The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1918-09-09
THE WORK OF
STATE BOARD
OF CHARITIES
Sec. Jeffrey Outlines the
Accomplishments of a
Month
RELIEF FOR DE-
FECTIVE CHILDREN
Every Boy and Girl to Have
a Chance in
Life

Montpelier, Sept. 7-At the month
ly meeting of the Vermont board of
charities and probation the activl-
ties of the board for the preceding
month was gone over in detail.
1t is doubtful if the people of the
state realize what a wide range of hu-
man welfare is embraced within the
duties of this new and highly i'm
portant department of our govern
ment. A brief summary of the work
for the month was submitted by Sec
retary Jeffrey under the different gen.
eral heads of probation, child care,
aid for deserted and widowed moth
ers, defective dependent children,
poorhouse inspection and feeble
minded children. Mr.. Jeffrey re
ported "a new parole and probation
cases during the month, making to-
tai of 598 persons now under his su-
pervision as state probation officer.
In commenting on this department
in his report to the board, he says:
"The work of this department has
progressed in a reasonably satisfac-
tory manner during the month. Quite
number of discharges are coming
from the enlistment of probationers
and parolers in the service of the
country, and of course the increased
demand for labor, the high rate of
wages paid naturally tends to reduce
the new cases coming to US. 1t is
regrettable that more of our courts
do not, in a larger degree, use the
probation provisions of our law.
believe that fully so per cent of our
people now being sent to our insti-
tutions could be placed under the su-
pervision of this department and thus
be able to return to useful employ
ment and not only maintain them
selves and those dependent upon them
but materially reduce the cost to the
state in the care and the administra-
ton.
After using, the wages earned by
the inmates III our state prison at
Windsor and our house of correction
at Rutland, it still costs the state
about So a week for inmates, and if
the GOO persons now under our Gus
tody and care had not been released
upon probation or parole, the care of
these people would cost the state
$1,000 week in addition to their
earning capacity in the institution,
and at the same time many of the
families would be left to public sup
port. These features, coupled with
the man and character building work
of the department should make each
of us anxious to impress upon the
courts of the state the advisability OF
wider and more general use of the
humane provision of the law"
A brief summary giving some idea
of the more important features OF
the department are F, as follows
Homes visited Al, children in above
homes 141, children in need of medi-
cal care reported to me Is, cases
thoroughly Investigated 5, cases part
ly Investigated 6, children in need OF
being placed (not placed) 20, child.
rem placed IA, children taken to hos
pitals z, children taken to prevention.
ium 2, children in Fanny Allen Tin.
vestigated) 1, poorhouses visited 8
institutions visited (other than pool
farms) 8, cities and towns visited 80
cases of children investigated il
other towns by letter or reliable per
sons IA, escorted women from Wind
sor prison and house of correction
by woman probation officer 4, foune
employment for women 5, arranged
for girl to enter special school 1
boarding places found for womel
from institutions 8, children reported
to me regarding medical care (inves
tigated) 21, children reported to mi
regarding medical care (not investi
gated) 5, children, neglected cases
investigated 8, children, neglecte,
cases, not Investigated 6, probation
and parole cases visited 16, specia
women visited in prisons 10.
Mr.. Jeffrey in his report referre,
to the defective children of the stat
and isaid: 4During 3recent month
there has been greater effort mad
to relieve the dependent defectiv
children of the state A very con
siderable number of this class O
cases have been brought to my at
tention, and we have sent severa
of the cases to the hospitals; other
have been approved and will go t
the hospital within a few days an
still others are under investigation
From every part of the state com
warm words of commendation for on
undertaking to make the defectiv
dependent child physically fit to gro'
into self-sustaining citizenship. PEI
haps no one department of our wor
is being more warmly commende
than this feature, and / trust tha
we shall be able to continue unit
there are no deserving cases in thi
! class ,untreated in our state"
During the month the secretar
has sent out to the overseers of tn
poor in the cities and towns mair