The Washington times., 1922-06-03
7 { ACH { R
CR|T|C|ZES
FARM IN Va.
Declares Youthful Wards Are
Made to Work on Private
Property.

Seventeen Washington children,
by order Of the Board of Children's
Guardians, are crowded into a
"children's boarding home" at
Herndon, Va, where they are
scantily fed and clothed, although
District taxpayers money is sent
there to support them, according to
reports received by the trustees
Of the Wisconsin Avenue Industrial
Home School.
School Ordered Closed.
The local school. which is used as
q receiving home for children turned
over by the Juvenile court to the
guardians board has been ordered
closed on July l by the latter body
for the alleged reason OF finding
homes for all such children.
The trustees were told Of condi.
tions at the Herndon establishment.
kept by a Miss Beard, in a letter
from Miss Sadie Detwiler, principal
Of the Floris Vocational School, OF
Herndon, where the children are
being educated. The letter was re.
ceived last February, and efforts
were made by the trustees to correct
the situation. but met with no re-
sponse from the board.
III I had a boy l would rather
see him in the home school than in
q home like Miss Boards, said the
letter I'm the first place, she is at
least two miles from the school
Frequently the boys have no over
shoes: In fact, l do not think they
have ever had until this year.
Now that they have them they
often come through the mud and
slush without them. / have often
spent at least half an hour getting
them dried out after coming to
school. Not this year, however. for
] already have my hands more than
full and cannot find time for extras
THE boys are not so warmly clad
as ] would like to see them. We try
to have the children spend the recess
periods out of doors, IL II is not
storming. We can scarcely drive
Miss Boards boys out.
Thinks They Are Cold.
81 often wonder IL 1t is not because
they are cold.
81 heard our primary teacher say
10 her sister the other day: You
can give me an egg In my lunch to-
day, for Miss Boards boys are not
coming. lney were VudIdilllHcu OII
account OF scarlet fever.
THE boys look at any little deli
cacy so longingly that I have often
put my lunch away until after school.
rather than see them look so
hungrily at Il.
They quite often eat all their
lunch coming to school, and when
noon comes and the other children
are eating. they have none"
Miss Detwiler's letter was ad
dressed to a trustee, who has taken
an active part in the disagreement
with the board.
"I have received other reports in
connection with the Beard home"
he said. "I have learned that these
boys, when they are not at school.
work the farm on the place.
Now, I am in favor of boys doing
farm work We have a farm out at
the school, but it does seem illogical
that the board should take the chill
dren out to put them, as they say, in
places with home atmosphere, and
then send them to an establishment
which has all the airs Of an institu-
tion.
THE strange part Of II is that
Miss Beard must receive about S4Oc
a month from the District for keep
ing these boys. while they would get
more advantages at the homo school.
which is supported by Congressional
appropriation.
"As a business proposition. the
arrangement no doubt appeals
strongly to Miss Beard. as she IL
having her farm cultivated at no
cost. and Is being paid for having
her farm kept up.
Another point is that the boys in
Herndon must attend school two
miles away. At the home, we have
q schoolhouse on the grounds. The
curriculum here is better than that
offered at the Herndon School, which
Furthermore is crowded, and has not
enough teachers.