Evening star., 1900-09-29

5000; salaries of temporary clerks, 500; sal
ary of secretary of the board, $500; rent
transportation and sundries, 2,40O. Total
s., 800.
Board, care clothing and medical atten.
dance on wards OF the board, with authority
to pay not more than 81 600 to the House
of Good Shepherd for Colored Girls in Bal
timore and not more than $3.50 to other
institutions held to be under sectarian con-
troll, $31 500: maintenance of feebe-minded
| children under act of July &C. 1892, $4,000.
Total appropriation asked for, $4,000.
Reports of Agents.
From the report of the boards agents II
appears that during the year applications
were made and investigations completed in
behalf of S96 children. Each received care
full consideration. No influence is required
to have children committed to the guardian
ship of the board Do they need such guar
dianshp, and are they entitled to 1t, are
the only questions which an Investigation
must answer affirma lively and positively.
About 30 per cent of the children in whose
behalf applications were made were receiv-
ed under either temporary permanent
guardianship. 1t has been our constant
aim to adjust cases without the necessity
OF a commitment. By kindly advice ways
and means out of present temporary dis
tress often found All resources are
exhausted before seeking what should be
tie last resort-to become ward of the
state.
The agents state that ffty-f1ve children
were committed because destitute Of a
suitable home; sixteen because abandoned
by parents or relatives; twenty-five children
or drunken or unfit parents: three because
kept In immoral associations, and thirty
because in the eyes of the law they were
incorrigible. One hundred and twenty-six
children were thus committed to the care
and custody of the board until they attain
majority, and their first placements were as
follows: In institutions, 76; in boarding
homes, 45: and in free homes, g. These
figures show that we make large use Of in
stitutions.
yisitations Are Constant.
"The children boarding in the District"
state the agents, ARE visited constantly by
one of the lady employees. who makes writ
ten reports to the agent in charge Of the
office of the condition of the children with
regard to health. clothing, kind of food
used and also as to the sanitary condition
Of the nurses home. So much care is used
In the choice of homes, and so rigid Is the
supervision, that we are rarely compelled to
remove child because of neglect, unskillful
treatment or for other causes One pleasing
feature Of this branch of the work has been
the providing Of permanent homes for
number of our wards without the expendi-
ture of any effort upon the part of the
boards employees. So great becomes the at
tachment of some of the nurses to their lit
tie charges that. rather than see them pass
to the control of others, they have begged
to be allowed to adopt them themselves.
The children boarding outside the District
are visited by the placing-out agent
In Free Family Homes.
The results of placements of children in
free family homes are summarized and pre-
sented in table. Doing WELL" as there
used, means that there has been no COM
plant on the part Of the child regarding his
home, no failure on the part Of the foster
parents to fulfill all the requirements of the
board, and no fault found by the visitor
with the condition, treatment or surround
ings of the child Doing fairly well' means
that there was found some condition Of af-
fairs not entirely satisfactory, but which, il
pertaining to the home. 1t is expected will
be speedily remedied, and If to the child
it is hoped will be overcome bad re-
port means that some serious trouble ex-
listed, which, when pertaining to the child
indicated that he or she would be bene-
flied by return to an institution for spe-
cal training. When the trouble was with
the home, removal OF the child followed.