Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-11
AGENT MAKES REPORT
AFFAIRS OF THE BOARD OF Chill
DREN's GUARDIANS.
Local Institutions Dealing With Chill
dren and Their Relation to
the Board.

Mr.. John w. Douglass, agent OF the board
of childrens guardians. has submitted his
report to the board showing the work done
during the month of November. An interest
ing part OF the report deals with the ques
ton of dependent children and gives the
result of personal investigation made by
the agent In this part of his report he
says:
Your agent has recently been making
soemthing Of study of the local insti-
tutions dealing with children, both public
and private. Some of the things learned
have been something of a revelation to
me, and may possibly be of some interest
to the members of the board. An exact
census of our local institutions was taken
on the first day of November, 1905. OF
course. the returns are those furnished by
the heads of the institutions and not by
any personal count. There were in all our
local institutions. supported by public or
private charity and dealing with three
classes of cflildren-delinquentS. deStituteS,
defectives-1,9l4.
Census Report Figures.
According to the police census. taken last
April, the population of Washington, or the
District of Columbia, was 1913 123. This
would show dependent child to each 1853
OF the population OF these 1.914 children,
$50 are colored and LISA white. The col
ored population of the District, according
to the last police census, was 5311; the
white population, OPT, S12. Now, compar-
ing the eolored dependent children 100,
with the population, 95.311. it would show
one colored dependent child to each 100 of
the population, and similarly comparing
the dependent white ,e CHILDREN, 1.ls4 with
q white dependent child to each 1872 OF the
population. oo,
of the states and large cities of our coun-
fry find community where the
ratio of dependent children to the popula-
ton is SO high as in the District of Co.
lumbia
Certain Wards Only Included.
Il may add that. in the above figures as
to total number, only such wards Of the
board of chiidren's guardians are included
as were that date (November u on expense.
There are not included the large number
of wards who are IN free homes and no
expense, save supervision. Furthermore,
the detectives included In the above are
only the two classes. feeble minded and
blind, and there Is not included the deaf
and dumb, who are maintained at District
expense at Kendall Green. Friends of this
institution seriously object to having 1t re-
garded as benevolent institution in any
sense, but rather as an educational instt-
tuition There is not included there the sick
children maintained at District expense at
the Children's Hospital.
IT do not know that consideration of the
figures as indicated above should make
workers or others interested In these lines
discouraged. I think somewhat similar
conditions obtain in quite If not all our
capitals. 1t may be of interest fur-
Their to add that OF these 1914 dependent
children, and this includes the numbers in
both reform schools, there are 761 children
maintained in strictly private institutions,
deriving no support from public subsidies,
and of these 761 children but twenty-five
are colored There are eleven such private
institutions dealing with destitute and neg
iected children and but one of these deals
with colored children and that to a very
limited extent"
Number Receiving Attention.
The report shows that 81 children re-
oeived the attention of the Office OF these
1t was deemed necessary to have 10 made
permanent wards. One Of these was white
and 8 colored. boys and 5 girls. The
causes of commitment we're as follows:
Destitution. 8; incorrigible, 4: unfit parents
/; abandonment. q The first placements
were as follows: Children's Temporary
Home, g.. boarding homes, 2: trial with
friends, g. Seven children were added to
the temporary rolls-5 by order of the court
and without such order. Five of these
were white and colored, boys and girls.
The first placements were as follows: In
dustrial Home School, i; Brren Home, 2;
boarding homes. 2: Children's Temporary
Home, 1: with friends. l. OF these res
NAMED under care at tife close Of the
month.
There were is temporary wards under
care at the close of the month, In board
ing homes and Q in institutions.
The number Of feebie-minded wards at
Elwyn was 80, and at Falls Church, 2O.s'