New-York tribune., 1919-01-12
Abolition of Bureau by City
Declared a Menace to
the Growing Generation
Roosevelt Ideas Are Cited
Leaders in Welfare Work
Contend Institutional Sys-
tenn Is Unsatisfactory

cf the Board of Charities, by the
present city administration.
President Roosevelt. in a message
tc Congress. February Is, 1909, at the
time OF the famous Washington con-
ference which brought together leading
child specialists of the country. and at
which all religious sects were repre-
sented, 50 d.
"Iiome life is the highest and finest
Product Ct civilization. Children should
Tot be deprived of it except for urgent
ard compelling reasons"
Mayor Mitchell during his admnistra-
ton took active measures which he be-
lieved would insure home life TO New
1ork's little ones wherever possible
ard established the Children's Home
Bureau on June Is. 1916. This bureau,
operated with private funds until July
3, 1917. when it was fully taken over
by the Board of Estimate, placed chill
dwn of two TO seven years committed
to its care in private homes instead
of institutions. 1t paid $3.50 child
to each foster mother, and carefully
investigated every home to which chill
oren were sent. Every home taking a
child was required to possess health
certificates from local health boards
Certain specified requirements also
were made regarding the character of
the homes, the number of children
allowed to each family etc
First Years Programme Outdonc
A thousand children were set as a
goal for the first year Homes were
actually found for l,113. BY December
II the number had risen to 1924. The
bureau demonstrated that satisfactory
foster homes could be found of the
same religious faith as the parents, and
that children could be boarded out and
supervised in larger numbers than
even the most sanguine expected.
The present administration has abol-
ished the bureau, stating that chill
Gren's institutions. such as the New
York Nursery and Child's Hospital, the
New York Founding Asylum, the He
brew Infant Asylum and others, also
took care of placing children in private
homes, and the work of the bureau
merely duplicated theirs.
Mrs. Richard B. Aldcrofft, chairman
OF the committee on charities of the
Women's Municipal League. said yes
terday:
What were the urgent ard com
pellihg reasons Whlch prompted the
present administration to abolish the
bureau? 1t was done so quietly that
lew people knew anything about it.
But the little children who were happy
IN their homes know about it, and the
foster mothers who loved those little
ones as their very own know. One can
hut wonder where it works most harm.
The child is deprived of a normal life !;
the man and woman in the home have
q
League Defends System
The Women's Municipal League is
committed to hesupport of the system
OF boarding oat children in small, we'll
selected family homes. 1t based its
conclusions upon a wide investigation
made after comforting with those who
supported and those who opposed the
method. The investigators met in No
rember, and ct a joint conference be-
tween representatives of the league and
others interested, it was determined to
stand by the system and to resist all
ATTEMPTS to abandon or curtal it.
Il think that all women will agree
that for the normal child the best and
happlest place is the normal family
home. There, first of all, the child gets
warm individual affection. which is
its greatest need. 1t forms it's own
associations with little playmates in the
belongings. 1t learns the little family
responsibilities suitable to its age. 1t
encounters wholesome family disci-
pline.
"The New York Children's Home
bureau was established to board out
children where these inestimable bene-
nts could be obtained. Our city had
11ohowed the lead of other cities In
MassacnuSetts such system had been
IN force since 1882, and is successful
thefe to-day Indeed, the value of the
system was str;kingly demonstrated in
the tacr that In Boston. During the re
cent influenza epidemic, out of 1900
chiidren IN boarding homes, there were
pnt eight deaths, while in an institu
tIon FOR crippled children the little
ones came to supper one evening an
parently in perfect health. and dnr;no
the night the epidemic started. Re-
Iore IT ended more than half the chill
dren were dead.
Women Urged to Join Issue
beg that each member of the
league listen to the child and take him
out OF politics Put him back into
rne nome that has been taken from
him During the coming year, let all
women who love little children do what
they can TO help make this an issue
back Of which they stand If after
~Ne "i'i ifftbtlGdtlON III IL round the
Se" York Children's Home Bureau was
organized on a too expensive basis. as
mas been contendcd, then let US re-
organize 1T on a proper basis, and let
us not be content until this is accom-
pilshed. If we find that it il purely a
question Of politics, then let US take
the child with us into politics. IL neces-
sary, and let him demand the return OF
mis- home"
Mrs. Frederick c. Hodgdon president
OF the Womcn's Municipal League. in
dofsed all Mrs. AIdcrofft said. and add
cd that she felt "tbis was a peculiarly
timely moment TO recall to peoples
attention n matter which Roosevelt
urged at his conference, and which
during his lifetime, was one of his
splendid actiyitics"
Jrr, Frederick Nathan urged that the
matter. be given public attention, in
that She fen all women, herself in
elvdcd, realized the Importance Of home
fn,inence, as opposed 10 institutional
for a growing child.
Mrs, Carrie Chapman catt said
There is something 50 essentially pitt
fpi IN the very idea Of Institutional life
Tor children. that wcli-direeted efforts
70 seeure home influences for destitute
bfile folk are, on the face of the reat-
ter, ronmepdable. Where eircum-
Tf1Heee resmIt "A bef0lup hand 10 be
f@fandeA ~ The c}tjsd y 1wu family, ~
= provided feg uador sfothqrs' Pension
1Ay2- 80 mufa the better. Where the