Norwich bulletin., 1916-05-02

meeting was called to order ShOfrly after 8 o'clock by the president Leon duced Mrs. Frank A. Mitchell of this city as chairman of the meeting and chairman of the committee on children and a member of the state board of charities. Mrs. Mitchell batroduced Eugene Van Why, secretary of the childrenss committee, who read a re- port. In part Mir. Van Why's report follows:
 In their original purpose, the county homes were to be temporary shelters where children were to be kept only until suitable private home could be found. The board of managers of the county homes places children in priv ate homes when suitable homes can family, the family is investigated by our board of visitors who serve with out compensation. Each town of the counties is represented by one or more visitors.
 It is not an easy matter to find suit able homes for all of our children. Most applicants for children want boy or girl who is past school age (which is fourteen) who is strong, bright, attractive, etc., and then, af- sire the child to have, sometimes add the child will have a good home and will be well treated and conclude by saying they really want the child for company more than for work. When l get such an inquiry always feel the people want cheap labor and if ! offer them child nine or ten years old, who ought to be company enough for most families, the applicant does not want such a young child. Some families look upon the homes as good places to secure cheap labor There are Some families in our county who have had children from our home al- most continuously since the home was founded. Some of these families make excellent homes for the children they take and others do not. In making inquiries about one family who has had a number of children from our home, a neighbor told me that the family was all right but that the chil- dren had to work hard and received little besides food. This family had had girl for g. number of years and the neighbor said he doubted if she had been away from the place except | to church half dozen times since she l left the home. So you can readily see that good judgment must be used | in deciding whether or not to place | 8 child. Many of our children are not 1 very attractive and consequently, they 1 get no consideration from good fami- l lies, We have few children sent to 1 the homes who are twelve years of 1 age or over so we have many children 1 too young to be of any use to a fam 1 fly and there are not many families l who are willing to take small chiI- 1 dren expect too much of the child. One woman took one of our boys who was seven. She had lost her little 1 boy and wanted someone to love. She l loved him just a amonth and then re- 1 turned him because he told stories and wasn't pleasant.
 1 Generally speaking, Connecticut s 1 system of caring for dependent chil- | dren is very antiquated and would be very much better for more progressive and up-to-date methods.
 | l do not see how it could be done I any other way.
 Education of town officials is one of the important tasks to be consid- l cred. A closer relationship between l these officials who have the authority 1 to commit children and the child plac- ing agencies of the state is to be de- sired.
 Following Mir Van Why's report Mrs. Mitchell read her own report or the County Home system. Mrs Mitcelrs report follows:
 Mrs. F. A. Mitchell, member of the State Board of Charities spoke or The County Home System" saying it part:
 Somewhat more than thirty yearl ago, 1t was borne in upon a few thinking men and women that mum. bers of dependent children were being kept in town almhouses under unde. sirable conditions; that others were neglected and abused in their natura homes. and that the state had defin' tte duty towards such. After sucI arduous and painstaking investiga tion, and wise and forceful presen. ] tation of the facts the legislature O. 1883 recognized the duty of the state to these children and passed laws in. augurating the County Home system of Connecticut, which with little al ! EHF9fI0n rar19inS ffxYa1zz %o5a
 Statute 2788 made it incumbent up, on each county to provide place O. refuge to be known as a "temporary home" for the better protection O. certain children between the ages O. two and eighteen. The enumeration of the classes of children is summed up as dependent and neglected norma children, those defective, mentally ol physically, not being eligible.
 The age limit of the original statut, has been varied several times unti for many years it has been from fou
 to eighteen for girls and from fou
 to sixteen for boys.
 Statute 27S2 provided that the nee essary expense of maintaining thes, children should be paid by the tow1
 committing them with right or ac
 ction for reimbursement from tn,
 towns to which such children if pau
 pers would be chargeable, at not les
 than a dollar and fifty cents nor nor
 than two dollars a week. For man,
 years this expense has been paid b,
 the state, and in 1911 the amount wa
 raised to $2.50 weekly. This sam statute also says that no home shal be used as permanent place of res
 idence for any child but for it's pro
 lection for so long a time only a
 shall be absolutely necessary for tn
 placing of the child in we'll selecre family home. The control of eac County Home was placed in the hand
 of the county commissioners with tn
 addition of a member of the Stat
 Board of Charities, and one of tn
 State Board of Health, these five con
 stituting board of management.
 Recognizing the need of supervisio for children placed in family home
 paragraph 2790 cites that 'ttflis boar
 shall appoint a committee of one ma
 or woman in each town of the coun ty, or more than one in accerdanc . with the population and area of tn . town, who shall act as a visitor. Lat ! CT statutes conferred upon the Stat |, Board of Charities power to recon mend homes, and to visit childre
 placed out and later still, this boar
 was given power to enforce its recon
 mendations.
 ] The number of children comnitte , to these homes at the end of the frs
 year of the systems existence wa IA. The latest report of the stat board, October 1, 1914, gave tn