Evening journal., 1920-12-15

] iAnNNA NNANNfN NNAl llAt InilAfI Has
/ died since the child was nlaced out
and that relatives are constantly ask
ing for him and speak OF Johns lit
/ lle sisters as lovely children. And
/ So continues the report, "here .s
a family OF small, attractive chill
dren, torn apart and scattered with
out the least apparent effort to keep
them together"
, Good Homes VS.. Bad.
The report cites some good homes
as well as bad. in which children have
been placed and then gives the case
Of Richard"
Richard" II says, "is thin. pretty
! looking little bow, with straight,
stubby hair, enormous hands, dis
| t0rted by hard labor, reticent and
nervous, resentful and bad tempered
Is in a foster home that is over re
lig.ous and strict. A hymn book
stands open on the organ and only
! hymns can be sung here. No songs
are allowed.
IN the words Of the foster mother,
we try TO live clean, pure lives But
IL Is too much for Richard 10 live up
to.
IAN own son, aged II. In the home,
\ gives Richard orders which he re-
/ senls. These sources Of irritation
push Richard. who Is high strung and
/ probably a psychOpath, 10 doing very
bad things making the whole house
| hold unhappy Richard most OF all.
The picture OF Richard will long re-
main In the workers mind, as he sat
all tense, biting his lips and wringng
his hands and making only two an
swers to all questions, / don't know
and I don't care
/ Work First--Then School.
Coming TO the question. OF school
| ing, the report says in part:
And now we come TO the great,
vital question Of schooling, the much
talked Of, much argued about ques-
ton that keeps some OF Delaware 5
| thinking people awake nights, and
well II may for ID would not take
many minutes 90 prove that the de-
| pendent children are not getting a
square deal as regards their educa-
ton.
Case after case could be cited to
prove this. In the early, sunny days
OF september, the school room door
stands Hospitality open. but not for
the home boy-he must seed elhe
wheat, strip the fodder blades. digthe
sweet potatoes, husk the corn, and
then few weeks at school until time
/ for the holly wreaths, at Christmas
time. After that, II he can struggle
through the bad roads and bad
weather, he attends school until
March, when the spring preparations
| for crops begin and he must start
over again, pl0wing, drag-harrowing
and cultivatlng.
1T Is not always the farmer who Is
TO blame He takes the boy on a
business basis, offering board cloth
ing and proper schooling, In eX-
| change for his services on the farm
| He states quite frankly that he does
not want the boy II he must send him
TO school fun term He Is an open
enemy 10 the new school laws OF 1919,
which provide for iS0 days schooling
/ for the boy under "a, and 100 days tor
The boy over "a, until he reaches the
| eighth grade. This is distinctly money
out of his pocket, for the boy from 40
years up 10 IS, takes the place OF a
farm hand and his labor Is pracli-
caily free.
AS was stated before. It is not al
together the farmers fault that this
| condition prevails. lt Is we who do
The chlld-placng, who are 10 blame.
II we must place children as labor
the child be paid a fair amount for
his labor that he may keep his own
self respect and that Of the cOmmu-
: nifty. and do not ask OF the foster par
ent the thing we know he win MOI
do.
I "This, though low standard
: would be better than placing him or
. conditions that we know viii never
b be fulfilled. 10 is putting false
value on what we do for the chill
dren. There are fine homes In Della
I a. %. In. Fa. .I.f &
patiently and conscientlously worked
out.
Case OF Little Benny.
For Instance. Benny, bright,
black-hared little lad OF a years, is
with a prosperous farmer who has a
| daughter but no sons. He owns an
attractive, up-tO-date farm, employs
a hired man by the year. Benny
helps with the milking, brlngs in
wood and kindling, feeds the chick
ems. which Is normal work for a boy
II years old, and RE wears proudly a
perfect attendance button, having
missed Just two days. which were not
his fault In the whole year. He is
nicely dressed, buoyant and happy.
"On the other hand we have l. NJ,
i3 years Of age, not very strong, lame
from an old infantie paralysis. looks
! Tired and worn, is with an energetic,
industrious couple who push him
much too hard, considering his lame
ness He attended school lust SC
days in the past year.
! Francis A years old, has been for
the past four years, in the home OF a
farmer who has a son &c years Of age
: Francis is in the seventh grade and
attended 100 days last year. The son
! Is in the second year high school and
attends every day Francis was kent
out or school until late In the fan Ia
? work the farmers own son starting
, on time. and even then the farmer al.
, tempted TO get work permit for
I some extra work. This was refused
2 by the authorities, who suggested fhal
his own son could better be spared
from school, having been a rcgulal
! attendant.
Thomas, &c years OF age last July
I mas been for some, years in the home
r OF couple who have one daughter
b Just II years, and who own a farm
s OF 90 acres. Thomas does the entir,
work OF this place, the foster father
e being usually engaged In fishing else
4 where. Thomas receives no wage.
b except a little spending money now
8 and then. lie was poorly dressed
S when seen. He is In the sixth grad
r and attended just % days during 1919
q 20. The daughter Is in the second yea
g nigh school and attends every day
g Ana So we could so on indennitel,
T. with Illustrations, says the renori
o perhaps The condition Of the hom
y boy who reaches the age OF IS an,
! is still IN the NTH or sixth grade an
u refuses TO go longer 90 school, is hes
r described In the following words b.
Il a Wcll-knOWn social worker. IL