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A study of the transient boy in Los Angeles County in 1939

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A study of the transient boy in Los Angeles County in 1939

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Content A STUDY OF THE TRANSIENT BOY IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY IN 1939 A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Social Work University of Southern California In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science in Social Work by Helen Hamilton June 1939 UMI Number: EP66094 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Disamtalion Ratï;iis»ng UMI EP66094 Published by ProQuest LLC (2014). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 This thesis, w ritte n under the direction of the candidate's F acu lty Com m ittee and approved by a ll its members, has been presented to and ac cepted by the F a cu lty of the School o f Social W o rk in p a rtia l fu lfilm e n t of the requirements fo r the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE IN SOCIAL WORK Dean . . -é y . . . ( . f j f . ....... Faculty Committee TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. THE PROBLEM OF THE TRANSIENT BOY IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY................... 1 Justification of the problem............. 4 Scope and validity of the study , . . . , 6 Method of procedure, and selection of c a s e s .................................. 7 Definition of terms . . ................. 9 Transient b o y ........................... 9 Employable person................... 9 Public relief ...... ............... 9 Private relief ............................ 9 Well dressed.............................. 10 Junipero Serra Boys* Club ............... 10 Relief-in-kind ............................ 10 Cash relief.............................. 10 II. A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE PROBLEM IN LOS ANGELES WITH THE EXISTENT PROBLEM IN OTHER MAJOR CITIES....................... 11 Salt Lake City....................... 12 Des Moines, Iowa......................... 13 Tulsa, Oklahoma..................... 13 Denver, Colorado ....................... 14 Ill CHAPTER PAGE Louisville, Kentucky................... 15 Nashville, Tennessee ............... . 15 Albuquerque, New Mexico ........ l6 Indianapolis, Indiana . ............. 17 Lansing, Michigan ................... 18 Portland, Oregon......... ............. 19 Topeka, Kansas ................. 19 New Orleans, Louisiana ................. 20 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma , ............. 22 Dallas, Texas ....................... 22 11 Paso, Texas.......................... 23 Los Angeles, California............... 25 III. THE POLICY GOVERNING THE TRANSIENT BOY AS ADMINISTERED BY THE STATE RELIEF ADMINIS TRATION OF CALIFORNIA IN 1938 35 IV. A STUDY OF FIFTY TRANSIENT BOYS ASSISTED BY THE STATE RELIEF ADMINISTRATION .... 42 Personal history ..................... 43 Family background..................... 48 Migration . ......................... 56 Sources of migration.......... 65 Educational attainment of fifty tran sient boys............................ 77 Employment history..................... 80 IV CHAPTER PAGE Attitudes................................ 87 Y. AH AHAIYBIS OE THE PROBLEM OF THE TRAHSIENT BOY IN THE PAST WITH POSSIBLE SUGGESTED PLANS FOR FUTURE TREATMENT................ 9.2 BIBLIOGRAPHY ' . 101 APPENDICES........................................... 105 LIST OF TABLES TABLE PAGE I. Transients and Homeless Applying for Aid to Twenty-one Agencies in Los Angeles, December 16, 1935 to January 26, 1936 . . . 27 II. Age Distribution of Fifty Transient Boys Assisted by the State Relief Administra tion in 1938 42 III. Appearance of Fifty Transient Boys Assisted by the State Relief Administration in 1938 43 IV. Personality Traits of Fifty Transient Boys Interviewed in the Office of the State Relief Administration, 1938 ........ 46 V. Religion of Fifty Transient Boys Who Received Assistance Through the State Relief Administration in 1938 ............ 47 VI. Health of Fifty Boys Considered Employable by Examining District Physician of the State Relief Administration in 1938 .... 48 VII. Family Background of Fifty Transient Boys Assisted by the State Relief Administra tion, 1938 50 VIII. Parental Status of Twenty-seven Boys from Broken Homes Interviewed Through the State Relief Administration During 1938 ......... 52 VI TABUS PAGE IX. Occupation of Twenty-seven Working Parents of Boys Who Were Rendered Assistance Through the State Relief Administration, 1938 .......... 53 X. Economic Situation of Family Unit of Fifty Transient Boys Assisted by the State Relief Administration, 1938 .................... 57 XI. Manner of Transportation Used by Fifty Boys in Migrating to California................. 58 XII. Primary Reasons as Given by Fifty Transient Boys as Their Reason for Coming to California.................................. 62 XIII. Social Factors as a Contributing Cause for Migration of Fifty Transient Boys Assisted by the State Relief Administration During 1938 ........................................ 63 XIV. Nomadic Tendencies of Fifty Transient Boys Assisted by the State Relief Administration in 1938 66 XV. Population of Cities at Source of Migration of Fifty Transient Boys Assisted by the State Relief Administration, 1938 68 XVI. Census of 1930 from Cities at Source of Migration.................................. 69 vil TABLE PAGE XVII. Broken Homes of Twenty-seven Transient Boys in California in 1938 in Relation to Size of City from Which They Migrated ...... 73 XVIII. Home States of Fifty Transient Boys Assisted by the State Relief Administration, 1938 . . 76 XIX. Educational Attainment of Fifty Transient Boys in California in 1938 in Relation to the Population of Cities at the Source of Migration.............................. 79 XX. Vocational Classification of Fifty Transient Boys in California During 1938 in Relation to the Number of Years Worked in a Given Capacity................................ 82 XXI. Vocational Classifications of Fifty Transient Boys Interviewed in the Office of the State Relief Administration, 1938 84 XXII. Length of Service in C.C.C. of Eleven Tran sient Boys in California, 1938 , ........ 86 XXIII. Various Attitudes of Fifty Transient Boys Rendered Assistance by the State Relief Administration, 1938 ....................... 91 CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM OF THE TRANSIENT BOY IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY The transient hoy, wandering the streets of Los Angeles without shelter, food, and maintenance has long been a source of concern to the police department and to public and private-social welfare agencies-within the city. What is to be done with these boys? Should they be returned to their homes and to their place of legal settlement? Should they be returned to their legal settlement if a home is not available? Should they be assisted in Los-Angeles pending a possible adjustment or rehabilitation here? Should they be herded into camps, or sent to trade schools? Should they be given a free night's lodging, and ordered to leave within twenty-four hours perhaps to beg and steal and raise the same problem in another city or state? Should they be subject to arrest because of vagrancy and confined to jail, or should an individual analysis be made eliminating any general rigid policy and the boy considered on the individual case-work basis? The problem of the transient boy is not new. It was not new when impetus was given recent social legislation in 1932. Grace Abbott, Chief of United States Department of Labor, Children's Bureau, reports in that year: The transient boys come from practically every State in the union, the Community Boys' Lodge in Los Angeles reported the place of residence of 623 boys who applied for shelter there in the five months ended March 31, Forty-five States and the District of Columbia had con tributed to this group. Miss Abbott continues in this same report to present the problem, not specifically relating to Los Angeles, but as a situation throughout the United States in the following terms: Social Workers, police, and railroad men, who are in constant touch with these transient boys, assert their belief that the overwhelming majority of them would normally be in school or at work; that they are "on the road" because there is nothing else to do; that they are on the whole, not of the habitual "hobo" or criminal type. The boys suffer more than the demoralization which comes from insanitary living conditions, inadequate food, and the irresponsibility of life on the road. Last winter in one western city 35 young men and boys were removed from box cars, seriously ill, some in an advanced stage of pneumonia. As freight yards are placed, trains must be boarded outside the yard limits while the train is in motion. One railroad alone reported more than 50 young men and boys killed and more than 100 crippled in this way last winter. It is no longer possible to pick up odd jobs here and there. Communities jealously re serve even the occasional short-time job for local residents. Therefore, the unwelcome non-resident boy either must depend on the bread line or soup kitchen, or must beg or steal. In the box cars, in the "jungles" (as the camping sites adjacent to the railroad yards are called), or even in the municipal shelters, the break down of the boys' standards is hastened by the demoralized individuals who seek to prey upon them,^ ^ Grace Abbott, Twentieth Annual Report of the Chief of the Children's Bureau (United States Department of Labor, June, 1932), p. 7. 3 This report, with other Federal Reports, enabled the Govern ment to become aware of the existing problem of transiency throughout the country. On May 12, 1933, section 4C of the Federal Emergency Relief Act was adopted which reads as follows: The administrator may certify out of the funds made available by the sub-section additional grants to states applying thereof to aid needy persons who have no legal settlement in any one state or community.^ In August of 1933 the Federal Relief Administrator announced the acceptance of the federal government's responsibility for the unsettled person and his family. The Federal Transient Bureau continued its program until August, 1935 when funds were withdrawn. There have been many interesting statistical studies made of this plan. This paper concerns itself with the problem as it is known today. To what extent is the problem of the transient boy still existent? Where lies the responsibility of provid ing assistance to these boys? Are public agencies throughout the various states assuming the care for the tax payers of the given state? Are the private agencies able to meet the situation from funds allotted from the Community Chest? In what manner is this problem now being met in the various states? Is the problem of the transient boy confined to ^ M. H. Lewis, "Transients in California," (Special Survey and Progress Reports No. 7; Los Angeles, 1936), p. 2. localities only, or is it a national problem throughout our country? Can we classify the transient boy? Is he a tramp, a hobo, a bum? Ti/here does he come from? How long has he been away from home? What does he want to do? Why does he come to Los Angeles? Is he educationally retarded? Where are his parents? Why did he leave home? These and many other ques tions present themselves to an observer in rapid order, and shall be considered in Chapter IV of this script. Is the transient boy a delinquent boy? Does he play an active part in the rapidly growing crime rate throughout the nation among boys betv/een the ages of eighteen and twenty- two? Would adequate Welfare facilities, rendering financial assistance and case work technique, act as a crime preventa tive measure? These and many other questions are confronting the social workers in metropolitan cities today. Justification of the problem. Economic conditions, employment conditions, and social problems in the home throughout the country present a rather sordid unattractive picture to many young healthy boys of today. We cannot blame the individual youth for the transient problem present in the larger cities for the past several years. It is quite natural that the maladjusted boy at home try to find his Utopia in another city and state. Today's transportation is relatively simple and can be easily secured. The highways are literally streaming with truck drivers, salesmen, and tourists on the road willing to pick up a stray hitchhiker for the sake of company. The pioneer of yesterday often met with the same problem as the youth of today. Of course, transportation was not simple at that time. However, the pioneer was com mended upon his bravery and courage and peoples of today are sincere in bragging about their pioneer ancestry. Can we say that the boy, who starts out on the road penniless in search of employment, is completely lacking in the same in centive as his pioneer grandparents? The boy is surely aware of economic conditions as a national problem. However, did his grandfather heed the warning in the days of '49 that all was not gold in California and that casualties strew the way? It seems that one group might well be comparable to the other, although, the consequences are sadly different. The pioneer recorded in history was glorified and praised. Our transient youths are condemned, arrested, and are treated as outcasts. Perhaps it is a display of poor judgment for the tran sient boy to leave home, when, in some measure, he must be cognizant of economic conditions elsewhere. However, we must admit that he does not lack courage, perserveranee, and the drive for something better in the way of his own particular livelihood. Less than fifty years ago his character qualifications were honored and admired. Scope and validity of the study. This study is treated in four parts. It had been the intent of the writer to limit the material to employable transient boys between the age groupings of eighteen and twenty-two who had been recipients of public relief during 1938, This was impossible in Chapter II. Since the discontinuance of the Federal Transient Bureau in August of 1935, the writer is aware that the vari ous states have been caring for the transient boy without federal aid as such. Chapter II confines itself to a study of the Transient Boy in Los Angeles in comparison to the problem as is existent in fifteen other large cities through out the United States. This chapter is not written to give an interpretation of a national phenomenon, but rather to determine the relative extent of the problem in Los Angeles. It is attempted to analyse the problem from the extent and amount of assistance rendered, the number of applications received, the number of "cases" granted assistance, and the manner of disposition of the cases. The statistical informa tion received in the investigation cannot be considered as entirely valid as few cities have recorded information. How ever, the facts received are revealing to the writer and are incorporated for the reader. Chapter III describes the policies of the State Relief Administration of California, during 1938, in regard to the transient boy. Special emphasis is given the type of service and aid rendered, the manner of procedure, and the general disposition of the cases. The entire study leads up to and is based around Chapter IV which is the study of fifty transient boys who were rendered assistance through the State Relief Administra tion. In this chapter an attempt is made to determine the type of boy who has become stranded upon the streets of Los Angeles; his personal history; his family background; the city from whence he came; his personality traits; his educa tion; his employment record; and his attitudes. Much of the statistical information derived from this study would seem valid. However, in some instances, as will be found in Chapter IV, a brief analysis is made and an interpretation given, showing that the judgment of the writer necessarily must have been involved to derive some of the information. The fifth chapter contains a brief résumé of past treatment afforded the transient boy in Los Angeles. This is followed by a suggested plan whereby he might be re habilitated here or in his home state, making possible an adequate adjustment by which the youth will benefit and be come an asset to society. Method of procedure, and selection of cases. In order 8 to determine the extent of the problem in other parts of the country the writer has written to public welfare agencies in twenty cities. (Copy of form letter, Illustration Number I, .page 113). The selection of these cities was based on their accessibility to travel, that is, their relative proximity to lines of boat, train, and bus travel. (Illustration Num ber II, page IL4). Inclosed in each letter was a question naire, requesting the desired information (see Illustration Number III, page 115), a self-addressed envelope, and an extra stamp in the event the letter was to be forwarded to another agency. The extent of the problems in Los Angeles County was based upon the number of applications received through the State Relief Administration in 1938, Fifty transient boys were interviewed in the office of the State Relief Administration and information obtained according to Illustration Number III, page 115. These boys were unselected except that they were referred from the Los Angeles Police Department, which of course meant that they had been picked up on the streets of Los Angeles as vagrants. This selection was made to eliminate the possibility of a "chiseler" who might be requesting free transportation to his home state. When possible, the boys were interviewed in order of their application. Except wherein stated, the sta tistical information in Chapter TV is derived wholly from the study of these fifty boys. The findings in this study apply specifically to a group of fifty boys who constitute 5 per cent of the total rendered assistance throu^out the year of 1938, Whether this selection is representative is difficult to ascertain in such a limited study. Certain facts seem to be true and certain factors which might test the validity of the study are so indicated under the explanation in Chapter IV, DEFINITION OF TERMS Transient boy, A transient boy, for the purpose of this study, is generally one who has lived in the State of California for less than one year and who falls between the ages of eighteen and twenty-two. Employable person, A person willing and able to per form normal employment when available, who is eighteen years of age or over, able-bodied, mentally fit, and not prevented from accepting work by family responsibility, shall be deemed employable, Public relief. Relief extended through agencies which are supported through taxpayers' funds, is considered public relief. Private relief. Relief extended through agencies v/ho 10 receive their funds through donations, or allotments from the community chest, is considered private relief. Well dressed. The term "well dressed," as applied in Chapter IV, is a relative term which applied to the boy who is dressed well in comparison to others in a group of un attached men who are applying for relief. It does not mean expensively nor newly dressed. In no way could the "well dressed" transient boy be comparable to the well dressed college boy one meets on the campus who falls into the same age groupings. Junipero Serra Boys' Club. This is a Roman Catholic Institution, concerned primarily with transients. "A haven for youthful wanderers as dedicated to the patronage of that pioneer wayfarer and friend of all wayfarers." While this club is of a private agency nature, arrangements are made that transient boys eligible for assistance from the State Relief Administration can be accomodated v/ith reimbursement for care through State, or public funds. Relief-in-kind. Relief extended in food and lodging without a cash involvement to the individual is termed relief- in-kind. Cash relief. Cash paid to the applicant in order that he may pay for his own food and lodging, or clothing, is termed cash relief. CHAPTER I I A CO»ARATIVE ANALYSIS OE THE PROBLEM IN LOS ANGELES WTH THE EXISTENT PROBLEM IN OTHER MAJOR CITIES From reports received from some of the major cities throughout the United States, it may he concluded that the problem of the transient boy is much greater in Los Angeles than in any other city. Some of these reports indicate that the problem is nonexistent in some cities; while in others we find a recognized situation, although no legislation has been formulated to provide for the existent need. Since the discontinuance of the Federal Relief Program, in September, 1935, it is rare that public funds have been allotted to pro vide assistance for the needy transient boy. However, the boy is usually provided overnight lodging by a private agency in the city such as the Travelers Aid Society or the Salvation Army. The writer feels that a brief paragraph concerning this problem in the various cities will give more insight into the problem than a statistical outline. Letters and questionnaires were sent to twenty cities. These cities were selected because of their accessibility to bus lines, railroads, highways, and water travel. New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, and some of the larger eastern cities were intentionally omitted because it seemed an im position to request intensive information from these large 12 metropolitan centers. Correspondence was initiated with twenty cities and at the date of writing, fifteen cities have responded, if not by fully completing the questionnaire, at least by stat ing the facilities and manner through which aid is provided. In nearly every instance the letters were acknowledged