Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-06

cause fewer illegitimate infants were taken
into court. and I am not at all sure but
that the increase Of seven in the number
of abandoned children Is not partially due
to the same reasons. 1t must not be sup
posed that we have not done our duty, so
far as able, toward this class of de-
pendents. In quite a number of cases we
have been the means of securing employ
ment for the erring and unfortunate Great
ures. But just so long as their partners in
sin are allowed to go free and unscathed
Will the records of abandonment show
startling figures. The need of bastardy
frequently urged by this Office that 1t
seems almost like vain repetition to call
attention to the matter again.
Drunken md Unfit Parents.
A table shows that thirty-four children
of drunken and unfit parents were recon-
mended for commitment. The number act
ually committed was but thirty, as the
court declined to commit three, and one was
placed beyond our reach. Twenty-four Of
the commitments were permanent this
being four times the number committed for
the same cause the preceding year.
That an awakening has come to many
Is shown by the fact that nineteen children
nave been placed on probation with par
ents The board, of course, reserves the
right OF supervision, and also of removal,
if necessary.
Too much value cannot be placed Lpcn
our work In taking ten children from vic
iOus and immoral associations Nearly all
OF them were little girls, whose mothers
were leading immoral lives.
NO 1ncorrigible children were presented
for commitment. Many were brought to
the office of the board, most of them col
ored, and a few of these, the worst cases,
were committed to the reform school The
others were returned to their homes as 10
institution in the District would receive
them. 1t should here be stated that since
the close of the year 4 contract has teen
made with the House of the Good Shepherd
in Baltimore for the reception of incorrig-
ible colOred girls, and number have been
placed there.
Other Cases Cited.
The parents of the twenty-seven non-res-
idents were recent arrivals in the city, and
were advised to return to their former
homes with their children. Those ciassed
as private were prevented from becoming
dependents by the efforts of the employees
of the board in arousing the interest and
obtaining the support of the relatives and
friends. The twenty-eight cases reported
as referred We're sent to the presidents of
the reform schools, the secretary of the
Associated Charities and the agent of the
Humane Society, as they seemed to re-
quire the services of those officers.
In thirty-two cases the applicants with
drew their claims for public support. In
some instances this was because they were
unwilling to submit to q judicial hearing;
in others an improvement of condition
sued. merely as result of the case being
brought to our attention.
Where Children Are Located.
At the close of the year the children in
institute MS were accounted for as follows:
In the George Maulsby Memorial Home,
%; in the National Colored Home, 10; in
the Industrial Home School, 8; in the
House of the Good Shepherd (Georgetown),
3; in st. Marys Industrial School (Balti-
n ore), l; total in institutions where board
is paid, 81.
Joseph's Orphan Asylum, 2; in St. AIMS
Infant Asylum, 1; in the Chidren's Hos
pital, l; total in free institutions, Z. Whole
number in institutions, IS.
General Summary.
There were 312 children on hand at the
beginning of the year. Eighty-eight new
wards were received during the year, and
one child who had been abducted and for
whom search had been abandoned, was re-
covered, making a total of 401 to be ac-
counted for They are distributed as fol-
lows: In fageily homes on trial, 80; in fam-
ly homss on indenture, 1875; in family
homes apprenticed. -; in free institutions,
Z; unsettled, 10. Total not on expense for
maintenance, 2IO.
In family homes where board is paid, SO;
in institutions where board is paid. 81; total
on expense for maintenance, 1IO. Total
number at close of year, 1856.
Number of deaths (all infants), 49, re-
turned to courts and orders of coum tment
set aside, Z; declared self-supporting /.
Total who have passed from control of
beard, u. Total to be accounted for, 4Ol
Placing Out and Supervision.
or this, the most important branch of
the work of the board. no glowing account
can be written, the bhghting effects of a
greatly inadequate administrative appro-
priation having been felt
1t is not difficult to find an explanation
of this condition. In the fiscal year 1894,
with an average of 11O.24 children under
care and an administrative appropriation
of $4,000. the services CT three employees
were required. During the year just closed
with an average of :j42.22 children under
care, the appropriation was 81 600 and the
at three.
The act of Congress creating the board
requires visitations to be made to place out
children at least once year, but we have
not been able to obey the mandate. OF the
children residing in homes outside the Dis
trict, June 30, 1896, and who remained
placed on June 3d. 1897, forty-hine were not
visited during the year. Twenty-three
children We're returned from free homes
because of dissatisfaction on the part of
the foster parents, and fifteen absconded,
only three of whom have been recovered.
one child was removed from a private
HOME because Oh unfair treatment. VI the
twelve who abSconded and were not recov-
cred 1t Is safe to say that all or nearly all
could have been apprehended if an employee
could have been sent in quest of them. In
the few instances in which the agent has
been able to give his attention to these
cases, he has met with invariable success
The Care of Infants.
The usual degree of success has been at
tanned with this class of the boards de-
pendents. No children have been sent to
founding asylums, but all have been
placed in carefully selected family homes
Eighteen children, less than two years of
age, were received during the year, the
average age being six months. Six were
under one month, and but three over one
year. In the cases Of five the prognosis at
reception was death" in six it was
doubtful" and in seven it was hopeful,
being set down in the tables as '.life.''
Recognizing its responsibility as the
| only official institution in the District of
Columbia charged with the duty of caring
| for infants, the board has made arrange
| ments with the Bruen Home for the recep-
ton of foundlings, and the major of police
| in general order, has directed the officers
under his command to take to the home in
| fantS of this class Tho chi}drar remain a