FOREIGN-BORN CHILD-FOREIGN PARENTS: Italy.......................................... 10 6 16 Austria..................................... 2 1 3 Russia........................................ 6 2 8 Germ any...................................... 1.. 1 Scandinavian Countries......................... 1 1 2 England....................................... 1.. 1 Balkan Peninsula............................... 1 1 Ireland..................................... 1.. 1 All Others................................... 17 12 29 Total.............................. 39 23 62 COMBINED SUMMARY OF NATIVITIES U. SUM MARY: Native-Born Children-Native-Born Parents..... 102 81 183 Native-Born Children-Foreign-Born Parents... 314 140 454 Foreign-Born Children-Foreign-Born Par ents... 39 23 62 Grand Totals........................455 244 699 38 TABLE 30 RACE CLASSIFICATION Male Female Total Latin................................................. 155 69 224 Sem itic................................................ 79 39 118 Celtic................................................. 76 26 102 Negro............................................... 43 41 84 Teutonic.............................................. 36 30 66 Slavic................................................. 33 20 53 Anglo-Saxon....................................... 16 9 25 American Indian............................... Unclassified........................................... 17 10 27 455 244 699 TABLE 31 FAMILY SHows HISTORY OF Male Female Total Tuberculosis.......................................... 18 20 38 Syphilis........................................... 1 2 3 Epilepsy........................................... 1.. 1 Insanity.......................................... 17 13 30 Immorality........................................ 10 3 13 Nervousness........................................ 1 5 6 Feeblemindedness...................................... 1 1 2 Cancer................................................ 10 3 13 A lcoholism............................................ 53 12 65 Combination of two or more of these.................. 27 17 44 Other factors...................................... 8 6 14 No record........................................... 8 16 24 Total..................................... 155 98 253 No negative history noted............................. 300 146 446 Grand Totals.............................. 455 244 699 39 TABLE 32 AGE AND GRADE IN SCHOOL-CHILDREN IN REGULAR CLASSES GRADES High a. AGES: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th School Total A -, - - - - - I l Under 7 Years...... 7 Years........... 8 Years........... 9 Years........... 10 Years........... 11 Years.......... 12 Years........... 13 Years........... 14 Years........... 15 and Over........ Total.......... SUMMARY: Ahead of Grade....... Normal.............. Retarded or Over Age.. Total......... 4 3 8 4 1 2 9 10 7 3 1 2 12 16 8 4 4 2 2 1 1 12 17 15 15 7 6 1 6 8 29 24 14 1 3 15 24 31 23 4 16 37 19 2 5 9 8 C0 0 8 12 4 6 20 28 43 -41 67 97 118 84 20 31 51 74 114 97 76 24 21 508... 2 3 2 7 4 4 7 1 30 15 19 28 29 37 39 53 17 20 257 5 10 20 43 70 54 19....... 221 20 31 51 74 1141 97 76 24 21 508 TABLE 33 CHILDREN IN REGULAR AND OTHER CLASSES Holding Working Papers Un- Not Illegally Idle Regular Special graded Em- Em- Em- (Not in Age Classes Classes Classes ployed ployed ployed School) Total Under 7 years. 4........ 11 15 7 years..6.......... 1 7 8 years...... 20.......... 1 21 9 years...... 28 1 3...... 32 10 years..... 43 -.. 8....... 51 11 years...... 41.. 8...... 1 50 12 years...... 67.. 22...... 2 91 13 years...... 97 3 22........ 122 14 years...... 118 2 29.. 2.. 3 154 15 years and over........ 84.. 19 19 19.. 15 156 Totals.. 508 6 111 19 21.. 34 699 40 TABLE 34 AGE OF PATIENTS Age 1 year.................................... 2 years................................. 3 years...................................... 4 years...................................... 5 years...................................... 6 years...................................... 7 years...................................... 8 years................................... 9 years.................................. 10 years..................................... 11 years..................................... 12 years..................................... 13 years..................................... 14 years..................................... 15 years..................................... Adult....................................... Total.............................. Male 1 1 1 1 4 8 17 18 38 43 66 76 95 73 13 455 Female Total 1 2 3 4 1 5 1 9 4 21 14 32 14 52 7 50 25 91 46 122 59 154 60 133 9 22 244 699 TABLE 35 MENTAL AGE OF PATIENTS Male ' Female Total Below 3 years................................. 3 years...................................... 4 years...................................... 5 years..................................... 6 years..................................... 7 years...................................... 8 years...................................... 9 years..................................... 10 years...................................... 11 years..................................... 12 years..................................... 13 years..................................... 