Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-04
e CHILD STUDY CIRCLES SC

\
age inward. to be cared for by the
older children of the family. Imagine
if you can a princi. al with an once
full of sleeping or crying babies lying
in boxes, go-carts or on cots
''When the congress learned of these
conditions officials at once decided to
afford relic L Russian woman now
is engaged by our committe, to care for
the infants from a. m. to 3 p. m. The
home economies committee also made
many little glad hearts during Christ
mas holidays.
Aid Hospital Work
But this is by no means the extent
of the committees which are primed Tor
grand work the coming year. There is
the legislative section, which keeps in
touch with al legislative laws for
women as well as children. Next there
is the childrens hospital work. We are
maintaining a bed in this institution,
and not only care for but provide at
tendance for our little patients. This
committee will follow up its work by
giving attention to the health of chill
dren in school. Every child has the
right to a sound body, and, in order
to insure this, some one must pay at
tention to his health constantly. This
is part of our work.
I'VE also have to do with Maternity
cottage where this organization has
membership. 1t is an active one, you
may be assured. In this home mothers
are given proper care at the most
critical times of their lives. A scholar
ship plan is followed out by our mu-
tual benefit committee. If the child is
compelled to work it is our desire TO
pay the parent the amount it would
earn-the average is SO a week-at least
until the little one has finished the
eighth grade. This money can be paid
only after the child has received a card
from his principal certifying that he
or she is maintaining a required per-
centage in his school work In this
way we place an obligation upon the
home to insure effective school work
otherwise the plan would be of little
benefit.
But the field still is broad. We dis
covered that many teachers were aid
ing many poor children, not only with
clothing, but even going to the extent
of sharing their lunCheons with pupils.
In some cases this was done in order
that scholars might keep abreast of
studies and make their grades. You
may send the truant officer after a
child, but you cannot force him to at
tend school without proper clothing
We have taken up this part of the
work as an organization. However,
we seldom have to give food and never
give money. If the cases are aggra-
waited we cooperate with the Asso-
ciated Charities and all other similar
organizations. Giving really is the
least part of this work. We have dis
covered that through this work we have
interested many splendid workers who
could not at first see the necessity OF
our work from their view points. These
men and women now are our most
valuable members along other lines.
Medical Assistance
"Our most important work, outside of
the main movement is giving medical
attendance. and in this we are assisted
greatly by the city health department.
We are seeing to it that the child is
perfectly fit to be in school. We also
have secured court protection for many
children, Many deserted families have
thanked this committee for the return
of parents or for monthly allowances
We now are following up this work.
We cooperate with the juvenile work
through committee also, and the bene-
fits have been many. But these have
been so managed that the organlzatlon
has been spared publicity.
'In no other philanthropic work is it
possible to reach so many individuals
who need not only food and clothing,
hut that moral uplift which comes from
contact with people who really care.
I'VE have been asked If we were not
pauperizing the people we aid. We
think not. In almost every instance
they have been given the material to
work upon or labor to be passed along
to some needy one. They have repaid,
therefore, in part at least.
''I could mention many other COM
mittees that have done grand work
during the past year and that are pre-
pared to enlarge their field of useful
ness. but the reader easily can secure
a partial understanding of what the
movement means to Los Angeles,
Southern California and the state"