The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1921-02-24
each month being the regular meet

= 4
Perhaps the most important work
Of the year was the survey Of coun-
ty allowance cases. 1t early became
apparent that conditions had changed
in some Of these families and that a
revision was needed. Conditions are
constantly changing in these homes
and there is very real need for
thorough investigation and constant
supervision. The mother may go out
to work leaving the children with rel
atives; a child finishes the eighth
grade and becomes self supporting or
part of the house may be rented out.
We found two cases in which the
mothers were improvident and it
was necessary to have the allowance
paid through a guardian (the banks
Receipted bills for goods bought with
county money are then submitted to
the child welfare board at the end
of each month. So far, this has prov
ed satisfactory arrangement.
Another difficulty in dealing with
many Mothers Pension cases is that
no allowance is made for the support
of the mother. In many cases the
maximum allowance is inadequate to
maintain a decent standard of family
life for the children under the present
increased cost of living, whereas, no
provision whatever is made for food
and clothing for the mother. The
state does not wish these mothers to
be classed with paupers and in rural
communities such as ours, there are
no charitable organizations to whom
they may turn.
There also seems to be a misun-
derstanding of the term Mothers
Pension" Widows with young chill
dren have apparently come to look
upon it as a premium for widowed
motherhood and apply regardless of
their financial status. If the term
County Allowance" or Mothers
Assistance" fund was submitted for
Mothers Pension" this misunder-
standing might not so frequently &C.
cur.
Previous to the appointment of the
Child Welfare Board, the Juvenile
Court had no machinery for the in
vestigation of these applications.
Publicity has had something to do
with the rapid increase in their num-
Der, but far more is due to the havoc
! wrought by influenza during 1918 and
1919. Twenty-Five out of sixty-siS
| of the fathers of these dependent
children have died of influenza.
In May of this year we undertook
a systematic survey of these cases
For our own convenience the county
was districted and definite area as
signed to each of the three women
members of the board. In every
case there was a personal visit te
the home, verifcation of the mothers
statements through bank, church
county and school records and inter
views with at least three prominent
men to ascertain the standing OF the
: family in the community.
Very complete records are kept
| on file with the secretary of the
| board. We found that the budget
system recommended by the board OF
| control was Of a great value in de-
termining the amount to grant espec-
tally where some member is employ
| ed outside of the home.
Primarily in undertaking our sur
vey, the intention was the elimina-
ton or reduction of some of these
pensions but investigation led to a
| Recommendation in five cases of in
| creases of from $500 to $4,000.
It took two months to complete the
J survey and cost $217.20. The investf-
gators were paid rs cents an hour
for actual time spent at work. We
feel that with the work SO well estab-
lished after two years of ungrudg-
ing effort without pay and with the
immense amount of clerical work now
necessary, rs cents an hour should be
allowed by the county for all time
spent at the work. -.-
80 cases have been investigated,
sixty-seven mothers are drawing
pension and 235 children are being
cared for with county funds. Four
teen applications were investigated
and no pension granted. thirteen
were discontinued entirely, twenty
four continued as before; fourteen
reductions were recommended and
but two granted, for at the hearing
later compromises were affected; In