14 years..................................... 15 years..................................... 16 years and over.............................. Undetermined............................. Total............................ 4 1 5 14 27 44 111 101 62 33 20 8 6 12 2 5 455 1 1 2 1 8 23 36 53 42 31 19 9 6 3 3 6 244 2 7 15 35 67 147 154 104 64 39 -17 12 5 5 11 699 41 TABLE 36 INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENT OF PATIENTS Quotient Male Female Total Below 20............................................... 1.1 20-29................................................... 1.1 30-39................................................... 5.5 40-49.................................................. 14 7 21 50-59........................................... 0... 54 30 84 60-69.................................................. 120 55 175 70-79................................................. 121 75 196 80-89.....................................:............. 84 36 120 90-109................................................. 44 31 75 110 plus................................................ 6 4 10 Undetermined........................................... 5 6 11 Total...................................... 455 244 699 TABLE 37 ALLEGATIONS Male Female Total DELINQUENT CHILDREN: Assault......................................... Robbery......................................... Burglary........................................ Unlawf ul Entry................................. Stealing........................... Disorderly Conduct............................... Peddling or Begging............................. Ungovernable and Wayward...................... Desertion of Home...............................5 Truancy......................................... Violation of Railroad Law........................ Violation of Corporation Ordinance................ Unclassified..................................... Total................................... NEGLECTED CHILDREN., MATERIAL WITNESSES AND OTHERS: Neglected Children............................... Material Witnesses............................... Others.................................I Total.................................... Grand Total............................. 12 3 15. 12 91 18 200 17 2-9 402 45 8 53 455 10 9 163 2 193 47 2 2 51 244 12 3 15 13 101 27 363 19 37 595 92 2 10 104 699 TABLE 38 CLINICAL CLASSIFICATIONS Female. ~6.1;00 0 DELINQUENT CHILDREN 0 z +.J 0. 0 o- - p o S Y~~4 ý D 0 U1.4 Cd. 0. L"C ~ 00000 if C o 0 0o C13 z ý m Q Z UQP. ý Assault.............................................................. Robbery................................................................ Burglary................................................................. Unlawful Entry............................1.................... 10 Stealing..............................."2.. 2 "4 2.. 2................. i. "i.1 Disorderly Conduct*............'...........1..... 3.... 3...................'........... Peddling or Begging................................................. Ungovernable and Wayward.......... Desertion of Home.......................5 24 2 34 51 1.. 45................:1 4 1 163 Truancy..................................1.............1...................... 2 Violation of Railroad Law................................................... Violation of Corporation Ordinance............................ Unclassified................................ 1.. 4..8.. 3................... Total.......................... 28 3 36 62 1.. 55............ 1 5 2 193 NEGLECTED CHILDREN, MATERIAL WITNESSES AND, OTHERS Neglected Children....................... 10 1 7 ' 12 11 3............1 2 47 Material Witnesses...................... 1............1......................2 O thers....................................2 Total.......................... 11 1 7 13... 13 3................ 2 51 Grand Total................... 39 4 43 75 1.. 68 3....'...... 2 5 4 244 TABLE 39 CLINICAL CLASSIFICATION S Male Cd V X U 0 0 > -4 DELINQUENT CHILDREN.4 0 Z -, a o 4o I. rd 0 Cd C13, m - 0 0 CUAssault.................................... 2 1.. 3.. 5............ 12 Robbery................................... 1 1.. 1 3 Burglary................................. 1 1 3 3.. 6 1.. 15 Unlawful Entry............................ 1 5.. 3.......... 2 1.. 12 Stealing................................. 8 6 25 15.. 29 1.......... 6 1 91 Disorderly Conduct...................... 2 1 6 4.. 4............ 1.. 18 Peddling or Begging.................... Ungovernable and Wayward.............. Desertion of Home....................... 25 3 57 40 1 41 4.... 1 -.... 26 2 200 Truancy................................. 8 3.. 6............... 17 Violation of Railroad Law............... Violation of Corporation Ordinance....... 2 1. 2.......... Unclassified.......................... 4.. 9 5.. 7 2........ 1 1 29 Total........................42 12 112 80 1 104 7.... 1.. 3 36 4 402 NEGLECTED CHILDREN, MATERIAL WITNESSES AND OTHERS Neglected Children...................... 7 3 5 9.. 13 6.......... 2.. 45 Material Witnesses...................... Others?........................................ 5 2 18......... 8 Total........................ 7 3 5 9.. 18 8 1........ 2.. 53 Grand Total.................. 