Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-13
NOW MY IDEA is THIS!
Daily Talks With Thinking Philadephans Subjects They
KnOv Best


families versus institutions is really a settled
question.
"We have preached and taught an un-
truth in our statements that all through the
land there are innumerable families Of high
standards ready to receive innumerable chill
drcn. Nothing could be farther from the
truth. Only in so far as child earring work
is preceded by thoughtful and understanding
no child is to be taken unless there is ab.
solute necessity for its removal. can we see
adequate family foster home resources eX-
listing in the community, ready for their
needs.
'"The social standards. the physical
standards and caliber Of social work done,
the type of person usually engaged for the
job, are below the standards which We set
for good. wholesome and normal family life.
We constantly fail to see the inherent
strength that lies in the family If educa-.
tion and health are the foundations OF
family life. their lack increases the army of
neglected children.
Checking Destructive Tendencies
"At comparatively modest cost. the de.
structivc tendencies can be checked through
health and education. The child welfare
agencies as n whole do not realize this
truth. The work is superficial in that
thousands Of children are taken who could
be better cared for in their own homes.
''The enormous interests concerned with
lnc proDiehl ol chilu -carlng WORK, on the
whole, ignore the factors of health. pduca-
tion. recreation, of adequate vocational
preparation. of mental and social hygiene
and of the principles of true religion. We
seek ever to find panaceas through the ma
chinery of Observation-Disclosures, FOSTER
family, homes. the Juvenile Court. All are
of little avail in the absence Of a true UNDER
standing of the factors involved; the funda-
mental value of pnrenthoOd, the Importance
of trained parenthOod, the significance OF
the unseltsh relationship inherent with most
parental contacts. are lost sight of com.
pieteiy by great groups interested in the care
Of children.
'Thc work of Juvenile Courts industrial
schools, chldrrns institutions, Of child
placing societies. touches only the shell of
their problems. The quickest way to help
the children of community, to prevent
children becoming dependent or neglected or
delinquent. is to touch those forces which
break down family life. The great bulk of
child caring agencies has an infnitesimal
effect upon these forces These agencies
have few communal contacts they do not
affect standards of health or education. be.
cause they frequently ignore these elemental
things themselves
Keep Child With Mother
1T is better to keep n child with its
mother. even If the care is less than average,
than to provide good care under foster
drcn receive good health supervision nnJ
that their early difficulties are anticipntcd
through social work in the public schools
than that 100 be given superlatvely fine
care under foster auspices. The idea Of
prevention plays but little part in children $
social work,
There is much that is not fundamental
in foster family work. and there is much
that is not fundamental about foster.
Sttutional work. IL good social wnrl, is
done on the family basis. abuses viii no
corrected; # good social work is done OH the
care is inevitable. We must rcnllr ia
allurcmcntS to lay and professional of form
and figure on the institutional sidc-its
pageanlry-and the danger we are in far
taking these as evidences of soidity of
service which may or may not exist Z