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Thursday, February 11, 2021

How Franklin County Helped Children With Problems, N.C., February 1921

Case No. 5—A colored girl who was reported to us as frequenting a house of ill-repute which report on investigation was found to be correct. She had borne a very good name until she came under the influence of a bad woman. She was brought before the Juvenile court and then placed on probation with an excellent white woman. Before we could accomplish any good she was found to be over 16 and therefore without the jurisdiction of the Juvenile court.

Cases No. 6 and 7—Two white boys who were giving their parents and teachers lots of trouble, they were about to be expelled from school when they were reported. They were carried before the Juvenile court and placed on probation with their father after being given a lecture by the Judge. Their teacher was required to make a report as to their conduct at school, which she did at the end of the month, saying their behavior had been satisfactory and that it had been a pleasure to teach them.

Case No. 8—A white boy who was reported as being delinquent in his attendance at school and who continually loafed on the streets, often in bad company. He was carried before the Juvenile court by whose order he was placed on probation with his father, but before we could begin to help him, he was found to be over 16 and we had to loose him from his probation.

Cases No. 9, 10, 11—Two little colored boys and one girl. Their father fled leaving them and their mother a good farm. Later their mother died, leaving them on the farm with their step-father. The uncles of these children appeared before the Juvenile court complaining that the children were being improperly cared for and badly fed. An investigation was made and it was found that the children wanted to stay with their step-father and that he was caring for them exceptionally well. He had plenty of corn for his stock, seven bags of mill feed for his hogs, several barrels of flour, and plenty of meat. The Superintendent found them to be the best dressed children in the school, which he visited in his investigation. They were placed under the guardianship of their step-father until they became 21 years of age.

Cases No. 12 and 13—Two little colored orphans who were adopted to a respectable colored man until they become 21 years of age.

Case No. 14—A little white girl, the bastard child of a feeble-minded woman in the county home. The child was apparently very intelligent and as it was not good to bring her up a pauper, she was carried to the N.C. Children’s Home Society.

Cases No. 15, 16, 17, 18—Four little white children of very poor parents, their father died of influenza leaving them in very straightened circumstances. The mother has been trying to make a living for them and for herself. They are under the observation of the Superintendent who will place them in an orphanage as soon as the mother will consent.

Case No. 19—A little white boy, the bastard child of a feeble-minded woman. Their home was burned by incendiary means and the boy and his mother left homeless, the mother was sent tot he county home and the boy left to roam about the neighborhood until he was reported to the Superintendent. A guardian was appointed for him by the Juvenile court, with whom he has since been staying.

Cases No. 20, 21, 22, 23—Four little colored orphans with no near kin who would care for them. They were placed under the guardianship of a relative with whom they are now staying.

Case No. 24—A white feeble-minded child 8 years of age. The state school for the feeble-minded being full we secured a place for this child outside the state.

Cases No. 25, 26, 27—The children of a white woman with an exceedingly bad reputation. This woman was in the county home for a while where she made a very bad name for herself. As she was no fit person to raise a child, arrangements were made for sending her children to the Children’s Home Society, but it was found that she was a citizen of Vance county and therefore we had no jurisdiction over her. She returned to Vance and the Superintendent of Public Welfare there was informed of the kind of woman she was, of our intention to have taken her children from her, had she been a resident of Franklin.

Case No. 28—A colored boy who was found guilty before the Juvenile court of badly mistreating a cow. He was put on probation with his mother and ordered to pay $15 damages to the owner of the cow.

Case No. 29—A 9-year-old white girl, the only white child of an unmarried white woman with three negro children. The complaint was made of the conditions under which this child was being raised, an investigation was made and the woman and child brought before the Juvenile court. The little girl was placed under the guardianship of a man in another county where she will have all the advantages of a white child. The Superintendent later visited her and found her well cared for and happy and with no desire to go back to her mother.

Cases No. 30, 31, 32, 33—Two white girls and two white boys, children of a white woman of a very lewd character. This woman was brought before the Juvenile court and told that unless she changed her manner of living her children would be taken from her. She promised and a place was secured for her where she would be under the care of her brother, but she later refused this. This case is now pending, awaiting results of action against her in court for keeping a lewd house.

Cases No. 34 and 35—Two colored girls reported for fighting. It was found that one had badly bruised the other. One was ordered chastised by the mother, which was done in the presence of a witness. They were put on probation for good conduct.

Case No. 36—An 11-year-old colored boy who was reported for vagrancy and delinquency. He had stolen a horse one Sunday and kept it out all day besides other delinquencies. He was put on probation by the Juvenile court with his father with orders to report weekly to show good conduct.

Case No. 37—A 13-year-old colored boy who was sent before the Juvenile court by a magistrate for assault with a gun. It was found that the boy was not guilty and he was given a good reputation by a responsible white man. He was put on temporary probation.

Case No. 38—A 5-year-old colored girl who was deserted by her parents. She had no one to care for her so she was adopted by a reliable colored woman.

Case No. 39—A colored infant who was abandoned by its parents. It was adopted to a respectable colored man.

Case No. 40—A 13-year-old colored girl who was unruly at school. She was placed on probation with her step-father with instructions for punishment for any further delinquencies.

Cases No. 41, 42, 43—Three little white children who were found to be in a pitiful state of poverty. Help was secured for them in clothing and food, and they are under the supervision of the Superintendent.

From the Franklin Times, Louisburg, N.C., Feb. 11, 1921. (The report started with Case No. 5 because Cases 1-4 had been published in the last issue.)

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