Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-01-29
Paid:
Sect. to Dec. 6. 1873.
d. - r,mra
$1,S3.2s

James ! 6dSIey OI aug 0Std, ScS
rotary Of the State Board Of Chart
ties and Corrections was the speak
er Of the evening and was introduced
by Mr.. WEIGH. His talk was in re-
gard to State and municipal coopera
ton in the care OF dependent and
neglected children. Under this head
ing he included the aid to mothers
with dependent children under Is
years Of age as we'll as the law
passed by the last Legislature pro-
viding for boards OF children's guar
dams. For" he said. the primary
object Of the mothers aid law is the
training Of the children in good
citizenship. Mr.. Bagley further said
For years the State has been
making appropriations in aid Of chill
dren's institutions md later home
finding societies under private man.
agement. Each county has been
supposed to have an official whose
duty 1t was to cause persons who
neglected or abused children to be
prosecuted OF course al! towns
have to provide, under our laws for
the relief Of the poor. our so.called
laws. for persons falling into dis
tress and who are without means.
This included children.
Mr.. Bagley here outlined the gen.
eral provisions of law in relation
to aid for mothers with dependent
children under sixteen years, the
responsibility of the parents for the
proper care of their children, told Of
the statutory provisions for the care
OF dependent, neglected and delin-
quent children and continuing, stated
that the machinery for carrying out
these laws consisted Of:
A State board of five unpaid
MEMBERS an executice secretary; q
chief Of the division Of field service:
eight field agents: six clerks: $40 To-
cal boards; three State institutions,
eight private institutions ard fou.
child-placing agencies receivin,
special appropriations: six institu.
tloHs and one child-placing agency
supported wholly by private philan.
thropy.
The number Of children receiving
the benefit of the mothers aid Law
and the children's guardian law. and
of the three State institutjons.
changes from day to day. but It is Ia
round numbers 2.60o. 1900 of which
come under the mothers aid law. S75
are under the care Of State institu.
lions and S75 come under the pro-
visions OF the children's guardia,
law. OF the latter number 800 ara
cared for at the joint expense OF the
state and the various cities anu
towns by the various Incorporated
chiIdren's homes and ome-findine
societies and SIS are placed direct in
the family homes by the State Board
OF Children's Guardians.
1T is the duty of the local hoar5
with the help Of the community, to
work out a plan for keeping the
nome together. It is the duty of the
state Board to advise and review. to
maintain standards. to provide for
care If the family cannot be recon.
structed.
The overseer of the poor is an
oniciaF who has had his place IN
Angio-Saxon community life FOR
years Sometimes he has been much
maiigned. He has generally rendered.
the kind OF service which the neon,.
he was elected to serve wanted h;r,
to render. We now want hin, -
render genuine preventive SOCIAL .er,
vice. and II We back him, or her ~,
neil DO 1t. Call him what you viii
ne Is to become. I believe, the pubn.
omciaI about which the public social
service Of the community is to re.
vo've. Perhaps we'll call the boan,
OF overseers a board Of public wei
rare or something Of that sort. AMI
OF course we'll need women as wen
as men on the board, for the hope o{
tue future as well as the past is tn.
family. ana as family consists Of
men and women who are caring for
children. both boys and girls, an
KINDS OF boys and girls. your boys
and my boys. your girls and nv
girls and the boys and girls of the
rest OF the citizens OF the State OF
Maine. and the United States of
America. the future citizens, the
future Americana. 1t requires both
men and women to do the Job prop-
eriy. It also requires the sympa.
thetic cooperation and help Of ali of
the social forces end Of everybody IA
the community.