The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-09-03
CARE OF ORPHANS
II. G.. Bowman of State Board OF
Control Explains.
What the State Does for the
FatherleSS.
ABUSES ARE MAN Y.
Parents Often Shirk Their Par
entail Responsibilities.
Recent Law Provides They Shall
Pay if Able.
SUNDAY.

H. C. Bowman of the state board of
control, in reply to editorial comment
on the orphan child problem, has writ
ten a most interesting and comprehen-
sive article on the subject, as follows:
1.-THE editorials in issues of the State
journal last week. AS to Destitute
Children and Refractory Parents
are very timely, but a part of the first
one is slightly in error as to the State
Orphans home If our government
could be organized and administered
so as to give every child it's natural
rights and an equal show. one of the
greatest governmental problems would
be solved President Roosevelt said
to the White House Conference for the
Care of Dependent Children, called by
him Just prior to his leaving the presi-
dental chair. There can be no more
important subject from the stand
point of the nation than that with
which you have to deal because when
you take care of the children of today
YOU are taking care Of the nation OF
tomorrow, and it is incumbent upon
every one of US to do all in his power
to provide for the interests of those
children whom cruel misfortune has
handicapped at the very outset of their
lives
Section 5545, General Statutes of
1909. authorizes the board of county
commissioners of each county to al
low and pay poor persons OF mature
years and sound minds and also to
parents of helpless children who are
not able to provide for said children
themselves such annual allowance as
will not exceed the charge of their
maintenance in the ordinary mode
This section has been the law of Kan
sas ever since Kansas became state,
but IL is discretionary with the board
of county commissioners whether they
do this. If the newspapers would ag1-
tate this matter the county commits
sioners would wake up and become
more humane and refuse to any longer
separate a worthy motner from hef
children.
Charitable work is carried on by
the churches, the Salvation Army,
other religious organizations, patrlotlc
organizations, fraternal societies and
clubs and also in some communities
NV associated charities and provident
associations, and it does seem as
though these private organizations in
each locality could take care of a
worthy widow and her children with
the assistance of the county commits
sioners. The trouble is that with some
boards of county commissioners the
dollar is placed above the rights OF
children and parents.
1.-The law also created a Juvenile court
IN each county to see after children,
INT the Juvenile court law was taken
from states that have a different Ju-
dicial system from Kansas and 1t does
not fit in very well with our system
and is not accomplishing as much as
would be accomplished if we had
county court system. Such a law was
introduced in the last legislature and
1T is to be hoped that the next leg1sla-
ture will enact such a law. A gooo
family home is the best place for a
child and there are more good family
homes ready and willing to receive
young children than there are young
children fitted to enter them. The OBJ
1ect of the Juvenile court is to bring the
two together, but the average probate
STdee has never made child life or So
ciaI progress a study. The other lines
~ his work nay much better and take
much less time than dealing with the
chiIdren. Consequently the care of chill
dren is secondary consloeratlon ano
he gets rid of them in the easiest way
nossible by turning them over to q
home-finding society of which there
are three operating in Kansas, or ir
turning them over to one of the private
institutions for children, or in sending
them to the state orphans home.
Soldiers Children Cared For.
soldiers children are taken care Of
by the state at the state soldiers home
at Dodge City and the Mother Bicker
dyke annex at Ellsworth. All depend
ent and neglected children between tn,
ages OIL 2 anu II years VI COuAlQ
are admitted to the state orphans homt
at Atchison We have endeavored t
systematic the home-finding associa
lions and the public and private chill
dren's institutions of the state so tina
the field will be covered in a SyStemati'
way, without one association or insti
tuition clashing with another. The home
finding associations of the state tina
do not have institutions should confin,
their work to children who are orphan
81 ohondnnpd These
place the child Immediately in a hom
and contract never to let the parents. i
living, know where the child has BEEF
placed The field open to the genera
private children's institutions is to car
for dependent babies and also to fur
nish a temporary home for childrel
whose parents through misfortune ar
temporarily unable to provide for them