Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-15
SUBMITS ITS REPORT
Statement to Commissioners
by Board of Charities.
LAW FOR FIRST OFFENDERS
Belief Expressed That They Should
Be Specially Considered.
PRIVATE HOSPITALS SCORED
Alleged Failure to Provide Beds for
INDECENT Patients-Care Of
the Insane.

That some grown men and women need
guardians. as do the helpless children,
Is the opinion expressed by the men,
bers Of the District board Of charities in
their annual report submitted to the Dis
trict Commissioners yesterday afternoon.
Possibly the most important feature of
this report Is the recommendation that
law be passed authorizing the judges to
| suspend sentences in the cases Of first
offenders when they are taken into court,
instead OF sending them to the workhouse.
1t Is the idea Of the board Of charities
to have these first offenders placed on
probation and have them come under the
scrutiny Of probation officers or guard
ians after the sentence has been sus-
pended. The board contends that this
method would do away with the necessity
Of sending to the workhouse q number OF
accidental offenders. who would thus
avoid the stigma of prison and the dan
ger Of contamination likely to result from
intercourse with the chronic workhouse
inmates.
Probationary Measure.
Upon this subject the board reported:
First offenders could very frequently
be placed on probation with advantage
both to themselves and the community,
and 1t Is recommended that this SUBJ
Jet receive consideration with any gen.
eral system Of probation for adult Of
tenders It Is said to be likely that
legislation concerning this subject will
be probably asked for in the near future.
According to this report the total num-
Der OF commitments to the District work.
house In the year ended June 80 last was
5.11s. as compared with 1910 the pre-
ceding year The daily average number
OF prisoners In the institution during the
year was 375. as compared with $3.50 in
the preceding year.
In speaking Of the "non-support law"
which went into effect July 1. 1905. and
which, the board said, has done much
good, the board regards 1t as important
that this law should be given fair test,
and 1t has recommended an appropriation
OF 81. 400 for the coming year to pay to
the families Of men sentenced to prison
for non-support.
The daily average Of inmates last year
at the Reform School for Boys, according
to the report. was 248. OF these the
number from the District was 100. At
the Reform School for Girls the daily
average number was eighty-tfiree as COM
pared with eighty-five during the proceed
Ing year. The board reports a general
and marked Improvement on the part Of
the inmates at the last named institution.
large number of the girls were placed
out during the year.
The board considers 1t important to
place out" boys and girls committed to
these institutions. It is declared they
should be in private homes as soon as
they are fitted for such placement, and
the board recommends the appointment of
placing out" or probation officers to
cares for this work. 1t also recommends
the transfer Of the supervision Of these
institutions from the Department OF JUS
tice to the District Commissioners, saying
| ~ A.
fully co-ordinated with the other reforna-
tory and correctional work in the District.
Local Hospitals.
The board Of charities is gratified at
the fact that there has been a marked
improvement in the domestic management
and In the general sanitary conditions OF
the local hospitals for the past year. In
this connection 1t Is recommended that
all the hospitals should establish wards
for the exclusive care of children.
Satisfactory progress has been made"
1t is stated. lin the work Of erection of
the hospital for INDECENT tuberculous
patients appropriated for last year. The
building is now under roof and will be
ready for the re ception Of patients in the
early spring. The plans for this building,
which is UNIQUE in character were pre-
pared under the immediate direction of
the chairman of the committee on medi-
cal charities of this board. The building
and equipment complete are to cost $780,.
zoo The hospital will have accommoda-
tons for 80 patients. sixty advanced and
sixty incipient cases. The advanced
cases will be cared for in wards having
large easement windows. which will adj
nit the largest possible amount Of sun
light and air. The incipient cases will
be cared for In roof gardens above the
wards. These roof gardens have solid
walls with windows on the north side, and
will be entirely open on the other sides.
The main walls Of the hospital building
extend about three feet above the floors
Of the roof gardens.
Roof Garden Feature.
"The roof is supported on brick piers,
and canvas roller curtains will be pro-
vided between the piers, to be lowered
only in case Of severe rain storms. The
roof garden feature as permanent ar
rangement for the care OF incipient tuber-
culous patients is q new and distinctive
feature in hospital construction. 1t orig
mated with the chairman OF the commit
tee on medical charities OF the board OF
charities, who believed that the roof gar
den was a better place than shacks on
the ground for the treatment OF incipfent
patients. The air Is purer and freer from
dust at this elevation. Besides it was
possible to effect great economy In
plumbing and administrative arrange
ments by providing for these patients on
the roof Of the same building In which
the advanced cases are treated.
plans for this hospital have been ex-
amined by a number OF experts in the
treatment of tuberculosis, and they have
been pronounced by all as eminentiy sat
isfactory for the purpose indicated.
THE board Of charities believes that
this hospital and other public buildings
generally should be of fireproof construc-
ton, and It regrets the fact that 1t was
impossible with the funds available to
erect a fireproof building in this instance.
Aside from the fact that the building Is
not fireproof, the board believes that 1t
will be found admirably suited for the
purpose for which 1t was designed. The
fact that it provides accommodations, in
GLIDING domestic service, nursing, heat
ing and all administrative arrangements
for IN patients proves that 1t Is one Of
the most economically planned hospital
buildings ever erected"
l.