The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-06-04
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC j. HAsKN, Director,
Washington, d. G.
MPoRrEn INFANTS.
Washington, D. G.

tereStlnS novelty IN foreign llnpOrtA-
| tons is being introduced in New York
| this season. 1t is babies-British
Enthusiastically selected and free
from all home ties, ready for adop-
ton in childless American homes.
They come in both /sexes and in
both blonde and brunette colorings,
/ 80 that the would-be adopter has a
| variety from which to pick his favor
lite type. Each is a beauty as beauty
is defined in babyland, and Is guaran-
are bargainsl No such infants could
be procured for adoption in this coun-
try. In fact, it is becoming increas-
ingly difficult to find any American
babies at all that may be adopted
| wholly and legally, with all rights
| reserved. That is why they are being
| imported from England, which has
surplus supply.
They are being brought to this
country thru a cooperative arrange
ciety of England and the newly
formed British-American adoption
committee of this city. The first
fifteen infants, accompanied by
doctor and five nurses. arrived on one
| steamer several days ago, and were
distributed evenly among three New
| York adoption nurseries, affiliated
with the committee. All of these fiji
| teen are now bespoken, and the COM
mittee has cabIed for another supply.
babies had arrived, the nurseries were
besieged by scores of eager women.
some in fashionable limousines, some
on foot, some married and some not,
each trying to persuade the nurses In
charge to give her one of the young
sters. Even while the infants were
getting used to their new cribs and the
fascinating, bright-colored pictures on
the nursery walls, their fates were be-
ing decided in the front offices. Most
| of them, we are informed, are to go
| to families who are socially prominent
in New York, and will doubtless in
herit considerable wealth when they
grow up. But the British baby is not
necessarily snobbish. He does not in
sist upon wealth; but merely good,
comfortable home, where he will re-
| ceive excellent care and the personal
attention and affection that all babies
Irequire.
Large Demand for Babies.
That there are plenty of such homes
only too anxious to adopt infants is
shown by the large number Of re-
lquests received every year by the adop-
ton nurseries in New York-requests
that can't possibly be filled by the
meager supply of babies turned in by
the city hospitals. The many found
dren, sof course. but not the kind that
people want.
| The average person who wishes to
adopt a child" says Miss Clara B.
Spence, secretary of the new adoption
committee, N"desires a baby rather than
or four years old. Sweet, innocent
little babies, less than a year old, are
extremely difficult to obtain. Owing
to the rules and red tape connected
with founding homes, it is impossible
to find a home for babies unless they
iNnnfOrp1 IN 10 ioin
nations.
I'm England there is an oversupply
OF babies who may be adopted and
full surrender given. Many who have
lost sons in the war in England have
taken babies into their homes, but
l still there is an oversupply, and since
our list for children-for babies not
older than one year-cannot be sup
piled from this country, we are turn
ing to England.
English babies is the fact that the
adoption lawS in England are not IA
vorable to adopting. There a child
| may have but one guardian and an
adopted child cannot inherit property,
while in America the legally adopted
child is an heir just as any other mem
Der of the family
Miss Spence. who is principal of
Miss Spence's School for Girls on West
Fifty-fifth street here, has been in
children for number of years. She
and her assistant, Miss Charlotte
Baker. have placed over 200 children
with excellent families, and each has
herself adopted child. They have
two adoption nurseries to their credit:
:, a private one of their own and an
other financed by the Spence Alumnae
association. They are also interested
in the Alice Chaplin nursery, the pio-
: neer in its field. started several years
INxT nr ~
Henry Dwight Chaplin.
In his hospital practice DR.. Chaplin
long ago discovered a curious fact
/ about babies. He found that their
one absolute requirement in life, more
important even than food and sleep.
was a mothers love- He found that
: you could take an ailing infant and
! feed it the most nutritious food in
the most scientific quantities. see that
1t got plenty of fresh air and sound
sleep, and that for a short time
, usually a, month"; would thrive.
, Then. suddenly. it would start to lose
weight and fade away. Why? Be
cause it was mot receiving the neces-
sary amount of cuddles and endear-
? ments and its terrific little ego SIM
I ply dropped and wilted.
u Babies Need Attention.
+ The doctor was so convinced of this
, that he could no longer bear to see
babies sent away to institutions. In
stead he secured permission from the
7 hospital and took them home to his
r wife, who fitted a nursery up for them
on the top floor of her house, and
, proceeded to lavish affection upon
them until they once more showed an
4 interest in life.
l From this informal beginning the
present Alice Chaplin Nursery at 2100
lexington avenue here, grew. It con-
sists of IL rooms, with a roof garden
| fitted up scientifically for the care OF
\ s babies, but carefully avoiding the
atmosphere of an. institution. As far
as possible. the baby is treated as
r an individual. He has his own play
things; he gets his share of caresses
from his nurse, and he is flattered
and amused.
i eight babies, however, which Mrs