The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1908-12-17

me and it was not long until realized
that | had undertaken an impossible
task. However a beginning was made
which proved the value of such work,
and when the next legislature made en-
larged provision, the board appointed
as state agent for the Boys Industrial
School, MIR. j. 7. Harnett, who assumed
the duties of his office August 1st 1906.
Up to that time my headquarters had
been in the Office of the board of con-
troll at Des Moines, but after the Eldora
work was turned over to Mr.. Harnett
was permitted to change my headquar-
tiers to the Soldiers Orphans Home at
Davenport. Since then about three
fourths of my time has been given to
the work Of placing out and supervis-
ing children who go from the home, and
about one-fourth to helping girls from
the Industrial School. All my time
could we'll be given to the Home work;
but until provision is made for an agent
for the Girls Industrial School | must
go on doing what | can in finding EN-.
ployment for the girls, and looking
after them while on parole which in
cludes occasional visits, the receiving
of their monthly reports and writing to
them, and sometimes replacing a girl or
returning one to the school,
1t would only weary you should
attempt to tell you of the problems
which face those servants of the people
who have charge Of our state institu-
ton as they strive to heal the sick, to
reclaim the sinful, correct the erring,
strengthen the weak, educate and
brighten the life Of the defective, and
fit the dependent for independence. To
the latter class belong the children aud
OF them | wish to speak for little
while more particularly, for it goes
without saying that there is no branch
OF charitable endeavor in the world to-
day which presents such opportunities
for constructive work and is therefore
so hopeful and encouraging, so far
reaching in it's results as is the work
for normal dependent children. And
yet for this very reason there is no
other work SO full of responsibility to
the earnest worker. From american
Charities" by DR.. Amos G. Warner, pub
lished in 1894, l quote the following
paragraph bearing on this thought:
In work for the aged, the sick, the de-
fective, even the unemp loyed, one is con
scious that for the individual dealt with
there is no possibility of any high meas
ure of success. There is little else pos
sible than to make the best Of unfortu-
nate circumstances, to deal with pallia-
tives, to brighten the individual lives
and to prevent misfortune from spread
ing. With children. on the other hand,
especially for the quite young and toll
erably healthy, there is possibility of
more positive results. The young life
contains within itself the principle of
growth and may be enabled to expand
into something actively useful. But if
the work for children has it's especially
hopeful side, it has also it's correspond
ing dangers, and imposes upon those
who would undertake it responsibility
such as has no counterpart in other de-
partments. have talked with those
who choose work for the incurable or
the aged because they felt that in this
the responsibility of days work ended
with day. If an old person, querulous
and miserable had been made somewhat
less unhappy for time, that modicum
of benefit was at least secure. With
children they were haunted by the feel
ing that the days of comfort afforded
might not be a blessing but curse.
When the life of dependent child is
misdirected the misfortune entailed up
on the individual and the community is
far-reaching. Fifty years hence many
Of the $4,000 children now dependent
will still be suffering from or profting
by the training that charity affords.
The care of destitute infants is sharply
distinguished from the care of older de-
pendent children. Among the former
the deathrate is the principal index of
success or failure, while among the
latter the death-rate is always low and
the attention must be given to evil
dences of right or wrong development
afforded by the character and suisse
quent career Of the children" What do
we mean by "child saving" when we re-
fer to dependent children? Do we not
mean that such children are given an
opportunity to grow up under whole
some conditions; that they are removed
from bad environment or circumstances
unfriendly to their best development,
and given chance to grow up normally
into men and women who will make
good citizens? How can this best be
accomplished? We are told that
BLESSED is he that considereth the
poor" How much more this means
than simply the relief of present needs.
1t means careful and systematic study
of the whole subject, not simply pair
of shoes bestowed or handout at the
back door. For. child it means his
chance for life, full, free, natural, and
individual. Where can such conditions
best be found? In studying the ques-
tion we see much growth during the
past hundred years, but nineteenth
century methods will not do for TWEEN
tieth century progress. Social students
never laid greater emphasis than now
upon trying to hold families together
and uplifting them as a unit. If that
cannot be done, if parents fail or will
not provide for their own, then the
first duty OF society is to make the best
possible provision for the children. Ever
since 1858 when that prophet among
.philanthropists, Chas. Loring Brace
organized the New York Aid Society
and began his great work of placing
homeless children in family homes, the
advisability of rearing children in insti-
buttons has been questioned. In 1883
Rev. Van Arsdale organized the Chill
dren's Home Society in Illinois, that
great society which has now spread in
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