The Adair County news. [volume] (Columbia, Ky.) 1897-1987, 1909-01-20
Child SAVING CONFAB.
Roosevelt Calls One at White
House Next Month.
FOR CARE OF YOUNGSTERS,

Will Discuss Plans For Those Who
Are Destitute and Neglected, but Net
Delinquent-Men Interested In Char
ity Work to Attend-Propositions to
|. Be Considered,
President Roosevelt will call a con-
ference of about hundred persons
from different parts of the country
who are interested in caring for de-
/ pendent children to meet in the east
room of the White House ON Jan. %.
at 2:30 in the afternoon.
| The conference has been called at
I the suggestion of several persons in
terested in the work who joined in a
letter to the president requesting him
to call it. Homer Folks, secretary Of
the New York State Charities Aid as
ISOLATION, heads the list of signers
The president, in, response to the re-
quest, sent out the following invita-
ton.
Sir-I have received a letter of which
inclose a copy, together with statement
| of the official positions of the persons
who signed it and a memorandum which
! is suggested for consideration and action
I if the conference which the letter sug-
! gests be held. 1 am confident that you
will be impressed with the very great i'm
portance of the subject touched on in this
I letter and the desirability that there
| should be the fullest discussion of the
propositions, memorandum of which
inclose. Surely nothing ought to interest
our people more than the care of the chill
dren who are destitute and neglected, but
not delinquent
Personally / very earnestly believe that
! the best way in which to care for de-
! pendent children is in the family home
! In Massachusetts many orphan asylums
/ have been discontinued, and thousands of
/ the children who formerly have gone to
! the orphan asylum are now kept in pri-
/ vate homes, either on board, with pay
! ment from public or private treasures, or
in adopted homes provided by the gener-
! oS1ty Of foster parents. Many religious
! bodies have within the last ten years or
! ganized effective child placing agencies.
I am accordingly inviting number of
| men and women, a list of which will an
nounce to a conference to be held in
! Washington Jan. Is and 26. The confer
! ence will open by, my receiving the mem
berS at the White House Jan. Is at 2:3e
! p. m. Can you attend?
/ Will you please communicate with Mr.
( James E. West 1343 Clifton street, N W..
Washington. Sincerely yours
, THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The letter addressed to the president
on which he issued the call says:
Destitute children certainly deserve as
4 much consideration and help as those
! who by reason of some alleged deln-
quency enforce the attention of the state
md III of ifc Ty,,f lx,Ixy
few states have defined responsibility
for this class of children. Their care and
! protection are left in many localities to the
fidelity of voluntary agencies without
\ curing proper standards of method or
efficiency and without definite response
I bility to the state or community.
Unfortunately there has not been as
/ frequent interchange of ideas and expert
ence among the officials of orphan asy
lumS with consequent progress as among
those who work for delinquents.
! These dependent children are cared for
! In different ways. According to a special
bulletin of the United States census, there
were in orphan asylums and kindred in
situations on Dec. 81, 1904, not less than
/ S2,561 children. In addition to these there
were probably some $4,000 dependent chill
4 dren in family homes under supervision.
In many states however, little or no
child saving work is done, and in many
states the organizations are greatly
i handicapped by lack of appreciation and
! Of adequate financial support.
1t is of the highest Importance to the
4 welfare of this vast number of future
citizens that all child saving work shah
be conducted on high plane of eff
cheney; that in the placing of children in
families the utmost care shall be taken
to exclude all undesirable applicants; that
4 every precaution shall be taken in the
subsequent supervision of the children to
prevent neglect, overwork, insufficient ed
I ucation or inadequate moral and religious
training, and that Institutions shall be SO
1 carried on as to secure the best physical
mental, moral and religious training of
each individual child and to fit it for ac-
4 tive and creditable citizenship,
I The problem of the dependent child is
\ acute. 1t is large. 1t is national. We be-
leve it is worthy of national considera-
! ton We earnestly hope. therefore, that
you will cooperate with us in an effort
to get this problem before the American
people.
Among the propositions to be con-
sidered by the conference are the fol
4 lowing:
Should there be established in one
of the federal departments national
children's bureau?
Il soHOulU tuS oldtc iuSpCSt INC tWOIh
Of all child caring agencies, including
both institutions and home finding So
cieties?
Should the breaking of home be
4 permitted for reasons of poverty or
, only for reasons of inefiiciency or i'm
morality? 10y
Should the state educational author
tiles exercise. supervision over the edu-
cational work of orphan asylums and
$ kindred institutions?
J Would it be helpful and desirable if
! some permanent committee or organi-
aztion comparable to the National AS
ISOLATION For the Study and Pre-
) vention Of tuberculosis, the national
!, child labor committee, ETC.. could be
established for the purpose of carry
ing on an active propaganda with a
view Of securing better laws in rela-
ton to children, better organizations
Of child caring agencies. better meth
DDS of relief and aid to any children
) throughout the United States? :.
j Statue. of Daniel Boone.
4 A So of Don oJ <<,