49 15 117 89 1 122 15 1.. 1.. 3 38 4 455 44 TABLE 40 PHYSICAL EXAMINATION Male Female Total Physical Defects..................................... 406 203 609 Physical Examination Negative........................ 45 40 85 No Physical Examination Made........................ 4 1 5 455 244 699 TABLE 41 RECOMMENDATION Male Female Total None............................................10 6 16 Probation......................................... 44 25 69 Probation and Medication.............................. 220 35 255 Institutional: 1. Feebleminded................................. 80 39 119 2. Corrective and Disciplinary.................... 26 46 72 3. Protective.................................... 63 37 100 4. Cripples...................................... 1.. 1 Environmental......................................... 3 30 33 Deportation.................................... Training.............................................. 3 10 13 Supervision and Discipline............................. 1 8 9 Further Examination................................. 4 8 12 455 244 699 TABLE 42 DISPOSITION OF CASES Male Female Total Probation........................................ 236 73 309 Institutional: 1. Feebleminded.................................. 32 10 42 2. Corrective..................................... 76 53 129 3. Protective.................................... 34 38 72 4. H ealth........................................ 1 2 3 5. Training..................................... 3 1 4 Supervision............................................ 16 18 34 Discharged........................................ 31 31 62 Sentence Suspended.................................. 14 2 16 Absconded.. Sentence Peneding.................................... 12 16 28 455 244 699 45 APPENDIX. CHILDREN'S COURT, CITY OF NEW YORK, FRANKLIN CHASE HOYT, Presiding Justice. *n Nemnoriam HON. ROBERT J. WILKIN. Mr. Justice Robert J. Wilkin of the Children's Court of the City of New York died on December 3, 1927. The following are tributes to Mr. Justice Wilkin by his colleagues and consist of extracts from the Minutes of a Meeting of the Board of Justices of the said Court held on December 8, 1927, and from the Minutes of the several Parts of the Court. FRANKLIN CHASE HOYT, Presiding Justice. Attest: ADOLPHUS RAGAN, Chief Clerk. At a vmeeting of the Board of Justices of the Children's Court of the City of New York, held on December 8, 1927, the following statement' and resolution were directed to be incorporated in the Minutes of the Board: It is with very real grief and personal sorrow that we enter a record in our Minutes of the death of our fellow Justice, Robert J. Wilkin, on the third of December, 1927. Judge Wilkin was originally appointed to the bench in 1903 and immediately began his assignments in that division of the Court of Special Sessions which was then known and designated as the Children's Court. He was assigned exclusively to preside in the Children's Court on its reorganization in 1915 and when the present court was established in 1924 he again was appointed as one of its original justices. 46 From 1877 Judge Wilkin was actively engaged in the promotion of child welfare in this City, having been instrumental in procuring in 1884 the passage of the first law of this State for-the protection and supervision of children brought into court, and later securing the enactment of the Juvenile Delinquency Act, one of the mostý humane laws ever passed in this State for the protection of children. Judge Wilkin's early services with the'Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, his pioneer methods of building up new humanitarian methods in the treatment of neglected and delinquent children, and his persistent and able work for the creation of Children's Courts for children's cases marked him as one of the leaders in overturning an old and barbarous method, and creating in its place a new and scientific system for the uplift of the unfortunate youth of the country. H-e not only promoted these modern ideas for the creation of a new jurisdiction for softening the ills of the neglected, and correcting the ywywardness of the delinquent, but for twenty-four years he devoted his life in putting into practical effect in this Court the beneficent laws which were largely the result of his labor; and his career on the bench of this Court, the results which he has achieved, his long affiliation with the promotion of the best interests of children, place Judge Wilkins on high plane among the national leaders in the cause of child welfare. In view of the great loss which the community, the Court, and we ourselves, as his fellow justices, have sustained in his death and in view of the foregoing sentiments which we have expressed; therefore be it Resolved, That we, his brethren who were his sincere friends, who ever enjoyed his fellowship, and who were ever proud of and happy in his association, give testimony to the great good that he accomplished, and, while we regret his taking away from us, we feel that the Divine Master, who was ever his guide, will grant him eternal reward for the good that he did for the least of His little ones; and be it further Resolved, That we extend to Mrs. Wilkin our sincere sympathy in her bereavement. JAMES J. CONWAY, Chairman, Committee on Resolutions. At a session of the 'Childrevnis Court of the City of New York, held on Monday, December 5, 1927, in the County of New York, Presiding Justice Franklin Chase Hoyt made the following remarks: PRESIDING JUSTICE HOYT: It is with very real grief and personal sorrow that we note in our record the death of our fellow justice and dear friend, Robert J. Wilkin. It is no exaggeration to say that his loss is an irreparable one and that the Children's Court and the whole community will suffer from the deprivation of his wise leadership, his genial cooperation and his unselfish and devoted service in the work which is so close to all our hearts. 