Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1918-06-21

mentality of a child of seven and will
never be any better equipped to earn her
own living She has been removed from
school and Is helping her mother, in this way
relieving difficult situation both at home,
where the parents thought it was the
teachers fault, and at school, where she
was taking the time of the teacher from
those pupils with whom more could be
accomplished. Home. however, is not the
proper place for this girl Since we know
how prolific the feeble-minded are and
how little able to protect themselves. we
should provide for her, and others of her
condition. by having an institution where
she could be adequately cared for, and so
not produce feeble-minded children for
whom the county must care.
A family Of a Polish man and wife,
neither of whom speak English, live with
their five children in a little three-room
shack. The man has been a heavy drinker
and when he is Intoxicated he maltreats
his wife and children. The living condi-
tons are most primitive, and the children,
who are native Americans and speak the
language easily. are getting a little beyond
the management of their parents. as so
often happens in such cases. A friendly
visitor is doing splendid work in this fam
lily, raising the standard Of living by care
fully exerted influence; watching the chill
dren and counseling with the parents as
to how best to meet each new demand of
the growing young Americans, and above
all, she is watching the man, trying to
encourage him to become a respectable
citizen, and alert to report at once to the
League If any emergency should arise.
This is but one example of the construc-
tive work which several individuals are
doing with the League. For each one of
you here to-day there is more than one
family in Montgomery county who needs
advice and assistance of the kind given
by friendly visitor. Are you doing to be
slackers in your neighborly responsibility.
or will you let us help you begin a
most interesting and profitable relation
ship-that Of friend in the truest sense
of the wordY
A sweet. refined mother has been strug-
Cling to provide for her two attractive chill
dren ever since her husband left her three
years ago. She has not spared herself in
any way, and when the League had her
examined by expert physicians 1t was
found she has tuberculosis Fortunately
the disease is in a stage where a cure
may be effected If she is placed in favor
able conditions at once. She is perfectly
cured. Her relatives have co-operated
splendidly and will take care of and sup
port the children while she is away. The
question is, where can she be sent 7 II she
does not leave home Immediately she
may infect many persons with consump-
ton before she dies. Out Of countless
cases. this is single situation which
shows the great need OF county tubercu-
losis hospital,
DIR. James Jackson Putnam said, "0ne
Of the most striking facts with regard to
the conscious life Of any human being is
that it is interviewer with lives Of others"
This, think, makes us realize our indi-
vidual and community responsibility. Let
us get together in spirit. though widely
separated in distance, and work for some
Of the reforms which will produce better
social and living conditions for us all