Omaha daily bee., 1919-03-16

cast, ID spread among relentless
fathers and mothers. II they refuse
to take the girl back, or II home
conditions are such that the girl
and her baby would suffer by re-
turning, other means are found to
provide for her future.
Mayor Gilien is heart and soul for
the work of retaining the woman
Of sin" During 1917 he made tour
of the city hospitals of Newark,
and 70 learned at first hand the
tragic stories OF these girls. These
stories taught him that such girls
could find salvation only in love and
care. And that is why he sponsored
the movement for the Home for
Unmarried Mothers.
IF parents and relatives will not
help to her feet the girl who has
erred, the city must do it." Mayor
Gillen declared. "In my conyersa-
ton with these unhappy women /
learned that generally the doors Of
their homes are closed against them.
They are considered outcasts. When
they are discharged from the hospi-
tails they ara weak and unfit for
work. No one offers them shelter.
They are alone in the world. ! 1t
is the duty of a city to care for
such women--to provide a home for
them, as we'll as q training school.
I'm the home we have established
we plan to give these women all
the opportunities possible. We are
going to make them over into fine
women, find positions for them If
necessary, and do everything within
our power to reinstate them in So
eiety. think our plan will be studied
carefully by officials Of other cities.
and | hope that more such homes
will be opened by other municipali-
ties"
Learn Domestic Science.
Every girl who enters the Home
for Unmarried Mothers is taught
domestic science and sewing, as
soon as the physicians declare she
il physically fit. She may use this
knowledge to earn living after she
leaves the home. III the girl de-
sires to enter domestic service, the
home finds a situation for her. H.
diterate girls are taught to read and
write.
Girls they are, these women Of sin. "
/ Newark there are about 200 cases
each year, and the average age is
between IS and q years. DIR. Julius
Levy has made a thorough study Of
the problem, and he declares that
by means of the home every erring
girl in Newark should be redeemed.
For even without the home rs per
cent Of the mothers, through proper
care, have had their lives readjusted.
During 1917" said DIR. Levy out
of the 200 cases, eight were gram
mar school graduates, FIVE had fin-
ished high school, and four had no
schooling at all. The majority had
quit school while in the sixth or
seventh grade. OF the 200 cases,
SO per cent of the mothers and in-
fanfs were kept together, and from
last reports they are getting along
happily. Twenty-Five per cent re-
turned TO their parents with their
babies, and the rest put their babies
into institutions and went to work
We have no record of what these
women are doing, but we do know
that rs per cent of the mothers
have taken courage and moulded
their lives anew"
In Newark the number of illegiti-
mate births is two per cent--a very
low percentage. In some states,
where there is large eolored popu-
lation, the percentage runs as high
az is per cent. In others, where
foreign populations, predominant
one child in 10 Is illegitimate.
Based on the fact that there are