Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-04-22
MRS, VIM. H. LAIRD
ELECTED CHAIRMAN
Governors Appointment is Made
Permanent at Meeting OF Re
construction Commission.

The State Reconstruction Commission
held IT'S regular meeting at Dover yester-
dav Owing to the recent resignation OF
Mrs. Charles r. Miller, Chairman of the
Commission. and the appointment by
Governor John G.. Townsend, Jr., of Mrs.
William II. Laird, the Commission had
an election of officers. Mrs. Laird was
elected Chairman and Mayor William @.
Tavlor was made Vice Chairman. This
was in accordance with new ruling OF the
commission for the purpose OF giving the
northern section of the State vice chair
man who could act i'll the temporary alb
.scnce of the chairman. George ii, Hail OF
Milford, who has been the vice chairman
of the commission since its organization,
will act in a similar capacity for the
southern half of the State.
Mrs, Charles Il. Miller, the retiring
chairman, has just returned from trip
to Bermuda, which was a we'll earned
vacation from her long period OF activity
in behalf of the children, dating back to
1917 when Mrs. Miller was elected chair
man of the Defense League of Delaware,
which was started at meeting IN VIII
Inington called by Mayor Price, at the
High School on March 30 of that year.
Owing to the continued STRAIN OF her long
service in the child welfare work, Mrs
Miller gave up the ChaIrmanshlp OF the
Reconstruction Commission, but she re-
tanned her Craftsmanship of the Woman $
Committee for Chjld Welfare, which Is
acting rs an auxiliary support for the Com
mission
Mrs William Fl. Laird. as the first
chairman of Child Welfare for Whining
ton during the war. has long been nssoclat-
ed with Mrs Miller in the child welfare
work of the city and state, and although
the commission expressed a deep regret
Mt Mrs. Miller $ resignation, they recognlz-
ell that the future work OF the conimls-
sion will have the combined ability and
service ol two Of the most able child
welfare and public service workers IN the
State Mrs. Laird has already taken hold
of her new duties and Mrs Miller IS
starting an active program Tor the Wo-
mans Committee
It was announced ut the Rcconstruc-
tion Commission meeting that gift of
SIG .000 had been promised for the develop
mcnt of dental clinic work among the
children Of the state next fall. Details of
this work are beng arranged by DIR.
OSincup. the Medical Consultant for the
Rcc0nS trl!ctinn Commission who Is also
the Medical Director FOR the State Board
% Education. and by representatives, of
thr State Dental Association. This was
one ol the items contained in an interesting
report made at Yesterdays meeting by
Mr.. Ina J. y erlins who is the Child
Welfare Director of the Stat RcconstruC-
tiou Commission.
The work of the Reconstruction Com
mission has also been greatly aided by the
Junior League Of Wilmington, which Is
giving volunteer assistance at the Health
Ccnters The Junior League has also pledg-
cd donation sufficient to pay the salary
of one nurse for 1920, and Is just cOmplet-
ing arrangements to buy a small house
eq ip it properly and install the Child
Health Center which is now operating
at the Peoples Settlement.
Mrs. Perkins has been appointed specia
agent of the Federal Children's Bureau
which enables her TO use the government
frank on much of the child welfare core
spondence.
As a speaker on child welfare, Mrs
Perkins has addressed eighteen meeting.
of the Farmers Institutes recently con
cluded in the state, and fourteen othel
meetings at various clubs throughout the
State, since the first of the wear. She
reported to the commission a hearty anc
appreciative response TO the work of the
commission for mothers and babies
throughout the state.