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

mas wrought great changes in the atti-
tude of the people at large toward
these needy little ones. Fortunately
the movement has not stopped with
creating better and more wholesome
public sentiment, but it has pressed on
to the securing legislation for the beae-
fit of all children and the ultimate good
OF society. Private societies are net
alone in advocating the placing out
system as being the best and most na-
tural method Of caring for dependent
children. In 1874 the state of Michigan
adopted the plan of gathering the des-
tltute children of the state into a CEN
trail institute from which they are as
soon as possible placed out in families.
The same plan is, in the main, now fol-
lowed by about dozen other states,
and has been found to be very satisfae-
tory. State agents find the homes and
carefully supervise the children after
ward. In the reports of the superin-
tendent of the Iowa Soldiers Home, the
state agent, and the board of control for
the biennial period ending June seth,
l9OS, it was recommended that Iowa
follow this plan, and be given full con-
troll of all children admitted to the
home. Indiana passed such law in
1907, one clause of which is as follows:
mo child hereafter shall be supported,
in whole or in part, in such institution,
unless such child shall have been made
a public ward by order of the Judge of
the juvenile court, and all such wards
shall be available for placement in fam
lily homes l wrote Mr.. Alexander
Johnson Of Indianapolis, secretary of
the National Conference of Charities
and Correction some six months after
the law went into effect for some ipfer-
nation concerning the working of it.
quote one paragraph from his letter in
reply: "Of course the abuse aimed at
in the new law is one which has been
called Child storage" by which parents
or guardians force upon the public the
expense of caring for children for
which they themselves are responsible,
Many parents will place child in an
orphans home whom they imagine they
can take out again at their option, but
would hesitate before taking the child
into court and having it declared de-
pendent, as then their guardianship en-
tirely ceases. have no doubt the final
result will be Statutory"
From his book on the care of depen-
dent, delinquent and destitute children,
Mr.. Homer Folks names some of the
advantages of full state control of chill
dren:
l. at offers little or no inducenent
to parents to throw their children upon
the public for support. The fact that
the custody of the children is to be
vested in the state authorities, and that
the children are to be removed to an
institution at some distance from which
after a brief period they are to be
placed in families, discourages parents
from parting from their children unless
such course is really necessary. Nor
does this requirement., as rule work
unnecessary hardship. The board of
control can relinquish to worthy par
ents the custody Of their children, if
such course becomes desirable, and
does SO in numerous cases.
2. 'The placing out system which
has been made the most important
feature of the best state systems, re-
stores the children more promptly than
any other method to the normal life of
the family and the community. The
effective use of the placing out system
not only secures to the children the
undoubtedly superior advantages Of
family life and training, but also dimin-
ishes correspondingly the public burden.
The amounts spent by the states of
Michigan and Minnesota for the care of
destitute children seem almost ridieu-
lousy small when compared with the
amounts expended in other states, yet
their is every reason for believing that
the needs of the destitute and neglected
children are nowhere more adequately
met than in those states
| have from authorities to show
something of the trend of the times
and the opinion of students of social
problems as to the best method of ear
ing for dependent children. Some few
persons are still radical in their be-
lief in institution homes; others are so
radically in favor of the placing cut
system that they even object to re-
ceiving home for the care of destitute
little ones. The concensus Of opinion
seems now to favor an adequate receiv-
ing or institution home with full con-
troll of all children admitted, and with
we'll developed placing ont department
SO that all children may be speedily re-
stored to normal family life.
For some children, especially the
older ones admitted, there are decided
advantages to be gained from stay Of
few months or year in the home. 1t
is necessary for some to stay long
enough to learn clearly habits, orderly
ways, and to learn to render obedi-
ence to those in authority; this will
cause them to be more acceptable and
more likely to remain in the private
homes to which they afterwards go.
Older children have always been taken
into family homes more for the help
they are expected to render than from
any philanthropic impulse; although /
am glad to say the desire to give as
we'll as receive oftimes animates the
same breast. OF later years the needs
of the child have been persistently pre-
sented by the agents of homes and
placing out societies, and is urged as
far as possible as the compelling motive
for taking children. Appeal has been
made to the best classes of people to
open their hearts and homes, insisting
that child shonld be taken not for
what can be got out of him, but for
what can be put into him; stress being
laid upon the advantage OF taking the
younger children who will grow np as