The Cairo bulletin., 1912-07-08
Illinois Dependents.

Illinois Dependents.
Complete state care and supervis-
ion of dependent normal children.
implying the abolition of the sixty
or more private institutions now
scattered over Illinois, to care for
this class. is advocated strongly in
the second annual report of the
state Charities Commission. now In
the printers hands.
The Commission says this is a plea
for the natural rights of the normal
child who has been left dependent
through the death or abandonment
OF Its parents.
The Commission Is opposed to or
phans' asylums. A home and home
life ia what the child is entitled to.
He is a state ward by law and the
state should do its duty by him and
not leave II to some one else to do.
The report on the subject opens
as follows:
The state has assumed complete
care of M
The blind child. n
The deaf child -
THE delinquent child,
sas'''rhs seeble.minded child. s
The soldiers orphan.
THE dependent child found in the
almshouse
For each of these classes the
y state has established institutions
on an elaborate scale to teach and
instruct and. among the delinquent.
also to reform.
There remains outside the pale
the dependent gtffd VINO IS normal
and has not been, perhaps we might
say, fortunate enough TO get into
the poor house. 5
why this child should have been
left out OF consideration has never
& been explained. His care and train
ing the state has left to the tender
mercies Of loosely jointed, irrespon-
sible and inadequately supervised
private organizations. with a wide
variety Of motives and peculiarities.l
This Commission is of the opin-
ion that the day has come when the
state should perform its plain duty
totthis class by providing for them
care, training and education in
state schools until such time arrives
when they may be placed in homes
which efficient and adequate inspec-
ton has demonstrated to be adapted
to the character and the physical
condition of the Individual
a. The chartering and certifcation
OF the so-calied private institutions.
either to train or to place out de-
dendent children, should cease, and
the complete responsibility for them
assumed by, the state.
IT. has long been realized that the
dependent child in Illinois has been
the victim OF state neglect and i'm
poverished private ibenevolenee.
THE baby farm has been motor
ious; II has been uncovered many
times in many places. trafficking In
the life and destiny of abandoned
infants e.
The child finding and placing in
stitution, organized and conducted
fer a profit, has existed to the shame
and disgrace of Illinois,
M1Others have been exact copies
OF old Suueers Dotheboys' hall.
THE dependent child who falls
into the possession OF the county
farm Is often, even there, much
better of than the dependent child
wandering in the city or town: for
the state goes to the country farm,
removes the normal dependent to a
state institution and there gives him
all the advantages of education,
training and home environment,
watches over his daily conduct and
requires a record each day of HIS
every action l vi
''If the private institution is to
continue to perform the function In
society for which 1t was designed,
then there must be more drastic
laws for the protection of the child
within! The State Board OF Admin
istration must s'be provided with
more power than it now possesses
andsthe Juvenile Court must be
strengthened materially. These In
StffutiavrS ss,net ,..,,.- 49,. A. 81,