and interest shown. The replies from fifteen cities are as follows: Salt Lake City. The Salt Lake County Department of Public Welfare, in Salt Lake City, Utah, comes in contact with only a minor phase of the existent problem. Most of the boys are picked up as delinquents or vagrants by the police department and the juvenile court, and if they are not cared for by the police department, they are referred by that department to private agencies, namely, the Salvation Army, the Family Service, or the Travelers Aid. However, Salt Lake City is one of the few cities which provides for the transient boy through public funds. During 1938, approximately twenty- five boys, between the ages of eighteen and twenty-two years, were assisted through public funds. This statistical figure is not necessarily accurate as the transient boy is assisted in the same manner as is the transient family. According to Mr. Sharon L. Hatch, Director of the Salt Lake County Depart ment of Public Welfare, the transient boy is not assisted 13 with direct aid, or relief of any kind, except during the winter months. The transient boy in Salt Lake City, is re turned to his legal residence and aid extended pending his authorization to return. According to the local police department and the Salvation Army, the transient boy is a major social problem in Salt Lake City, Des Moines, Iowa. It is impossible for Des Moines to furnish detailed information concerning the transient youth in this community according to Mrs, Bertha C. Laue, Director, of the Polk County Emergency Relief Agency, because with the closing of the Federal Transient Bureau in 1935 the county set up a transient center for emergency care only. No service is given these individuals unless a severe emergency situation arises such as a serious illness or injury. Generally speak ing, one night's lodging and two meals are provided. There are variations from this procedure, however, as the need arises. The Polk County Emergency Relief Agency is attempting no construction work in regard to transients except in the case of families v/ho become stranded in the community; they are handled in the regular way; namely, an attempt is made to verify their legal settlement and transportation is provided for their return whenever possible. This community has at tempted no rehabilitation service for the transient youth. Tulsa, Oklahoma. According to Mrs. Lou Henry, Director 14 of the Tulsa County Welfare Department in Tulsa, Oklahoma, there are very few hoys between the ages of eighteen and twenty-two, requesting assistance from this agency. It has been the custom in the past to refer them to the Travelers Aid Society. liVhile the County Excise Board and the Board of County Commissioners allot public funds, and while a certain amount is periodically received from the state, Tulsa can assist only legal residents of the state, according to law. This city does not average one application a month of the transient boy, and this problem seems to be of minor impor tance in the city. Denver, Colorado. At the present time in Denver, Colorado, there is no plan made for the care of transient youths over the age of sixteen. Those under that age are provided for by the Children's Aid Society, The group be tween the ages of eighteen and twenty-five can secure emer gency care at one or two missions in the city; but unless there is a question of illness, they are not eligible for any relief. Gene H. Harris, Director of the Bureau of Public Welfare, indicated that at the present time some effort is being made by the Denver Council of Social Service Agencies to work out this problem. There appears to be neither public nor private agency care, relief in kind, direct relief, or camp placement for the transient boy. He is not returned to 15 his legal residence. Denver does not consider the transient boy a major social problem in the city. Louisville, Kentucky. The Municipal Bureau of Social Service, through Mrs. Elizabeth M. Hampton, Junior Caseworker, of the Out of Town Inquiry Department, in reply to the ques tionnaire sent to that agency, advises that there are no special funds to care for the transient boy; that Travelers Aid Society handles cases of out of state transients and all juveniles. The Municipal Service Bureau handles the state homeless (whose settlement is in the state). Direct relief is provided while plans are pending. There is no camp place ment. The transient boys are returned to their legal resi dence "in some instances." There is no specific service that cares for transient boys. It is handled with the regular welfare cases. As to the number of cases handled, the report advised that it would be negligible. The transient boy is not considered a major social problem in Louisville. Nashville, Tennessee. In Nashville, Tennessee the Travelers Aid Society has funds to provide care for the tran sient boy. Direct relief is provided. When possible, the transient boy is returned to his legal residence, and aid is extended while awaiting authorization for such return. Nashville advises, "We extend aid for two weeks, and if at the end of that time the boy has not yet told us the truth about his residence, we leave his future up to him. This is a very unusual situation however." In the classification of 16 the transient boy, according to age, twenty years is the maximum limit, whether the boy is alone or with his wandering destitute family group. It is impossible for Nashville to estimate the number of cases assisted during 1938. They con sidered the transient boy a major social problem there, even in ages up to thirty years. The Nashville agency manifested more than ordinary interest in this investigation, and asked that they be informed if any conclusions pointing toward the solution of this problem are made, Albuquerque, New Mexico. W. K. Wingfield, Secretary, Y.M.C.A. of Albuquerque, New Mexico, advised in his reply to the questionnaire sent him, that Albuquerque has no special fund for the care of transient boys; but that some assistance is provided by the Y.M.C.A. and the Salvation Army. As to type of aid extended, it appeared that rooms were provided occasionally and that 377 free beds were furnished last year. No attempt is made to return the transient boy to his legal residence. Aid is extended for one day only. Mr. Wingfield went on to explain that the Y.M.C.A. was not a relief agency, but that boys were helped by the provision of free rooms oc casionally. Also, at times an attempt is made to return a boy towards home, with motorists passing through. The age limits they use in identifying the transient boy are from sixteen to twenty-five. Probably one-half the free beds provided (188) were for boys between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five. Mr. Wingfield stated that he did not consider the transient boy a major social problem at present, but 17 explained that it was seasonal in nature, and worse in the summer. Indianapolis, Indiana. Howard P. Hunt, Associate Secretary of the Indianapolis Community Fund, Indianapolis, Indiana, advises that they have funds (though not a special fund) for care for transient hoys. These funds are of a private agency, nature. They make no effort to return tran sient hoys to their legal residence. Mr. Hunt further states, "Legally any hoy past his sixteenth birthday is an adult. Consequently, no special service is given to hoys over sixteen." No great distinction seems to he made in classifying service as distinguished between transient hoys and transient families, hut the total number assisted in I93Ô was 18,729 (not unduplicated) of which about one-tenth were hoys between the ages of eighteen and twenty-two. Mr. Hunt does not consider the transient hoy a major social problem in Indianapolis, and adds, I presume that we don’t have as many youths following Horace Greeley’s suggestion as you have on the west coast. Most young transients here seem to he on their way through, not using this as their destination except at the time of the 500-mile race in the spring. Our biggest problem is properly caring for the venereally diseased transient. Mr. Hunt makes a final statement in his letter, Transients here are referred to various private agencies for.care through a central Transient Referral Bureau. The policy followed by all transient caring agencies is to furnish room and hoard for three days only; in other words to keep them moving. No attempt at rehabilitation or out of state referral is made except for children, i. e., hoys under I6 and girls under 18. 18 Lansing, Michigan. Mrs. Shirley E. Hoffman, 429 North Cedar Street, Lansing, Michigan, reports that they have no special fund, but use the same fund for caring for transient boys that they use for other homeless individuals. This in cludes either private or public agency care. The homeless youth is provided relief in kind, in the form of food and shelter, or direct relief, and camp placement. If it proves to be the best plan, boys are returned to their legal resi dence. Aid is extended pending authorization for return. Age limits are not considered, continues Mrs. Hoffman, but usually, when a boy applies at the Lansing agency, he gives his age around sixteen or more. No information was provided as to the number of homeless boys eared for during 1938. The homeless boy was stated to be not a major social problem in Lansing, but Mrs. Hoffman’s report indicated that a number of boys come to Lansing in the hopes of getting jobs with the automobile factories. She states finally: This agency is servicing all homeless and unattached persons, who are in need, regardless of age. We have a number of young men who make applications here, but they are usually successful in securing some kind of employ ment in Lansing. If not, we see that they are trans ferred to our camp at Cassidy Lake, Chelsea, Michigan, where they can learn a trade--that is done through cer tification to NYA. They receive wages for their work in the camp and they, in turn, pay their room and board. In cases where we have an application from a young boy who is leaving home, we immediately get in contact with the parents or guardian and if at all possible we return him to his home at the expense of the agency. 19 Portland, Oregon. Mrs. Ava S. Williams, Assistant Social Work Director of the State Relief Committee of Oregon, writes that Portland has no specific fund to care for the transient hoy, although he is assisted in the same manner as the transient family. This public agency is in no position to make a statement relative to the importance of this prob lem from the public agency point of view. The Executive Secretary of the Portland Community Chest, Mr, Ralph Reed, was consulted and stated that there are a substantial number of boys between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five who have appealed to the Police Department and to the Portland Y.M.C. A, for transient care. Inasmuch as there has been no specific provision made by either the public or private agencies in Portland for the care of the transient boy, no reliable record of the extent of this social problem can be offered, Mr. Reed.states in this connection that it is his opinion that Federal aid for transient boys accompanied by uniform interstate practices is essential to meet this problem. Certainly the limitation on public funds available for tran sient care at this time would seem to preclude the possibil ity of special care for the transient boy in this vicinity. Topeka, Kansas. Mr. Frank Long, Director of the Shawnee County Welfare Board, writes that after the question naire had been in the possession of several other local 20 social agencies, it had been sent to the Social Welfare Board for answer. He states that this agency, which is sup ported by public funds, feels that the care of the transient boy is one of considerable concern to Topeka in particular because at one time the government established and maintained three transient centers in this city. Consequently, the boys have a habit of dropping off here for assistance. The funds available for this type of assistance are very meager. Therefore, Topeka has been unable to continue the program originated by the Federal Government. Topeka furnishes shel ter and supplies the boys with relief in kind until establish ment of his place of legal settlement. If his legal settle ment is not established and if he wishes to stay, a job on a local wood-cutting project is provided. The income from this job, if he is willing to work, will enable him to support himself on a plane considerably superior to that on which the relief families are now maintained. However, it has been Mr. Long’s experience that ve^ry few of these boys abide in Topeka for any length of time. New Orleans, Louisiana. According to Mary C. Raymond, Assistant Director of the Orleans Parish Department of Public Welfare, there is no program provided for by this department for the aid of transients. The Travelers Aid Society renders special service for the transient boys and other private 21 agencies also render some service. Miss Raymond referred the questionnaire to Miss Wilmer Shields, Executive Secretary of the Council of Social Agencies, who in reply sends the following information: The Transients Division of the Council of Social Agencies has given considerable attention to the problem of the Transient Boy. In November, 1936, this type of tran sient was singled out as one which should be given preferential consideration by private agencies. At that time we took cognizance of the fact that private agencies with their limited funds could not hope to attack the entire transient problem, and, accordingly, our division went on record recommending to private agencies that they give preference to the young boy and girl under 19, the stranded family and the ill or infirm transient. : Inas much as the Travelers Aid Society is the principal agency which handles the eases of transient boys, the question naire is being forwarded to Miss Fannie Brener. It would appear that New Orleans has no public funds to care for the transient boy. Later a reply was received from Miss Fannie Brener, Executive Secretary of the Travelers Aid Society in New Orleans. The Travelers Aid Society provides care for the transient boy in relief in kind, or boarding home placement. He is returned to his place of legal settlement if it is deemed desirable, and aid, pending his return, is provided in the boarding home while planning with his family. The policy of the Travelers Aid Society in this city is to avail itself of other resources in the community such as, the Guidance Center, Louisiana State Employment Service, the Y.M.C.A., etc., to assist in understanding the boy and to arrive at a 22 satisfactory plan. Ordinarily, this agency considers the transient boy under the age of twenty. However, on an indi dual basis, boys are acceptable through the age of twenty- two who present certain problems for which the society thinks service is advisable. Sixty-four boys were assisted during 1938. Inasmuch as New Orleans is a seaport and quite a tourist city, it holds an attraction for numerous transient boys. Miss Brener feels that it is a major social problem within the city, but that the Travelers Aid Society is only skimming the surface as it is working on a limited budget and staff. Miss Brener remarks that Our society has placed its emphasis on the care of the young boy and girl, single woman and the occasional family who are non-residents in the community. We have a very small relief budget and, therefore must be very selective in our intake. We give the non-resident boy, who is away from home for the first time, special atten tion and do everything possible to assist him in arriving at a plan. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Department of Public Welfare of Oklahoma City has no special program for the care of transient boys between the ages of eighteen and twenty- two. The questionnaire was referred to the Salvation Army, Oklahoma City. (To date there has been no reply). Dallas, Texas. Miss E. L. Earp of the Texas Relief Commission referred the questionnaire to Mrs. Elise Sherman, Director of Research Bureau, Council of Social Agencies, 23 Dallas, who has rendered the following reply: There is no special fund in Dallas to care for the tran sient boy. There is no public relief extended. The Travelers Aid Society provides for the transient boy in connection with their regular transient program. The type of relief given is board and room and maintenance. Dallas returns the boy to his legal residence and main tains him pending this return. The Y.M.C.A. during 1938 provided domiciliary care for transient boys, but the work was done on a small scale. During the last year they gave 686 bed nights care to boys. The tran sient boy includes those boys up to 18 years of age, al though much of the work is done in connection with the plan for the family. During the calendar year 1938 the Travelers Aid Society cared for 123 unattached individual boys, and for 440 boys who were part of families. All these boys were under 16. Dallas feels that the tran sient boy presents a major social problem in the city. Many transient boys never reach a social agency. They evade the police and the Juvenile Court, El Paso, Texas. Miss Ana Velasquez, of the Central Council of Social Agencies responded with a great deal of interest to the problem of the transient boy in El Paso, Texas. She copied the questionnaire and referred it to the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army and to the Travelers Aid Society. She reports that the Family Welfare Association extends aid to few transient families. Runaway minors are held by the Local County Probation Office at the request of home town authorities or parents until transportation is fur nished, She also reports that the County Sheriff, Mr, Chris, P. Fox, has begun a campaign to marshal public resentment against the transient, and has recently delivered an address before the convention of the Rocky Mountain Peace Officers 24 Association on the subject. Miss Velasquez sent the last quarterly bulletin "The Password" of the Central Council of Social Agencies, The report from the Salvation Army in this city shows that no specific fund is allotted to provide care for the transient boy, and that he is not returned to his legal residence. However, the Salvation Army has provided care for approximately five hundred boys during 1938 with over night lodging, and the problem of the transient boy is of major importance in 11 Paso. Mr. George Wilson of this agency reports further that Most of the younger boys come from broken homes, they really have no home, hence, they take to the road. We give according to their needs, two meals, a night’s lodging, perhaps send a telegram to their home, but no permanent relief can be given because of the lack of funds. We supply clothing also where needed. The Salvation Army handles from 10 to 15 transient cases a day (not specifically transient boys) most of which come from East Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, etc. The greatest number of them are in search of a warmer climate. Lately a great number of the transients are returning from California, having been unable to find the jobs or relief they were seeking there,^ Mrs, Mary Reed, of the Travelers Aid Society reports that relief in kind is given in food and lodging, and that trans portation is arranged when the boy’s family can pay for it although there are no transportation funds. She believes ^ George Wilson, "The Password” (Bulletin of the Central Council of Social Agencies, El Paso, Texas, December, 1938), p. 3. 25 that the transient problem could be of major importance but that it has not been. El Paso’s main need in caring for transients is a place for young boys #10 are emergencies. Of the number who call, about 7 a day, approximately 3/5 are single men between twenty and forty. Some thoroughly enjoy trips across the country. One confided, it was a pretty good life, that he gained twenty pounds crossing the United States, getting food and shelter from relief agencies in most cities. Another told me "It’s a fine way to see the country, especially since Uncle Sam’s ahelpin’ y u h ’ " 2 Mrs. Marie Brindell, of the American Red Cross, keeps no classifications and deals only with the transient boy when he is included in the family cases. She does not feel that the problem is of major importance in El Paso. El Paso should have some plan to take care of transients and it should be individualized rather than group treat ment. There should be a central bureau to which all could be referred and their emergencies taken care of. Legal residence should be determined by public officials and, for that reason, the agency carrying the responsibility of transients should be a Bureau of Public Welfare.2 Los Angeles. California. In Los Angeles two public agencies, namely, the State Relief Administration and the Bureau of Indigent Relief, provide care for the transient boy. Boys between the ages of eighteen and twenty-two, who are employable, are assisted through the State Relief Administration. The boys who are considered unemployable are ^ Mrs. Mary Reed, Ibid.. p. 4. ^ Mrs, Marie Brindell, Ibid., p. 4. 