47 Judge Wilkin was without question one of the great leaders of this country in the cause of child welfare. His earlier services with the Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, his foundation of the Brooklyn Children's Court in 1903, his revision of the laws relating to juvenile delinquency, all mark him as one of the pioneers in the development of the Children's Court idea and one of the greatest experts of the nation in matters relating to the care and protection of neglected and delinquent children. Coming to the bench of the Children's Court in 1903, he had achieved a unique record up to the time of his death.' He had in all probability the longest service in the Children's Court of any other justice then in office in the country and without question had handled more cases of neglected and delinquent children than any other man in the whole world. This record is all the more extraordinary when we realiie that he accomplished this tremendous and vital work, brilliantly, successfully and with the implicit confidence of the whole community during his 24 years of service. If we can look for any consolation in this hour of our sorrow we may find it only in this; that up to the last moment he was carrying on his work with the same enthusiasm and with the same unselfish consecration to his work as he evidenced in the early days of his splendid career. This example of untiring and devoted service remains with us as our heritage from him and we all ever cherish it. We feel sure that it would be his wish that the business of the day should continue so that none of the people who come to our Court for relief and guidance should be put to greater discomfort by the postponement of their cases. In that belief we will proceed as briefly as possible with the disposition of our calendar, bat when we have finished with the work of the day, we shall direct that the Court stand adjourned in respect to his memory., * * ~ * * December 5th, 1927. At the close of a session of the Children's Court, Part II, Bo;rough of Manhattan, County of New York, Mr. Justice Edward F. Boyle made the following statement: JUSTICE BOYLE: At the opening of Court today, I sat in Part I with Mr. Justice Hoyt and listened with deep emotion to his address in connection with the announcement of the death of our dear friend and associate, Robert J. Wilkin. Judge Hoyt epitomized the work of Judge Wilkin splendidly, when he referred to it as "tremendous and vital." There is nothing that I might add that could serve to emphasize more fully at this time, what Judge Hoyt described as the "brilliant and successful accomplishments" to which Judge Wilkin dedicated himself; but I do want to add a word in the nature of 48 a personal expression of the keen sense of loss that comes to me, at the news of the death of a beloved associate and friend. One could not know Judge Wilkin, I am sure, without realizing on short acquaintance that he possessed, to an unusual degree, a fine capacity for friendship and good will, a capacity which his associates enjoyed in full measure. I am proud of the fact that I shared in the work and in the affections of a man of such noble character. His memory will remain with us while life lasts. His work, of course, will go on, because he built well and solidly and unselfishly. At a session of the Children's Court of the City of New York, held in the County of Queens on Tuesday, December 6, 1927, Mr. Justice James J. Conway spoke as follozws: JUSTICE CONWAY: I feel that we should say something this morning as a sort of memorial on the death of Judge Wilkin. Since the last session of the Court we have all been shocked by the sudden death of Judge Wilkin; and yet it was hardly unexpected, for while Judge Wilkin has been active in the performance of his duties, he has not been well for some time. That his death causes a great loss to the Court and to the welfare of the children who are brought to the Court, I need not tell you. - You who have been affiliated with him for years in his work fully realize that. Judge O'Keefe said yesterday: "Someone may be appointed to succeed him, but he cannot be replaced." That is in every sense true. The late Mayor Gaynor, a distinguished ex-Justice of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, many years ago said that Judge Wilkin was the one who blazed the way for the humanitarian and scientific handling of children's cases and that the Judges who figured so much in the public prints years ago were only imitators. Judge Wilkin was