New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-01
Committee Named
To Raise Standards
For Child Welfare
Permanent Organization in
Illinois Is Hoped For to
Continue Wartime Work
and to Better the Schools

WASHINGTON, May 31.-A resolu-
ton, presented by Mrs. Ire Couch
Wood, of Chicago, unanim ously adopted
at the closing session of the Interna-
tional Child Welfare Conference just
closed in Washington by the Children's
Bureau of the United States Depart
ment of Labor, provides for progress
sive child-welfare standards and the
appointing of a preliminary committee
of five to consider such standards.
These five members, appointed by Miss
Lathrop. chief Of the Chldren's Blu
reau. are DR.. Hastings Hart, of the
Child Helping Division, Russell Sage
Foundation, New York; DR. Henry l..
X. Shaw, of the Child Hygiene Divi-
sion. State Board Of Health, Albany,
y. Y; Owen r Lovejoy, secretary of
the National Child Labor Committee ;
Mrs. Helen Sumner Woodbury., econo-
mist, and Mrs. Ira Couch Wood
Mrs. Wood, who was the first execu-
tive secretary Of the women's commit
tee IN Washington of the Council for
National Defence, is now chairman of
the Elizabeth Mccormick Memorial
Fund. This fund, founded by Mr.. and
Mrs. Cyrus Hall Mccormick in memory
OF their little daughter, is dedicated
20 child welfare, and financed the
work Of the Chldren's Year in Illinois
as its war contribution. In this work
i,@ol towns we're actively engaged in
the weighing and measuring tests.
LUIS active chalrmen were interested
and 50 of the 102 councils were organ
led
We hope to form a permanent child
welfare organization in Illinois," said
Mrs. WOOD when seen at the Hotel
Washington just before returning to
chicago "on the basis Of what we have
done in the war. We have CLOSELY CO.
operated with the State Department of
Health and Public Welfare of Ulinoi.
as We'll as with private employers.
many of whom Immediately returned
their children to school as soon as thew
understood the situation. Some manu-
facturers even provided the children
with scholarships. Others have been
willing to support continuation schools
that the children at work might have
part-tine education. Usually these con.
tlnuation schools are backed bv the
factories and are run in connection
with the local school boards, but in
some cases they were operated BY the
factories themselves. The Mccormick
fund has cpaCinll,r loJ e
OF the undernourished child, and we
have IN Chicago twenty-four open air
schools in connection with the Board
of Education and have carried on
propaganda for more of these schools
not only in Illinois but all over the
country.
AS very encouraging result of the
interest Chicago has taken in the NAL
nourlshed child, the School Board of
Chicago recently appropriated $4,000 to
provide pair of weighing scales for
every Chicago school. They are also
extending the school luncheon system
and are starting some health courses in
the schools. These steps are very en-
couraging to the women who have
worked so consistently for the better
care of our children. Also the Chicago
Normal is going to require several
compulsory courses for teachers, on
the subjects of child health and facts
of malnutritlon"
Food clinics have been started in the
University of Chicago, department of
home economies, in Rush Medical
School, and the Mccormick Fund.
Permanent child welfare is hoped
for in Chicago, as q result of the slim
illus of the Chidren's Bureau Confer
ence. and greater activity in child car
ing and proper regulations of child
labor are expected by child welfare
workers who enjoyed the Washington
conference and are looking forward
with enthusiasm to the coming of the
international visitors brought to the
United States by the Children's Bureau
of the Department Of Labor for this
country wide conference