Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-11-04

to ascertain they are normal mentally
and fit subjects for placements In free
foster homes.
The service Of finding and supervising
boarding homes has in some instances,
been rendered to widowers or other rel
atives who were thus able to procure
proper care for motherless children. We
hope many more homen may be opened
this coming year to receive such chill
dren.
KEEP FAMILIES TOGETHER
Since we have stressed the preventive
side of the work, and have tried where
possible to keep the families together.
we have removed comparatively few
children from their own homes; Is chill
dren have been taken under care. Is OF
whom were committed to us by the
courts. Where possible. we have secured
financial assistance for board, clothing
and medical care from relatives. in
terested persons or poor law officials.
$614.91 has been collected by the agents
In this city for special children.
MAKE CAREFUL INVESTIGATIONS
When a child Is taken, we endeavor as
far as possible to know that child. That
means not only a careful investigation
of the child's heredity and personal his
tory but a complete physical and mental
examination, careful observation In a
boarding home, conferences with the
school teacher and others who are In
close touch with the child. Three chill
dren have been sent to Boston for more
complete examination than could be given
here. Where remedial physical defects
are discovered they are corrected before
the child Is placed For this service we
are greatly indebted to physicians and
hospitals, and to the f. d. Proctor Fund
for Destitute Children. II mental ex-
animation reveals feeble mndedness las
some times happens with an attractive
appearing child the child is not offered
for adoption. Thirty-three physical ex-
aminations and twenty-eight mental
examinations have been made. We
try to keep faith with the foster
homes by allowing adoption only
where all Indications point to a normal
and mental development. In all free
placements the home and the child are
safeguarded by making the placement an
experiment for at least year. During
this time the agent keeps in close touch
to make sure that the child Is receiving
proper care and to help In smoothing
out the difficulties that sometimes occur
in the period Of adjustment. At the end
Of the year II all Is we'll. adoption If
allowed. but never insisted upon, Until
the child is adopted, he may be returned
by the foster parent to the Society al
any time.
CHILDREN PLACED IN HOMES
The Society has investigated % free
homes and Al boarding homes. It has
placed % children In boarding homes
and 10 children in free homes. AS the
year is not yet up, none has yet been
adopted and all are under our supervi-
sion. We are now looking for good
homes for several promising children
Children are placed in Catholic or Protes
tant homes according to the religious
faith of their parents.
There is no greater satisfaction thar
that of supplying a child with a home o
his own and to watch the development
of affection between the child and his fos
ter parents. A year ago Agnes was
wistful, pathetic child, deprived of all tina
makes child life beautiful. To-day she /,
radiantly happy little girl, making up 70
past lack Of opportunity by doing thu
| work of two grades in one, and is bring
ing life and sunshine into hithertc
Placing children in foster homes Is
delicate task which needs to be mos
carefully supervised. Our attention ha
been called to instance after instance o
children who have drifted into the wron
kind of home. OF the q children take
under care IL had been previously place.
in unfit homes, and were brought to GU
: attention because of their neglected con
ditiop. They were usually given away b
| their parents to the first person VIII
asked for them. We hope that parent
will learn more and more that they ca
turn to the Children's Aid Society eithe
to help them keep their children or t
provide foster homes for them.
In July our first branch office was es
| tablished in Bellows Falls with Miss HaI
| riett L. Abbott as field agent for Wind
ham, Windsor, Bennington and Rutlan
counties. The calls for help have come |
so rapidly that the two workers are quit
unable to cover the field At present
cases remain untouched because of lac
Of time.
The first year OF work has demonstrate
an undoubted need. 1t has also brougf
to us much evidence Of Widespread intei
est of Vermonters in work for children
We hope that the need and the intere.
may in the future be so fused that facil
ties may be made available so that ever
request for help for child in need ma
receive immediate attention.