the pioneer. It would be a very difficult matter indeed to in any degree estimate what the unfortunate children of this City and State owe to Judge Wilkin-and for that matter, because of the course which he set, the unfortunate children of the whole country are deeply indebted to him. Only the other evening I was reading a very important treatise on Juvenile Courts throughout the country and particularly in the District of Columbia, and again and again the course of treatment recommended for the handling of children's cases by Judge Wilkin was cited with approval. You have known Judge Wilkin particularly in connection with his Children's Court work. While I am somewhat familiar with that side of his work, I came in contact with him in another side of his life. For ten years past he has been my close neighbor. I got to know him intimately. When he would be out walking on Sunday afternoon he almost regularly stopped in at my home to chat. We got to look forward with pleasure to his visits. When he came it was like a ray of sunshine. My whole family welcomed his coming, and we would all sit around in a family circle while he laughed and told us many experiences of his life. I never 49 knew a more amiable character. He entwined himself into iny home circle, and niy wife, my family and myself have had for Judge WVilkin a real affectionate regard. Then again I got to know f riends of his, running over a period of thirty or forty years. In his younger days he was much interested in canoeing and camping life, and I understand he was one of the organizers of the American Canoe Association. It is really an international association, taking in Canada and the United States. It has done a great deal to encourage healthy outdoor amateur sports and camping life among young people. Its moving spirit was judge Wilkin. For some few years past 1 have been attending their meets, and camping with them in Ontario, Canada. There I met hundreds of people from Canada and the. United States who had known him in the past, and they talked of him in the most affectionate terms. They never tired of talking of him and always wound up by sending their affectionate regrards to him, for he has not attended there for some years. But their affection for him was real and they wished to see him again, and his memory was something for them to cherish, almost boyish. Yesterday at the funeral services some of those men came all the way from Philadelphia and other distant cities to attend his funeral services. To them he was an ideal. just as he was a great force f or good in promoting the new and humanitarian method of handling unfortunate children, so was he a great force in promoting healthy outdoor life among young people more than forty years ago, and while he no longer attended their camps he still kept up that interest by corresponding with people all over the United States and Canada. Even apart from the particular interest which he seemed to take in me( and my family there are hundreds of people in Belle Harbor and Rockaway Park where he has spent a large part of his time f or the past ten years, who will miss his cheery greeting and the sunshine of his pleasant f ace. Hle has been a beautiful influence in my lif e. I wish that I had the talent to paint his life in the beautiful soft colors worthy of it. Let me say one other thing of a personal nature. It is due to his urge that I am in the Children's Court. He constantly talked to me about his work here. He constantly urged me to try and enter this field. lHe knew me intimately; he knew my point of view; he knew my family and family life. He frequently said he thought I would fit into the work, and my life and train of thought sort of fitted me for it. For a long time I did not think seriously of it, but he finally got me to thinking the way he spoke. Then the time seemed propitious, and he started to urge on the Board of justices the necessity for having a justice of the Children's Court in Queens, and he sort of persuaded the Board of Justices to see it from his point of view, and then things began to happen, and in a short time I was inducted into the Court. 50 this direction, and he said: "Don't; I was a bit selfish. I was selfish for the Children's Court, selfish for the unfortunate children that, are brought to the Court. I felt that you were just the man for the place and so I urged you for it." I hope today that I will live up to his expectation of me. No sooner was I appointed here than he got after me to get better quarters and push the project of the new Court. If we have made progress in that regard you can give him credit for that as well as many other good things. I want to say that his death has brought real sorrow to me and to my wife. He was like a very near relation and a good one to us. I feel that we have lost a true friend and that a beautiful influence has left our lives. Remarks of Mr. Justice Samuel D. Levy on the death of the Hon. Robert J. Wilkin, a Justice of the Children's Court, at a session of the Court held on December 5, 1927. JUSTICE LEVY: It is with feelings of a real personal loss. that I regard the sudden death of my distinguished and honored colleague and friend, ROBERT J. WILKIN. We had been closely