The diamond drill., 1920-05-29

needing attention. Every specie Of
indigency. every condition that breeds
indigency should be attacked AT its
source just as the mosquito pest In
Panama was attacked.
In each county there should exist q
public welfare officer which duty /
think should be attached 10 the ONCE
OF the probate Judge who should be a
man equipped by training and expert
eilce for that work and who should
devote his entire time 20 the superyis-
ing OF a corps OF social workers, the
number depending upon the size OF
the county, their duty 10 seek out the
mentally defective. 70 supervise hous-
ing conditions. TO attend 10 and study
causes OF juvenile delinquency and in
many other forms OF social work and
public health now wholly unattended
to.
The board OF trustees OF the New
berry State Hospital has planned TO
erect and equip psychopathic ad-
junct TO this hospital for the treat
ment OF slight mental troubles and
for observation OF patients when first
a.
to be at the service OF the county au-
thorities OF the counties OF this dis
trict. Patients found to be slightly
affected or temporarily suffering from
mental troubles could be sent or vol
UNFAIRLY enter this hospital for treat
ment without having the stigma OF
having been committed 10 a state hos
pital attached 10 them.
As | stated, my idea OF correlating
efforts for eleemoysnary work In this
district would be TO have this psyche
pathic hospital as the clearing house
TO be resorted 10 by the welfare agents
OF the counties and the social workers
for aid and information. From II,
trained attendants could be sent 10
the different counties OF the district
where what are termed "out clinics'
might be held in the different counties
as needed by the county workers. BY
careful observation and selection in
connection with our public schools
many OF the boys and girls who come
out OF school under a handicap be-
cause their school training has not
been In accord with their mental con-
ditions might be SO gguided that in
after life they will be more useful and
self reliant
The discharged patient from
state hospital is turned out into the
world to compete with mentally per-
feet. The patient Is under a handicap
from the start with no one To look af-
ter him; to guard him against again
falling into the conditions that sent
him to the state hospital. The result
is that he soon drifts back. burden
on the state, whereas had some coun-
ty agency been instituted which had
supervision over him he would prob
ably have been kept out OF his old
ways and go through life self reliant.
Likewise the boy released from the
institution or the man who
fell through weakness Is turned out
OF the prison into n world that looks
askance at him because he fell. A
welfare officer In his county would
In nine cases out OF ten, guide that
boy or that man so that he would live |
down the stigma and become a useful |
citizen.
And SO | might cite hundreds OF in |
stances where the new system i pro-
pose could and would relieve the |
state OF a very large portion OF its
present burdens by the correlating OF
Efforts under competent supervision
md according TO a definite program.
have not the time nor do i deem II
necessary to enter into any great de-
all for no fixed program can be laid
,ut in advance; what is needed Is TO
provide the agencies first and fashion
he work upon practical experience.