The times., 1898-10-26
The Sum of s3O.1O2.5O Required for
the Care of Children md ~ 600 for
Administration Purposes Total
Number of Children Now Under
Control of the Board 475.

SlSl.l0; travel and transportation, 1888 10:
balance. sl2.15 Total, s,600.
THE primary Appropriation for care of
children was S23, 400. A deficiency appro-
priation of s6.702.50 Was subsequently
granted. making a total of $50, 102 80, from
which expenditures were made, as fol-
lows: Predetermined children, in the
Pennsylvania Training School, s5,596.12; in
the Virginian Training School, Sl,9I7.l7;
total, s7.57329 For children not feeble
minded maintenance in District institu-
tions, S6.927.25; in other institutions, ST.
90S.0l: in private homes, Sl2 19iS7, total,
s2l.030.23. Clothing, s394.52; medical care,
sIsO-S9; balance unexpended, S3Ii.0I: total
$50, ,1O25
THE board began the year with $50
wards of the not feeble-minded class in
charge. 1t closed having AS such wards
Aggregate Cost of board
The aggregate cost of board and care.
clothing and medical attendance of these
children, administration and supervision,
was S26 S02 80
Predetermined children were maintained
1883 days at cost of S7,573.29, or a per
capita of 56.S7 cents per day, or s2O6 IS
per year
The number of children placed out in
homes outside of the District of Columbia
at the end of the year was 1i3. 1t is esti-
mated that at the close of that fiscal year
this number may be 80 and by January
j, 300 or more. II is evident, therefore,
that for the year 1Sss-l9O0. the board
should have TWO visiting agents besides
the investigating officer or agent and
the office force of two clerks.
With the request that a single appro-
priation, not conditioned as to details.
may be granted TO the board for the fiscal
year ending June 80. 1900 the following
estimates are made: Salary of two or
more agents and necessary clerks. s., $50:
rent of office rooms. 1850: stationery and
printing, 500; office and sundry expenses.
$40; travel and transportation sl.5OO:
total for administration. $3.50; board and
care of children not feeble-minded. s2i,-
coo; board and care of feebie-minded
children, $1,000; total. sil.5OO
The history of temporary work in help
ing children is summarized as follows:
Children received from Police Court 20;
police. II; humane society, 10; parents
and relatives, "a: private parties mot re-
latives). 10; hospitals and asylums, 3;
street, 4; total 1OO.
"Causes-Destitution. IS; abandoned, II:
vasrancy or incorrigibility, 10: immoral
associations. 6: cruel treatment, 5; total
100 '''
Disposition, temporary-Placed in insti-
tutions %; placed in boarding homes. a.
total, 100.
Disposition. fnal-Permanent commit
mehts' Z0; returned TO parents. relatives
or friends 81; died. 6; absconded 4: re-
turned TO court, l: total. 90 Remaining
In charge al close of year TO-
Number of Children Received
Gases involving 5Oi children came m
our notice, each of which received care
ful attention and such an adiudication
as the childs highest welfare. with a due
regard for the public and parental rights
and interests, seemed to require. One
hundred and forty-five children were pre-
sented to the court by a petition prav-
ing for their commitment Ninety-fiye
chiloren were permanently committed
ana forty-seven were committed for linn
Tied periods, and in the cases of three
children only the court did not agree
with the recommendations of your agents
and declined to commit. To obtain a com
pete and necessary understanding of all
material facts is in but few cases an
easy matter. In most, It involves numer-
Gus interviews, thorough search of past
records, extensive correspondence. and
often much detective work. Fifty-tbroa
children Were committed because shown
TO be destitute of a suitable home and
adequate means of earning an honest
living. Many sad stories of broken homes
falthless parents, illness, extreme povcr-
ty, helplessness and exposure came TO
light In connection with these children.
Nineteen abandoned children-eighteen
colored and one white-were received.
Seventeen were abandoned by both mar
ents, while two were abandoned by the
father, leaving the mother i'll and without
shelter or means; eight were left with
private homes and payment for board
promised. Six infants We're found in ex-
posed places. parks, alleys, or vacant
lots. One colored baby was left on the
steps of the Washington Founding Asv-
lum for white infants, one on the steps
of private house, and one was abandon
ed at the Children's Hospital Two child
ren were taken from drunken and unfit
parents and eleven were removed from
vicious and immoral associations
Degradation of n Home.
'on morning in December, house on
= Street was rafded by officers. Father.
mother, a daughter, nineteen. another
sixteen, and three little girls. eight. six
end five years. were brought before the
police court. The testimony of the off
GERS disclosed a most revolving condition
of affairs at the home. Cursng carous-
ing, drinking and the grossest kinds of
immortality We're there nightly practiced
and the three tender buds We're growing
and unfolding in such an atmosphere. A
petition for their commitment was filed
and granted, and the children removed
from their vile surroundings Ten children
were committed as vicious and incorrigi-
BILE. These were coIored boys and girls,
who were before the court for minor of
fenses. We were unable to receive this
class until arrangements We're made with
the House of the Good Shepherd for Col
ored Girls, in Baltimore. in July, 1897. and
with the Hart Farm School. in Novem-
Der, 1897 One hundred children were TAX
en- temporarily pending investigation for
whom 5,4l6 days board was paid at an
expense of Sl,1i0-9O, an average of 5i.l6
children at a cost of sl1.49 each 1t is a
matter for serious consideration as to
the propriety or right of a strictly public
agency eXpending SO much of its funds in
purely temporary relief.
In the cases of ninety-five children per-
manently committed eight were presented
by the officer of the Humane Society and
eighty-seyen by agents of the board after
careful investigation OF the eighty
seven, twenty-one We're those of children
found in the dock of the Police Court and
charged with various minor offenses. In
each of these cases temporary order was
first made and an Investigation following,
revealing condition of affairs which war
ranted a permanent commitment. One
case was reported to us by the Childrens
Hospital, one by Freedmans Hospital,
one by the Bruen Home. and the balance