The Washington times., 1922-06-02
TRANSFER
TO HOMES
Tackled
Jelleff Aroused at Alleged Lack
of Safeguards for
Young Girls.

Traffic in children, at the ex-
pense of the District Government,
Is going on in Washington under
the eyes of the Board of Chill
dren's Guardians, it was charged
today by trustees of the Wiscon-
Sin Avenue Industrial Home
School, 1926 Wisconsin avenue.
The boari. it is claimed. is get
ting the children out of safe sur
roundings for an undisclosed rea-
son.. although ostensibly the
changes are being made to af-
ford home conditions for the Dis.
trict's little charges.
Home To Be Closed.
The board has decided to close the
home on July ], and is sending the
children quartered there to homes s
through the District and nearby Vir.
gfnia. regardless of the menaces to
health and morals in these private
establishments, the trustees say.
The disclosures show that scores
take in children at the request OF
the board. and are paid approxi.
mately $25 a month for each child
by the Municipal Government.
The disagreement betWeh the
board and the home school trustees
involves some of the most promi-
nent figures in Washington chari.
ties.
According to statemsn,s made bY
the school officials, young girl In.
mates of the institution have been
sent away under conditions which
tmperil their morals.
Jelleff Criticises Board.
Frank r. Jelleff. prominent Wash.
ington business man and trustee
OF the home, is particularly incenssd
at the boards determination to close
the institution.
IF the majority of the members
OF the board were aware OF the
hcts." he said. they would not hav,
supported the resolution TO close
the home. Theoretically, home life
is better for a child than that OF
an institution. The trustees are
heartily in accord with the idea of
finding suitable homes for the chill
dren. What we object to is the
sort of homes in which The beard
places the children"
Mr.. Jelleff recently asked Mrs.
Henry Wilder Keyes, wife of Sena-
tor Keyes Of New Hampshire. to
aid in continuing the home, know
ing that Mrs. Keyes is actively in
terested in social work.
"All Of US agree that II A child
can be placed in a good home, 1t
Is much better than II il remains
In an institution" Mr.. Jelleff wrote.
"In opposition to the Board of Chill
dren's Guardians policy, however,
we insist that unless q child can
have a good home, il Is much bet
ter off II 1t is placed in a good
institution, at least temporarily. and
until a good home can be found.
The board. however. rather than
use the school which Congress has
provided. even as a temporary re.
ceiving home, will put children in
any kind of a home-at least it
would look so from these instances.
Children Shunted About.
"On January II. the three chill,
dren of Mrs. Laura Kenyon, 600
G street southeast. were committed
to the care of the board. They
were sent Immediately to the home
Of Mrs. Janet Blower, at Falls
Church, where they remained one
week, after which Mrs. Blower re.
turned the children to the board.
They were then sent to Mrs.
Mangum, 1249 G. street southeast
and this woman, having no proper
sleeping quarters, sent them back
after three days.
''They were then sent to the home
of Mrs. Walter, 1926 G street north.
east, where they were three weeks.
with one OF the boys sleeping in IA
room with nine babies, another boy
on an army cot in the dining room
and the other child on a temporary
n
This woman, who makes a bust.
ness OF taking children to board
found she could not accommodate
nine babies and three children, and
SO In three weeks these children
were sent back to the board, who
sent them to Mrs. Arthur Reynolds,
Thirty-sixth street. Mt. Rainier.
Five Sleep In Attic.
There they were put to bed ia
m attic, where there were five little
children, including a boy and a girl
eleven and twelve years old, all in
one room. They occupied three sin.
gle beds and were kept in this condi.
tion for three months
The board. after evidently hav.
ing exhausted their efforts TO find
q proper home for these children
have now. sent them 10 the Indus
SCHOOl' WnSTt lne UlOIntf
would much prefer 40 have them re.
main, having seen all the other
homes to which the board has sent
them"
In an effort to correct such cases
as the above, Mr.. Jelleff sought the
aid OF the board Of charities, which
acts in an advisory capacity to the
board of children's guardians. The
matter was discussed at a meeting
of committees from the home and
the guardians board, the latter
being requested by the board Of
charities to stop the removal OF
children from the home until an
investigation was made.
Charities Request Ignored.
"ln defiance of the request Of the
hoard OF charities" Mr. Jelleff said,
they are continuing to take children
from the school day after day and