The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-08-08
WEEKLY NEWS LETTER
Child Placing Department Active In
Good Work,

social worker in another city: "Miss
M. asked me to write you a note to
thank you for your letter and to tell
YOU that it is welcome news to know
that you can find good home for
baby William. He seems to be an
adorable little fellow and everyone
who has seen him loves him. He has
brown eyes and light hair that curls
on the top, and captivating smile
DR.. P. examined him iand gave him
a clean bill of health, saying that ne
was2a 'shungry baby and that all ne
needs is food and petting."
This baby has previously been re-
ported to the Department and an
investigation of the case brought to
light the fact that the baby had been
given by the matron of maternity
home in another state to Mrs. Blank
about whom the matron knew practl-
cally nothing. Mrs. B. soon tired OF
the baby and deserted it after which
it was handed about from one person.
TO another until it finally came to the
attention of the, social worker who
took charge of the baby through the
probate court and reported the case
to the Child Placing Department.
Little William was accepted and plac-
ed with Mr.. and Mrs. x. whose home
had previously been ily investigated and
approved. At the time the baby was
placed in this home he weighed Ii
poands and was about 8 months old.
Five, months later the only recogniz-
able feature about him was his rare
smile-and a letter from his fond
foster parents reads: eve want to
make a report on our baby. He is just
fine; walking now and beginning to
talk since you saw him last; he has
eight teeth and we hardly know
when he cut them, You can see from
his picture how fat he is. He is such
] allowable little fellow everyone makes
a pet of him, and we are very proud
of him. We are looking for another
visit from you soon"
This is one of = the many cases
which Is comparatively easy to dis is
pose Of, but they are not all 50 o easi-
If ana satisfa aetorily handled, and the
inability of the Child Placing De-
partment to meet promptly all OF the
many calls that come to them is a
source of wonder and oftentimes inn
patience to people reporting cases.
older children offer more complex
problems and each child passing thru
the Office must be given the most
careful and thorough study of his or
her future possibilities in order that
satisfactory placement may be
made. ... Ill. NJ
iIf the 1874 cases reported during
the first six months of the year 1921
probably 800 were specified as en-
ergency cases. The three workers OF
this Office have been able to person
ally investigate 80 of the cases and
in 87 of them, to offer some. aid. 40
children have been placed in homes;
fourteen have been accepted for
placement but have not yet been re-
ceiyed; 21 were disposed of by rela-
tiyes or through the cooperation of
other social agencies; three are pend
ing decision; Al are on the waiting
List. C Classifying these 80 children the
Department found among them a
three days old illegitimate baby; 5
weeks old twins whose mother died
at their birth; a two year old girl
cruelty beaten by people who had
taken her from relatives; and an
eleven year old boy found in barn,
beaten, gagged and tied to a beam, a
seven year old girl tramping the
etate with mentally irresponsible
father; a fatherless family Of five
whose mother died the afternoon the
worker arrived, one Of these fifteen
year old girl feebleminded and in
capable of caring for herself and the
younger ones; two little boys whose
father deserted leaving their mother
struggling to support herself and
them on $12 per week.
sOf course all of the cases coming
to the Child Placing Department are