Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-07-19
The States Public Welfare Board

~~~SSS~
AS this welfare board is being
discussed by the Georgia Legislature
and the subject of juvenile criminals
is vital matter to the country
people, as we'll as the town popula-
ton, it is well to get a correct I'M
derstanding of what it stands for,
and how it is carried out in actual
performance.
This public welfare board was
passed by the legislature of 1919,
and was organized in March, 1920.
The first report of this board lies
before me as I write. AS one Off
cial body it claims to have oversight
over the children Of the "helpless
widow, the deserted wife, the dis
abled bread winner and the impris-
oned father" Also the disintegrating
family (Whatever that means), the
dependent aged and the delinquent"
These classes the board says are I'M
der the law words of the state"
powers, and is only an ordinary
agency.
The report says, this board can
not function without funds The
1920 legislature with is usual meth
DDS of appropriation of tax money,
appropriated the sum of $4,000, and
the report shows that the organiza-
ton was SCI agoing in March, 1920,
and by December 1920, it had spent
all the appropriation, except 81, ELISA.
The report also says that leftover
values would only pay the expense
of one month in 1921.
The travelling expenses during that
time amounted to $4,000. Postage,
supplies and literature amounted to
$500. There were four people, two
men and two women, drawing sal
o,-io "a ~, tIoo -fp
toll. Subtracting the $500 paid for
postage, etc, these four, up to De-
cember 81, 1920, had received $13,-
900. Divide $4,000 by four and
you will discover that they averaged
1888, although the state agent and
the assisting agent drew the bulk
of it.
There is one case mentioned, to
show how badly this welfare board
is needed. 1t is the case of a twelve
year-old boy, who "StoIe a laundry
drivers pocket pook." He was ar
rested and carried to jail. This well
fare board arraigns the sheriff as a
violator of law, because he carried
the boy thief to jail. This sheriff,
it declares, should have informed
the agent of the welfare board, and
should have placed the thief in some
other safe place until the agent ar
rived.
L VI SSNSu OdyS IIl6 DOy remained
in Jail and was accidentally found
there by the agent of the board.
| (There are 157 counties in Georgia
and two new ones already made eX-
| cept for executive signature in
1929
The welfare agent couldn't find
the probation officer and the latter
is published as a notorious gam
| bier and no one ever thought of
talking with him about boys, ETC."
| The Juvenile court judge was at
! last found, who was also ordinary of
the county. This man declared he
| had never read the juvenile court
such derelicts had been brought be-
fore him.
1t was an imposition, he said,
| upon his time and he got no extra
pay, and he refused to act. in the
! case of the tWelve-year-old boy. In
the meantime, the uncle of the boy
and the sheriff painted that boys
case black" hopeless" etc. The
judge sentenced the young offender
to the reform school and sent the.
vile Reform School would receive
Jail until then, and refused to allow
Milledgeville got ready to open it's
doors.
Says the report: '"This occurred in
city boasts $4,000 popula ton and Is
Also: This practice is common