Evening star., 1918-12-02
Courts Commissioner

AV6 w S4D 3S0
department has been hampered by the
drafts made by the Army and Navy
upon it's working force. Prior to June
80, 1918, four members of the health
department force had gone, and others
were merely awaiting call. Since June
80. 1918, six additional employees have
left An effort is being made, however,
to maintain the personnel of the de-
partment at the highest possible
standard.
Medical inspection of schools.-A
statement of the work of the medi-
cal and sanitary inspection Of schools
in detail appears in the report of the
board of education.
Board of Charities.
The board Of charities reports that
the various charitable. reformatory
and correctional institutions have
worked under great difficulties during
the past year because of a lack of
efficient employees.
The demand for war service and the
greatly increased compensation Of
fered by private employers has rem
dered 1t impossible to secure a suf-
f1cient number of competent employees
at the limited statutory compensa-
ton allowed.
Reformatory and Workhouse.
Further improvement and develop
ment is reported at the reformatory
and at the workhouse. The develop
ment, however, has been somewhat
arrested during the past year because
of the scarcity of labor and the high
prices of materials. Much of the or
dinary labor, of course, is performed
by the prisoners, but a marked fall
ing off in the prison population at the
workhouse has made it necessary to
curtail many of the industrial activ-
tiles. The daily average number OF
male prisoners at this institution dur
ing the past year was only SlS, as
year. This decrease in the number
of prisoners was due in part to the
effect of the prohibition law and in
part to the industrial conditions due
to the war, which have made an un-
usual demand for all grades of labor
as usual, but the brick plant has
been idle most of the year because
of shortage of labor.
Authorized Buildings Not Erected.
The additional building authorized
at the Industrial Home School for
Colored Children has not been erected
nor has the building for the new rnu-
nicipal lodging house. Restrictions
on buildings due to the war prevented
the erection of these buildings.
Municipal Hospital.
Work has not yet been begun upon the
municipal hospital buildings; but the
board urges most earnestly the inn
portance of undertaking this work,
even during the war period. Atten-
ton is called to the fact that the
necessity for this institution may
well be regarded as pressing as al,
most any war demand. The physical
Asylum, the only general city hos
pital, have long been a disgrace to
the community. and the constant
growth Of the city necessarily re-
suits in continually increasing de-
mands on this institution.
Home for the Aged and Inf1rm.
An addition authorized at the Home
for the Aged and Infirm, which could
count of increased costs. is being
erected by the superintendent with
his own organization, supplemented
by the employment Of some mechan-
les and 1aborers.
The daily average number of pa
tients cared for at st. Elizabeth
Hospital during the year was 1863,
ber during the preceding year. The
number has been steadily increasing
with the growth of the city and is
likely to continue to increase, though
1t is encouraging that the past year
shows a very slight falling or.
tuberculosis Hospital
There was a slight falling off also
in the number of patients cared for
at the tuberculosis Hospital. the daily
average being 119, as compared with
12S the previous year.
Increased Cost Of Maintenance.
AS a result of the abnormally high
maintenance Of all our institutions
has naturally very greatly increased
On the whole there is slight falling
Oft in the population, notwithstanding
the increase in the population Of the
city. The only striking exception
was in the case Of the Home for Aged
and Infirm, where what might be call
ed a normal Increase was observed
The daily average population here
was 339. as compared with S26 the
year before.
The slight falling off in population
of our charitable and correctional In
stitutions, notwithstanding a very
marked increase in the city popula.
tion. e doubtless to he attributed In
general to the economic conditions
incident to the war, which have re-
suited in a constant demand for al
grades of labor at greatly enhanced
rates of compensation.
Board Of Chi1dren's Guardians.
The board of childrens guardians is
a body corporate and polite. created
by an act of Congress, July 26, 189:
(e7 Stat. 26S).
1t is composed of nine members. o1
whom three must always be wome n
and it is the legal guardian of all
children committed to it's care by the
police and criminal courts of the Dis.
that date. by the Juvenile Court.
The objects of the board of chill.
dren's guardians are to save the chill.
dren from the handicaps and short.
comings Of their parents. and to send
them out into the world, when they
health. development and education tc
be good citizens than they would
have been if allowed to remain ir
their own environment. AS the chill.
dren come generally from homes OF
crime. poverty and degeneracy, they
are often diseased in mind and body
and the work of the board begins
with their physical condition. Before
leaving the Juvenile Court, immedi
ately after commitment, each chile
has a thorough physical examination
the recommendations of the physician
are carried out later. after the child is
placed.
In caring for the children the board
uses private boarding homes in as
many cases as is advisable, which is