26 aided by the Bureau of Indigent Relief. Boys stranded in Los Angeles, who have not yet reached their eighteenth birth day, are held in Juvenile Hall pending authorization for their return to their legal settlement. Private agencies rendering care for these boys are the Jewish Social Service Bureau and the Catholic Welfare Bureau; overnight lodging is often provided by the Salvation Army. These three organiza tions are recipients of Community Chest funds. There is also the Midnight Mission which gives two meals and overnight lodging to the boys. It is the policy of the State Relief Administration, the Bureau of Indigent Relief, and Juvenile Hall, to return the boys to their legal residence. There seems to be no statistical survey of a broad nature involving the transient boy from the ages of eighteen to twenty-two since the discontinuance of the Federal Tran sient program. However, immediately following the liquida tion of the program, Mr. M. H. Lewis, on the State Relief Administration, made a study of aid rendered unattached men and boys. The vastness of this problem is presented under Table I. An interpretation might be given to this study in the following manner: The actual total applications does not necessarily indicate that that number of unattached transient men were in the City of Los Angeles during the period covered from December 16, 1936 to January 26, 1936. Undoubtedly many of the men, who received aid from one source 27 TABLE TILVNSIENTS AMD HOMELESS APPLYING FOR AID TO TWENTY-OHE AGENCIES IN LOS ANGELES, DECEIÆBER 16, 1935 TO JANUARY 26, 1936 Men and boys Agency Relief given Service only Turned away Total Los Angeles 11,541 666 3,268 15,475 Los Angeles County Relief Admini stration 244 345 337 926 County Bureau of Indigent Relief 87 87 City jail 1,749 - - 1,749 Salvation Army 2,622 12 24 2,658 Volunteers of America 56 88 - 144 Y.M.C.A. 16 43 124 183 St. Vincent de Paul 879 - - ^ - Junipera Serra Club 75 - - 75 Jewish Home for Wanderers 645 - - 645 All Nations Community Foundation 20 41 76 137 Midnight Mission 600 - 2,000 2,600 St. Barnabas Rest Home 5 - - 5 Union Mission 4,025 - 591 4,616 Sailors Rest Mission 410 93 69 572 Seamen’s Church Institute 96 — — 96 Family Welfare Society - 1 - 1 Travelers Aid Society 9 11 44 64 American Red Cross 3 7 3 13 Veterans Employment Bureau 25 25 A H. Lewis, "Transients in California," p. 110. 28 on one night, again applied for assistance through another source on the following night and again to a third source on the third night. Many of these "cases" were undoubtedly "duplicated cases," However, the accepted cases through the State Relief Administration, then known as the Los Angeles Relief Administration, are of interest as a comparative basis to the number of acceptances through the State Relief Administration during the year 1938. We note that during this six weeks* period 244 boys were assisted. Inasmuch as the policy eliminating care for employable unattached men over the age of twenty-two became effective with this organ ization on December 14, 1935, these acceptances undoubtedly applied to transient boys, although there seems a strong possibility that a few men might have been included in this figure. It would appear from this figure that more boys were assisted at this particular period than during a six weeks * period in 1938, These figures are also interesting in that the agency rendering assistance to these men and boys in the greatest numbers is not a recipient of Community Chest funds. The assistance from this agency consisted of a couple of meals and a night’s lodging. In practically every case these men received duplicated aid elsewhere. It is really sad to find that the city jail rendered aid to more of these men than any other recognized social agency with the exception of the Salvation Army. 29 These private agencies no longer extend aid to the transient family, man, or boy, except for "service only" or for a short period during an emergency. This paper concerns itself primarily with the employ able transient boys between the ages of eighteen and twenty- two. Further discussion is limited to the boys who came to the attention of the State Relief Administration in 1938. During 1938, a total of 2,022 boys were interviewed in the Los Angeles office of the State Relief Administration. This number of applications was completed. However, only 1,003 were accepted and actual aid rendered, and 1,019 were rejections. Approximately 65 per cent of those boys who were re jected for aid refused to accept the agency’s plan. In many instances the boy "refused to return to legal residence." It was the agency’s policy during 1938 to accept only those boys who were willing to return to their home states. Other boys who refused assistance did so because they were unwilling to accept camp placement. Many of these boys wanted cash relief in order to continue their journey. About 20 per cent of the rejections were referred to the Travelers Aid Society. In these cases, service only was an essential factor. The Travelers Aid Society had no funds to render cash relief. In instances where the boy could be maintained in Los Angeles through the kindness of friends or distant relatives, where 30 he was desirous of returning, and it seemed advisable that he should return, Travelers Aid Society could and did ar range half fare transportation. Sometimes Travelers Aid Society through correspondence could obtain funds from the parents in the home state towards subsistance in route. About 10 per cent of the rejected applications were over age and about 5 per cent under age. If the boy was under age, he was referred to Juvenile Hall. If over age, he was of fered no suggested plan; in dire emergencies he was given the address of one of the missions. Of the 1,003 boys who were proven to be eligible for aid, 501 were returned to their legal residence. About 352 left of their own accord and 101,upon investigation, were proven to be either over or under age. A total of forty-nine cases were closed for "other reasons" such as: employment obtained, relatives found able to contribute to the boys’ support, friends or relatives found in Los Angeles who could provide a home, or a possible death. Of these 1,003 "accepted” cases, 752 were provided for in one of the state camps and 201 at the Junipero Serra Boys’ Club. The determining factor in whether a boy was placed in camp or in the Club was dependent upon his religion in most instances. If a boy was Catholic, he was more often referred to the Club, as this is primarily a Catholic Institution (see Chapter I, "Definition of Terms"). If a major social problem 31 seemed to be involved, Protestant boys were also referred to this Club. There were fifty boys accepted for service only and transportation. If it appeared upon the original application that relatives would be unable to assist with transportation funds, the boys were accepted for this transportation pending authorization for their return, although actual relief pend ing this authorization was not necessary. About $ per cent of the boys, who were sent to camp, were assigned to Camp Devore. Camp Devore is a state camp in San Bernardino County, California, which has medical facilities to provide care for those men and boys suffering with a venereal disease. Each boy, as he reaches a state camp, is given a medical examina tion including a Wassermann and Kahn Test. If the test proves positive, he is then transferred to Camp Devore where immediate treatment is instigated. The transient boys usually are kept in camp and pro vided with lodging, food and clothing until authorization is received for their return home. Often, in 352 instances, the boy leaves camp before arrangements can be completed. It is impossible to determine what happens to these boys. It is safe to assume that some find private employment. Perhaps, knowing that their stories have been falsified and being afraid of the consequences, others accept the food and cloth ing offered and again take to the road before any verification can be made. 32 About 5 per cent of the applications during 1938 had been known to the State Relief Administration at some ear lier date. Some of these "re-opened" cases were of boys who had been returned to their home state. Upon their return, they found conditions less improved and, returning to California, had become stranded again. In these instances, the application was accepted after the boy had signed a statement to the effect that under no condition would he again return and become a charge to the taxpayers of California. About 5 per cent of the boys were known as technical nonresidents. This means that the boy may have resided in California for more than a year, but because he had not reached his twenty-second birthday, he was unable to estab lish residence in his own right. In these cases, the boys took the residence of their parents. However, in some of these instances, authorization was not received because of the varying residence laws among the different states. About 5 per cent of these boys could be classified as state-homeless. These instances occurred where the boy, as well as his parent, had not lived in any one state long enough to gain residence. In some of these instances, the boy was assigned to W.P.A. or to C.C.C. About 85 per cent of the boys proved to have legal settlement elsewhere and authorization was received for return. It is apparent that the transient boy presents a more 33 extensive problem in Los Angeles than elsewhere. There is an awareness of this condition in other cities. Following is a statement of Julianne Morton, Traffic Police Officer, Southern Pacific Railroad in FI Paso, Most of the men who ride freight trains, are single, young, and must be able-bodied to stand the life. They do not want to stay long in any town and do not get far away from the railroad. Sometimes they arrive with a few pennies in their pockets. The majority of them do not seek welfare associations unless they become acutely ill or decide to stay and find work. On the whole, one- third of them are just tramps. Most of their travel is betv/een here and California as they are seeking warmer weather and sunshine and then return East in the change of season. We estimate the average monthly number rid ing our freight trains the year round would be fifty per day. 5 From the response of the letters received from the out-of-state inquiries, it seems to be an exception in the various states where public funds are available, to use them for the assistance of the transient boy. In some states, it is obvious that there is an abhorence of these transient youths and transient families. In nearly every state the question is being evaded and put aside, probably, until the Federal Government takes some action. Based on the replies recorded in this chapter, we find that four cities definitely state that the transient boy is a major social problem to the welfare agencies. Seven cities believe that the transient boy is no problem. Several cities make no statement. It ^ "The Password," p. 6. 34 appears that public funds are available for assistance to these boys in approximately four cities only, although nearly every city has some agency to whom the youths can appeal for overnight lodging and food. The statement that the transient boy is not a problem does not seem valid, inasmuch as records are not kept and statistical information not available. Prob ably, the police courts in these various cities could give more actual statistical information in this regard. In nearly every response, we find the public and private agencies literally crying for funds with v/hich to develop and carry out some program. One reason, why Los Angeles seems faced with the prob lem, is well brought out in the statement of Mr. Hunt from Indianapolis. "Most young transients here seem to be on their way through, not using this as their destination except at the time of the 500 mile race in the spring," As is sug gested in this remark and in the remarks from El Paso the boys are usually on their way west, many in search of jobs. Those not finding work on the way continue their journey until they can go no further. Here, then, they become stranded, weary, hungry, and often ragged, they are picked up on the streets of Los Angeles; placed in an overnight cell; and referred to the public relief agencies for care. CHAPTER I I I THE POLICY GOVERNING THE TRANSIENT BOY AS ADMINISTERED BY THE STATE RELIEF ADMINISTRATION OF CALIFORNIA IN 1938 While, at the present time, the State of California provides no care for the unattached employable transient man, there is a provision by which the transient family and the transient boy are rendered assistance through the State Relief Administration from funds allotted by the California Legisla ture. The various counties in the State of California pro vide care for the unemployable transient family, man, and boy. Children, who are transients under the age of eighteen, are cared for through the juvenile courts and kept in a de tention home. This particular study is made of the transient employ able boy between the ages of eighteen and twenty-two, who is assisted by the State Relief Administration. The majority of referrals are received from the police courts. However, some boys are referred directly by the Jewish Social Service Bureau, the Catholic Welfare Bureau, and the Travelers Aid Society. When a police officer’s attention is drawn to a youth sleeping on a park bench, in a railway station, in an auto mobile in a parking lot, in a pool hall late at night, or 36 wandering in the streets aimlessly, this hoy is questioned. If he is proved to be homeless, he is taken into custody; his case brought to the attention of the night court; and a charge of vagrancy filed. He is detained for the night. The following day these youths are brought in a station wagon to the Metropolitan District of the State Relief Administra tion. Sometimes there are as many as twenty-one boys huddled together in one wagon. Upon their arrival at the relief of fice, they are lined up on benches to await their turn to be interviewed by social workers trained to deal with the ado lescent boy. At times these boys present a weary looking sight. It is not uncommon to see one stretched lengthwise on the narrow bench, sound asleep, snoring loudly. At other times, a group of boys may seem possessed with a frivolous spirit which approaches gaiety at its height. Commonly, a boy’s sole possession is a harmonica, a guitar, or a ukelele. It is not unusual for them to sing and play lustily to the distraction of the social workers and appli cants for relief in other divisions. An interview is given each boy and a disposition is made as to his eligibility. If he is eligible he is sent to camp or to a boys’ lodge. The case of the transient boy in Los Angeles County usually covers a relatively short period. Often, the boy is interviewed but once by the social worker. It is rare that 37 social work diagnosis and treatment can be instigated. The policy is rigid. A boy agrees to return to his legal resi dence, authorization is received, and the boy immediately placed on the train. It is not amazing to find the boy, because he has been unable to readjust himself to his home environment, once again on the road. Sometimes, he again becomes stranded in Los Angeles and is forced to reapply for assistance. Approximately 5 per cent of the applications of the transient boy constitute duplicated or "reopened" cases. Not always is the case reopened because the boy has been returned to his place of legal settlement and again returns to Los Angeles, but often the boy’s case has been closed be cause of A.W,O.L. (Absent Without Leave) from camp. Some times these boys on one of their week-end leaves find a job for awhile and return for further aid when the work has ex pired. An example of a typical interview and agency contact is as follows: 11-20 W. in office, referred by Los Angeles Police Department, asking for aid and transportation to his legal residence i n ------------------- . Case charged to Metropolitan District. Case Cleared L.A.S.S.E. (Los Angeles Social Service Exchange). 11-20 Interviewed W. in office. Status Case consists of a single, white, American-born boy, of Catholic religion, twenty-one years of age, born in W-------- , Maryland, o n ---------- 38 Family Background Health Residence Education 1917. He is 5’10” tall, weighs I40 pounds, and has dark brown hair and blue eyes. W*s father, also named W------- , was born in M——————— in 1888 and his mother, L—————— was born in M--------- in I89O. W.’s father is a mechanical draftsman by trade but at present is employed as a steam engineer for the E—————— Club in C———————, receiving about $25 per week. W, indicated that he just obtained this job shortly before the boy’s departure from M------in November 1938. W. has always lived with his parents and is on the best of terms with them. He left home with their knowledge and is sure he will be welcomed back. Hovfever, he does not feel that they can assist him with the costs of transportation. The family rent the house in which they live and have never received any public relief. Also in the home of the parents is a twenty- two year old single sister, L who does art work for the H Company, in B ; and an eighteen year old brother, J , who just has been graduated from high school and is at present unemployed; a fifteen year old brother F. and an eight year old brother, J , both in school; and a three year old brother J————. W. has been partially blind in his right eye since birth. However, he has never had any serious illness and is in good health at the present time. He is able to do any ordinary work. As his legal residence, W, claims the home of his parents (Identifying information given re: address etc.) As proof of his legal resi dence, he submitted a Social Security Card (number, date, and town of issuance recorded). W. finished the eleventh grade of Vocational High School in B------- in 1933 when he was sixteen years of age, taking a course in cabinet making. He then attended High School in B. for six months during 1934. He lacks one term of receiving his high school diploma. 39 Relatives Employment Military References Migration W. *s only close relative besides his immediate family is his Aunt (Identifying information - aunt not living in Los Angeles). He knows of no one to assist him either here or in his home state. W. classifies himself as a salesman or foundry worker by trade. His last job was with a magazine crew representing the P Sales Company. He joined this company in B in November of 1938 and traveled with the crew all over the country by the coast route. W. was paid on a commission basis, but was forced to leave this job in Los Angeles as he was unable to make enough money to meet expenses. Prior to leaving « , W. worked for five years off and on as a feeder for the A------ Company, in this city. This work was ir regular and seasonal, W. being called as needed. He last worked in October in 1938, Whenever he was employed, he received 40 cents per hour. There has been no military service. As references to establish residence, W. of fered the names of his former employers (in formation given in detail). W. was born in B and has made his home there with his parents all his life. After leaving his employment in October 1938, he was unemployed for a couple of weeks. He then had the opportunity to join the magazine crew in November 1938. He did so, thinking he would be able to make quite a bit of money. The crew ultimately arrived in Los Angeles in December 1938. W. gave up the job due to his inability to meet expenses. He is stranded in this city with no way of returning home, and is destitute and anxious to return to his family. He has never been away from home before, has never ap plied for any public relief, nor been returned home by any agency. He claims no record of delinquency. Disposition W. Y/as sent to Pacoima Park Camp for care, pending verification of his legal residence. 40 11-20 A telegram was sent to the Department of Public Welfare in B asking for verification of age, residence and authorization to return W. to B—————, 11-27 A telegram was received from agency in B----- authorizing return of W. to B. at our expense. Parents anxious to have boy home. Age not verified. 11-27 A transportation summary was submitted to Transportation Department. 11-27 Cash budget for subsistence in the amount of #3.50 and relief order for transportation in the amount of #31.33, was filed with Finance Department. 12-7 W. was in the office, at which time was given referral to station worker. As he was returned to his legal residence in B on this date via Santa Fe R. R. at 8:15 P.M., the case, accordingly, is being closed. 