Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1919-08-01
WELFARE WORK IS
BEGUN IN COUNTY

That Halifax County is pro-
gressive was shown again re-
Gently when r. d. jenkins, of
Scotland Neck, was appointed
County Superintendent of Pub
lie Welfare of Halifax County.
Mr.. Jenkins was for several
years Supt. of the Scotland Neck
Graded Schools and made an en-
viable record both as a teacher
and as a valuable citizen. He is
a we'll trained young man, ener-
getic, practical, of sound wisdom,
keenly alive to the opportunities
which are his.
An organization for public
welfare work in North Carolina
is being perfected, several coun-
ties having recently appointed
Superintendents.
The work is based upon two
ideas First, to help those who by
reason of personal defect or
misfortune need the help of the
public. Organized public effort
is not meant to supplant nor to
hinder private effort but to work
in harmony with it and to do
those things which cannot be
left to private effort. Secondly,
the idea is to create certain con-
ditions that will take away those
things which cause personal
helplessness so far as this is pos.
sible and also to create conditions
that will make for better health.
better education, better moral
and social conditions, better liv-
ing and working conditions etc.,
or as was summarized in the
words of Senator Holderness,
Chairman of the Joint appropria-
tions Committee of the recent
legislature: I'VE cannot confine
all our efforts to the defective
classes, but must seek toincrease
the efficiency of all classes.
Our State Board of Charities
and Public Welfare is working
with these two ideas in view.
Its duty is to seek facts relating
to a great variety of subjects
from housing conditions to the
causes of defect or the loss of
the several senses. Thus it al
lies its work closely with that of
the health and educational de-
partments. Itassists the former
in saving young people from i'm
moral influences thus helping
them to avoid the shame and the
harmful effects of certain dis
eases, thus protecting themselves
and future generations. 1t assists
the work of education in having
the Superintendent of County
Welfare work embrace the work
of probation for the juvenile
courts and attendance at the
Schools. If a child is not in
school the reason is found out,
and if it is because of physical or
mental defects, a remedy for
this is sought. When the defect
is removed the Welfare Superin-
tendent has the power to prose-
cute the parents unless the child
of school age is placed in school.
In short, the purpose of the
work is to seek to conserve and
benefit human life. In 1918 a
campaign was inaugurated in re-
gard to child welfare to save the
lives of one hundred thousand
infants from preventable deaths.
The following program was
adopted, enumerating five essen
tials of adequate nation wide pro.
lection for children:
l. The prevention of the waste
of child life.
g The realization of an econo-
mic standard of life, permitting
mothers to remain at home and
care for their children.
8 The prevention of child
labor by the substitution of school
for work.
A The provision of adequate,
uncommerciaIized recreation.
s. The protection of special
B., classes of children.
! S. e'ial emphasis will be laiC
on cia,dren's Welfare work and
Mr.. jenkins will devote his eff
fort chiefly to this work. That is
he will seek to help certain inCi
yiduals to live a fuller, better
life, mentally, morally and ply
sically.
This cause is a work mos
worthy and deserves the mora
support of our people.