Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-09
CHILDREN'S GUARDIAN
APRIL MEETING OF THE BOARD
HELD SATURDAY EVENING.
Reports Made by the Agents Showing
Number of Wards Under
Care,

The April meeting of the board of chill
dren's guardians. held Saturday evening,
was attended by all the members except
DR.. NJ. D. Peck, who was III. Those pres
ent were Mrs. Lucy S. Doolittle, president;
Mrs. John w. Babson, Mr.. John F. Cook,
Mrs. Mary L. D. Macfarland, Mr.. William
]. Miller, Rev. Louis Stern, Mr.. James B.
I. Upper and the secretary. Mr.. 3. Pick
man Mann, and also Mr.. John w. Douglass,
agent.
After transaction of routine business and
the receipt and discussion of committee re-
ports committee, consisting Of Mr.. Mil
Ter, Mrs. Doolittle, Mrs. Macfarland and
Messrs. Cook and Upper, was appointed to
consider the question of obtaining author
ity from Congress to pay a salary to the
secretary of the board. The committee was
empowered to act in support Of such recon-
mendations as 1t should deem proper.
The monthly reports of the agents Of the
board, Messrs 8. s. Parkman and ]. w.
Douglass, were read and accepted. These
showed that the organization is now charg-
ed with the care of G19 permanent wards,
of whom JIG are maintained in institutions
at board, Ill in private homes at board
nine In free institutions, 1853 in free homes
and 30 are at large caring for them
selves. During the month of March inves-
legations We're completed and action taken
in cases involving LOT children, of whom
II were considered not proper subjects for
public guardianship, four being non-resi-
dents. q in no sense dependent, IL referred
to other agencies, nine adjusted by private
arrangement and applications on behalf of
"a children were withdrawn.
Sixteen children were committed to the
guardianship of the board during minority
eight because destitute of suitable home,
four because alleged to be incorrigble and
four because of unfit parents. Fourteen
children were placed on the temporary roll,
eight of whom, by order of court, are still
| in the same relation.
The physicians report showed forty Wis
| It's made to thirty-three children, but no
deaths nor serious illness. Fourteen chill
| dren were placed in free homes. Seventeen
| children were visited in foster homes out
side the District, and ninety in boarding
| homes in the city.
Agents Special Report.
| A special report prepared by the agents
| showed that of the children now main
| tained at the expense of the board twenty
| seven have been SO maintained for six
| months and less than twelve months;
| thirty-four for twelve months and less than
| eighteen months. and 105 for more than
| eighteen months; and in a portion of these
I cases. the statement not having been COM
pleted. the reasons were given why these
| children were kept on expense instead of
being placed IN free homes. Some of the
reasons assigned were the crippled condi-
| ton of the children, chronic diseases, feeble
physical or mental condition. bad habits,
need of training for life in family homes
| and failure to be acceptable, to persons de-
string to make adoptions. In three or four
cases were children reported as with
held from placement because mothers were
looking forward to becoming able to re-
sumo charge of them. In two cases a child
was kept at board in a home where another
was maintained, without expense. One girl
mad been returned from seven family
homes in succession because of bad temper
| and disposition. Other children had been
tried in homes smaller number of times
BY unanimous vote the salary of Miss
Jennie M. Tustin. who has served the
board as clerk, stenographer and type
writer for many years. was advanced to SIS
| per month. and the secretary was instruct
| ed to express to Miss Tustin the boards
| appreciation Of her service in the past
An order was passed that the physician
| OF the board should not call other physI
clans into consultation at the expense of
the board except in cases of extreme cmer-
gency without leave previously obtained
from the board or an agent
| MRS J. W. Babson was appointed reporter
Tor the month upon the visiting list of the
agents, and the meeting adjourned.