Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-10

Ne of the most interesting ana
M important and least known
III organizations of the District
W government is the board of
childrer's guardians a child-caring
agency with an annual appropriation of
over $4,000 for the maintenance and
support of children under its jurisdic-
ton. In July. 1917. according to the
annual report recently issued, there
were over 1000 children under the
board Of children's guardians. 1900 of
whom We're permanent wards. meaning
that they were under its care until
they were twenty-one years old. At
the same time there were over 500 tenn
porary wards whose commitments
varied from a period of one week 10
five years. the average short commit
Inent being sixty days and the average
long one two years.
In the case of these children the tenn
porary orders were given in order that
the parents might rehabilitate their
homes and improve in their method or
living and own conduct 50 that they
might be considered proper guardians
Of their children at the expiration of
the court order, when the case comes
again into the Juvenile Court for a
hearing and for the judges decision as
to the advisability Of the chiIdren's re-
turn
All cases Of complaints Of cruelty,
neglect and improper guardianship are
referred 20 the board for vestigation.
Cases are reported by private individ-
uaIs. by the police department. the
health office. the Juvenile Court, the
Associated Charities and various other
philanthropic organizations. In many
instances the cases prove to be other
than those of dependency and are in
turn referred by the board to the prop
er agencies for cooperative assistance
which will keep the children in their
own homes. Every effort is made to
keep the families intact wherever it is
possible. but when conditions are such
that il is deemed injurious to the child
the case is taken into the Juvenile
Court. where witnesses for both sides
are carefGli. heard If the testimony
IS Of such order TO prove that the chill
dren are destitute of suitable home.
the Judge commits them to the board,
the length of the commitment varying
according to the necessity of the case
Before the child leaves the Juvenile
Court IL has thorough physical and
medical examination by one Of the
most eminent diagnostiCianS of the
city. whose services the board is fortu-
nate enough TO have secured. AS the
object of the board is to save the chill
dren from the shortcomings of parents
its first efforts are to save them from
disease.
The physical condition of these chill
dren in some cases has been neglected
The necessary medical treatment is
recommended and carried out after the
child is placed in the new home II
evidence warrants. Wasserman blood
test and an X-ray picture are taken.
Mental examinations follow in order
properly to classify the children nentaIlv
untitled to keep pace with normal
children In the District there is no
institution for feebIe-minded and cpl
totic children. and the board is greatly
Handicapped and has repeatedly asked
nat such an institution be established.
There are now nearly 200 children of
fn's type under the boards care.
There is no receiving home at present
for white children. but the colored
ones are taken first to temporary
home, where they are scrubbed and
cleaned and their ragged and soiied cloth
ing burned.
No matter how many tears are shed
or how great the grief at the enforced