12-7 CASE CLOSED: Returned to Legal Residence in Other State. The above case is given in some detail to illustrate the type of interview and the manner in which the procedure is followed. The case was chosen at random as being fairly characteristic of the type of boy interviewed in Los Angeles, In this particular case, extensive social treatment was not necessary. The final disposition was expedited and the boy was known to the State Relief Administration for a period of only seventeen days. We wonder, of course, what might have happened to this boy had he not received assistance from the State. Do we feel that the cost of the lodging and food for seventeen days, and transportation was exorbitant? It 41 certainly is a cost to the state when we realize that over five hundred boys were returned last year. On the other hand, if the boy were to beg and steal, he might have become involved in a charge for a criminal offense. This easily could have happened. What would this price be to society? We find a rather rigid set of eligibility rules which make the transient boy in Los Angeles eligible for aid. He must fall exactly within the age limits of his eighteenth to his twenty-second birthday. He must be willing to return to his legal residence. He must have no resources or means of maintenance. He must accept placement in either a camp or a private club. He must submit himself to a physical examina tion, In the event of a venereal condition, he must accept treatment. Most of these rules of eligibility seem sound. Yet, one can readily observe that all boys have individual differences and should be given individual treatment. CHAPTER XV A STUDY OF FIFTY TRAHSXEM? BOYS ASSISTED BY THE STATE RELIEF ADMINISTRATION This chapter is to consider the boys personal history, the family background, the reason and source of migration, his employment history, his institution and delinquency rec ord and his various attitudes, and the relationship of certain social factors regarding transiency. Of the fifty boys interviewed, we find forty-six native-born white, three native-born negroes, and one foreign- born Mexican, As indicated before, the boys interviewed were between their eighteenth and twenty-second birthdays. We find twelve were 18 years of age, eighteen were 19 years of age, nine were 20 and eleven were 21. The average was 19.8 years, TABLE II AGE DISTRIBUTION OF FIFTY TRANSIENT BOYS ASSISTED BY THE STATE RELIEF ADMINISTRATION IN 1938 Age Number 18 12 19 18 20 9 21 11 Average 19,8 43 Personal history. Of the fifty boys considered in this survey, the majority were rather well-dressed and neat. Sixty per cent, or thirty boys, were so classified. Of the balance, thirteen were neatly dressed, but somewhat shabby. However, their clothes were clean, showing a desire to be neat and to appear to the best advantage. The other seven were unkempt and in most cases decidedly dirty. In the latter case, it must be borne in mind that several were turned over to this agency as soon as they were apprehended by the police and bathing facilities had not been available. The definition of "well-dressed" as given under Chapter I, should be considered in any deductions arrived at from this grouping. It is to be recognized that this group ing is the writer’s individual reaction, TABLE III APPEARANCE OF FIFTY TRANSIENT BOYS ASSISTED BY THE STATE RELIEF ADMINISTRATION IN 1938 Appearance Number Well-dressed 30 Neat, but shabby 13 Unkempt 7 While figures were kept on this group in an effort to differentiate between the types of personalities included, it should be remembered that some of these boys were rather diffident as regards giving information concerning themselves to a complete stranger, and rapport was difficult during a 44 single interview. Because of these facts, the overt be havior of the boys may not be a true indication of the type of personality which they tend to show. Based on the writer’s opinion during the initial interview, seven of the boys were extroverts, twenty-one were introverts and the remaining twenty-two were neutral or difficult to settle. This divi sion does not seem valid because, if the boys had sufficient initiative to leave home and to seek to improve their lot elsewhere, an extrovertive tendency would be indicated. The true introvert is not likely to do anything of the sort with out more pressure being exerted than was true in the greater proportion of these cases. By this same reasoning we could contest the findings determining the aggressiveness of the boys. By the manner of responses during the interview the writer decided that only six were of an aggressive type, twenty-one, reticent; and the rest, twenty-three, were neu tral. Most people who have had experience with boys should realize that they are inclined to be reticent or at least rather neutral in the presence of anyone representing the authorities. Especially is this true when the situation is such that they hope to be the gainer by not antagonizing those with whom they are dealing. The other factor in considering the personality of the boys is their integrity. For the purposes of the interview and statistics, they have been divided into three 45 classifications; first, proven honesty, which means that the story has been checked, that there is no mark on the boy’s record and that his story has been verified; second, doubt ful, which means that the boy’s story has been given in such a manner as to be considered likely, but complete verifica tion is still pending; and, third, proven dishonest, which in the two cases in this division means that one boy had been arrested on three different occasions and the other boy was proven to have given false statements v/hen he was interviewed. In all, there were twenty-two whose stories had been verified, twenty-six whose integrity was doubtful, and two whose story had been falsified. All of the boys claimed that they were single. This, however, is a point upon which it is practically impossible to check. As long as there are forty-eight States and the District of Columbia, with different marriage and divorce laws, as long as there is no national bureau in which all marriages must be registered, as long as there is no means of identifying all people even though they may change names for aliases, and there is no check on the movements of people from one community to another, so long will it be impossible to be certain whether a person is married or not. These boys showed that they were from homes where in the main they had had some religious training. Of the thirty- one who professed to be of Protestant inclination, nine had 46 TABLE IV PERSONALITY TRAITS OF FIFTY TRANSIENT BOYS INTERVIEWED IN THE OFFICE OF THE STATE RELIEF ADMINISTRATION, 1938 Personality trait Number Extrovert 7 Introvert 21 Undetermined 22 Aggressive 6 Reticent 21 Undetermined 23 Integrity Statements verified 22 Statements pending 26 Statements false 2 47 kept active in the church. While of the eighteen who were of Catholic faith, all hut three had kept their interest alive. The fiftieth claimed to have no religious belief. These figures are derived from the boys’ statements and are subject to proof. According to these statements 36 per cent of these boys were Catholic. This is about 10 per cent above the ratio of Catholics to the national population. TABLE V RELIGION OF FIFTY TRANSIENT BOYS WHO RECEIVED ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE STATE RELIEF ADMINISTRATION IN 1938 Religion Number Active in Church Membership Inactive in Church Protestant 31 9 22 Catholic 18 13 3 No Religion 1 The past health history of these boys seems to be of relative unimportance except as it affects their present health. Most of the boys have suffered with one or more of the communicable childhood diseases; two had had pneumonia and one a severe case of influenza; two had had malaria. All of these boys were given a District Medical Examination in the District Office prior to the initial interview. The examination is given to determine the boy’s employability status. If no health condition exists, the boy is scheduled 48 "Able to do any kind of work." If the boy has a health condition which renders him employable but incapacitated for hard work of a laboring nature, he is given a "Light work" diagnosis. If the boy is found to be "Unemployable" he is, of course, rejected, for relief under the State Relief Administration which is primarily an agency dealing with the employable but unemployed person, and referred to the Bureau of Indigent Relief. Of the fifty boys interviewed, forty-two were found to present no health problems and to be employable for any type of work. Of the eight given a "Light work" diagnosis, two presented a heart condition, one had asthma, one chronic appendicitis, and one was a deaf mute. Three were suffering with a venereal disease. TABLE 71 HEALTH OF FIFTY BOYS CONSIDERED EMPLOYABLE BY EXAÆINING DISTRICT PHYSICIAN OF THE STATE RELIEF ADMINISTRATION IN 1938 Total 50 No Health Problems 42 Heart Condition 2 Asthmatic Condition 1 Deaf Mute 1 Chronic Appendicitis 1 V. D. Condition 3 Family background. In studying the home situation of fifty transient boys, we are forced to recognize certain 49 pertinent factors which seem to tend towards the disintegra tion of the family unit. We find that twenty-seven, or 54 per cent, of these boys come from broken homes, while twenty-three, or 46 per cent, of the parents are living together. It is interesting to note that in a survey of two hundred transient boys studied by Raphael L. Konisgberg under the Federal Transient Program in Ohio in 1935, that 62.5 per cent were found to have come from broken homes. Undoubtedly the broken home is a causative factor towards the boy leaving home, although, according to the boy’s own statement, only five gave family discord as the main reason for their leaving. The following is a table showing the marital status of the boy’s parents, or the per son with whom the boy was known to live last. In a study of the twenty-seven boys from broken homes, we find six of the fathers deceased; seven whose mothers were dead; four with divorced parents; four whose fathers had deserted; three whose parents were separated; one vdio was illegitimate and living with his father; one who had been deserted by both parents in infancy; and one whose parents had both died in childhood. These last two boys were made wards of the State and reared in orphanages until their eighteenth birthday. The boy who was deserted by both parents in infancy is a deaf-mute, who was first known to the State Relief Administration in October of 1937. The State of 50 TABLE VII FAMILY BACKGROUND OF FIFTY TRANSIENT BOYS ASSISTED BY THE STATE RELIEF -ADMINISTRATION, 1938 Total 50 Parents living together 23 Mother and stepfather S Father and stepmother 2 Aunt 1 Mother 7 Father 6 Brother 1 Orphan (ward of state) 2 51 Kentucky had acknowledged his residence and the boy was returned. However, upon his arrival in Kentucky, he was un able to find employment or friends and again hitchhiked back to California. He is now being assisted by the State of California and is considered a Federal Homeless boy, inasmuch as Kentucky no longer recognizes his residence. Table VIII shows the parental status of twenty-seven boys from broken homes. When these boys were questioned regarding the family situation at home, four boys responded with the remark "I have no home," This is a tragic situation in itself with the unattached boy who has not yet reached his majority. A couple of the boys stated that they could not return to their homes because their stepfathers were "drunk all of the time." Others insisted that their parents would not feed them if they had no work to pay for their "grub." Of the fifty boys interviewed, only twenty-seven came from homes where either one or the other parent was employed in private industry. It is interesting to note the various occupations of these parents, as shown in Table IX. The occupations of these parents is significant in itself, inasmuch as it shows the probable inadequacy of the parent to contribute to an unemployed son. One of the boys remarked that his mother had been working in a factory and supporting minor children. He felt that he could not return TABLE VIII PARENTAL STATUS OF TWENTY-SEVEN BOYS FROM BROKEN HOMES INTERVIEWED THROUGH THE STATE RELIEF ADMINISTRATION DURING 1938 52 Total 27 Father deceased 6 Mother deceased 7 Divorced parents 4 Father deserted 4 Separated parents 3 Illegitimate 1 Deserted by both parents in infancy 1 Both parents deceased 1 53 TABLE IX OCCUPATION OF TWENTY-SEVEN WORKING PARENTS OF BOYS WHO WERE RENDERED ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE STATE RELIEF ADMINISTRATION, 1938 Total 27 Janitor 3 Sharecropper 3 Farmer 2 Steam engineer 2 Mechanic 2 Mine worker 2 Railroad worker 2 Steel mill worker 1 Electrician 1 Waiter 1 Carpenter 1 Painter 1 Marine stoker 1 Laborer 1 Accountant 1 Store manager 1 54 to his home and add to his mother’s responsibility. The six boys whose parents were either sharecroppers or farmers all felt that they could "earn their keep" in the family home. Of the remaining twenty-three boys who v/ere questioned regarding the occupation of the working parent, seven as serted that their fathers were employed onW.P.A. , four that their mothers were recipients of public relief, two were wards of the courts, and the others had been self-maintaining in their family group. Some had contributed to the support of their parents. None of the boys indicated that either parent had had an institutional record. Many of the boys were not aware of the health condition of their parents, but most of them knew the cause of the death of a deceased parent. The individual boy was questioned regarding his past relief record. Twenty-one of the boys claimed that they had been recipients of some kind of relief in the past; either they were known in the cases of their parents or they were known to some transient bureau or to a C.C.C. Camp. Twenty- nine of the boys indicated that neither they nor their par ents had ever been known to any type of relief. For the purpose of this study, we have broken down the present eco nomic situation of the family unit into three categories: "relief status," which includes those families who are nov/ maintained on relief and on W.P.A. ; "poor," or those families 55 that are maintained inadequately on odd jobs, i.e., mother taking in washing or father employed part time; "inadequate" or those families whose employable head is working steadily but whose income is inadequate to meet the needs of the family; "adequate" refers to those families whose employable head earns more than one hundred dollars per month. From the statements of the fifty boys on the date of their "application, it was learned that thirteen of their families were then being maintained by some sort of public or private relief. Twelve of the boy’s families were maintained wholly inadequately on budgets which sometimes did not ap proximate the relief budget. These families were maintained through odd jobs, sharecropping, mother taking in washing, etc. Seven families were maintained inadequately although the employable head was working steadily. In several of these instances, the employable head was earning twelve dollars a week for five or more members in the family. In sixteen cases, we find the wage earner approximating one hundred dollars or more per month. However, in no case did it exceed 150 dollars. In several cases in this group. there were six or seven members in the family unit. The two boys who were wards of the court do not appear under this item. In several of these instances the wage earner, or employable head, is a brother, a sister, or an aunt. Obviously we can conclude that the economic situation 56 in the family grouping is a factor towards the boy leaving the home, as shown in Table X. Migration. The next point to be considered is the reason that caused each boy to leave his home state. In this connection, we shall take into consideration the manner in which he left, as well as the factors that influenced his decision in this respect. It is remembered that the reasons given for the boy’s leaving home is his own statement. The first response is generally, "to seek employment" or "to find a job." The secondary reason given we find is sometimes the causative factor. In regard to the manner in which the boys came to California, it is noteworthy that the large majority came "on the bum." Fifteen hitchhiked, nine came by freight trains, eight combined hitchhiking v/ith freight trains, five came by caravan cars, four came by bus, four arrived by means of a friend’s car, two came with a magazine selling crew, one was stranded here when he received a dishonorable discharge from the Navy, one came by train, and the last one acted as a chauffeur for a party to pay his transportation. It is worthy of a particular note that, although there is supposed to be a law forbidding automobile dealers from hiring potential public charges as drivers, transient interviews show the practice to be prevalent, as shown in Table XI. 57 TABLE X ECONOMIC SITUATION OF FAMILY UNIT OF FIFTY TRANSIENT BOYS ASSISTED BY THE STATE RELIEF ADMINISTRATION, 1938 Total 50 Relief status (families who are nov7 maintained on relief or W.P.A. ) 13 Poor (families who are maintained inadequately on odd jobs, share- cropping, agricultural laborers, etc.) 12 Inadequate income (families whose employable head is working steadily but whose salary is inade quate) 7 Adequate income (employable head earns more than $100 per month) 16 Wards of the courts 2 58 TABLE X I MANNER OF TRANSPORTATION USED BY FIFTY BOYS IN MIGRATING TO CALIFORNIA Total 50 Hitchhiking 15 Freight trains 9 Both hitchhiking and freight trains 8 Caravan cars 5 Bus 4 Friend’s car 4 Magazine crew 2 Dishonorable discharge from Navy 1 Train 1 Chauffeur for private family 1 59 A great variety of reasons is given by the boys for their coming to California. By far the largest number came because they seemed to think that they might find employment. In this group, there were twenty-six. Of course other fac tors undoubtedly entered into the decision, but this was the primary reasons as given by the boys in answering the ques tionnaire. Of the others, there were very few in any one category. Despite the publicity given to Hollywood, and the idea in the minds of many people that young people flock to Los Angeles in order to get into the "movies," only one of the fifty came here primarily to see Hollywood, although three others said they came west to see California. It is possible that these may have had Hollywood uppermost in their minds. Of the two boys who came as part of a magazine sub scription crew, one was stranded here because he was unable to make enough money to pay his expenses; the other coming under another heading. Two claimed that they were unable to obtain relief in the home state. They had heard that relief could be obtained here and left home. One said that the climate of his home state did not suit him; that he had heard much of the wonderful climate here and decided to see if he liked it. It is commonly believed that transients come to California for the climate. This is 60 probably true amongst the transient family group. However, only one boy stated that climatic conditions attracted him. Most of the interviews were taken during the winter, and this response would have been apropos to the season. While California is well known throughout the nation for the excellence of its schools and educational opportuni ties, but one boy came here for that primary reason. This boy said that he hoped to get part time employment and further his education as well. Two of the group were influenced by a companion to come west. From what could be gathered, their decisions were based on the insistance of their friends. One wished to locate some friends of his whom, he be lieved, were in California. He believed, that if he located them, they would be able to help him get employment so that he might stay. Another had a similar story except that he was searching for some relatives. Five left home because of family conflict and decided that as long as they had to go some place, they might as well come to Los Angeles. Two gave as their reason that they were searching for adventure. In their search, they came to this state. One young man said that he wished to play professional baseball. He evidently believed that because several of the major league clubs come here for winter training, he might 61 get a tryout with one of them or at least with one of the Pacific Coast League Teams. Two said that they came to Los Angeles to enlist in the United States Army. Perhaps there was no recruiting station in their home towns, or they wished to get away from the area in which they normally would have to serve if they enlisted at home. Apparently, they were not qualified for service. Table XII summarizes the above information briefly. In the majority of these cases, the boys admitted no situation at home of a social or domestic nature to influence them to leave. There were thirty-three who claimed that the home situation was not a factor. This does not mean that, in these cases, there was no financial distress in the home. It does mean that there was no conflict between these boys and the rest of their families of major proportions. In sixteen cases, there was a definite conflict between the boys and one or more members of their families. In the remaining case, the possibility exists that the homelife was unpleasant, or that the people in the town made things unpleasant for him. This would be due to the fact that he is an illegitimate child. Following is a brief table showing the social factors, other than economic conditions, v/hich appear to be a contrib utory cause for the migration into California of fifty tran sient boys. This table is broken down into three parts, "yes" 62 TABLE XII PRIMARY REASONS AS GIVEN BY FIFTY TRANSIENT BOYS AS THEIR REASON FOR COMING TO CALIFORNIA Total 50 To seek employment 26 To see California 4 Climate 1 Influence of companion or group 2 Family conflict 5 Adventure 2 Unable to obtain relief in home state 2 To further education 1 To locate friends or relatives 2 As part of job 2 To join the United States Army 2 To play professional baseball 1 63 TABIE XIII SOCIAL FACTORS AS A CONTRIBUTING- CAUSE FOR MIGRATION OF FIFTY TRANSIENT BOYS ASSISTED BY THE STATE RELIEF . ADMINISTRATION DURING 1938 Total Tes No Contributory Home s i tua t i on 50 16 33 1 Delinquency in home state 50 2 48 Adventure 50 20 21 9 Lack of educational ad vantages in home state 50 1 48 1 64 meaning that an item appears to be a factor; "no" showing that an item does not appear to be a factor. The third item listed as "contributory" indicates that the item may or may not be of a contributory nature. To explain this further we would list a boy as "yes," who says, "my father will have nothing to do with me" or "my mother always sides with my step father . " In twenty cases, there was evidenced a decided drive for adventure as a factor influencing the boys to leave home. In nine cases, it was present to some degree, but must be considered as only a minor factor. In the remaining twenty- one cases, the drive for adventure can be discounted entirely. The lack of educational advantages at home was respon sible in only one case for the boy leaving home. In one other case it was a contributing factor, but not of prime importance. Questions which occur to an interviewer when talking to a transient boy are the length of time he has been away from home, and how often he returns or is returned to his home. We find that 56 per cent of our boys have been away from home for the first time, while 22 per cent had either been returned to their homes or left home with the intent to live elsewhere upon two different occasions. Six per cent of the boys had been away three different times. One of the boys had made his way on the road for a period of four years. 