Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-04-13

49,
THURSDAY. APRIL Is, 1872
and for society. than that Of es-
tranging him from his kin. There
fore, the second fact to which I wish
to call attention is that IS of the
family problems referred to us this
year have been assumed by relatives
or friends: whereas. last year we
were successful in making such a
plan for only five families"
"A third fact which deserves men
ton is that we are finding it more
possible each year to give better CO.
operation to the other charitable
agencies of this State and OF other
states. In Maine there is much just
criticism of duplication of welfare
work. particularly among children.
We aim. whenever possible, to give
cooperation to our State Board of
Charities and to other childrens
and family welfare societies. We
have been able to give such cooper
alton with 20 families during the past
year. thus preventing much duplica-
ton Of work"
outstanding factors as the cause
OF trouble have been the usual ones
Of desertion, death or parent, lille
gitimaoy, insufficient income of
father. venereaI disease and other
illness. There has been slight in
crease in the number Of deserton
cases. We have been asked to help
more unmarried mothers than in the
year of 1920. In all the latter cases
we have tried to make plan where
by the mother does not give up, her
baby. OF "A such instances only two
girls gave up their children during
the past year.
1.-The number of behavior problems
is increasing. During the year we
have been asked to take five children
who were problems to their families:
expressly for the purpose of mental
examination and scientific study In
one instance boy of II was very
backward in school. He had rec
ord Of repeated truancy in the police
court; his family could not control
him. He was believed by many to
be abnormal. We took him to our
study home in Boston A serious
eve defect was corrected; his tonsils
were removed and fiat feet were
treated. Mental examination proved
him to be of normal intelligence. 1t
was the conclusion of the psycholo-
eist. the psychiatrist. the teacher of
the test school, the physician. and all
those who observed him. that tie
boy should be given chance in the
country, on a farm, under strict dis
cipline. We have followed such a
plan. The boy has responded. and
instead of being an inmate of a re-
form school, he bids fair to be a
very respectable and desirable citi-
zen. Some of the problem children"
whom we take are not charity cases.
Parents. well-to-do and in moderate
are asking the privi-
amined and observed at our Study
Home i'm Boston. Because the Little
Wanderers Home is the only society
in New England with necessary
equipment for such study under one
roof. we feel that we should reach
more of tile children who are misfits.
SC that there may be fewer round
p"Gs in square holes
IN spite Of the fact that some OF
OR expenses have been reduced, fin
aEcially the past year has been the
hardest in the history of the State of
Maine branch. We closed our fiscal
year April 1st, 1922 with unpaid bills
amounting 10 $780,.
we wish to extend appreciation
to many of the doctors and dentists
who have been most generous in
their service, especially to Drs. +. 7.
Hill. J. i. Hill. j.. Il. Fish NJ. w.
Bcssey, f. w. Boyer. r. L. Hardy, Il.
T. Hurq, +. w. Paine. II. L. Rey-
nolds, =. II. Risley, J. G. Towne, w.
c. Brown. also to Drs. l.. A. darcy,
w. T. Fogg, G.. Is. Hatfield. T.. II.
kiddcr and A. +. Johnston; Drs. +.
H. and w. II. Walters and DR.. +. l..
Tozier of Fairfield.
Charles Jones. the barber has Civ
en- freely Of his services to the chill
drcn.
THE merchants of the dry goods,
clothing and shoe stores have been
gene rous with discounts. And to the
WatcrviIle Morning Sentinel and the
Ke.ncbcc Journal we are grateful
for Lelp III our publicity work"
The following officers and direc-
tors were elected for the ensuing
year: President, o. A. Meader; vice
president. Anna NJ. Drummond; sec
rotary. Helen ID. Cole; treasurer. Ed
ward w. Heath; attorney, Thomas n.
Weeks; chairman of finance commit
tee. Herbert 0. Brown; other direc-
tors are L. o. Tebbetts, DR.. and Mrs.
G. G. Averill. Mrs. w. J. LaniSan.
Mr.. and Mrs. G. Fl. Mari. DIR. and
Mrs 4. Is. Ashcraft. DR.. IF. T. Hill,
Mrs. Thomas n. Weeks. Robert Nivi-
son. Mr.. and Mrs. Frank Is. Besse of
Clinton; Mr.. and Mrs. Willard H.
Cummings of Skowhegan.