The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-01-29
By Jane B. Lee.
THE JUVENILE WARDS OF THE
STATE.


THE JUVENILE WARDS OF THE
STATE.
(Third Article).
In the privious chapters we dwelt
upon the articles eliminating in the
placing of proletarian childral in char
ity institutions; we will now point out
the havoc wrought upon them in those.
places.
AS already indicated, commitment to
an institution is made by court. Whether
the unfortunates are sent to public
or private institution, the former at
taching to them the stigma of pauper-
ism in addition to all the other question
able blessings, depends on legal tech
nieality requiring what is known as a
settlement if placed in a private insti-
tuition. A settlement means that the
family must have resided at least TIN ee
years in the state and one year in the
city. AS proletarians are nomadic
group, not because of some specific
trait of character, but because of their
social position which makes intermit,
tant employment an established institu-
tion, the jobless are, very frequently,
compelled to change both their occupa-
tions and places of abode, the result
being that no permanent abode is ac.
quired in large majority of cases and
the children are thereby automatically
reduced to pauperism by having the
State take charge when ordered re-
moved from their homes.
Up to and including 1915 the State
allowed the sum of two dollars per
week for each ward, as the children
are called. The wards are usually placed
in country homes. Two dollars for
board, lodging and care are not much
of an inducement, as any one can ties.
tify, but here is where bourgeois re.
sourcefulness comes to its rescue. A child
under five years does not consume
much; the child above that age (the
State takes it for gr; Sd) can supple
ment that amount by forming some
labor. And, sad to state, it really does,
frequently paying an exorbitant price
fot its keep
On farm an extra worker, especially
helpless, defenseless juvenile, is
mighty valuable asset and the boarding
woman, somehow manages to make the
best of her opportunity. Thus, children
not over eight or nine years old are
dragged out of their beds at four or
five O'Clock in the morning to do the
chorus. Theoretically the State is pied
ged to prohibit such child-labor, but
prartically it is well aware of its exist
ence and connives in it because of the
financial consideration. In addition. the
wards are often kept unclear, often
bunked in the poorest quarters, and
still more often Disseminated against
in the matter of food. The consequence
of all this is that they soon become
eneamic, then sickly-looking and if all.
owed to remain any considerable length
of time, the effects are seen in stunted
growth, stopped shoulders and general
emaciation. True, the State is very
liberal in that it provides and actual.
ly keeps on its payroll staff of Wis.
itors, so called, whose function it is
to visit and report on the good quail.
ties or otherwise of the homes visited.
but in reality this amounts to a mere
sham and bitter irony. Allowing the
niggardly sum of two dollars per week
for its wards maintenance, the state
anticipates treatment in accordance
with it, but money is the highest object
and it must be attained at all hazards.
But if the childrens physical devel.
opment is thus grossly neglected. we
have quite different story to tell
about their spiritual growth.
The State demands, if YOU please.
that the children attend church regu.
larly; it provides further that each
ward attend the church of its parents.
Is not that the height of magnanimity
and tolerancep' Never mind the frugal
meal received, the State insists tha,
the ward say 'Grace' and thank the
Lord for what He gave (or did not
lgive).
This vigilant and patriarchal care
his one very encouraging, nayay, in.
spring feature: after some length OF
time the ward begins 70 deveIon u,.