65 Three of the hoys had been traveling for three years, one had been on the road for two years, and two for one and one-half years. These figures do not mean that the boys have been traveling continuously during this time. It does mean, however, that they have not remained in one state for one year during this period. These figures show that 14 per cent of these boys left their home over eighteen months ago and have been dependent up on their own resources since that time. Table XIV shows the nomadic tendencies of fifty tran sient boys. Sources of migration. For the purpose of this thesis, all communities of less than five thousand population are considered to be of a rural nature. Thereby, eighteen boys, or 36 per cent, are from rural communities. Of these eighteen fourteen are from communities smaller than 2,500 and the other four come from.towns of from 2,500 to 5,000 population. Contrary to the opinion of some, which holds that the larger proportion of transient boys are from farm communities, this survey shows that twenty of the boys, or 40 per cent are from cities of more than 100,000 population, and 24 per cent from cities of 10,000 to 100,000 population. Six are from cities of more than one million population, five from cities of from 500,000 to one million population, four from cities of from 200,000 to 500,000 population, five from cities of from 66 TABLE XIV NOMADIC TENDENCIES OF FIFTY TRANSIENT BOYS ASSISTED BY THE STATE RELIEF ADMINISTRATION IN 1938 Number Percentage distribution First time away from home 28 56 Second time away from home 11 22 Third time away from home 3 6 On road 1 l/2 years 2 4 On road 2 years 1 2 On road 3 years 3 6 On road 4 years 1 2 14 67 100.000 to 200,000 population, two from cities of from 50,000 to 100,000 population, four from cities of from 25,000 to 50.000 population, four from cities of from 10,000 to 25,000 population, and two from cities of from 5,000 to 10,000 population. For a presentation of this data see Table and Table ZFI. It is interesting to observe the possible affect of rural and urban areas on the situation of the broken home of these boys. Out of the fifty boys considered, twenty-seven came from broken homes. Since there were eleven broken homes in the rural communities, the percentage of rural broken homes is 40.7 per cent of all of the broken homes and 59.3 per cent of the broken homes are in the urban centers. Six of these homes were broken by the death of the father. Three of these deaths occurred in rural communities and three in urban. This makes the paternal death rate higher in rural areas than in urban when figured in proportion to the total in each group. The death of the mother caused the disintegration of seven of these homes. Of the seven, two were rural and five were urban. In three cases, the homes were broken by the parents separating. Of these one was a rural community. In all, 11.1 per cent of the broken families were caused by the sepa ration of the parents. 68 TABLE XV POPULATION OF CITIES AT SOURCE OF MIGRATION OF FIFTY TRANSIENT BOYS ASSISTED BY THE STATE RELIEF ADMINISTRATION, 1938 Population of cities Number of boys Percentage distribution Total 50 100 Under 2,500 14 20 2,500 to 5,000 4 8 5,000 to 10,000 2 4 10,000 to 25,000 4 8 25,000 to 50,000 4 8 50,000 to 100,000 2 4 100,000 to 200,000 5 10 200,000 to 500,000 4 8 500,000 to 1,000,000 5 10 Over 1,000,000 6 12 69 TABLE XVI CENSUS OF 1930 FROM CITIES AT SOURCE OF MIGRATION 1. ChattahooGhee, Georgia 2. Ambridge, Pennsylvania 3. Baltimore, Ivîaryland 4. Peoria, Arizona 5. Detroit, Michigan 6. Temple, Texas 7. Blairsville, Georgia 8. Rutherford, New Jersey 9. Hartford, Connecticut 10. Standish, Michigan 11. Clinton, Indiana 12. Hays, Kansas 13. Cleveland, Ohio 14. Tacoma, Washington 15. Chicago, Illinois 16. Detour, Michigan 17. Denver, Colorado 18. New York, New York 19. Little Rock, Arkansas 20. Lyndon, Kentucky 21. Everett, Washington 22. Chicago, Illinois 23. Columbia City, Indiana 24. Chicago, Illinois 25. Buffalo, New York 26. Navasota, Texas 27. Koscinko, Kansas 28. Bay City, Michigan 29. Roxbury, Massachusetts 30. Buffalo, New York 31. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 32. Memphis, Tennessee 33. Indianapolis, Indiana 34. Copia, Sinaloa Prov., Mexico 35. Pinconning, Michigan 36. Miami, Florida 37. Frontier, Wyoming 38. Detroit, Michigan 39. New Orleans, Louisiana Under 2,500 20,227 804,874 Under 2,500 1,568,662 15,345 Under 2,500 14,915 164,072 Under 2,500 7,93.6 4,518 900,429 106,817 3.376.438 Under 2,500 287,861 6,930,446 81,679 Under 2,500 30,567 3.376.438 3,805 3.376.438 573.076 5,128 Under 2,500 47,355 Under 2,500 573.076 185,389 253,143 364,161 Population not avail able , prob ably under 40,000 Under 2,500 110,637 Under 2,500 1,568,662 458,762 70 TABLE XVI (Continued) CENSUS OF 1930 FROM CITIES AT SOURCE OF MIGRATION 40. Aberdeen, Washington 21,723 41. Lima, Ohio 42,287 42. Hunt, New York Under 2,500 43. Buffalo, New York 573,076 44. Brodhead, Wisconsin Under 2,500 45. Monroe, Georgia 3,706 46. Evanston, Illinois 63,338 47. Youngstown, Ohio 170,002 48. Kent, Washington Under 2,500 49. Texas City, Texas 3,534 50. Oakland, Illinois Under 2,500 71 Four homes were broken by the divorce of the parents. Of these, one was in a rural area and three were from larger cities. Divorce caused 14.8 per cent of disintegration in the family unit. In one case, the boy was deserted by both parents,. This was in a rural community. There were no abandonments in the urban areas in this particular survey. In one instance, both parents were deceased. These deaths were not included in the figures on the death of one parent or the other. This one case was from an urban com munity. The rural areas were responsible for the only case where a home was broken because of the illegitimacy of a boy. In four cases, the desertion of the father was the factor in breaking the home. Of these four, one was from a rural area and three from the larger cities. One point stands out from this survey, there were no broken homes in the population group of cities between 5>000 and 25,000 population. Perhaps the reason for this is that there is usually less economic stress in cities of this size and the people do not have to work as hard as they do in farm areas or in the larger cities. Further, medical facilities are available in towns of this size more than in strictly rural communities. The mores of a small city are more rigid pertaining to divorces and separations. It is the observation 72 of the writer that there are few apartments in cities of less than twenty-five thousand. In the larger cities where apartments are very common, they seem to contribute to the dissolving of a normal home life. As a result, not being influenced by the opinion of their neighbors, not staying at home in the evenings, people tend to become victims of their environment in which home life does not play an essential part; therefore, family disintegration is more prevalent. For a graphic presentation of these figures, see Table XVII. This survey shows that the largest proportion of these boys came from the East North Central section of the country, with the Middle Atlantic, West South Central, South Atlantic, and the Pacific sections being of next importance in that order. These figures show that two are from the New England, seven from the Middle Atlantic, five from the South Atlantic, three from the East South Central, six from the West South Central, eighteen from the East North Central, one from the West North Central, three from the Mountain, four from the Pacific areas, and one from foreign countries, i.e., Mexico. According to Mr, R. L. Konigsberg, who conducted a survey on the transient boy in Ohio in 1935i Except for a small minority the transient boys appear to remain within a radius of 500 miles from home in the course of their wanderings. This fact ;has been brought out in other studies of transient groups. The comparative youth of the present group may be one cause of their 73 H § I O A S Q ) O o o o o o o o lO o o O O O O O O O O O 03 m m O o <D O o fi O o ■P « r Ho o O o o <W rH 03 O O o O o a o o o •H o o -P ID o c d rH O O A o o O o o p4 I T Jo 03 lO O o O o o o o to 1 —t03 o O o o o o lO o 1 —1 o o o o lO o 03 lO o < D o tn a 03 o to O i r H GO £ > 0 - o 00 # • • o 03 l O i H C O co to o 03 03 1 —1 1—1 r H r H « 03 CQ 03 03 r H I — I t f i O 0 3 r H r H r H r H r H r H r H r H « H f Cj 0 • C J H P 0 4 3 n d ( D Q ) 0 9 O 0 0 3 0 3 K F h H O rd P o d (d 0 p 0 0 F h < D 0 A F > > > 0 43 0 O o 0 i H 0 0 © 0 r a • P 0 0 n c J r C • 0 O • H * 0 0 0 0 0 P 0 3 f n h -p ■ P • P 'O •i H F h r H 0 0 0 « F h W 0 ( d 0 © 0 0 - P ■ P + » F h F 4 0 •p r H p O 0 3 O 0 0 0 o r H 0 E H P « H s P h P h « P Q M P 4 0 0 ü 0 Ph Ph P P 0 0 P A bO ( 3 0 0 13 p P p 000 p •H p P 0 0 P 0 0 xi 0 rP 0 p •rH P p 0 «M qn 01 —10 p 0 0 P U p XI P P p P 0 F h 0 P 0 0 6 F h 0 p 0 0 F h 0 P P» Pi (p c- CO 0 C 3 > H* IP 74 remaining close to home ; and this is not necessarily a reflection on their courage and resourcefulness. Further, the explanation may he that the boys desire to be near home in event of receiving word of a job in the home town; or it may be that many of them are really on the road to look for work, as they claim, and not to roam around for adventure’s sake. One other cause may be the very conditions of transiency "which are surely not conducive to extended comfortable journeys. Or the young men may desire to be near home in case of misfortune befalling them or their families. In support of the statement that most of the boys do not wander far from home, . . . the 200 boys come from 28 states. Of the 28 states, 5 contribute 125 of the boys. These 5 states are: Ohio, 45; Pennsylvania, 32; West Virginia, 20; Kentucky, 15; and New; York, 13. Only 2 states, Virginia and Indiana, have 8 representatives; and only 3, California, Massachusetts, and Tennessee, have 7 each. The remaining 18 states contributed from one to five boys each. If we keep in mind the fact that this study was conducted in Columbus, Ohio, and eliminate Ohio itself, it is seen that 3 of the four states with the largest number of representatives are contiguous to Ohio ; namely, Kentucky, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. The New York boys all come from New York City, which is somewhat more than 500 miles away. Therefore, excluding the 13 boys from New York, 112 boys come from within the 500 mile radius. To these must be added also the 8 from Indiana, 8 from Virginia, and 7 from Tennessee. All these make a total of at least 135 boys or 67.5 per cent, which is 2 of every three, who in the course of their wanderings re mained for the most part, up to the date of the interview, within a rather limited area.l Using Columbus, Ohio, as a center and drawing a radius of five hundred miles from that point, we find that twenty- nine of the fifty boys considered in this survey are from Raphael L. Konigsberg, "Social Factors in the Transiency of Boys," (unpublished Master’s thesis, Ohio State University, Columbus, 1935), PP. 24-25. 75 homes within that area. One of the boys is from New Jersey, five from New York, one from Pennsylvania, one from Maryland, one from Georgia, one from Kentucky, one from Tennessee, five from Illinois, three from Indiana, six from Michigan, three from Ohio, and one from Wisconsin. In all, 58 per cent of the fifty boys come from this area, roughly 785,000 square miles. These figures are worthy of contrast with those of the number of boys who come from homes within a nine hundred mile radius from Los Angeles, an area of nearly 1,273,000 square miles since approximately one-haIf of the circle is ocean. In the latter case, we have only three boys. Although the western area is considerably larger, its density of popula tion is not nearly as great as that of the eastern section. Nevertheless, these figures tend to indicate that the tran sient boy in Los Angeles is, in the main, over two thousand miles from his home state. Further, these figures tend to show that nearly the same proportion of the Los Angeles tran sients come from within the same five hundred mile radius from Columbus, Ohio, as were found in Mr. Konigsberg’s survey. His figure was 67.5 per cent and ours is 58 per cent; a similar trend is discovered here. This comparison indicates that, possibly, this area is the source of migration of the larger number of transient boys. Table XVIII shows the source of migration for the fifty transient boys considered in this thesis. 76 tabiæ: XVIII nom STATES OF FIFTY TRANSIENT BOYS ASSISTED BY THE STATE BELIEF ADMINISTRATION, 1938 Group of states Home states Per cent Total 50 100 New England 2 4 Connecticut 1 Massachusetts 1 Middle Atlantic 7 14 New Jersey 1 New York 5 Pennsylvania 1 South Atlantic 5 10 Florida 1 Georgia 3 Maryland 1 East South Central 3 6 Kentucky 1 Mississippi 1 Tennessee 1 West South Central 6 12 Arkansas 1 Louisiana 1 Oklahoma 1 Texas 3 East North Central 18 36 Illinois 5 Indiana 3 Michigan 6 Ohio 3 Wisconsin 1 West North Central 1 2 Kansas 1 Mountain 3 6 Arizona 1 Colorado 1 Wyoming 1 Pacific 4 8 Washington 4 Foreign 1 2 Mexico 1 77 Educational attainment of fifty transient boys. We wonder if the average transient boy is below par in his educational attainment. Many states now have compulsory education limits, which of course vary. California has a compulsory age limit of eighteen, which is relatively high. Let us assume that the average compulsory education age limit of a state is sixteen. If one begins the first grade at six, he then normally should have reached the tenth grade in his sixteenth year. We find that 54 per cent of the boys in the group of fifty either have completed the tenth year or ad vanced beyond it. The average grade is 9.5. In comparison to two hundred boys studied by Mr. Konigsberg in 1935, this is high. His average was 8.65. According to a survey made in Denver, during the Federal Relief program, the average educational attainment was slightly above the ninth grade. It must be remembered in this study that two boys had advanced beyond the twelfth grade; one having completed the second year of college. Three boys quit school at the end of the fifth grade; two boys left at the end of the sixth grade ; two at the end of the seventh grade; nine at the end of the eighth grade; seven at the end of the .ninth grade; and the . largest proportion, or ten boys, falling out at the end of the tenth year. Seven completed the eleventh grade and eight the twelfth grade. Of those boys graduating from high school, two were 78 from rural areas and four from cities between the populations of 10,000 to 200,000* Both boys with the partial college educations were from cities of over 500,000 population. Twenty per cent of the boys graduated from hi^ school or better; while none were illiterate. It would seem from the following Table XIX that California is not attracting boys who are totally lacking in educational advantages. Only one boy emphatically stated that he came to California to further his education. This study would tend to show that rural communities are now of fering almost equivalent educational advantages to and in cluding the twelfth grade as the urban cities. Many surveys include the educational attainment of the individuals studied. In a report of the State Director of C.C.C. in California, in January, 1939, the educational at tainment of 2,001 boys were accepted as enrollees in C.C.C, is given. This study shows that 19.74 per cent of the boys who were accepted for placement had completed or gone beyond the twelfth year in high school. These boys were California residents having come from families who were in the main recipients of W.P.A. or S.R.A. relief. A brief summary of this report is given as follows. It is interesting to note how the typical California youth enrolled in January compares with the typical youth enrolled nationally in October, The typical youth from the entire Country was approximately eighteen and a half years old; he was five feet eight inches tall and weighed 79 m p < D O W -H 0 P 0 p 0 0 P4 .1 0 • ê8 o II g o o o l O o g p p I & o p r a 0 r a 0 p p p o « H 0 g P 1 P P 0 P II O o o o 0 3 l O II O o o o r - i 0 3 §8 88 O O O o l £ > O 0 3 l O O O o o 0.0 38 O o o o o o l O o o o o o l O o 0 3 l O p o ^8 i§ oT p 0 il 0 1 8 O m lO 0 3 0 3 a g to GO I —I I — ! tO I —I 0 3 0 3 rH 0 3 0 3 0 3 02 t o 0 3 0 3 c r > 0 3 0 3 CO 02 CO i I X3 Xi œ x i p o > XI g s Xi w I —I r4 fH - 3 O 0 k 0 3 80 142 pounds; he had finished eight grades of public school. He had had little or no previous employment. He had five dependents and made an allotment to his par ents to aid in the support of those five dependents. In California in January the typical new enrollee was 18 years 8 months; he was five feet and one-half inches tall and.weighed 14o pounds. He had finished ten years of school. He had four dependents to whom he made an allot ment. Forty-one per cent had never had regular employ ment since leaving school.^ Employment history. Inasmuch as the vast majority of these boys informed the social worker that they had come to California to seek employment, it is appropriate to observe the extent of the boy’s past employment history, as well as his vocational appitudes. In order to do this we are to study at length the time the boy has been working on any one job, his salary, and his vocational classification. Of the fourteen boys who had worked at one job for one year or more, our picture shows us that one had been employed for as long as five years. This boy is the only one whom we can list as a semiprofessional worker. He was employed as a lithographer for a large firm in the east, with a salary ranging up .to #25 per week. One other boy had earned #25 a week. None had exceeded this salary. Some of the boys who had worked at skilled labor had approached this salary, but for only a short period of time. No other boy had worked State Relief Administration of California, Civilian Conservation Corps, Report to State Director of Civilian Conservation Corps Selection Covering 1939 Enrollment and Discharge. 81 steadily for as long as four years. One had worked in a semi skilled capacity for three years. Five hoys, three of whom had worked" at skilled labor, and two at semiskilled labor, had worked steadily for two years, and seven had worked from one to two years. We find the majority of the boys with less than one year’s working experience in a given job, although some had worked periodically at many odd jobs, which in total would exceed one year’s employment. The scale below shows us that one boy is well trained as a semiprofessional worker; seven teen boys are partially trained for skilled labor, and sixteen for semiskilled labor. Eleven boys are listed as common laborers, (While Terman lists the farmer in a skilled laborer classification the writer has listed the boys in this study who have had experience as farm hands, or agricultural labor ers, as ’ ’common-laborers" in as much as it was found that these boys had been assistants, or farm hands only). None had undertaken farming as a vocation. Table XX shows the voca tional classification of forty-five transient boys, the five boys who have had no work experience have been included in this category. We must remember that these boys have not yet reached their twenty-second birthday and of course have not had a dirth of experience. Our picture shows that the largest single group fall under the skilled labor classification. 82 n c F <D r-t •(H C d < D -P C Q m A cd ( D < 5 h o A <D PÎ 0 O tiD «ri 0 -P P pi PÎ P © «H o O FH o fH P 1 — 1 0 M Pm *p «0, CQ u CTN cd 1 — 1 0 © O fH rH P cd 0 r<-\ {>> m O Fh IC\ P cd 0 CM Î>î CM © O fH l>- P © 0 1 — 1 l>3 Pi © XÎ Fh P © iH 0 © |>5 © 0 1 — I PI 0 © ir\ o rH © O P ic\ o EH © O •tH P rH © © O © t H O <M •P »P P © © © rH o © © O 1 — ! P > o O EH iH 3 O «H m CQ Q) O ? H PM CV Mi iH I •H CQ CQ 0 (p 0 A A 1 •H § CO rf\ O I —I {>- I —I CM CM ~4‘ rf\ vO rH CM CM O rH I —I I —I rH I —I i r \ i f \ © p O f© © © P 0 o © © 1—1 p rH 1 —1 © •H 1 — 1 o r e f A4 1 —I 0 © © B* rH i o a 1 —1 •P a 0 •rH g AI 0 o o CO CO o O O rH CM CM O I —I I —I CM vO O I —t nd 0 I 0 — CQ (d 0 •H ^ î>3 fU O _ r O 0 { = ! ^ tiD O t>î cd »H -P ■P -P Ah PI pi -H 0 X» < + H O *P A Pi 0 -P O P M 83 Thirty-four per cent of these boys have had some experience in this capacity, while 32 per cent have had work in a semi skilled capacity. Twenty-two per cent of the boys have no vocational training whatsoever and would appear neither educationally nor vocationally adept in locating employment. Ten per cent of the boys have had no work experience at all, although most of these are recent high school graduates and are educationally better fitted to find employment than the 22 per cent in the common labor group. In computing the vocational classification of fifty transient boys, the job on which they worked longest was taken as the controlling factor. Table XXI shows the occupa tions of the boys. Terman’s regrouping of the Taussig 5-grade classifica tion of vocations explains these grouping in the following manner, 1, Professional, including besides the usual professions, editors, publishers, . . . 2, Semi-Professional and Business Group, including two subgrades of "white collar" workers below the profes sional level. a. Executives and business managers, sales and in surance agents, wholesale dealers, brokers, owners of large retail establishments, manufacturers, ex pert accountants, photographers, lithographers, and landscape gardeners, b. Retail dealers and owners of small stores, clerical workers, druggists, contractors, florists, telephone operators, postmen, postoffice clerks and civil service clerks. 