The New York herald., 1922-01-05
GOVERNOR DEMANDS
FURTHER ECONOMIES

should be given in the normal schools for
the training Of teachers for such chill
dren. That work should be supplemented
by effective field work. home visitation
and supervision, SO as to direct those
mentally deficient into suitable homes
and useful employment rather than into
reformatories, prisons and institutions
for mental detectives.
II recommend that adequate provi-
sion be made for continuing the develop
ment of tho clinical and field work In
augurated by the Commission for Men,
tai Detectives.
'"The colony system as adjuncts to the
Institutions for mental detectives has
proved successful, both economically and
as means Of helping mental detectives
to lead more useful lives. I recommend
that provision be made for continuing
that work. The population of the present
institutions Is 4,723. ! am advised that
our institutional capacity will probably
have to be increased to 10000. The con-
struction work at Letchworth Village
should be progressed, and consideration
should be given to the selection Of site
for one other Institution for feeble mind
ed which should be accessible to the met
ropolitan district.
II believe that economies can be ef-
fected In the operation Of the States
power and heating plants. which in the
aggregate have large consumption OF
coal l recommend that an efficiency
engineer be employed to visit and SUPER
wise the operation ard equipment Of
those plants. He might appropriately be
attached to the office of the State Engi-
neer.
Child Welfare Plans.
"A commission was appointed two
years ago to revise tho laws relating to
children. I understand that commission
is now at work on the problem and that
while 1t may not be ready to submit
final report at this session Of the Legis-
lature it will be prepared to submit GER
tain recommendations.
"The adoption of Constitutional
Amendment No. 5, submitted at the last
election, authorizing the establishing OF
children's courts and courts of domestic
relations. paves the way for an immedi-
ate reform about'w which there can be lit
tie controversy.
There are 4.166 judicial officers in
Guiding 1886 Justices Of the Peace In
the State with power to commit children
as public charges. The vote on said
amendment was an expression Of public
disapproval Of the present system or
lack OF system OF dealing with neglected
and delinquent children. Juveuile delin-
quincy should be dealt with IN accord
ance with the condition and needs of the
child. not under the penal law or In &C
cordance with the rules Of criminal pro-
cedure.
II recommend the passage OF per-
missive law establishing in ell counties
outside Greater New York. in which the
county judge and board Of supervisors
so determine. children's court to have
jurisdiction of all cases Of neglected and
delinquent children, the Judge of the
court to be the county judge or IL he and
the board of supervisors so determine
Judge of the children's court to be elected
in the same manner as the county judge
Is elected.
"Our laws dealing with dependent
children are in an equally chaotic con-
ton. There are 1926 town, county and
city officials having jurisdiction over
children. More than 10000 children
come in one way or another under the
Jurisdiction of the poor law officials
each year. The powers and duties OF
such officials are not clearly defined.
II recommend the passage OF q per-
inissive act authorizing the establish
ment in each county of a county board
of child welfare with clearly defined
powers and duties. having sole jurisdic-
ton to deal with cases of dependency.
Naturally there will hc transferred to
such a board. II established. the powers
now exercised by SCALED child well
fare boards having jurisdiction over
mothers allowances.
Those two measures, if carefully
drawn, should be reasonably free from
controversy and 1t appears to be urac-
ticable to enact them at this session.
Laws Need Correcting.
There are other obsolete or anomal-
Gus provisions OF our complex laws re-
1ating to children so obviously needing
correction that there should be little
controversy over their remedy and 1
recommend that the changes plainly
needed be made at this session and that
further revision be postponed until the
final report of the commission.
IT deplore paternalistic tendencies
which substitutes dependence upon the
State for the self-dependence and self
reliance OF the citizen. but 1t is one Of
the highest functions Of the State to
safeguard childhood and to protect the
public health and tho proper discharge
Of that function Is not paternalistic.
However. in dealing with the problem OF
child welfare two propositions must be
observed. The State cannot take the
place of the home and should not Inn
pair home influence. The primary obli-
cation to support. care for and rear
children rests upon the parents and the
State should do nothing to lessen that
obligation. However the State Is con-
cerned with, and self-preservation re-
ouires II, to take all legitimate meas
ures to promote the physical. mental
and moral welfare of children. 1t should
certainly adopt all practicable measures
to remove remediable physical and men,
tai handicaps.
The State now properly undertakes to
provide for the education OF the blind
and deaf in special institutions estab-
lished for that purpose. but by reason
Of n peculiar state of the law deaf chill
dren between and IL years of age can
only be committed to such institutions
as county charges by local poor law
officials Many officials are slow TO I'M
pose charges on their counties. More
over. - should not be necessary TO class
bind or deaf children "a paupers TO en-
able them TO be educated and fitted for
useful work as well as their misfortune
permits I recommend that that anom-
alous state Of the law be corrected and
that in the future admissions 10 such
Institutions for deaf, as well as blind. and
under. as we'll as over. IL years OF age,
be made at State expense.
Help for Crippled Children.
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