The Wayward Child; A Study of the Causes of Crime

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1915 Excerpt: ...to a human life and to society, and punishment will not eliminate it. Causes must be learned, the cooperation of parents enlisted, the child's own interest aroused--and the wisdom of all must be centered on changing the child's view-point, which caused his wrong acts. All this can be done without publicity and without calling in the services of the police or the courts. It is a matter of right education and school authorities should be better able to decide than any other agency how best to straighten out the faults. Truant Officers.--An expensive system of truant officers has been added to our educational equipment. To these truant officers are entrusted the duties of rounding up the children, of forcing them to go to school, of seeing that their parents are fined or imprisoned if they do not, and in some places of establishing truant schools for the children who do not fit into the regular system. It seems time to inquire wherein the schools are at fault when it is necessary to establish such an expensive system for forcing children to go to them. The best development of a child can never be secured through force. Child nature evidently rebels at the system, and for this there must be some good reason which should be considered and remedied. A friendly sympathetic influence over each child which will stimulate in him the desire to go to school must take the place of the present system of punishment for not going. Dealing with Truants.--An experience of several years with the most troublesome children in a number of public schools has brought to light some ways of dealing with them. Children who play truant can be made to become lovers of school by the faithful, friendly help of visitors who can inspire them and give them a desire to do right. Or these chi...