Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1915-10-26
WISCONSIN STATE CONFER
ENCE OF CHARITIES AND
CORRECTION.

| The Wisconsin State Conference OF
Charities and Correction, which was
held in this city the past week, closed
its annual sessions last Wednesday
evening. The conference was largely
attended and an interesting program
of attractive numbers scheduled,
made the meeting this year very
successful one. In listening to the
reports and addresses, it was impressed
upon the delegates that this move
ment of Charities and Correction is a
great need and should be bettered in
many ways; also that the banding to-
gether of delegates from this confer
ence brings good results in child well
fare, which this conference is almost
wholly devoted to.
The meetings opened on Monday
evening, a week ago last night, in the
court house, and the session was
given up to the usual routine of con-
ventions. Mayor John Ringle well
coined the visitors.
The response, which was to have
been delivered by Hon. James O..
Davidson, President of the State
Board of Control, was given by Miss
Katherine Williams of Milwaukee,
member of the executive commit
tee, in the absence of the former.
Miss Williams, after responding to
the welcome, told of conditions in the
rural communities, which should be
bettered. Recreation and training
along vocational lines is very much
needed, and that this movement of
bettering conditions in these dis
tricts would have to be started by the
urban people, and from results OBJ
tanned, the rural people would event
ually promote the work.
Judge A. H. Reid gave the presi-
dents annual address, in which he
urged educating young people to help
themselves, so that they would not
become dependent and delinquent.
Mr.. Reid cited child welfare as the
most important problem within the
field of the Conference Of Charities
and Correction. He believes that
childhood is the time for reform, and
that the right kind of influence ap-
piled during the formative period of
childhood, would save from life of
dependency and delinquency or crime
almost any child which is not gravely
deficient in original, mental or physi-
cal endowments.
David Fogwell, director of the
social center work at Kenasha, talked
on '"The Social Center in the Proven
tion of Dependency and Delinquency"
He stated that the following organiz-
ationS are interested in dependency
and delinquency and supply the needs
to prevent the same; churches, char
tiles, lodges, clubs, Y. M. G. AIS, Y.
w. G. AIS and the social center move
ment. The social center movement
is a late development, and is free.
1t means the bringing together of
classes of people where friendship is
formed and where time can be spent
in good company, thus preventing
dependency and delinquency.
On Tuesday morning the session
opened with talk by Judge Louis
Marchetti on estate Aid to Depend
ent Children from the Judges Point
of View" The creation of the Indus
trial Commission, Juvenile Courts,
Mothers Pension Law and other
legislative acts are for the welfare of
society. The judge or court in Wis
consin is given the power to take
children away from their parents if
the welfare of the child demands it,
Children are also compelled to attend
school until they are fourteen years
of age, leaving out of consideration
the continuation schools. Mr.. Mar
chetti stated that the highest duty
of the government was education for
the growing generation. He showed
by figures what has been accomplished
in this county for dependent children
and approves of the Mothers Pension
act. He cited evidence to show that
public conscience is being aroused to
the duties an enlightened society owes
to its citizens.
David Richardson OF Milwaukee
addressed the conference on estate
Aid to Dependent Children from the
Public Relief Officials Point of View"
He told of the work of the Home
Finding society, being in charge of
the Madison district of the Childrens'
Home Society of Wisconsin.
Miss Agnes Wilson of Madison, a
field agent, reported on the Board of
Controls Survey of the Need of State
Aid for Dependent Children" and
told of operations of the law and how
conditions might be bettered. Miss
Wilson favors proposed legislation,
which provides for county board of
child welfare, working in conjunction
with the courts.
Interesting discussions followed by
Miss Amelia Sears of Chicago, Fred
G. Brayton of Appleton and Mrs.
Katherine L. Van Wyck of Milwau-
kee on aid to dependent children.
Following the luncheon in the
parlors of the First Methodist church
Tuesday noon, special groups of work
ers held its discussions. At three
O'Clock the visitors were given an
automobile ride 10 the charitable
institutions of Wausau and other
places of interest.
In the evening a dinner was served
in the First Methodist church dining
room. after which addresses were
listened to at the court house instead
of at the high school auditorium as
first announced.