Evening star., 1901-12-26
|CARE OF CHILDREN
BUSINESS TRANSACTED BY BOARD
OF CHILDREN,saGuARD
Wards Now Under Control Number
Over Seven Hundred-The
Appropriations.


of the amount of business to be TRANSACTED,
and a third has been. called. Those SO far
held were attended by6Mrs ]. w. Babson,
Mrs. Charles Moore, President James B. T.
Upper, Vice President John F. Cook, Sec
retary B. Pickman Mann and other MEM
bers, MeSsrs. William ]. Miller, Thomas E.
Sewell and Rev. Louis Stern, and the first
by the secretary of the board of charities,
Mr.. George s. Wilson. Mr.. Wilson was in
vtted to take part in the discussion of mat
ters brought before the board.
The expenditures for the first five months
of the present fiscal year for the mainte-
nance of children committed to 1t by the
courts being found to be in excess of the
ratio of the appropriations made for the
purpose, revision of rates paid to several
institutions and private parties was dis
cussed. and committee was instructed to
consult with the judges of the committing
courts. This committee reported progress
in its consultations, and that SO far as it
had progressed it was held that the law
contemplated the imposition of certain
work upon the board which no other
agency could perform, and which the board
could not and should not avoid, whatever
it's appropriations may be- The courts are
bound to dispose Of the children who are
brought before them in the manner pro-
vfded by law, and intended for the welfare
of the children and the community. The
board Is the proper agent of the courts in
giving the necessary care to the children,
and Is bound to receive and provide for
children committed to 1t. 1t is not believed
to be the intention of the Congress to re-
fuse the appropriations which are found
to be necessary, although in almost every
past year less has been appropriated in ad
vance than was needed.
The National Junior Republic accepted
reouctlon IN the rates paid to 1t for care
OF wards OF the board No reduction at
the chlldrens temporary home was found
to be advisable. An arrangement was made
with the Manassas Industrial School to
take a Few children at rates lower than
those paid for the same elsewhere. Other
reductions to institutions remain under
consideration.
The workings of the probation law. passed
last March, result In a very large saving
OF expense to other branches of the gov
ernment, although they impose large in
crease of administrative work upon the
board for which no provision was made in
increase Of administrative force or appro-
priat1on, the probation law having been
passed after the current appropriation act
was given its final form.
The committee on legislation was In
structed to formulate a bill for the estab-
lishment Of juvenile court in accord
ance with the advanced legislation in sew
era! jurisdictions in the United States. I
The committee on homes and institutions
was directed to take into consideration the
suggestion of the reform school for girls
that certain wards of the board be COM
mitted to that school,
Authority was given to the agent in be-
half of the board to purchase lots in GER
tain cemeteries and to make an agreed con-
tract with an undertaken for the burial of
wards OF the board who die while under its
direct care Provisionis made in indenture
contracts for the burial of wards who die
while In homes in which they are bound out.
me agent was instructed to provide for re-
ligious services, when practicable in the
burial of wards of the board
Inc executive COMMITTEE was authorized
to determine In each case in which wards
Of the board are bound out for what period
of years schooling shah be required.
The salary of Miss Jennie NJ. Tustin was
increased, to date from December 1, 1901.
and Miss Tustfn was Aesignated to be ex-
ecutive clerk.
Agents Report.
The agents report for the month Of No
vember showed that ninety-ffve cases re-
ceived attention. Sixteen children were
permanently committed, all being coIored
children. Reasons as follows: One aban-
doned; two children of unfit parents; seven
destitute Of suitable home, and six al
legged to be tncorrigible. All placed on ex-
pense, except three
Five names were added to the temnorary
roll, two by order of the court, and they
are still under temporary care, and three
without such order. two Of whom were re-
turned to relatives, and one subsequently,
permanently committed.
Thirty children were placed under the
care Of the board under the probation act.
On the first of November 1O3 probation
children were under active supervision. The
probation terms of eleven expired during
November, died, one sent to relatives
out Of the city, so that there were ninety
children under active supervision from
former months. OF the thirty committed
during November, one was sent to Jail be-
cause over the age, one had his fine paid
and tWenty-eight new ones remained under
supervision. which, added to the ninety
from former months makes, on November
30, 11S probation children under active su-
pervsion All these children are visited
re gularly and, in most cases are found
doing well. The agent especially commends
the work in this line of Rev. D. E. Wise
man and Rev. W. j. Howard, his assist
ants. The probation work is done In be-
half of the courts by employees of the
board
A special instance showing the beneffcence
of the work in its relation to children to
families, and to the saving of expense to
the government, was described in detail
The physicians report for November
shows twenty children on the sick list, to
whom fifty professional visits were made
There were no deaths during the month
Thirty-three children We're placed in free
homes; 10 were transferred, or returned,
and absconded. Net gain in free homes,
Is. Total number transferred from expense
to non-eXpense, 70; / absconder recovered
and place on expense. 6 children returned
from free homes. Net gain from expense
to non-expense, 49,
Seventeen visits were made to children
outside the District, from all of which there
were good reports, except in one case
Special recommendations were made in GER
tain cases.
Mrs. Kate B. Barlow, the visiting in
spector for the city. has made POI visits to
wards and probation children and to homes
for investigation. She does valuable worl,
for the board, especially among our larger
girls, who are somewhat difficult to man
age.
The Figures.
The total number of wards of the board
is now 798, distributed as follows: In in
stitutions on expense, 1872; in free institu-
tions, IS; in free homes, Al; at large "A;
in boarding homes, 121. Total, 1885, Ten
children are on the temporary roll.
We have fifteen feeble minded children
under care at the institution at Falls
Church and twenty-seyeu at Elwyn.
Maintenance expendit ures at annual rate
Of $40, 1856 76; appropriation, $4,000.
Administrative expenditures at annual
rate of st, ,62S 92; appropriatio $1,000
The heaviest expenditures come In the
latter part of the wear.