Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-15
DEPENDENT CHILDREN
THEME OF MESSAGE
Continued From Tenth Page

therefore, that such children be given an
education which will fit them for self
support and for the duties of citizenship.
and the state should provide therefor.
In order that this education may be
equal to that afforded by the schools at
tended by the other children of the COM
munity. it is desirable that the education
of children in orphan asylumS and other
similar institutions. or placed In families.
should be under the supervision of the
educational authorities of the state.
Facts and Records.
S. The proper care of a child in the Gus
| tody of child-caring agency. as we'll as
the wise decision as to the period of his
retention and ultimate disposition to be
made Of him. involve a knowledge Of the
character and circumstances OF his par
ents. or surviving parent, and near rela
| tives, both before and at the time the
child becomes dependent, and SUISSE
Quently.
One unfortunate feature of child-caring
work hitherto Is the scanty Information
| available as to the actual careers of chill
dren who have been reared under the
care of charitable agencies. This applies
| both to institutions. which too frequently
lose sight of the children soon after they
leave their doors. and home-tinding
agencies. which too frequently have fail
ed to exercise supervision adequate to
enable them to judge of the real results
of their work.
1t is extremely desirable that, taking all
precautions to prevent injury or embar-
rassment to those who have been the sub
| Jects OF charitable care, the agencies
which have been responsible for the care
of children should know to what station
IN life they attain and what sort of citi-
zenS they become Only in this manner
| can they form correct judgment of the
| the results of their efforts
We believe therefore, that every child
| caring agency should
ta) Secure full information concerning
| the character and circumstances of the
parents and near relatives of each child
| in whose behalf application is made
through personal investigation by its own
representative, unless adequate informa-
| ton Is supplied by some other reliable
agency.
! OBJ Inform itself by personal investiga-
| ton at least once each year of the cir
| cumstances of the parents of children in
It's charge, unless the parents have been
| legally deprived of guardianship and un-
| less this information is supplied by some
| other responsible agency.
tc) Exercise supervision over children
| under their care until such children are
| legally adopted. are. returned to their pa
| rents attain their majority or clearly
| beyond the need of further supervision.
| td) Make permanent record of all in
| formation thus secured.
Physical Care
| q. The physical condition of children
who become the subjects of charitable
care has received inadequate considera-
ton Each child received into the care
| of such an agency should be carefully
examined by competent physician. es-
pecially for the purpose of ascertaining
whether such pecularities. If any, as the
| Child presents may be due to any defect
OF the sense organs or to other physical
| defect
| Both institutions and placing-out agen-
cies should take every precaution to Sc
cure proper medical and surgical care Of
| their children and should see that suita-
BILE instruction is given them in matters
of health and hygiene.
Cooperation.
10. Great benefit can be derived from
a close cooperation between the various
| child-carng agencies, institutional and
| otherwise. in each locality. 1t is especial
ly desirable that harmonious relations be
established in regard to the classes of
| children to be received by each agency
| the relations of such agencies to the pa
rents of children received, and the sub
| sequent oversight of children passing
| from the custody Of child-caring agencies
| The establishment of a Joint bureau of
| investigation and information by all the
| child-caring agencies of each locality is
| highly commended. in the absence of any
| d
! which they may cooperate.
Undesirable Legislation.
| II. We greatly deprecate the tendency
| of legislation in some states to place un-
necessary obstacles in the way of placing
children in family homes in such states by
| agencies whose headquarters are else
| where, in view of the fact that we favor
the care of destitute children, normal in
mind and body, in families wheneyer
practicable.
! We recognize the right of each state to
| protect itself from vicious, diseased or
| defective children from other states by
the enactment of reasonable protective
Legislation; but experience proves that the
| reception of healthy normal children is
not only an act of philanthropy but also
secures a valuable increment to the popu-
lation of the community and an ultimate
| increase of its wealth.
| The people of the more prosperous and
less congested districts owe debt of hos
| pltaiity to the older communities from
which many of them came.
We earnestly protest. therefore, against
such legislation as is prohibitive in form
or in effect. and urge that where ii exists
it be repealed.
Permanent Organization.
| ~. The care of dependent children is a
subject about which nearly every session
|
| Union concerns itself; it is a work in
which state and local authorities in many
states are engaged, and in which private
agencies are active in every state.
| Important decisions are being made con-
| stantly by associations, Institutions and
public authorities affecting questions of
policy, the type Of buildings to be con-
structed, the establishment of an ade-
quate system of Investigating homes and
visiting children placed In homes, and
| scores Of important matters affecting the
| well-being of needy children. Each of
these decisions should be made with full
knowledge of the experience of other
states and agencies. and Of the trend Of
| opinion among those most actively en-
| gagged in the care of children, and able
to speak from wide experience and careful
| observation.
| One effective means of securing this re-
| suit would be the establishment Of a per-
| manent organization to undertake, in this
field work comparable to that carried on
by the National Playground Association
| the National Association for the Study
| and Prevention of tuberculosis. the ma
tional child labor committee and other
| similar organizations In their respective
fields. 1t is our judgment that the estab-
lishment of such permanent voluntary
organization, under auspices which would
insure careful consideration of all
| points of view, broad indedness and
| tolerance would be desirable and helpful