Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-22
Twelve Months Work of the Board Of
Children's Guardians.
FUNDS NEEDED FOR ANOTHER YEAR
Some Suggestions About the Care
of the Feeble Minded.
CHILDREN OF THE SLUMS

The third annual report Of the board of
children's guardians was submitted to the
Commissioners today by Secretary B. Pick
man Mann.
The report says the board began the year
with 1855 ordinary Il. e. not feeble-minded)
wards in charge. 1t closed the year having
255 ordinary wards. The aggregate num-
Der of days that children, other than
feehle-minded, were in charge Of the board
Was S0,726, or an average of 221.4 chill
dren for every day in the year. The aggre-
gate cost of board and care, clothing and
medical attendance of these children, adj
mtnistration and supervision, was SIG. 10000
This is at the rate of 2O.2 cents per day, or
$73.65 per year.
A table is submitted, showing the per
capita cost and maintenance Of the wards
Of the board. Last year the average num-
Der of wards Ia boarding homes was 20.64.
This year it was ALA. The per capita
cost based on the whole number was
1924. 10 last year, and $1O4.23 this year. The
rer capita cost of maintenance based on
total number OF wards and total expenses
was $1O2.72 for 1894 and $685. for 1895.
Predetermined children were maintained
S,l02 days, at cost, including bills not
paid. Of s3,O99.14, or 62.94 cents per day. or
1929. 13 per veal.
The expenses for placing and visiting
children during the past year were not so
great, the report says, as was expected,
partly because the amount of office work
which had to be done, and which could
have been done in large part by clerk,
prevented the agent from having time
needed for outside work. The economy in
expenditure for maintenance of children
which would be secured by making it pos
sible for the agent or agents to find more
flee homes, as we'll as the betterment in
the quality Of the homes which might be
secured. by enabling the agent to sesk
homes for the children. rather than wait to
have applications for children made at the
Office, both argue IN favor of an adequate
appropriation for administrative purposes.
Estimates for 1897.
The following estimates are made of ex-
penses for board and care of children for
the year 1897:
% For board and care of an aver
age of 100 children at 500. $4,000 90
(2) For medical care of 100 chill
dren in boarding homes, at
CD For clothing for 100 children
departing for free homes, at
$40 NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. l,OUU W
a. For temporary care of chill
dren pending investigation
while being transferred
from place to place.......... $50 w
Total s1s,35O co
For the care of feeble-minded children
the following estimate is made for the year
ending June, 1897:
For the care of 35 children, at an
average of S22j each. $7,S75 90
Feeble-Mindcd Children.
The board of children's guardians, upon
taking up the care of the feeble-minded
children of the District, found twenty
three children already in charge, calling for
an expenditure of $500 for the year 1891.
For the year 1895 the expenditures of the
board for this purpose were s5,0J9.14. OF
which 81 1882 remain unpaid by reason of
the inadequaoy of the appropriation at the
disposal of the board. There are feeble
minded children now at the aims house, for
whom, the report says, different provisions
should be made There are" the report
continues, "a number of cases under con-
sideration by the board in which there is
urgent need of asylum care of the chill
dren. If all new cases are hereafter re-
fused up to the end of the fiscal year 1896,
the expenditures of the board for this pur-
pose for this year will he $500. Hereto
fore the appropriation for this purpose has
been made in connection with that for the
maintenance of the wards of the board not
Predetermined. The superintendent of char
tiles and the Commissioners of the District
are now respectfully urged to request that
a separate appropriation be made for this
work. The board wishes to be relieved of
the necessity of choosing between leaving
the community exposed to the dangers aris-
ing from irresponsible persons being at
large and leaving helpless little children
to suffer from the neglect and abuse of I'M
worthy parents. The present appropria-
ton is not sufficient to provide for both
classes for the present year.
The work accomplished by this board dur
ing the year includes the following items,
which have been made matters of record:
Number of applications received on behalf
of children to be taken in charge, 3O7; num-
Der on behalf of whom proceedings We're
begun in court, 50; number of children COM
mitted by courts and provided for by this
board, permanent. no; temporary mot fin
ally committed), 10: total 10. Number of
children provided for temporarily, without
authority of the courts, exclusive of those
subsequently committed, %; number of ap-
plications received for children to be taken
by families. 26S; number of new applications
for children investigated and acted upon,
146; whole number of homes provided, in
Guiding transfers and requirements, 127;
number of official visits by agent to placed
out wards of the board, 1874; number of alb
sconders, from homes and Institutions, ap-
pretended and returned, 30.
The number of children committed for
vagrancy incorrigibility and petty offenses
this year was less than half as great as last
year. The operations of the board having
been limited by lack of funds and by res:ric-
lions as to number of employees, it seemed
proper and necessary to avoid, so far as the
matter could be controlled by the board, the
urgently demand increased appropriations
and the services of additional employees.
ut must never be supposed" says the re-
port, that the children of the slums are
waiting and anxious to be benefited. Moth
ing could be farther from the truth. If
moral possession of them is to be obtained
physical possession must be kept secure.
1t is believed that had it been possible for
the board to keep these children for periods
of time determined by their conduct and
their ascertained character and previous his
tory, very much might have been accom-
plshed with them, but that could not he
done. The board had no place to send them
where their vagrant impulses could be re-
strained until they could be brought to be-
lieve in the sincerity of their real friends
and into harmony with the efforts made in
their behalf.
The Care of Infants.
1.-The wards of the board two years old
and under have been dealt with in private
families almost exclusively during the past
year. The rate paid for their maintenance
has been, uniformly, ten dollars per month,
where only one child was placed with
nurse, and eighteen dollars where two were
placed. Not more than two have been placed
under the care of any one person. The rules
for the government of nurses, published by
the board during last summer, have been
enforced with the greatest care, and the re-
suits are sufficiently successful to warrant