The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-04-28
PAY FULL WAGES TO CHILDREN IN
 INSTITUTIONS
OR INDUSTRIAL TRAINING AND THE
 DEPENDENT CHILD
By Mary c. Wel1es, General secretarg
 The Consumers League of Conn.

# Dependent or institutional children may be roughly grouped into three classes: the normal, children, who are placed in orphan asylums, county homes. etc.; the sub-normaI physical Iy,- who are in most cases sub-horma1 mentally, who are placed in homes for crippled children, for incurables, etc.; and the sub-norma1s morally, who are sent to state reform schools, houses of correction, and the like. The problem is in each one of these groups a different one
 the healthy, normal child most often found in the orphan asylum.
 What is his special need in the way of vocational training
 Does it differ from the need of the grammar school child of the same age who must leave school early to go to work?
 It differs in one particular only. In every other particular, his need is the same need exactly.
 HOMELESS CHILD ENTITLED TO
 LIVING WAGE.
 The one particular difference is this: That the homeless child should be en- abled to earn a living wage irnmed- lately upon leaving the institution. His training should look forward to that. Here comes one test of what the in stitution has done for him.
 The ordinary grammar school child who goes to work at the age of four teen or fifteen is not expected to earn a living wage at first. He may serve an apprenticeship on small pay, if need be- In most eases he contrib utes to the family wage, but does not support himself.
 If an institution is highly endowed so that the question of expense does ', ,cyI, children so. that they may be grouped into small classes and do not need in dividuaI instruction the problem of vocational training is one of selection, method and correlation with the or dinary subjects of English, arithmetic and geography.
 It should be borne in mind that most children under sixteen have not developed tastes very generally. and do not know their own aptitudes. It is not safe to assume that this boy should take up printing and that one cabinet making or agriculture. Rather such an institution may give boy a survey over a number of subjects that he may find himself, as it were, yet give him enough special training in one so that he may be able to hold his own when he leaves the institution.
 It is quite likely. however. that he may not remain permanently even in that particular WQrA
 NATIONAL COURTS BAD.
 If the institution is not sufficiently endowed, it is most likely that the children will attend the public schools and will have the advantage of the pre-vocationa1 courses or the trade in struction which may be offered there.
 But schools are slow to establish these courses. Moreover an institu- ton having control of the child's time outside of school hours has thereby an opportunity and a responsibility.
 In most institutions of this class. it seems to be the rule to set the chill dren to work he1dping, the girls dust ing, cleaning, preparing vegetables. etc. the boys cleaning. working on the grounds, making repairs on the house etc.
 Now, considerable time daily must be spent on this work
 It saves the institution money for service. and teaches the child to be