Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 9.djvu/31

 SCHOOLS FOR DEPENDENT CHILDREN I ^

be committed to the parental school. The child so committed cannot be released from the school in less than four weeks, nor thereafter until, in the judgment of the superintendent, his con- duct and progress in his studies justify it. Hence the child may be kept in the school until he or she is fourteen years of age, if necessary ; but, of course, this is not necessary in many cases. When his conduct seems to justify it, the child is par- oled and sent home, and required to attend school regularly for one year from the date of his parole. The principal of the school to which he is sent is required to report at least once a month to the superintendent of the parental school, stating whether the child is attending school regularly and observing the rules or not. If he violates his parole, he must be brought back to the parental school and must be kept there at least three months, and longer if necessary; and if he violates his parole a second time, he is returned to the parental school and must be kept there at least a year, and may be kept until he is fourteen years old. " Incorrigibles," or children whose influ- ence in the school is detrimental to the interests of the other pupils, may be transferred to some juvenile reformatory. The parents or guardians are required to furnish clothing for their children while in the parental school, but the board of educa- tion must provide everything else. It will be seen at once that the parental school, under this law, is in no sense a penal insti- tution, but simply a special kind of public school to which habitual truants or unmanageable children are sent for discipline and instruction.

Acting under this law, the board of education of Chicago has erected the finest parental school in the country. This school is located near the limits of the city, on a tract of fifty acres of land owned by the board of education. No walls, bars, or bolts exist. It is built on the "cottage plan," and three handsome buildings viz., the administration building, a large double cottage, a three-story brick and stone structure, and the superintendent's house are completed, and another dormitory building, a barn, and other small buildings are being erected.

The school opened January 31, 1902, and since that date 236