The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-03-10
VERMONT PROBATION REPORT.
Eighty Cases Received and 40 Dis
charged.

ne vermont uDdIu VI clldi lLtts i'AN
its March meeting Tuesday afternoon
at the office of the board. The Febru'
arv meeting was omitted owing to the
illness of Chairman Pierson, so that
Secretary Jefrey's report covers the
months of January and February
Some very interesting figures are Civ
en- in the tabulations made.
During the period covered by the re
port eighty cases were received on pro-
baton and parole and forty were dis
charged so that on the first day OF
March 726 probationers and parolers
were under the supervision OF the state
probation officer.
In commenting upon the dependent
and neglected children division of the
boards work, Mr.. Jeffrey says:
"Since our last meeting there have
been committed to the board twenty
six children Thirty-one children have
been placed in free homes or in homes
bv adoption and one has been returned
from free home and placed upon ex-
pense. This is certainly a very graft.
fving two months work in this par
ticular department. One hundred and
fifteen visits have been made to our
committed children during the two
months, ten children who have been
committed TO the board have been Civ
en- medical and surgical treatment and
twelve OF the committed children have
been discharged from treatment. In
addition to these we have investigated
seventeen physically defective children
that were not committed to the board
and approved fourteen for hospital
treatment Nine have been discharged
from the hospital and their bills paid
from the so-called Graham fund
In directing the boards attention TO
House bill 1859, providing for shelter
home, now pending before the legisla
ture. Secretary Jeffrey says:
II am verv glad to be able to report
that the bill seems to be meeting with
general approval and much favor.
Suitable provision for the care of
dependent and neglected children when
they first come from the courts is alb
solutely necessary if Vermont i TO
maintain and successfully operate a
placing out system for these children.
In a very large percentage Of cases
come to US wholly unfit TO
be placed in private homes To illus
trate. last week | was called to inves
( igate a family and found a father and
mother and seven children ranging
from one to Is years of age. boys and
girls. This entire family Of nine per.
sons were compelled to use one bed or
no bed at all There was but one chair
in the house, not sheet, pillow case,
blanket or quilt. Just soiled old mat.
tress and few dirty rags These
children were indescribably dirtv-their
heads were filled with vermin and such
a. they had was ragged and
extremely filthy. Notwithstanding this
these children appeared TO
be very bright and have made good
progress at school when thew have had
sufficient clothing and care to get to
school | have been unable TO move
these children. We have no shelter
home in which such children could re
-eiye first care To take this consider
able class Of children to a private home
for board or otherwise i unfair To the
-hild. unfair TO the family and unfair
10 the community
children committed to our state in
lustrial school as delinqucnts even
though they come from clean and sat
sfactory homes are placed in isolation
az Nergennes for a period Of time to
be SUR that thew are in a healthy and
proper condition for the safety 81 9th.
n children. Can Vermont give 10 the
department and neglected child. whose
sole need Is food. clothing. shelter and
lean environments less consideration
than il gives 70 its delinquent chill
iren
During the past two months thirty /
dependent and neglected children have
'8und free homes in our state-homes I
hat have been carefully investigated
md inspected and found 70 ne satisfac- |
ory. IN MANY instances these homes /
-ould have been used months earlier
rad We heen able g. give % our chill 1
iren that care. attention and cxamins- |
ion which would have been had in =
heller home. Without reasonable and .
proper equipment. months 81 time Is 4
a-t. much added expeu-e j. made and 4
many failure result BY children being T.
-eturued - unsatisfactory. simply he- I
.suse tbey did unt first get the care 4
necessary - make them acceptable I
hus drrv5rr then square deal and .
fair chance o. heaaue Self -upFaTt-
NJ. self respecting and useful citi-
.ens for our state"