Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1922-12-21
SOME INTERESTING FACTS.
BY w. II. Maginnis.

IN sOH1c cases, peen kept al county
poor farms in order that the attend
ance would be large enough to meet
the district school requirements and
keep the school open. This is one Of
the startling facts brought to light in
the investigation Of conditions in West
Virginia by the Child Welfare Com
mission. And it is one of the facts
upon which the commission is basng
its argument in favor of the consoli-
dation Of the county poor farms in the
State into six consolidated poor farms,
one for each congressional district.
But that is not the only reason.
For the last nine months the COM
mission has been making a study Of
the poor farms OF the State, and it has
found that the county homes are being
maintained in the large majority Of
cases for an "appallingly small num-
Der OF inmates" in the language of
Miss Hettie Hazlett, executive secrc-
tary of the commission. "This means"
Miss Hazlett said in a recent letter to
county authorities throughout the State,
"a large investment for the county in
land, houses, barns, equipment, etc,
to say nothing Of the per capita cost
which varies from $4,000 to S6OOO6."
"The commission" she said, ais
considering a plan by which these
poor farms may be consolidated, hav-
ing only one for each congressional
district Under this plan the presi-
dents Of the county courts of the coun-
ties constituting the congressional dis
trct and the State Board OF Control
would form board of managers for
the district home.
"The attached chart" she continued,
"will show you the situation at the
present time worked out on the con-
gressional district basis, showing the
rooms, inmates, approximate value
based on the number Of acres, the
value per acre and the value OF the
household equipment. Notice the
number of inmates in relation to tine
number of rooms, the actual number
of rooms exceeding the number of in
mates. Under the plan suggested il
would mean that directed by a local
board of managers there would be six
homes in the State which would ade-
quately and in an efficient, economical
manner under sanitary conditions,
care for our helpless, aged or indig-
emit"
BY personal investigation Of certain
poor farms, Miss Hazlett collected
great deal of data that convinced the
Child Welfare Commission that
radical change must be made in the
administration Of the laws and insti-
tutions created or established for the
benefit Of the poor, before this group
of unfortunates can be properly cared
for.
Conditions existing in some OF the
county farms are indicated in Miss
Hazlett's report Of the poor farms.
One farm was described as follows:
The farm was supposed to contain
80 acres, but there was only a small
area of the land that was worth cult
waiting. On this farm are buildings,
the one reserved for the inmates with
room for IA or rs persons. The pres
emf number of inmates more than 20,
the condition Of each of whom is de-
scribed in the report. The condition
of each is described in brief notes as
follows:
No I, old age and tuberculosis; No
2, feeble minded; Nos a, 5, and 6, three
children, all have golfers; No. 7. sick
ly baby; No. g, old age and feeble
minded; No. Q, "No mind at ALL" No
10, old age; No. If, old age paralysis;
No. -, old age AID feeble minded; No.
10, inmate for IA years, nervous COM
plant, mentally derangcd complained
bitterly OF her nerves and coalitions,
as she applied salve to boys leg.
This bow who is No Ia, is nine
years old and is in the imhecilc class,
with flies or Wing over his face and
not registering enough sensation on
his brain to make him brush them off.
Sores on his feet and legs, some
healed with hard scabs and others
open.
No.15, is an old woman in the same
room with Nos. IS and a. She is
hopelessly feeble-minded, with pa
thetic eyes and silly grin. She kept
asking the Investigator who she was
and if she had seen anybody the cid
unp,on Lpauy