3, Skilled Labor Group, including carpenters, mechanics, machinists, tailors, butchers, farmers, painters, foremen, pattern makers, potters, bakers, cobblers, city firemen,soldiers, sailors and policemen. Sa. TABLE X X I VOCATIONAL CLASSIFICATIONS OF FIFTY TRANSIENT BOYS INTERVIEWED IN THE OFFICE OF THE STATE RELIEF ADICtNISTRATION, 1938 Number Professional 0 Semi-professional Lithographer 1 Skilled labor Total 17 Ü. S. Army 1 U. S. Navy 1 Seaman 1 Clerk (specialized) 1 Professional boxer 1 Cook 1 Service station attendant 5 Auto factory worker 1 Usher in theater 1 Auto painter 1 Steel mill worker 1 Sawmill worker 1 Lather 1 Semi-skilled labor Total 16 Clerk in store 3 Stock boy 1 Waiter 3 Laundry worker 1 Dairy worker 1 Truck driver 3 Messenger boy 1 Plumber’s helper 1 Magazine salesman 2 Common labor Total 11 Farm hand 6 Janitor 1 V/oodcutter 1 Odd laboring jobs 3 85 4. Semi-skilled to slightly skilled laborers, including teamsters, expressmen, waiters, etc. 5. Common laborers,3 From the list of the various employment these boys have had it would seem that the boys had obtained any work which had been available. There had been no need of special ized training in either the semiskilled laboring jobs or the common labor jobs. Only 2S per cent of the boys had ever held a job for more than one year, l6 per cent of whom had worked at semiprofessional or skilled labor. The types of these jobs and the duration of employment would seem to indicate that an effort had been made by the boys to obtain employment, and a willingness to accept work when it was available. Included in the employment record of these boys, work with W.P.A, and C.C.C, should be considered. We find that eleven or 22 per cent of the youths had at one time or another served in C,C,C. while only two had been employed on W.P.A. The boy’s attitude towards C.C.C, will be discussed in a latter section of this chapter. Following is a table showing the length of time served in C.C.C. for eleven boys ; as shown in Table XXII. As a boy must enroll in C.C.C, for a period of six months it would appear that the two boys serving four and five 3 Konigsberg, op. cit,, p. 59. 86 TABLE XXII LENGTH OF SERVICE IN C.C.C. OF ELEVEN TRANSIENT BOYS IN CALIFORNIA, 1938 Length of service Number of boys Total 11 Four months 1 Five months 1 Six months 5 Seven months 1 One year 2 Eighteen months 1 87 months either received a medical, or a dishonorable, dis charge, One definitely stated that he could not return to camp as he had a dishonorable discharge. Attitudes. For the purpose of this thesis it was felt that the attitude of the individual transient boy should be considered. The boy was specifically questioned regarding his attitude towards the type of work he was hoping to obtain, his attitude regarding enrollment in C.C.C., in the Army, or Navy, his willingness to return to his home state, his desire for further educational or vocational training and his general plans for himself. In some of the tables to follow we have mentioned a large proportion as "giving no statement" or "not interested." This classification is for the purpose of in cluding the responses which show that the boy had given no particular thought to the question and that an attitude had not been formulated. The boy was questioned first regarding the type of work in which he was interested. In most instances he re^- sponded with "any kind of work" or "any kind of a job that I can do.” Of our fifty boys we find thirty-eight asking for any kind of work available and twelve specifying work in a specialized field. In this group of twelve falls the boy who came to California to obtain professional boxing matches, and the boy 88 who wanted a part-time job to finance his way through medical college. Other boys showed preference in a/job of which they had already experienced some training. The boys were then questioned regarding their attitude towards C.C.C. We find three who were interested but not eligible. One was not eligible because of health and two be cause they had recently served the maximum time. Fifteen boys of our number expressed a desire for immediate place ment. With this fifteen and the three already mentioned we find 36 per cent of the total actively interested in an as signment, Sixteen boys or 32 per cent gave no statement as to whether they specifically wanted to go to camp but did not actively oppose placement. Another sixteen preferred some other line of activity to b.C.C. In this number the alien boy was included as he was not eligible and was aware of the situation. The medical student thought that it would be a complete waste of time, as did the boy with the five years* experience as a lithographer. Various reasons were given for the lack of interest. As the C.C.C. is of major importance in the government planning for the youth of today it is pertinent to the transient boy and the national problem. Un doubtedly the C.C.C. has eliminated the problem to a large extent. Certainly it at least prolonged the transiency of eleven of these boys, and will probably be a temporary solu tion to about a dozen boys in the future. 89 Most of the boys made no definite statement regarding their attitude towards enlistment in the Army or Navy. Only eight showed an active interest although two boys came to California for the specific purpose of enlistment. Thirteen showed no interest whatsoever and twenty-six or 54 per cent had not given the matter any considerable thought. Three boys were not eligible, one because of dishonorable discharge from the Navy and two because of previous health rejections. One of the first questions a transient boy was asked at the initial interview was regarding his willingness to return to his legal residence. If he refused definitely he was rejected by the agency, therefore, as all of the boys were rendered assistance they had indicated that they would return to their home state. It is interesting to note the attitude towards returning. Five boys were very anxious to return and seemed pathetically homesick. Thirty-two expressed willingness to return with little comment. Thirteen boys were reluctant to accept transportation but stated that they would return if work was not available,before arrangements were made. It is somewhat surprising to note that thirty-eight of the boys had no definite plan for further vocational study while only twelve had plans as to what they would like to achieve in the future. Of these twelve, many of these had no thought as to the manner in which their plans might 90 materialize. Parallel to this is the lack of planning on the part of the boy as to what he might like to do in the way of future employment. Fifty-four per cent of the boys had no plan or idea as to what line of work he might like to follow. Twenty-three of the boys expressed a desire to follow some specific trade or line of work, although many of these boys had made no move to become proficient in this particular field. The significant factor in this group is that these boys had never been exposed to any type of voca tional guidance. Refer to Table XXIII. While it is often thought by the average laymen that the transient boy is a potential delinquent we find that of the fifty boys studied that forty-five had never had a record of delinquency. Three had been arrested on minor charges of misdemeanor and two had served charges of a felonious nature. One had stolen an automobile and one had been picked up by the police as a vagrant and arrested on a charge of "concealed weapon." 91 TABLE X X I I I VARIOUS ATTITUDES CE FIFTY TRANSIENT BOYS RENDERED ASSISTANCE BY THE STATE RELIEF ADMINISTRATION, 1938 Number of boys Percentage distribution Towards work Boys wanting specific jobs 12 24 Boys wanting any work 38 76 Towards G.C.C. enrollment Boys interested but not eligible 3 6 Boys wanting placement 15 30 Boys showing no interest 16 32 Boys making no statement 16 32 Tovmrds Army and Navy enlistment Boys interested but not eligible 3 6 Boys actively interested 8 16 Boys showing no interest 13 26 Boys making no statement 26 52 Towards returning to place of legal settlement Anxious for transportation 5 10 Wanting transportation 32 64 Reluctant to accept transportation 13 26 Towards further vocational study No plans for future study 38 76 Tentative plans for further study 12 24 Towards planning for future employment No plans for future work 27 54 Tentative plans for future employment 23 46 CHAPTER Y AH AHALYSIS OF THE PROBUM OF THE TRANSIENT BOY IN THE PAST WITH POSSIBLE SUGGESTED PLANS FOR FUTURE TREATMENT With the onset of the nation-wide depression in 1929 the problem of the transient boy began to assnme major pro portions, Private agencies cared for this group in a minor sort of capacity, prior to August, 1933, In Grace Abbott*s report of 1932, she says: Most of the communities through which these transients passed were unable to meet the needs of their own unem ployed adequately. They had no choice but to spend as little as possible on nonresidents. Therefore, in city after city the transient boy found that if he paused to seek food or to rest he could remain but 24 hours. The local agency charged with service to transients will usually give him lodging for one night and two meals. Then he must "move on.” In the urban centers the time limit was sometimes a little longer. But in the whole mass of evidence assembled, the policy of keeping these wanderers moving was the rule. Shelter facilities range all the way from a basement jail devoid of sanitary arrangements or permission to sleep in the sand house on railroad property, where the warmed sand lends some degree of comfort on a frosty night, up to a well-regulated lodging house, with beds equipped with fresh linen, and with bathing arrangements and a place to launder soiled clothing. Coffee, bread, beans, and an occasional vege table stew constitute the menu of station after station. In a very few places where there has been an understand ing of food values a more varied diet has been supplied at the same cost.l ^ Grace Abbott, Report of the Chief, Childrens Bureau, 1932, p, 7. 93 In Los Angeles the transient hoy at this time and until August, 1933 was assisted by the private agencies under the Community Chest, and the Police Department and in special cases by the Los Angeles County Department of Charities. It was not until the advent of the Federal Transient Program that the significance of the problem was really felt. It is not the intent or purpose of this paper to dwell on the topic of the Federal Transient Program as information rela tive to this period can be found in nearly every school library in the United States. It is sufficient to say that the transient boy was adequately cared for under this program, but the cost to the Federal Government was tremendous. Public sentiment was against the plan, holding forth that "The Federal Government was acting as a Free Transportation Bureau" and with many other accusations which may have been, but were probably not justified. California was particularly affected when the states were informed in September, 1935 of the liquidation of the Federal Transient Bureau. On September 20, 1935, the Federal Emergency Relief Administration ordered the liquidation of the Federal Transient Service: a service which had cared for as many as 300,000 persons at a time. Throughout the United States the local communities were left to shoulder the additional responsibility. All the States were affected but some States to a much greater degree, California was one of the States most seriously affected. At the time when the Federal Program was in full swing, as many as 77,118* were cared for in California in one month This figure pertains to transient families, unattached men and boys. 94 (April, 1935). This represented nearly 14 per cent of the transients under care in the whole United States, The liquidation of the Federal Service in California found the State and the local communities without funds to care for the transient. The State had not sufficient unemployment relief funds appropriated to care for the resident cases. The law prohibits the local officials, the county supervisors, from giving other than emergency aid to those who have not been in the State three years and the County one year, even if there are county funds available. Private social agencies had made no provision for transients in their 1935-1936 budgets because they believed the Federal Government had assumed this respon sibility, and also their resources are never such that they can provide extensive relief even for residents. Thus, tens of thousands of transients in need faced actual starvation. Fear that the Federal Government might not continue to carry the transient burden had led the State Relief Com mission to make contacts with the Federal officials beginning in April 1935. The Commission and the Adminis trator were assured on several occasions throughout the spring and summer by officials high in the Federal Relief Service the.Federal Government would continue to extend care to transients, but without warning liquidation was ordered.^ California had made no provisions for this extra burden, and it was necessary to formulate a rigid set of eligibility policies relative to care for the transient applicant. Soon the unattached man was ruled out altogether and today the un attached, employable man in California is not eligible to any type of public or private relief, California still maintains the policy of caring for the transient family and the tran sient boy, providing they would definitely agree to return to ^ M, H. Lewis, "Transients in California." 95 their place of legal residence, and meet other general re quirements relative to relief. On December 14, 1935, an Administrative Bulletin was released pertaining to the "Policy Governing Care of Able- bodied Transient Men in the State of California" which specifically states: No form of relief will henceforth be available for un attached able-bodied transient men, but the reasons for refusing aid shall be explained to each applicant,3 This bulletin explains that this ruling does not affect tran sient boys, and that transient men are eligible to V/.P.A. and C.C.C. Every social worker employed by the State Relief Administration at this time however can readily recall the turmoil, confusion, and the difficulty with which even resi dents were placed on W.P.A. During this clamor for the long promised "Work in a personas own line" the transient man and the transient boy, who had been refused relief for one reason or another, suffered hardships formerly unknown in Los Angeles, Survey findings indicate: From September 1, 1935, to March 12, 1936, a total of 3,021 transient cases were returned to their places of legal residence by the"SEA. In the same period 2,598 were transferred to WPA, and 3,391 were known to have se cured private employment. The Survey findings indicate that others suffered hunger and privation and even death. Although not appearing on the relief rolls, transients ^ I b i d . . p . 3 . 96 still abound in California. The survey found some of the men sleeping on cement floors in jails, or on dirty quilts on an unwashed wooden floor in an unventilated room in a private agency shelter, or on double-decked iron bunks, without mattresses or bedding, in dormitories with several hundred others. Some men were securing meals consisting of dry bread or rice and coffee in a shelter or.a mission in one of the larger cities in Northern, Central or Southern California, or perhaps sharing one dish of beans with five others at the back door of a hospital. Some were living in a sub-human level in jungles along the river, or near the railroad tracks, or out on the desert. Some were pan-handling on the streets in large cities or small towns. Many v/ere sick and weary, hungry and bitter.4 This report rather adequately describes the situation of those unattached men and boys who were not receiving re lief. This situation also caused public sentiment in Los Angeles to grow with rapidity against the transient. In all of the relief offices applicants for resident relief were complaining about the "transients in California getting all of the jobs," The crime rate jumped. Los Angeles Police made a drive on vagrants and finally Chief Davis, then Chief of Police in Los Angeles inaugurated his "Border Patrol." On the third of February, 1936, a total of 125 Los Angeles Police Officers were stationed at sixteen points of entry into California. The idea behind this move was primar ily to stop crime in Los Angeles. Officials of the Los Angeles Police Department believed that the major portion of the crimes were instigated by transients. From February 3 to ^ I b i d . . p . 3. 97 March 9, 567 technical arrests were made by these police officers, for evading railroad fare 155, as vag roamers 406, and six others for perhaps more serious charges. From this total number, police claim that 272, or 48 per cent had had previous police records. The papers were full of these findings and the resent ment towards the transient grew proportionally. The statis tics failed to reveal that the 48 per cent with previous police records included those who were charged with vagrancy or traffic violations. Also during this period the police had come into contact with 7,984 persons whose records were not checked and who were not arrested. Attorney General Webb, of the State of California, was asked to render a decision in this procedure and in part he quotes from Chief Justice Taney of one hundred years ago: We are all citizens of the United States, and as members of the same community must have the right to pass and repass through every part of it without interruption, as freely as in our own States.5 Finally, sentiment changed and people began to talk about the ridiculous situation of "armed men protecting California from other American Citizens." The newspapers of the East took up the story and for sometime the Chief of Police in Los Angeles was the subject of puns throughout the 5 I b i d . . p . 106. 98 nation. In April, 1936 Chief Davis recalled his officers. Today, in Los Angeles, relief is extended on a cate gorical basis. Each private agency assists a specified type of case. Both public agencies have their responsibilities, and if an individual is willing to cooperate with an agency there is usually some.place where he or she might obtain help (with the exception of the unattached transient man). How ever, our problem of the transient boy resolves itself around, not only the boy who is accepted for relief but the 50 per cent who are turned away because "they refuse to accept an agency’s plan." What becomes of these boys who, penniless, will refuse assistance, rather than return home? What is to be done about the boy who returns to California immediately after having been sent home? And what about the boy who has "been on the road for two and three years?" These questions are of a serious nature and remain to be solved. In attempting to suggest a plan by which the factor of transiency enters, we meet with difficulty. In the first place if all communities were desirable and livable, the transient boy would not want to leave home. Perhaps the first and last step then would be to make conditions at home more desirable. Prompt and adequate relief is a first essential. This study shows us that conditions in the home are not desirable. What can we suggest? First, the problem and its extent should be recognized 99 in every community. The responses from the questionnaires sent out obviously show that the extent of the problem is not known. One agency in one city feels that the problem of the transient boy is of major importance, while another agency in the same city feels that it is of no major importance. Statistics in nearly every city are totally incomplete. Second, there should be leniency in eligibility poli cies, in order to provide for individual planning for the boy and an individual disposition of his case. While it might benefit one boy to go to C.C.C. or to a State Camp; another might be benefited by returning to his home state and to his parents; and another might well be referred for a scholarship in a school; or sent to a free trade school and assigned to N.Y.A. while in attendance. Third, in order to carry out the second plan, trained social workers, who are familiar with the adolescent and young boy, should be employed for these interviews and this follow-up work. Fourth, a boy should be accepted for assistance and planning even though he does reject the agency’s plan upon initial contact. Usually with a little care the boy will agree with a plan which later seems feasible. With this plan in effect the crime rate would undoubtedly be affected. Fifth, boys should be separated from older men in camps, or in lodging houses. 100 Sixth, inmediate steps should be taken to find occupations within the range of the boy’s ability and if he is returned to his home, he should be given an opportunity to earn his fare. Seventh, care' should be exercised not to place the boy on a relief basis. Eighth, some plan for vocational guidance should be instituted to help the boy find his "niche" in the world. The success of any plan, however, may be measured by the extent of the boy’s participation and interest in carry ing out the steps involved. Many suggestions will be developed, no doubt, to meet this problem. At the present time we have not developed greatly in most cities over what is known in 1932. It is the writer’s opinion that the State Relief Administration is touching on a minor phase of the problem in Los Angeles. In concluding it might be well to repeat that the find ings of this study do not in any way indicate that the tran sient boy is "lost youth." They are healthy boys; they are not criminals; they are not too far retarded in school. Due, more often than not, to economic conditions of today, they are temporarily unfortunate in that home life, for one reason or another has been disintegrated. BIBLIOGRAPHY BIBLIOGRAPHY BOOKS Anderson, Edward, Hungrey Men. New York: Literary Guild, 1935. Armstrong, Clairette P., 660 Runaway Boys - Why Boys Desert Their Homes. Boston: The Gorham Press, 1932. Channing, Alice, Case Study of 57 Homeless Men Known to the Boston Central Application Bureau. Boston: Boston Council of Social Agencies, January, 1933. DeSchweinitz, Karl, The Art of Helping People Out of Trouble. