Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-03
THE BOARD OF oHrLDREs's GUARDIANS.

THE BOARD OF oHILDREN's GUARDIANS.
After quoting the law creating the board OF
children's guardians the report continues.
Pursuant 20 this act the judges Of the two
courts named on the 16th Of September, 1892,
appointed as members of this board for the
term of three years Jos. ]. Darlington, Crosby
8. Noyes and Miss Harriet Loring for the term
Of two years B. Pickman Mann, Simon Wolf
and Mrs. L. s. Doohttle; for the term OF one
year Albert A. Wilson, Geo. W. Moore and Mrs.
II. b. f. mcfarland. 1t was not intended OF
indeed possible that this board should begin
work during the current fiscal year, but only
with Its duties after the coming session OF Con-
gress. The memoranda furnished the Commits
sioners and the report of the House committee
on the bill while pending serve t. indicate 3
little more fully than the act itself the special
duties and responsibilities that will devolve
upon the new board.
1t will hereafter be unnecessary that the Dis
trict should be asked to contribute to the sup
port of any dependent child unless that child Is
the legal ward of the board of guardians. There
Is certainly enough provision made by char
liable means for the temporary care OF the
children of the poor. After organizing and APP
pointing its agents it will be the duty of the
board to investigate and pass upon the case Of
every child, whether at present in an institution
or not, which it is thought desirable that the
bistTlCt snOuiu support II the court appeuieu
to makes the child dependent then the board Of
guardians can place it to board in any private
| institution in any private family or give it in
adoption to foster parents If opportunity offers
The way in which private institution can
secure public money will be to bring the cases
Of the children in its before the board Of
guardians. and if the children are adjudged de-
pendent then public money will be available to
pay for their care so long they are In the in
stitution. 1t will be seen that if the institution
then wishes to serve UNCONVENTIONAL or general
humanitarian interests it can do So but at its
own cost and not at the cost Of the taxpayers OF
the District.
1t is further hoped that the over-crowded
condition Of the institutions for children may
be relieved in consequence Of Q), expert and
thorough investigation of all cases, (2), of the
gradual introduction of the placing-ou sy stom.
The introduction of this system in the District
is somewhat experimental but in SO far as 1t
can be introduced it is undoubtedly much bet
ter and much cheaper than institution care.
The board of guardians will have authority to
place out any child for the support Of which the
District is contributing.
Another possible benefit to be derived from
the operation of the new board is the mitigation
of the pressure upon the reform schools. Many
children are sent to these schools whom it is not
necessary to retain in the institution for any
considerable period, and by the new legislation
the trustees OF q reform school can give such
ianship of the board OF guardians.
As considerable time will be necessary for
the investigation Of the cases of the 600 or more
children now in subsidized private institutions
it is necessary that the board Of guardians
should be at work some time before the new
fiscal arrangements for these institutions go
into effect. | shall therefore ask that tho
money for the administrative expenses for the
board be made Immediately available upon the
passage of the appropriation bill. This will
give four months in which to investigate cases
before the institutions will have used up the
money appropriated to their use for the cur
rent fiscal year.
Il is not possible 70 tell exactly what the ex-
penditures for the care of dependent children
will be under the new order of things. No
measure should be adopted that would cripple
existing institutions or fail to provide in the
fullest possible manner for the properly de-
pendent children of the District. Much will
doubtless depend on the methods of admins
tration adopted by the board when it shall be
organized. With the Pennsylvania Children's
Aid Society where the children are boarded out
the cost is 1888 per year per child, divided as
follows: Administrative expenses, S22.66;
boarding, S96.21; clothing. Sl4.S9; medicines
&c, 81 90
The children's visitor Of the Philadelphia
bureau Of charities. who has authority to board
out those in his charge, has charge Of about 36S
children il year. He pays S1.54 week for
the board of those that are placed in institu-
tons and % per week for those who are placed
with the Childrer's Aid Society.
Great economies may be expected from the
new board of guardians, but in order to prevent
injustice to institutions heretofore receiving
subsidies or possible hardship to the children
l have estimated for amount about the same
"a for the current year for this work Of provld-
ing Tor dependent children. The estimates are
based on the census Of children already de-
scribed, and on comparisons made with siminr
work in other cities.
/ recommend that the following amounts be
appropriated for the of the board of chill
drens guardians for the fiscal year ending June
80, 1894, or so much Of the several amounts as
may be necessary: For administrative expenses,
including salaries of agents, expenses in placing
and visiting children and all Office and sundry
expenses sc. 600: this to be Immediately avail
able. For the care Of Predetermined children
So. Goo provided that the authority for placing
these children heretofore give to the Columbia
Institution for the Deaf and Dumb be trans
ferred to the board of children's guardians.
For the care of children under three years of
age, white and colored, S15,550. For the board
and care of all children over three years OF age.
s2S.0OO. For the temporary care Of children
pending investigation or while being transferred
from place to place, $500. In ALL $4,000.
This is $50 less than the amount appropriated
for similar purposes during the current year.
but in my opinion, under the new condition of
affairs, will be ample for the work required
Hereafter it is possible that larger savings may
result, and at any rate the tendency to swell
this item of the annual appropriation bill will,
l trust, be checked.
CARING FOR THE HOMELESS.
Next are discussed the various institutions for
the homeless poor. An appropriation of
$3.50 is recommended for the temporary
home for ex-Union soldiers and sailors although
the superintendent thinks this institution
should be under the board Of governors of the
National Soldiers Home. For the Women's
Christian Association he suggests the usual ap-
preparation of $4,000. Referring to the Hope
and Help Mission the superintendent thinks it
wise that the public support should be given on
the principle of specific payment. for specific
work. He thinks it likewise inadvisable to
make a specific appropriation for tho National
Temperance Home. speaking of the action of
the management Of the Washington Night Lodg-
ing House in turning over the building and
appliances to the Commissioners for the use
Of the new municipal lodging house Mr.. Warner
says: This act of generosity on their part at
once freed the new enterprise from the neccs-
sity Of paying rent during its experimental
year. and also placed at the disposal of the
commissioners for other use the $4OO designed
for the night lodging house. 1t ia certainly
refreshing experience. after dealing with
many organizations which are unwilling or un-
able to Cooperate satisfactorily with others for
the best good of the work in which all are in
terested, TO find here an association which is