Bakersfield's Curfew Bell, 1891-1988 - Gilbertgia.com

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When he asked what should be done with those youth that Constable Newell arrested for burglary, the reply was, “It is not right to send them to prison or to a reform school, yet we have to do something with them. They can't be allowed to go on in this way." 25 Laird replied, "Do you know that three-fourths of our criminals and dead women start wrong from lack of proper parental care and indifference on the part of the officers to keep them off the streets? Some children are degenerates with whom very little can be done, but a big majority are not and can be made useful citizens if the proper actions can be exercised with them when young. I don't know what I shall try to have done with these boys, but I do know that their chances for crime and evil pursuits would be greatly lessened if the curfew ordinance were enforced." 26 He accused city trustees of dereliction of duty; it was up to them to see that the laws were upheld. Laird added, "If the laws are not enforced, it is for them to find out why, and if the man or parties who have that power do not enforce the law it is high time they were brought to task for their inattention to duty. Officers are sworn to enforce the law and preserve order. What do they do in Bakersfield? Out of all the books full of ordinances the only one they make a pretense of enforcing is the auto taillight ordinance. One of the most insignificant in the lot. It is high time a part of our good ordinances, especially those about children, were enforced." 27 25 Morning Echo, June 19, 1909 26 Morning Echo, June 19, 1909. “Dead women” (prostitutes) 27 Morning Echo, June 19, 1909 Bakersfield’s Curfew Bell, www.gilbertgia.com 10
The DA’s storming might have been why the council paid Ed Willow $5 a month to ring the 8 pm curfew bell. 28 Laird’s diatribe might also have produced other changes, too, but the curfew nevertheless lapsed, and five months later the Women’s Civic Improvement League was seeking re-enforcement the curfew ordinance. 29 Wording of the ordinance resulted in a disconnect between Mother Nature and intent of the curfew. In 1913 Wallace Morgan pointed out that the hour of 8:00 pm was too early in summer for the bell to be rung and would “deprive children of the privileges of the streets.” 30 By 1914 Bakersfield’s population was estimated at 15,538, which made it the 15th-largest city in California. 31 Population here had outstripped police resources, although some smaller towns continued to ring a curfew bell. In 1914 Taft city trustees told Marshal Ed Eiland to enforce the town’s curfew ordinance, which established the hour for children under 16 at 8:30 pm, at least until the month of April when they were allowed to remain on the streets until 9:00. The town’s fire alarm bell announced the curfew, “nine taps indicating the retiring hour.” 32 Nearby Maricopa also had a curfew, but that one was seldom unenforced if at all. In 1915 Maricopa police, and the municipal justice, were apparently indifferent to young people running the streets at 28 Morning Echo, Oct 8, 1911 29 Bakersfield Californian, Dec 1, 1911. Superintendent of Bakersfield schools DW Nelson reported that student enrollment was 1,742. (Bakersfield Californian, Sep 19, 1910) 30 Bakersfield Californian, Sep 19, 1913 31 Morning Echo, May 10,1914 32 Bakersfield Californian, Mar 4, 1914 Bakersfield’s Curfew Bell, www.gilbertgia.com 11
Page 1 and 2: Historic Bakersfield & Kern County,
Page 3 and 4: Arizona, where he has a sister livi
Page 5 and 6: Background to the letter: In 1897 D
Page 7 and 8: Although a curfew had been proposed
Page 9: youthful ‘rounders’ will have t
Page 13: 1918 approved of the chief’s curf

Bakersfield's Curfew Bell, 1891-1988 - Gilbertgia.com

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