The Washington times., 1922-06-15
BOARDED
TOO FAR TO
VISIT THEM
Wants Youngsters Taken
From Virginia Homes to D.
c. Industrial School.

boaIu .dOE JuIC6 yUunR SO1S VI
Mrs. Susie C. Mead. 1 Jewett
street northwest, is being paid
into Virginia homes, where the
Board of Children's Guardians
sent the boys while their mother
.is in need.
Because she cannot afford fire.
quent carfare. she must deny her
self tho sight of her children. She
must depend upon chance to know
about their welfare. As the Dis
trict is not benefited by mothers
pensions. as are many States. she
cannot be given money by the
District government to bring up
her family.
Wants Them Near Home.
three sons be transferred to the Wis
consin Avenue Industrial Home
School, which the guardians board
ts seeking to close by removing the
children to private homes.
Il could keep the boys on half
the board that Is being paid for
them" Mrs. Mead declared. But
would like to see them in the Indus
trial Home School. It's the best
place i know Tor boys.
A maternal instinct invariably
wise in need of her. One night,
she said, she dreamed that her
baby, Thomas, was sick at the
Huntsville, Va. home, where the
Board Of Children's Guardians had
placed him. He has since been
transferred to the Washington
Founding Asylum.
Thomas was only two years old
when l had that dream" said Mrs.
Mead. 81 couldn't do a thing until
had satisfied myself that he was
well. I telephoned the woman who
was keeping him, and she verified
my dream.
Baby Left Alone.
IT left my work and travelled to
home from the railroad station,
about four miles away. found
my baby in a stuffy upper room,
during the worst days Of the sum-
mer, with q bad case of measles
and a burning fever. I could smell
that fever as soon as I opened the
door of the room. He had been
left alone in the house, for the
woman and her twelve-year-old son
had come to the station"
Another son, Lester, nine years
old, is an inmate Of a home for the
feeble.minded at East Falls Church,
Va. His mother insists that he
should not be placed in such an
institution.
".They sent him there because.
standard" the mother declared.
when the doctors examined him,
they Just allowed him to walk
across the room and then gave
their decision. Lester isn't insane.
When he was small he used to
have convulsions at night when
something he had eaten didn't
agree him.
Mother he said to me, when
I went to see him, L can't eat
here. 1t makes me sick to go into
the dining room.'"
One Got Good Home.
Louis Mead, seven years old, was
lucky enough to be sent to a good
private home at Ballston, Va.
James. fifteen years old, is at the
Wisconsin Avenue Industrial Home
School. William, thirteen, 10 in .
home at Vienna, Va, Because OIL
the distance and the amount Of
car fare. his mother has not seen
him since last Christmas.
I'D like to see all the boys, ex-
eept Thomas, IN the Industrial
Home School, Mrs. Mead said.
"I know It Is a fine institution. I
had three of the boys there once,
after much hard work. and then
the Board Of Children's Guardians
began sending them away again.
They're paying board to these
people to keep my children. Why,
could keep them all on half the
money. Either myself or my
daughter. Annie. who is eighteen,
10 always working"
Mrs. Mead's life story covers two
decades Of disillusionment and
heartbreak. She was married nine
teen years ago, while yet young
Girl. Her husband proved himself
to be utterly worthless. as far as
providing for his family was concern
ed she said.
ct lived with that man for nineteen
years, and still don't know him."
said Mrs. Mead. He must have been