The Washington herald., 1922-07-19
MOTHERS SURVEY
CTTYTOCET HOMES
FOR WARDS OF DC.
Committee Expects to
Learn Type That Will
Welcome Them.
CALLING IN PERSON
Many Of Best Loath to Take
Children of Other
Parents.

Endeavoring to determine the
class Of homes to which dependent
: city wards are welcome. the Con-
gress Of Mothers special commit
tee is making a survey of the atti-
tude of mothers toward taking
strange children into their house
holds.
Not only does the committee ex-
pect to learn the type of home
which will accept children. but the
survey is expected to reveal the
concensus Of opinion of Washing
ton mothers as to what kind of
homes should be used by the Board
OF Guardians in boarding-out wards.
Replies so far received from rep
resentative homes indicate that the
average mother Is loath to take
other peoples children into her
household.
Making Personal Calls.
Numerous letters have been writ
ten by the committee in order to
get general opinion. Members
also are making personal calls
upon mothers at homes known TO
be. models in child care. In prac-
tically every case, it Is declared,
mothers express the greatest SYM
pathy for the charity wards. but
feel a hesitancy about taking them
as their own.
The following extracts are from
replies received by the Congress of
Mothers committee in answer to
letters asking Washington mothers
whether they would accept wards
of the Board of Guardians:
Il would think we'll before I took
a child into my home even IL i
knew IL to be of good birth, for
fear IL might influence my own
children In fact 1 know I would
not consider it for moment. /
believe the Industrial Home School
should be opened and the poor
children be given a chance to help
themselves"
Would Consider Matter,
Another mother writes: You
ask me II I would take children
In my home ! would IL I had all
my time to give them and could
give them every advantage. The
number would depend upon condi-
tons. No one has a right to un-
dertake the care of children who
has not certain qualifications. such
as patience. truthfulness and a real
belief in God. And as 1 believe
cleanliness for the child Is above
Goodness. the home should be clean
inside and out"
Mrs. Giles Scott Rafter. for year.
worker In child welfare, writes:
y have never seen in all the years
have worked with children. in and
out of homes of all kinds. a pri-
vate home where could with a
clear conscience place a child to be
boarded"
Best Homes Not Omen,
The general belief. IL is reported
is that the best homes as a rule
are not open to dependent children.
In a number of instances. however,
investigators have found families
who are believed to be thorouehly
devoted to the children placed with
them.
notwithstanding these instances,
committee members are of the opin-
ion that the Board of Chileren's
Guardians would be unable to place
the majority of children with pri-
vate families IL il could not pay
for their sustenance
The special committee appointed
by. the District Commissioners to
investigate homes used by the
Guardians was laid before city
heads yesterday. A special meeting
will be held today and will consider
1ndings OF the investigators, II is
said. The report will not be made
public until after the Commission
raaat