associated during the past twelve years as Justices of the Court and I can justly say that in all that time, I felt that no finer specimen of judge and man existed in this, or in any other court or land. His genial disposition and kindness of heart, coupled with supreme patience and faith in children, entwined with a constantly abiding optimistic hope for their reformation and redemption, made him an ideal judge to pass upon the trials and sorrows and unhappy environmental conditions of children, and it is preeminently proper and right to say here today, that I feel he has rendered the Commonwealth a supreme public service that cannot be evaluated in money, for that service has resulted in salvaging souls, rehabilitating families and in educating both children and parents to the better and finer things of life. He was, therefore, in its broadest and best sense, a real philanthropist and humanitarian, and his death has made a void difficult to fill. Out of a profound love and high regard for this great man, and deep respect for his memory, I adjourn the Court for the day. At a session of the Children's Court' of the City of New York, held in the County of Kings on Monday, December 5, 1927, Mr. Justice George J. O'Keefe spoke as follows: JUSTICE O'KEEFE: My friends, we meet today in the shadow of a great loss. The sad news of the sudden death of Justice Robert J. Wilkin was a shock to all 51 of us. Not much more than a week ago he was in the building here and talked with me about plans that he had for the extension and making of additional room here because of a recognition of increased business. It was quite appropriate that he should because he was in large measure responsible for this splendid building that now houses the Children's Court and which is devoted to the purpose of child welfare. His identification with this Court was as broad and complete and extensive as the Court itself. At the time of the creation of this Court he was appointed a justice and he served continuously from that time in 1903 down to the present time. He brought to the discharge of his duties a knowledge of the law more particularly as it related to the affairs and welfare of children, an experience that was broad, and a lif e that up to that time had been dev~oted to the welfare of children from the time of his association with Elbridge T. Gerry when judge Wilkin was a young man of about seventeen years. When I came as a clerk to a law office in Brooklyn he was then the Superintendent and Attorney of the Brooklyn Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. He was responsible for the existence of this Court in this County and his persistence and insistence on the propriety of adequate legislation was responsible for the making of this Court here the year following the bringing into being of the Children's Court in New York County. His life was devoted to service. The extent of his benef actions will never be known. His influence has been exerted far and wide. The community is his debtor. He may be succeeded, but his place will never be filled. His loss is irreparable. We, his assocliates, mourn his loss. We shall miss him more than the power of words can tell. His loss will be f elt at the council table and at the Board Meetings. A voice that was ever heard to guide and direct and give wise counsel is now stilled forever. His taking off was sudden. Somebody said this morning in chambers that Judge Wilkin once said that when it came time for him to go that that was the way he wanted to go. I have no hesitation in saying this, that if his death were preceded by a long illness, that that illness would have been intensified by the suffering experienced by him in the knowledge that he was absent from this Court that he loved so much and which was his life work. I shall feel his loss keenly. An association of more than twenty years with increasing regard as time went on cannot be severed so suddenly without such a feeling of loss. I shall miss him. He is gone to meet his Maker. Gone to meet the author of these words: "Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not. For of such is the Kingdom of God." And again: 52 At the close of a session of the Children's Court of the City of New York, held in the County of Bronx on December 5, 1927, Mr. Justice William Young made the following remarks: JUSTICE YOUNG: It is with deep regret that I have to announce the sudden death of our colleague, MIr. Justice Wilkin. He was the dean of our bench. As a youth he dedicated his life to the cause of children, and has contributed possibly more than any other single man to the institution we now know as the Children's Court. He has made history and his place will be hard to fill. As a friend and colleague we will miss his kindly and cheerful presence. We will miss his wise counsel. We sympathize most deeply with his good wife, and trust that her grief will be assuaged by the thought that he did a man's work in the world and that the world is better for his having been here. In respect to his memory this Court now stands adjourned. M. B. Brown Printing & Binding Co., 37-41 Chambers St., N. Y. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN. III I 11111111 1 11 11 1 3 9015 01080 3826