The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-05-23
.VIR GIN|A LEADS
IN SOCIAL WORK
Shows More Progress, Says Or.
Hart, Than Any Other
State in UnioM.
CHILD CONFERENCE OPENS
Three Meetings To-Day Will.
Discuss Many Problems
Concerning Child.

More progress has been made in
Virginia during the past five years In
the development of social work then in
any other State in the Union. said
DIR. II. II. Hart. director Of tho child
helping department. of the Russell
Sage Foundation. in his address be-
fore the Virginia Child Welfare Con-
ference last night. DR.. Hart further
praised the work of the negro reforma-
tory. in Hanover. calling IL the pioneer
of It's class In the South. and saying
that all other Southern States will b.
obliged to come to il as their model.
The conference opened with n good
attendance. in spite of the hot weather.
There were In the audience a number
OF men who are prominent In the work
of social betterment in this State,
among them superintendent of hos
pitals for the insane and of other pub
lie institutions. a good many teachers
were on hand. much interested in the
proceedings.
A chiidren's chorus added a good
deal to the pleasure of the meeting.
virginin In Lead.
1t speedily became evident to the
hearers of DIR. Hart that he had cor
rcctly expressed the situation when he
said Virginia was In the lead In social
Improvement work. For. as he traced
the modern methods OF dealing with
the delinquent, tho defective and the
dependent child. they recognized his
pictures as already drawn on the
canvas of public effort in this State.
! Much of his message of last night is
an old story in Virginia, where the
work which he commended is already
! under way.
This was true as applied to the am
ployment of trained people to care for
the dependent and delinquent wards
of the State; as applied TO separate
care of epileptlcs. as applied to a large
extent to surgical treatment. and in
some degree 20 the trials of Juveniles
/; apart from hardened criminals.
Cnrc Of Fecble-NiInded.
However. some things that he said
were new 10 his hearers. One was
that it had been found best IN cities
TO teach deaf and blind children In
the public schools. in separate depart
, ments. SO that they may live at home
State schools for this purpose. how
ever, still being necessary for those
in country districts. Truant schools
and separate chools for backward
children were especially commended.
Regarding the care of the feeble
minded, DIR. Hart said he recently ad-
vlsed the State of Oklahoma to defer
the erection of asylums and prisons. II
necessary. so as to have a school for
the feebie-m minded first.
Modern observation. said DR.. Hart,
has taught the lesson tina ii Is best
10 make the unfortunate mother OF
an il~legitimate child realize the re-
sponsibilitics OF her position and on
tinue to care for II. You can't make
a good woman he said, "by persuad-
ing her to disregard her most sacred
+. obligation" II
: Good Sign in South.
1t has been found. he continued,
that infant mortality in the South is
: less than in other parts of the Union.
f: Statistics indicate that this is true
: because 'ottle nursing is not generally
practiccd in his section. and he called
this one of the most wholesome signs
! of the times. He deplored the build
Ing of ~orphanages throughout the
South. which has been demonstrated
+. 10 be the most expensive and not at
!. all the most desirable way TO care Tor
orphan children.
DR.. Roy X. Flanagan, president OF
the State Conference on Charities and
Correction. presided. In his opening
address DR.. Flanagan asked these
questions: How can we justify our
selves as long as here in the South
thousands OF Gods little ones in total
ignorance are grinding out their lives
In the mills and in the mines? How
can we justify ourselves when our
reform school is half filled with chill
dren under twelve years OF age. the
companions and apt scholars of vicious
young men? How can we justify our
selves when we deny separate courts
and probation to juvenile o~fenders?"
M Good Work for HeaIfb. ~
Governor Mann. in delivering the ad.
dress of welcome, spoke of the debt
of gratitude due TO the Richmond
Health Department and DIR. Levy for
their marvellous work In practically
Riding the city of typhoid fever.
he also paid high tribute 10 the
State Board OF Health. whose mem
bers, he said. are working 10 save
lives and not for pecunlary gain. He
commented on the fact that the aver
age age OF the inmates OF the star.
Penitentiary is only twenty-three. As
To- hospitals, the Governor said that
he favored them, but was opposed -
anybody going TO them unless he had
to.
1T seemed to him that the place TO
start child welfare work was in the
home of the child.
This mornings and afternoons ses-
sfons OF the conference will be held
at the Virginia Mechanics' Institute,
and the two subjects Of The Child
Before Birth and During Infancy" ana
Infant Mortality" Will be discussed
in a number of addresses. DR.. J.. w.
Schereschewsky, of the United States
Public Health and Marine Hospital