The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-04-03
In a Letter to the Wayne
County Commissioners Sec
rotary Butler Calls Atten-
ton to the Fact.
HOMES FOR CHILDREN
ARE GREATLY DESIRED
Disposal of Young Girls Com
ing Before Juvenile Court a
Much Greater Problem
Than the Boys Are.

In a lettcr 10 the county CORNERSTONE
ers. Amos Butler, secretary of the
board of state charities, calls atten-
ton to the care for orphan and depend
ent children. The secretary calls at
tention to the cost Of these children to
the state and declares it is too much.
Wayne county abolished the orphans
home several years ago and since then
has been accustomed to place the chill.
dren which the court makes its wards,
at Whites Institute. A few children
have found homes In private families
but the supply has been far greater
than the demand.
Has Several Wards.
At the present time, Judge Fox, OF
the juvenile court. has as wards. sew.
eral young boys, whose home influence
is such as to cause them to be guilty
of petty depredations. These have
brought them in conflict with the po-
lice, and arrests have followed or the
probation officer has been called upon
and she has brought the cases to the
attention of the court.
As a usual thing, the young girls
who come before the court present
problems more difficult to dispose OF
than the boys offer. 1t is very seldom
that a home is found for a girl. II
she be very young. it sometimes hap.
pens she is adopted by another family
when her mother or guardian surren-
ders her rights But usually, girl
who has been thrown upon the paths
of waywardness has no chance offered
her but the reform school. This con
dition is such as to cause the court
worry and presents problem to the
county commissioners, also, that AZ
yet remains without solution.
see'y Buffers Letter.
Similar conditions exist through the
state, it may be judged from the let
ter of Secretary Butler, which Is as
follows:
There are entirely too many chill.
dren on public support in this state
1t is contrary to their best interests, II
normal, to be kept in orphans homes
instead of being placed in good famil,
homes. and it is also burden upor
the public treasury. A few of the or
phans' homes are active In the work o.
placing their wards; the majority place
few il any children, some of them de
pending almost wholly upon thu
agents of this board. We should b,
glad to supply you information from
our records, regarding the particular
association, which takes your depend
emit children, II you desire 1t.
Must Have License.
Under a law passed by the last leg
islature. it will be illegal for any or
phan's home to care for orphans or de
pendent children without a licens'
| from the board of state charities. You
are doubtless aware that the depend
ent and neglected children law Of 1870
prohibits a county from paying for tn
! support of any child in an orphans
home unless the court has COMMITTEES
that child as public ward. Such In
situations must also have the approve
| of the board Of state charities befor
| they can receive public wards.
Those and other laws along tn
same line have all been enacted TO
the good Of the child, and the good o
the child means, eventually. the goo
of the county and state. We want t
work with you in this matter. w
trust you will approve no bills for tn
maintenance of public wards unless tn
laws are fully complied with. both II
regard to their commitment by tn
| court and their placement in famil
homes, il normal. by the association
| which receive them for temporar
care. We also ask your cooperation
in the supervision which the law re
quires us to give all work for depend
ent children"