Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-01-10
Rev. II. F.. Dunnack
Talks to Parent
Teacher Association
At Meeting Tuesday Evening at Smith School
Building-Takes for Subject Mothers Pen
sions in the United States' and Speaks Most
Interestingly to Large Audience

ABOUT ZoU interested parents dlO
school officials attended the meeting
Of the Parent-Teacher Association in
the Assembly hall Of Smith Grammar
school Tuesday evening at o'clock.
President Willis Thompson presided
and announced the program Of the eve
ming. Selections were rendered ty the
Webster orchestra and fine vocal solo
by Miss Jane Doyle was feature OF
the evening, as was also the vocal
duet between Miss Doyle and Miss Ma
rian Dayon. The address Of the eve
ming was rendered by Rev. Henry Dun
mack. State librarian, and the topic Of
his address was Mothers Pensions in
the United States"
Mr.. Dunnack began by quoting from
the address Of Governor Milliken rec
ommending the passage Of such legis-
lation in Maine. Continuing the State
librarian said that IS states in the
Union at the present time mad some
form of mothers pensions laws. Some
confine the pension to widows, others
to those whose husbands are in pris-
on or hospitals for the insane. Others
include those whose husbands have
deserted them. Several statas say that
the pension Is open to any women
whose children would otherwise suf-
fer from neglect or be committed to
an asylum.
The general proposition makes the
so-called pension not a pension but an
award for services rendered in the
present and stops as soon as tho chill
dren are able to work for themelves
The amount Of the pension is usually
based on a maximum sum for the first
child and then a certain maximum for
each of the others.
Mr.. Dunnack's Address
Mothers Pensions.
The children Of any nation are the
hope Of that nation. and the United
States in the last few years, through
the establishment Of the National
Child Labor Bureau. and by the adop-
ton of Mothers Pension Laws in %
states of the Union. shows that it
recognizes this truth: and further
that as the future Of the nation de-
pends upon the proper training of the
child. and as this training can be most
efficiently given through the family
the conservation of national unity de-
ponds upon the conservation of the
home.
1t is a matter of congratulation that
the attention Of the people of our
State is being directed to this impor-
tant subject.
Governor Milliken in his inaugural
address to the Maine Legislature
called attention to this important sub
| ject in the following forceful and care
full statement.
zone of the most important and ap-
pealing problems in Connection with de-
tendency is the condition of children
Of a widowed or deserted mother
whose unaided earning power is in
sufficient to support the family. In all
cases where the mother Is worthy
person of good character 1t is evil
IDENTIFY better to help her keep the fam
| lily together and bring up her own
children than to attempt to care fol-
them in an institution at public ex-
fpense. Laws providing for state aid
to dependent mothers have been in ex-
istence for some time in other states
| and are no longer untried experiments
/ recommend the establishment OF
such a policy in Maine under the super.
vision of the State Board of Charities
and Corrections with the provisions
that applicants for aid must be recon-
mended by the local overseers of the
poor and that the expense be divided
between the town or city and the
State"
The care of dependent children has
| long engaged the attention of social
workers, and whatever fault may be
found in the Mothers Pension system
of relief, it is proving the best method
up to this time.
At a conference on the care of de-
pendent children. held at the White
House in the city of Washington. In
January, 1909, the following resolution
was adopted:
Home life Is the highest and finest
product of civilization. 1t IS the great
moulding force of mind and of char
acter. Children should not be de-
prived of 1t except for urgent and
compelling reasons. Children of par
ents Of worthy character, suffering
from temporary misfortune and chill
dren OF reasonably efficient and de-
serving mothers who are without the
support of the normal breadwinner
should, as a rule, be kept with their
parents. such aid being given as may
be necessary to maintain suitable
homes for the rearing Of children. Ex-
| cept In unusual circumstances, the
home should not be broken up for rea-
sons of poverty. but only for consid-
erations Of inefficiency."
| In 1911 Judge Porterfield of Kansas
City, in charge OF the Juvenile court
Of that city, say that certain women
whose husband were dead or In prison
were unable to perform the double
duty of earning a decent living for
their children and Of bringing up those
children decently. Sometimes they
would have to surrender those children
to asylums and other institutions. He
came to the conclusion that 1t was
better to pay a mother to. care for her
children than to pay an asylum. He
went down to the legislature and got a
law permitting him to do 1t.
Results Of the Pension Grant.
The New York Association for i'm
proving the condition of the poor have
kept a careful record Of so widows
pension grants. They report the fol-
lowing results:
In our answer we express the care
full opinions, impressions and conclu-
sions of those who have been dealing
at first hand with them-visitors. who,
going in and out of their homes daily