Evening star., 1901-09-26
MAKES ITS REPORT
Annual Statement of Board of Chill
dren's Guardians.
TOTAL NUMBER OF WARDSUNDER CARE
Introduction Of "Probation System
in the District.
RECOMMENDATIONS M A DE

The eighth annual report of the board of
children's guardians Of the District of Co.
lumbia has been submitted to the board of
charities. The total number of children
committed to the board from July 1, 1898,
to June 30, 1901, for the term Of their mi
nority is shown by the report to have
been S96. During the past fiscal year the
number of children committed was 148, 2
wards came of age, s were married, %
died and q were returned to court, and l
adopted. The total number of children now
under the care of the board is 72O. OF this
number ASA are boys and 266 girls. Two
hundred and seventy-four of the wards are
white and 446 colored.
The children under the care of the board
are distributed as follows: In Hart Farm
School. so; in Children's Temporary Home,
50; in Industrial Home School, %; in Ma
tional Junior Republic, Is; In st. Rose S
Industrial School, 1; in House of the Good
Shepherd, Baltimore, 4: in boarding homes,
ia; in st. Josephs Male Orphan Asylum,
5; in Freedmens Hospital, q in Washing
ton Asylum Hospital. l: bound out, 2oS
on trial or probation, 175; apprenticed, A.;
at large or self-supporting, 40.
Forty-four feeble-minded children are
shown to be under charge Of the board,
AZ of whom. 1t is stated, will require per-
manent sequestration. The 2 remaining
ones may become self-sustaining. Thirty
two are physically defective, are unable
to walk. 10 are unable to talk, Is have i'm
perfect articulation. The oldest is 70 years
old and the youngest Z. In 70 cases the
feeble-minded condition is attributed to
heIedity. 1t Is stated In the report that
no appropriation made by Congress Is more
profitably expended in the interest Of hu-
manity than that for the training and GUS
tody of this class Of the community: Most
of the feeble-minded children are maintain
ed at the Pennsylvania Training School.
Increased Average.
The increase in the average number Of
wards during the past year was 101; the
decrease in the average number Of children
held temporarily was four, and the de-
crease in the average number of feeble
minded children supported was slightly
more than one. The appropriation for ad-
ministrative uses of the board for the last
fiscal year was $1,000 of which amount
Sc 1917 was expended. The primary ap-
preparation for the care of children was
$4,000. A deficiency appropriation of s4,95O
was granted subsequently, making total
of s44, $50, all of which was expended and an
Indebtedness of S252.17 to the Pennsylvania
Training School incurred. The per capita
cost of the children not feeble-minded.
and based on all expenses, Was s136.3S per
annum. Predetermined children were
maintained at per capita cost of $216.Oo
per annum-
Concerning the policy of the board the
report states:
THE policy of the board has been to find
free homes for its wards as soon as they
are fitted to go into such homes. Until that
time they are kept in suitable boarding
homes or Institutions Personal visitation
are made to every child in a home or an
institution by an agent at least once year.
The exceptions have been few. and for
reasons satisfactory to the board. Written
reports of visits are made on the forms
provided. The board has been compelled to
Loo nf -cr1y f0,
long time, and some will always be de-
pendent, being crippled afflicted with in
durable diseases.
Difficulty Experienced.
Difficulty Is found in obtaining free
homes for the colored infants and children
Of tender age, especially when they are af-
tiicted with various disorders. A great ma
jority of the children, however. are sound
and healthy, docile and of good character.
There has been little trouble in finding
good homes for white children of normal
health and character.
when wards are placed in situation in
which wages are to be paid them. the
agents are instructed to have pass books
prepared, in which receipts for the pay
ment of wages are to be entered, and to
encourage these wards to save portion Of
their wages and deposit the same in
bank. Authority is given to the president
of the board to consent to the enlistment
of wards in the United States navy or
marine service, when such. enlistment ap-
pears to him to be desirable
The report states that the police now
have instructions from Major Sylvester to
convey all foundlings to one of the nurses
employed by the board. 1t also states that
an arrangement has been made whereby
children kept at the house of detention
after temporary or permanent commit
ment by the courts are maintained at the
contract price Of twenty cents per meal
Before commitment they are. of course
maintained at the expense Of the police de-
partment. After recounting the various
legal decisions received by the board during
the year on questions affecting it, the re-
port continues:
Probation System Introduced.
EARLY in the year Messrs. Thomas c.
Noyes and George A. c. Christiancy sought
the cooperation of this board in securing
the passage of an act to enlarge the pow
ers of the courts of the District of Column
bia in cases involving delinquent children,
and for other purposes This cooperation
was granted heartily, and a bill was for
mulated which resulted in an act, approved
March B, 1901, under the title above quoted.
BY this act, what is known as the 'proba-
tion system was introduced into the Dis
trict Of Columbia. The advantage of this
system of treating Juvenile offenders as
children instead of criminals, and of dis
ciplining them in homes instead of jails
and warehouses; is well recognized in many
jurisdictions, and need not be dwelt upon.
Upon the passage of the act the board ap-
pointed Mr.. John Wesley Douglass, one CT
Its agents, to be probation officer. The
thanks of the board are due to the volun-
tary visitors who assisted him in visiting
the children on probation.
"A committee was appointed to confer
with the judges of the Police Court con-
corning the operation of this probation
law. 1t was agreed that temporary COM
mitments made to the board, in default of
fine imposed after conviction, should be
for period of six months, at any time
during which period the probation officer
would have the right to ask the court for
further action, the child being regarded as
under the Jurisdiction OF the court during
these six months, at the end of which
time such Jurisdiction should cease. II is
the Judgment of this board that the opera-
ton OF this act has been beneficial and
promises good results.
Requiring Parents to support Chill
dren.
"Pr0yfStOu