Religion: Faith

When dealing with youthful breakers of minor laws, a not uncommon practice of pious U. S. judges and magistrates is to suspend punishment, put the culprit under the presumably healthful influence of the churches. Usually the results are not spectacular. Last week, however, in St. Petersburg, Fla., Magistrate John T. Fisher had cause to ponder the value of religion as a deterrent to misbehavior. Last August when A. K. Patterson, 20, was haled before Magistrate Fisher for speeding, the jurist sentenced the youth to attend Sunday School for 13 weeks. On 13 Mondays, Speeder Patterson repeated the text of the Sunday School lesson in Magistrate Fisher's chambers. Five days after he had delivered his 13th report to the gratified magistrate, who by that time had received many a letter praising him for his enlightened act, Speeder Patterson was again brought into court, this time charged with drunken driving.

Said Magistrate Fisher last week: "I have no apologies to make. ... I still have faith in youth. . . ."