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1924. Flynt, Josiah, Tramping with Tramps - Studies and Sketches of Vagrant Life. New York: Century Company, 1907. Gist, Noel P., and L. A. Halbert, Areas of Homeless Men. New York: Crowell Company, 1933. Kerr, Lenox, Back Door Guest. Indianapolis: Bobbs Merrill, 1930. Kimble, Eleanor, History and Field of Travelers Aid in the United States. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1935. McClenahan, Bessie A,, Organizing the Community. New York: The Century Company, 1922. Minehan, Thomas, Boy and Girl Tramps of America. New York: 1934. Odenorantz, Louise, The Social Worker in Family Medical and Psychiatric Social Work. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1929. Outland, George, A Manual of Procedure for the Federal Transient Program for Boys in Southern California. Los Angeles: 1935. Report of the Milfer Conference, American Association of Social Workers, Social Case Work, Generic and Specific. New York: 1929. 103 Rich, Margaret E., Care of Homeless in Unemployment Emergencies^ New York: Family Welfare Association, n.d, Richmond, Mary, Social Diagnosis. New York; Russel Sage Foundation, 1917. Robinson, Virginia P., A Changing Psychology in Social Case Work. Chappel Hill, North Carolina: The University of North Carolina Press, 1930. Solenberger, A. W., One Thousand Homeless Men. New York City: Survey Associates, Inc., 1914. Van #aters, Miriam, Youth in Conflict. New York City: Republic Publishing Company, 1925. Wise, Stephen S., Child Vs. Parent. New York City: MacMillan Company, 1922. Young, Pauline Vislick, Social Treatment in Probation and Delinquency. New York : ; MeGraw^Hi11, 1937. PUBLICATIONS Abbott, Grace, "Twentieth Annual Report of the Chief of the Children’s Bureau," United States Department of Labor. Washington, D.C.: United States Printing Office, June, 1932. Allardyce, Archie, "Wandering Minds and Wandering Feet," Occupations. November, 1934, P. 153. Anderson, Harriett E,, "Centralized Care of the Homeless," The Family. February, 1931, p. 318. "Philadelphia Shelter for Homeless Men," The Family. May, 1931, p. 76. Bunce, Frank, "I’ve Got to Take a Chance," The Forum. February, 1933, p. 108 Faulkner, William, "Pennsylvania Station," American Mercury. February, 1934, P. 166. Hayner, Norman S., "People Who Live in Hotels," Survey Graphic May, 1928, p. 225 104 Lillefore, Manfred, Jr., "Social Case Work and the Homeless Man," The Family. January, 1929, p. 191. Newcomb, Franklyn, "Transient Boys," The Family. April, 1933, P. 57. Nichols, Malcolm, "Homeless Individuals," Social Work Year Book. New York: Russel Sage Foundation, 1933. Outland, George E., "Education of Transient Boys," School and Society. October, 1934, P. 501, "Sources of Transient Boys," Sociology and Social Research. June, 1935. Park, Robert E., "Mind of the Hobo - Reflections upon the Relation between Mentality and Locomotion," The City. Chicago; University of Chicago Press, 1925. Plunkert, William, "Migrant Youth," National Probation Association Handbook, 1932-1933. Putman, David B., "Amateur on the Bum," Literary Digest. April, 1933. UNPUBLISHED MATERIALS Konigsberg, Raphael L., "Social Factors in the Transiency of Boys," (unpublishes Master’s thesis, Ohio State University, Columbus, 1935). Lewis, M. H. , "Transients in California,"Special Survey and Progress Reports, No. 7, State Relief Administration of California, Los Angeles, 1936. "The Password," Bulletin of the Central Council of Social Agencies, El Paso, Texas, December, 1938. APE^DIOES ÂBmmix A OASES Three cases from the fifty surveyed are presented in some detail in order that the reader may obtain a picture of the individual boy and his problem. These cases were chosen to give an illustration of the various type of problem the youth presents as he comes to the attention of the State Relief Administration. Case "X" is selected because he ap pears to be the "bad" boy amongst the fifty interviewed. Case "Y" is presented because of the boy’s ardent desire to return to the home of his parent. Case "Z" is known as a "repeater." He had been returned to his home state on one previous occasion and then had again been found stranded in Los Angeles. CASE X X was referred to the State Relief Administration by the Probation Department of Los Angeles County. X had been incarcerated in the Los Angeles County Jail for the past sixteen days for violation of probation in Fulton County, Georgia. X is a white, American-born boy of Baptist religion, who is now eighteen years of age. He is not sure of his exact birth date, but believes he was born sometime in November, 1920. X has an alias, by the name of "J . F .’ ’ However, he used this name only once in Miami, Florida when he was arrested on a vagrancy charge. X is 5’10" tall and weighs 160 pounds. He has medium brown hair and blue eyes. He was shabbily dressed in coveralls. He was quiet in manner and seemed to display introvertive characteristics. He ap peared to cooperate v/ith the social worker and seemed keenly interested in any plan whioh the social worker had to offer. He was in good health and had not suffered from any serious childhood disease. 108 % did not know where his father was born nor the exact year. His mother was born in Georgia in 1898. X ’s father had deserted the family when X was a small boy. In 1928 when X was ten years of age his mother died of tuberculosis in Georgia. He then went to live with his aunt in a small town in Georgia where he resided for two years. In 1930 he was placed in an orphanage in one of the larger cities where he remained until 1933, when at the age of thirteen he was sent to the home of his brother, who was living in a small city in Georgia. X remained with his brother for approximately three years when, in the latter part of 1936, he was arrested on an auto theft charge and committed for a six-month period to the Industrial Home for Boys in Atlanta. While in the Industrial School X completed the equivalent to the sixth grade in school. Upon his release from the Industrial School in,the summer of 1937 he went to the home of another aunt and resided with her and his cousin for a little over a year. Upon his arrival in his aunt’s home he found her to be physi cally unable to work and the recipient of public relief. X received assistance with his aunt and was assigned to W.P.A. where he worked for a period of four months. During this time he also received intermittent employment on near-by farms. In April of 193%, when X v/as employed on W.P.A. , he and several other boys were arrested on the charge of stealing an automobile. X insisted that he was innocent of this charge and that one of the other boys had stolen the car and that he had accepted a ride not knowing the circumstances. X was not sentenced to Jail but was placed on probation and he was re quested to report twice a month. X made two reports after which he absconded. In October of 1938, X left Georgia and rode the freights to Florida, where, after several weeks, he was arrested on a vagrancy charge. At this time he was afraid he might be re turned to Georgia and was booked under an alias. After three days he was released and came by freight to California. He arrived in California the latter part of October, 1938 and soon was picked up by the Los Angeles Police and spent sixteen days in the Los Angeles Jail. During this sixteen-day period copious correspondence was carried on with Georgia and Florida and it was deemed the most advisable plan by the Probation Department to return him to Georgia in order that he might complete his period of probation. X was given assistance by the State Relief Administration, at the Junipero Sierra Boys’ Club for care pending completion of transportation arrangements. After one week he was returned to Georgia, and while X is sub ject to re-arrest upon his arrival, he was anxious to return and settle the matter and accept the consequences. 109 CASE Y Y was referred to the State Relief Administration by the Los Angeles Police Department, requesting aid in his transportation to his legal residence in Indiana. Y is a single, white, American-born boy of Protestant religion, twenty-one years of age, born in Indiana. He is 5 ’Hi" tall and weighs 183 pounds. He has dark brovm hair and brown eyes. Y was dirty from riding the freight trains and was shabbily dressed. He was cooperative during the interview and answered all the questions in a straight for ward manner. He was impatient in his desire to return to the home of his mother and seemed genuinely homesick. Y is the third of four living children. His father died in 1934 of heart trouble and his mother did not remarry. Y ’s older brother and sister are both married and have not resided in the home with him and his mother since his father’s death. Y has always made his home with his mother who has been employed for the past three years as a factory worker in Indiana. She earns #16.00 per week for this employment and Y, who is now of an employable age, does not feel he can depend on her for his maintenance. Y ’s mother is the only support of his thirteen-year-old brother who is living in the home and attending school.. Y has never had any serious illness and at the present time is in the best of health. He is willing and anxious to find any type of work. However, he now feels that his oppor tunity of work are as good in his home state as in Los Angeles Y completed the ninth year of school in 1935 when he was seventeen years of age. He has: no plans of continuing his education. Prior to coming to California in December of 1938, Y had worked in a restaurant for a period of two years, receiving #16.00 per week and his meals. He left this job of his own accord when his salary was cut to #5.00 and his meals, Y is an active member of the United States Army Reserves and served in the Medical Corps in the rank of Private. He is not interested in the C.C.C. as he feels there is no opportunity for a future in this line. At the expiration of Y’s job in his home state, he left Indiana as a result of a personal bet with a friend of his, no cash being involved, that he would not dare to come to California making his ovm way, without money. Inasmuch as Y was unemployed at this time, he decided to take this 110 dare by bitchhiking and riding freights as he hoped to find employment in California, One week after his arrival he was apprehended by the Los Angeles Police Department and kept in Lincoln Heights Jail over-night on a charge of vagrancy. He was taken before the Sunrise Court the following morning and informed the judge he would be more than willing to accept transportation home. He was accordingly released and re ferred for transportation to the State Relief Administration. Y had never been away from home and had never been arrested and had never been known to any relief agency. A telegram was sent to a Public Welfare Agency in his own city, his residence was verified and authorization for his return received. Y’s mother sent $2.50 for his food enroute. Y was known to the State Relief Administration for a period of eight days. CASE Z , Z was first known to the State Relief Administration in April of 1938 when he was referred by the Catholic Welfare Bureau for transportation to his home state. Z is a single, white, American-born boy of Catholic religion, nineteen years of age. He was born in Michigan in 1918. Z is the third of a family of four living children. His two older brothers and his younger sister are living in the home of his parents who own a small farm in Michigan. Vfhile Z feels that his parents would be unable to assist him financially in Los Angeles or with transportation to Michigan, he feels sure they will be able to provide a home for him in Michigan. Z insists that when he returns to Michigan and obtains employment he will reimburse the State of California for his transportation. Z graduated from high school in June of 1937 when he was eighteen years of age. He is a clean, nicely dressed, neat appearing boy. He is 5*11" tall and weighs 155 pounds. His information was given freely and he appeared to be honest and of a quiet and reticent nature. He has never had any serious illnesses and at present is in perfect health. Because Z was unable to find employment in Michigan he left in January of 1938. He drove a caravan car delivering the car to a dealer in Los Angeles from a dealer in Michigan. A couple of weeks later he received employment vmth a major florist company in Los Angeles. He worked as a delivery boy Ill and earned $25.00 per v/eek. However, in April of 1938 he was laid off. Prior to coming to California Z*s only work was on a farm and an occasional job with a construction company. After a telegram and two air mail letters, authoriza tion to return Z to his legal residence was not received. Later a letter was sent to Z*s father and a reply received stating that there was no money to send him. His birth date was verified but there was nothing else in the letter on which his residence could be based. Z remained in one of the State Camps from April until July when it was finally decided that inasmuch as no reply from the frequent corres pondence to the agency in Michigan had been forthcoming, and because of Z’s apparent desire to return to his home, that transportation should be arranged. Z was returned to his legal residence in July of 1938. It was with some surprise that when in the first part of January of 1939 Z presented himself at the District Office stating that he had again become stranded in Los Angeles, and again wanted transportation to his home. At this time Z told the social worker that the situation in the family had not altered materially since his last application and that if anything, his father was in even worse circumstances. Upon Z’s arrival in Michigan in July he went to this parent’s home where he remained until November of 1938. In November he left the farm and went to Detroit where he re mained until December, 1938, in the home of a brother. The latter part of December he had an opportunity to drive a man to Los Angeles. He received no pay for his driving other than his maintenance. However, he felt that he would again try to secure employment in Los Angeles, as his best single job had been with a florist in the city. According to Z he found vmrking conditions worse upon his arrival here than upon his departure and was again destitute. He applied directly to the State for help before being picked up as a vagrant. It was decided that Z should again be placed in camp and care provided pending further correspondence with his home state, ilnother letter was received from Z’s father stating that Z had had residence during the period specified and that the family had lived in the community for a period of twenty-five years. After a telegram and an air mail letter to an agency in Michigan a telegram was received stating that complications had arisen and that a letter was to follow. At the date of this writing Z is an active case with the State Relief Administration. APPENDIX B 113 ILLUSTRATION I FORM LETTER ACC03ÆPANYING OUT-OF-STATE QUESTIONNAIRE HELEN HAMILTON 4303 Brighton Avenue Los Angeles, California January 13, 1939 Kansas Emergency Relief Committee, 801 Harrison Street, Topeka, Kansas Gentlemen : May I ask your cooperation in extending to me information regarding the manner in which Topeka is now dealing with the problem of the Transient Boy, between the ages of 18 and 22. In the preparation of my Master’s Thesis, at The University of Southern California, on "The Transient Boy in Los Angeles County," it occurred to me that if I could obtain a response from several of the larger cities throughout the United States as to how their Councils of Social Agencies were providing aid, I would be able to discuss more intelligently the problem with which Los Angeles County is now confronted. Since the discontinuance of the Federal Transient Bureau in 1935, I am aware that the various states are meeting the problem on an individual basis. Because of this, I believe that a direct letter to you will be the simplest method of obtaining the desired information. May I ask that you complete the enclosed questionnaire at your earliest convenience and return it to me at the above address? If your agency does not render assistance to transient youths of these ages will you please forward this request to the agency which cares for this kind of relief? Thank you for any consideration you may give this letter. Yours very sincerely. Helen Hamilton 114 ILLUSTRATION II OUT-OF-STATE QUESTIONIxFAIRE City________________________________ State (1) Do you have a fund to provide care for the Transient Boy? a. Private Agency care?_______ b. Public Agency care?____ c. Type of Relief . d. Direct________ __________ e. Relief in Kind______________ f. Camp_____________________ (2) Do you return the Transient Boy to his Legal Residence?_______ (3) Do you extend aid pending authorization of his return?________ Remarks : (4) What age limits do you include in the "Transient Boy" division or is he assisted under your plan for the "Transient Family?" Remarks : (5) What is your estimate as to the number of Transient Boys be tween the ages of 18 and 22 years of age to whom you gave aid during the past year?___________________________________________ (6) Do you consider the Transient Boy a major social problem to your City?_______________________________________________________ (7) Any information or suggestions that you might offer in regard to this problem will be greatly appreciated. Remarks : 115 ILLUSTRATION III LIST OF CITIES TO imOM CORRESPONDENCE WAS INITIATED 1. Dallas, Texas. Texas Relief Conmiission, Dallas County District 4, Dallas, Texas. 2. El Paso, Texas. Family Welfare Association of El Paso, 5110 South Oregon Street, El Paso, Texas. 3. Salt Lake City, Utah. Salt Lake County Department of Public Welfare, 2236 Highland Drive, Salt Lake City, Utah. 4. Seattle, Washington. State Department of Public Welfare, 601 Burke Building, Second and Marion, Seattle, Washington. 5. Portland, Oregon. Oregon State Relief Committee, 511 Spalding Building, Portland, Oregon. 6. Cleveland, Ohio. Cuyahoga County Relief Administration, 2905 Franklin Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio. 7. Albuquerque, New Mexico. Bernalillo County Charity Commission, County Court House, Albuquerque, New Mexico. 8. Lincoln, Nebraska. Social Welfare Society, 228 South Tenth Street, Lincoln, Nebraska. 9. Lansing, Michigan. Joint Correspondence and Adjustment Service, 230 North Grand Avenue, Lansing, Michigan. 10. Louisville, Kentucky. Municipal Bureau of Social Service, 526 East Walnut Street, Louisville, Kentucky. 11. Denver, Colorado. Bureau of Public Welfare, Denver, Colorado. 12. Topeka, Kansas. Kansas Emergency Relief Committee, Topeka, Kansas. 13. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. State Department of Public Welfare, 12 North West Sixth Street, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 14. Tulsa, Oklahoma. General Relief Investigator, County Welfare Board, County Court House, Tulsa, Oklahoma. 116 15. Nashville, Tennessee. Department of Interstate and Public Welfare, Nashville, Tennessee. 16. Des Moines, Iowa. Polk Company, Emergency Relief Committee, Inc., 201 East First Street, Des Moines, Iowa. 17. Indianapolis, Indiana. Interstate Correspondence Service, 141 South Meridan Street, Indianapolis, Indiana. 18. San Francisco, California. Out of Town Inquiries, San Francisco Public Welfare Department, 1015 Polk Street, San Francisco, California. 19. St. Louis, Missouri. St. Louis Welfare Association, 107 South Meramec Avenue, Clayton, Missouri. 20. New Orleans, Louisiana. Public Assistance Division, Department of Public Welfare, 601 St. Charles Street, New Orleans, Louisiana. 117 IIJjJSlTUlTICÜÜ ITT Q^ÜGSf3T?][()ü[KLA:[î%]2 CKÜ ESUTUrCTT ()2T l 'I j p r p i f TiB LA i\K 3][]3B rr jEUDlfS; f(E:F33IR ïC E :I) ]? () TIEDS ][,()Z3 jLBK3-jE:[2GZ3 (]()# & % ''% ' ]K IG ]:][E :2 ' jJ D ]U [[Iü ][2 3 ï'E L A .'r][()IÜ I3TT ITEDS ]:C)E5 jAJÜGIG IjBIS ]P (]]L ][(% E ]O03]?yLE2ïïVD3]%[P I. IDENTIFICATION Name Birth date II, Personal History A. Personal appearance Place Race B. Type of personality 1. Extrovert 3. Aggressive_ 5- Integrity G. Marital Status Z, Introvert^ " 4. Reticent D. Religion E. Health 1. History 2. Present III. Family Background A. Relatives 1. Number in family_ 2. Marital Status 3, Occupation of father 4. Institutional Record 5. Mores 6. Health Church Membership lia IV. Reasons for Migration A. Source of Migration B. Boy ^ 8 Statement G. Social Factors 1. Home situation 2. Delinquency 3. Nomadic Tendencies__ 4. Drive for Adventure^ D. Lack of Employment_____ Manner S. Lack of Educational Advantages V. Educational History VI. Employment History A. Private Industry VII. VIII'. B. G-overnment Employment 1. G.G.G. 2. v;.] P . j i . Economic Situation A. Relief record in other states B. Financial condition of the family unit Attitudes A. Re Work 13. ] R l e ( ]. C 3 . C ; . Eajid W. ]?. ^L. C. Army and Navy Enlistment D. Vfillingness to return to family and legal residence E. Re further education or vocational training F. Plans for himself 119 IX. Institutional and Delinquency record________________________ X. Disposition of Case

