The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-08-21
Special Committee Inevstigat.
ing Charity Problem OPP
poses Sending Unfortu-
mates to Whites Institute.
RECOMMENDS CHANGE
Report Shows How County
Could Save Much Money
by Keeping Children in
Homes Here. :.

Increases in the cost of mainte-
nance and the number of inmates In
the Home for the Friendless; incom-
plete records Of persons committed to
the institution and failure to place or.
phans In foster homes instead of in
Whites institute are the basis for
recommendations made to the county
commissioners by a special investigat-
ing committee.
The committee which required two
months to make its investigations,
collect data and formulate recommen-
dattons is composed of John Melpold-
er. secretary of the Central Charity
bureau, Auditor l.. S. Bowman and At
torney Fred White.
Make Recomme ndations.
With reference to the Home for
Friendless the investigators made the
following recommendations which it is
understood have already meant saw
Ing of approximately $4,000 to the
county.
That juvenile detention home be
maintained as a separate department
for the care of children temporarily
placed there pending hearing in the
JuVSullC court.
That the Home for Friendless be
notified by the commissioner that
only care and custody of children com.
Ing within the above classification can
be legally paid out of the county funds.
Placed There Temporarily.
That the children having been the
wards of the Board of Childrens' guar
dians may be placed there by such
board for the temporary care pending
their placement in foster homes or
other institutions. Such temporary
care may be charged to the county un-
less paid for by parents or guardians.
That the commissioners recommend
that the Home for Friendless provide
duplicate application blanks for all
children being proper charges against
the county and that q copy OF each
application be filed with the countx
auditor. t~4s
That the commissioners discontinue
the employment Of an assistant ma
tron since the per diem for children
fixed by statute includes their care.
That the commissioners enter into
a contract with the Ladies' board of
managers Of the Friendless Home for
the board and care of children legally
maintained there.
Ask Cooperation.
Recommendations to the Board of
Ch1ldren's Guardians were that it CO.
operate with the commissioners in an
effort to decrease the number of chill
dren dependent on public support and
to place as many of them as possible
in foster homes
That wards of the Board of Guard.
ians be retained in Wayne county un.
der proper care, until reasonable ef-
fort has been made to place them in
foster homes
That the commissioner recommend
to the Board of Guardians the appoint
ment of an agent to investigate and
find foster homes
The commissioners were advised to
instruct the prosecutor to prosecute
parents whose neglect al
lowed their children to become pub
lie charges.
The commissioners, it was also sug-
gested, should apply to the Board of
State Charities for more active assist
ance in placing Wayne county chill
dren in fostor homes.
Shows Increase.
The report of the increase in ex-
penditures: It will be noted that the |
for the inmates of the Home |
for Friendless Children has increased
In ten years 900 per cent, and in the |
last 2 years 300 per cent These
include only the per diem al.
lowed for inmates, and not the addi-
.ional expense allowed in recent years |
IS salaries for matron, $50 a month;
Tor turnkey, $22 per month, and for
aundry s6 per month.
The expense for all inmates to
which the report refers, are as fol-
[continued On Page Eighth