Milford chronicle., 1921-05-06
BOUND OUT" CHILD
THING OF THE PAST
in DELAWARE NOW---LECAL QUESTION
MAY HAVE BEARING ON PAROLE
BILL AND OTHERS.
RELOCATED TO SCRAP HEAP
LEGISLATURE REPEALED The OLD LAW
WHEREBY CHILDREN COULD BEPUT
BY JUSTICE OF The PEACE.

DI JUOlICE UT IlE EEHCE.
With the signing by Governor Den
ney last week of the bill passed in
favor of the children of Delaware, the
bound out" child was relegated to
the scrap heap. The State legislature
repealed the old law providing for an
apprentice system whereby children
could be bound out by the justice of
the peace. The new bill passed that
any individual society or State wish
ing to place a child in a foster home
in the State must first give bond of
$4,000 to the State Board of Charities.
Under the terms of such bond, a
child shall not be sent into the State
who is incorrigible, of unsound mind
or body or mentally unsound.
The provisions of the bill also per-
init the child to be removed from
home where it has been ascertained
the placement is not proper one. The
main purpose of the new bill, it has
been pointed out by officials of the
Children's Bureau in Wilmington,
which was especially interested in the
bill, was to put teeth into an old bill
An appropriation of 5000 was appro-
priated to carry out the provisions of
the bill and the State Board of Char
tiles was made the final arbiter in all
cases of disputes since any person or
association placing any child in the
State must abide by all rules made
by the State Board pertaining to the
rejection, placing, supervision, edu-
cation, health, removal and general
welfare of all such children
Placing Agency Opposed Bill
One of the strongest opponents of
the Delaware measure, according to !
officials of the Children's Bureau, was
the New York Childrens Aid Society.
At the time the agitation over the mat
ter of placed" children began about
a year ago this society had 178 chill
1ren in the State from such sources
rs Orphanages or institutions, lodging
houses and shelters for homeless
boys and Overseers of the poor. At
east fifty mentally backward children
we're placed by this institution, it is
llleged.
One reason advanced by the New
lork agent for thus placing mentally
backward children here from his own
state was that ''in these backward
asses this sort of boy will stay with
'eople who bring him up and treat !
Inn kindly for years and years, when j
bright, ambitious boy would be s
triking out for himself.
This attitude was resented, it is I'M =
erstood, by the people working for =
he boys of Delaware who urged that e
very boy should have his chance and a
lat the State should not be used as y y
dumping ground for the mentally o
Efficient Vi Eew York por any otIS-s-I'IS' :
tate.
Agency "StOle the Evidence"
An interesting phase of the situa- Z
on IS the fact that since Miss Jessie ri
Ogle, for the Children's Bureau, made h
study of the placed children in the al
ate many of the cases placed by the 81
eW York Society and considered Of
lagrant" and marked for special in hi
by her, were removed be- bC
re the investigation could be con- sc
Icted. re
An important feature in the placing &C
children here was the fact that nc
ost OF them were boys and were CO
aced upon farms. In many instances nc
cir attendance at school had moi 10
en- enforced and they were allow IA
TO work long hours. LEI
With the passage of the new law an al
airs are thought to have been iif Tif
anged. The old system by which ~ ~
lIdren could be bound OUT to be- 90, g.
me chattels and willed from one ivl ~
rson to another like slaves has of
SSeo. The more recent conditions Iif
ereDy children were released" to 10
niles not to be seen or disturbed of oe
I'll OF age also has been eliminated
is thought, and all placed chill e. s'tl
n now will be under the iurisdic- oI' oI''
OF the State Board of Charities. ~ ~
lch is responsible to the people of NJ ~
state, and under the constant su-
vision of organizations operating
Ter the jurisdiction of the chari- 6
board. e..
Other Beneficial Results ma
he results achieved by investiga- sur
and examination are many. il is las
Jared, at least one institution of Mo
btful character having been GOT Ant
rid OF during the past year and and
ctically scores of youngsters taxi bef
care of. 1t is hoped that the old yea
OF child life on the farm where Coo
youngster worked from morning Coo
l night without leasure to plav. tion
Ost without schooling and hone ters
ly in the hands of his keeper. he fore
good, bad or Indifferent, has been ton,
lged.
1T there is another feature to the u
situation that is being remedied W
ne societies under the new laws: yea
Ohm, a cunning dark-haired bow plta
n years, is member of a family 1sC'
listing of father, one brother and Weo
sisters. The mother is dead. The III I
er places the children at board in one
Institution but fails to meet the H.
lents. The children then are plac- was
although there is no question of w.
ather being unfit to take care of Phla
except his poverty. John is pIac- for
lth tenant farmer down State, cnIel
an OF mediocre intelligence and com
education who whips the child stree
strap and leaves. him alone at
while the family drives to a
lboring town for the movies. WI
while the real father has died iate
relatives are constantly asking ner
Ohm. Here is family of small neaT
otlVe children, torn apart and yeaIs !
cred without the least apparent serVI
on the part of the State to. keep a. wv
together" Inter
9 ooso :. terry
Nurk n