Abstract (if available)

Abstract This paper concerns itself with the problem of the transient boy as it is known today. To what extent is the problem of the transient boy still existent? Where lies the responsibility of providing assistance to these boys? Are public agencies throughout the various states assuming the care for the tax payers of the given state? Are the private agencies able to meet the situation from funds allotted from the Community Chest? In what manner is this problem now being met in the various states? Is the problem of the transient boy confined to localities only, or is it a national problem throughout our country? Can we classify the transient boy? Is he a tramp, a hobo, a bum? Where does he come from? How long has he been away from home? What does he want to do? Why does he come to Los Angeles? Is he educationally retarded? Where are his parents? Why did he leave home? These and many other questions present themselves to an observer in rapid order, and shall be considered in Chapter IV of this script. Is the transient boy a delinquent boy? Does he play an active part in the rapidly growing crime rate throughout the nation among boys between the ages of eighteen and twenty-two? Would adequate Welfare facilities, rendering financial assistance and case work technique, act as a crime preventative measure? These and many other questions are confronting the social workers in metropolitan cities today.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Hamilton, Helen (author)

Core Title A study of the transient boy in Los Angeles County in 1939

School School of Social Work

Degree Master of Science

Degree Program Social Work

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag OAI-PMH Harvest,Social Sciences

Place Name California (states), Los Angeles (counties), USA (countries)

Format application/pdf (imt), vii, 119 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm. (aacr2)

Language English

Contributor Digitized by ProQuest (provenance)

Advisor Young, Erle F. (committee chair), Mangold, George B. (committee member), Neumeyer, Martin H. (committee member)

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-m36

Unique identifier UC11314641

Identifier EP66094.pdf (filename),usctheses-m40 (legacy collection record id),usctheses-c39-454691 (legacy record id),usctheses-m36 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier EP66094.pdf

Dmrecord 454691

Document Type Thesis

Format application/pdf (imt),vii, 119 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm. (aacr2)

Rights Hamilton, Helen

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the au...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA