Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1909-01-02
CHILD SAVING CONFAB
Roosevelt Calls One at white
House Next Month.
FOR CARE OF YOUNGSTERS.

Will Discuss Plans For Those Wfe
Are Destitute and Neglected, but Nat
DeIinquent-Men Interested In Char
ity Work to Neutrality-suspicious. TO
BE Considered.
President Roosevelt win call 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. o.
at 2:30 in the afternoon.
| The conference has been called Is
the suggestion of several persons fR-
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
sociation, heads the list of signers
The president, in response to the re
quest, sent out the following invita-
ton:
| Sir--I have received letter, of which
inclose a copy, together with statemen&
Of the official positions of the persons
/ who signed it and memorandum which
Is suggested for consideration and action
| if the conference which the letter sus
gests be held. I am confident that you
will be impressed with the very great inn
portance of the subject touched on In this
letter and the desirability that there,
should be the fullest discussion Of tho
propositions, a memorandum of which y
| inclose. Surely nothing ought to interess
| our people more than the care of the cflE
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 homa
In Massachusetts many orphan asyluns
have been discontinued, and thousands aGG
the children who formerly have gone 10
the orphan asylum are now kept in pH5
vate homes, either on board, with pay
ment from public or private treasures, M
in adopted homes provided by the geneE-
osity of foster parents. Many religious
bodies have within the last ten years or
ganized effective child placing agencies,
i I am accordingly inviting number a
men and women, list of which Will aR
nounce, to "a conference to be held In
Washington Jan. 25 and Is. The confer
ence will open by my receiving the meTg
4 UcES AT Lie WIFI f1OuS6 JdEI. dE .-sSAS
D rl1.ss Az sou attend !? - t-s - ees-s
! Win you please communicate with Mr.
James E. West, 1343 Clifton street N. w
Washington. Sincerely yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT
The letter addressed to the presidenf
on which he issued the call says:
Destitute children certainly deserve as
much consideration and help as ahose
, CUh hu of oil 1MlS lS.ut
quency enforce the attention Of the state
and become objects Of its care. But onsg
few states have defined responsibility
for this class of children. Their care and
protection are left in many localities to TIM
fidelity Of voluntary agencies without re
quiring proper standards of method Gy
efficiency and without definite responsE
bility to the state or community
Unfortunately there has not been zs
frequent interchange of ideas and expert
ence among the officials of orphan asy
lums with consequent progress as aTnonE
those who work for delinquents.
These dependent children are cared fer
in different ways. According to a special
bulletin Of the United States census, there
were in orphan asylums and kindred In
stitutions on Dec. 81, 1904, not less than
92,561 children. In addition to these, there
were probably some $1,000 dependent chIE
dren in family homes under supervision.
In many states, however. little or ma
child saving work Is done, and in maIy
states thes organizations are greatly
handicapped by lack of appreciation and
OF adequate financial support.
It is of the highest Importance to the
welfare Of this vast number of futuEe
citizens that all child saving work shan
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
every precaution shall be taken in the
subsequent supervision of the children te
prevent neglect, overwork, insufficient ed
ucation or inadequate moral and religious
training, and that institutions shall be SO
carried on as to secure the best physical,
mental, moral and religious training Of
each individual child and to fit 1t for ac-
tive and creditable citizenship. u
The problem of the dependent child is
acute. 1t is large 1t is national. We be-
lieve 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-
lowing:
Should there be established in one
Of the federal departments national
children's bureau?
Should the state inspect the work
of all child caring agencies, including
both institutions and home finding SO
cieties?
Should the breaking of home be
permitted for reasons of poverty on
only for reasons of inefficiency or I'M
Should the state educational author
tiles exercise supervision over the edu-
cational work Of orphan asylums and
kindred institutions?
Would it be helpful and desirable il
some permanent committee or organi-
aztion comparable to the National As
socfation For the Study and Pre-
Vention Of tuberculosis, the national
child labor committee, ETC., could be
for the purpose of carry
Ing on an active propaganda with q
view of securing better laws in rela-
ton to children. better organizations
IF child caring agencies. better meth