Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-04-06
MAKING THE WORLD
SAFE FOR CHILDREN
MANY Agencies in Delaware and
in Whole Country Improv-
ing Conditions. I,

The second anniversary OF children
wear finds the United States more de
termined than ever TO make the "no"
country safe for children. Humane ano
intelligent child welfare work n pcine
rarried on vigorously II aimos. every
S,.,., !, ~. TTnion. and TO date 3S States,
the District of Columbia and Hawan are
waking in close cooperation with the
ch,Idrcn's bureau of the L. ). Department
of labor To put the work ut children
YEAR on permanent BASIS
Other countries are also recognizing
,hs vaIue of the child as future citizen,
according TO material collected. by the
childrens bureau. In France aweii-known
nhy.ician ia urging the establishment Oh
infant consultation centers throughout
thc whole country, with pfoPF,y
n,ai,6cd woman visitor 20 direct the
social and medical Investigations. She
i ,o bc assisted by other VISITORS
public health nurses, trained mldwives
and home economies expcrts-~ho are 70
,o-orcrstc with doctors, school nurses AND
child welfare agencies.
The pro,ection of mothers and infants
in prns.ia Was declared recently IN the
Rcichstaq TO be an enormous task
needing new medical regulation, better
raining Cor physicians, and better laws
rco,,Ia,inr m,dvifcr Coordination OF
ali child welfare work WAS also declared
necessary. The establishment oi ch,idreh :
bureaus All over the country Is planned
and after these are established, everything Z
4 10 hc done 20 utilize the services oi
,o,,en trained IN child welfare work.
rhcv are 10 bc asked 20 cooperate with
the ministry and 20 form advisory COUNCILS
a. connecting links between the govern
mont and the public.
In Moscow q number OF houses nave
becn placcd at the disposal OF mccoy
mothers with q view 10 furnishing not
ONLY shelter. bui also education In more
.clentlhc methods of feeding and training
children. Each house has n reading room
permanent exhibit on the care OF IN
fants and kindergarten.
Tho Itahan minister OF the interior has
,c,.aiv,d from the National Alliance for
~. protsct,on nf Mothers aud Infants.
resolutions that cover the legal protection
~ infants Whether legitimate or not. and
,h,. str,ct -upcrvislon OF founding asyl,lms
by properl qualified persons. FROM
Other quarters IL is urged that prenatal
work loo undertaken. and that an ex.
tcnsive system be organized for the pro-
anoe alone i not sufficient to meet the
needs ~ The expectant mother. says
profcssor IL Tore. who should be re-
ear,ied a. privileged rerson and should
hc the. object oi most friendly care.
Minimum standards tor the protection
III mothers and childnn IN the ! nited
states were promulgated by the children :
h,,r.au Al the close ni childreus wear M
1919 These standards arc being carefully
stu.nrd by the country and III some places
already applied. The passage OF the
~heppard- To-ncT maternity bull would
make possible nationwide application OF
the standards for maternity and infancy
committee of doctors and industrial
,xp.erts are working on the practlcahle
spplicafion OF the standards for working
children. and resolutions passed at the
hurcauS recent illegitimacy conferences
would Il put into effect, project the un-
fortunat, babies born out of wcdlnck.
Delaware IL honorablv taking her place
among the governmental units making
effort 10 save the lives Of mothers. babies
and children. The State Reconstruction
commission is operating ten children $
health ccnters and three dispcnsarir-
The prenatal, infant and child care
struction that is given ~ these places aud
hv the child welfare nurses Of the com
mission. who daily are making scores OF
visits 20 homes 20 teach right methods for
rarc of evpectant mothers and of babies
and children, arc getting fine results in
terms of life saving and increased vigor
OF the rising generation.
This vcar has seen medical and nursing
school inspection and service we'll started
IN nclawarc Wilmington has q school
nhyyic an and two school nurses employed
hv the city BOARD OF Education The
statewide work Is progressing we'll.
The Reconstruction commission nurses
have examined children IN "a rural schools
and done follow up work on large num-
Der of the cases showing defects The
state Board of Education has appointed a
director of medical inspection for school
,hildrcn and y utilizing nurses furnished
~ the Christmas seal campaign fsInd and
ov the Rcconst ruction Commission. These
nurses arr working under the medical
lirrctor of the State Board of Education
and other physicians who are generously
giving time and interest 10 the project
Local physicians. school superintendent.
principals. teachers and parents, arc
giving warm support 70 the movement
That tins work Is greatly needed Is evident
from the statement of the medical direct or
who says that among the several hundred
children he has examined. he finds one or
more defects IN over 90 per cent of the
children The most prevalent defects are
defective teeth. adcnoids. diseased tonsils,
defective vision all Of which il not correct
"a IN childhood, has serious effect upon
general health.
The activity Of the Wilmington City
Council aud other groups IN regard 10
better milk and the increased safe guards
established by the state and local boards
of health. are laying the foundations for
better protection for children. Special
commissions. like the tuberculosis com
mission, the commission for the feeble
minded and the commission for the blind
have continued effective work they had
under way. ahd have developed new
measures for bettering the conditions Of
groups needing special types OF care.
In addition "a progress made al ing
health lines. very distinct advance has
been made in Delaware this year bv the
Juvenile Court. which has secured a
psychiatris.. and 10y the State Board of
Charities and Corrections, which is care
fully fulfilling its duties pertaining TO
children. 4 large number OF private
agencies. too. have done intensive work
that has greatly bettered the situation for
many Delaware children.
Delaware IL one Of the sixteen States
which are officially making effort to inn
prove child welfare laws. Various interest
I'd groups are formulating child welfare
bills THAT will he presented to the next
regular session of the Legislature ii
passed they will go far 20 establish a de
gree Of well-being for Delaware children