Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-04-27
C'H||lIDREN'S
C0|DE'W|O|lR|l'KIl'TO
Be COMPARED
Efforts Made to Learn How
North Dakota Lines Up
With Other States.

7lNC RuS preSSuI BGWU OIL NVTu DdkOVS
Tor the protection OF children are In
and ideals. n the subject of an in
curry now being made by the state
children's code cornp1ission. In this
work 1t is receiving the assistance Of
the chtldren's bureau of the United
States department OF labor. both In
the study Of local conditions, and the
ascertaining Oh standards elsewhere
adopted. 81
a series Of conferences on mipimum
standards FOR child welfare were held
under the auspices of the %children's
bureau in 1919. They were largely
attended by authorities on all branch
es Of child welfare work, and while
the standards adopted were INTENDED
only as a minimum statement of the
protection to which children are en-
titled, they represent a practically
unanimous agreement among all
those, experienced In these fields.
The results or agreements are in
cluded in three main divisions; STAN
derds for the public protection of
mothers and children; standards for
children entering employment, and
standards relating to children In need
OF special care. The standards relat-
ing to maternity and infancy. follow:
For maternity: Health centers. to
insure early and COMPLETE prenatal
examination and instruction for all
mothers not receiving supervision
from private physicians; visiting
nurses; confinement with a trained
attendant; sufficient household serv-
ice to allow complete ~recuperation.
and examination of patient before
discharge. Clinics for needed treat
meht. Maternity hospitals for compli-
Gated caves. Adequately trained
midwives. Adequate income to allow
freedom from outside employment
the cost to the public OF maternal and
infant mortality.
For infancy: Complete birth regis
tration. Prevention Of infant blind.
ness Health centers and visiting
nurses to demonstrate methods OF
bathing. feeding, clothing, prevention
Of disease, etc. Clinics for treatmen
of diseases and defect. Hospitals
State supervision of, child-caring in
in infant hygiene.
Is One Of 80 States. >
North. Dakota is one Of ahe thirty
eight states which a accepted the
provisions Of the Sheppard TowneI
maternity act, and Is eligible to receivt
for the last quarter of the fiscal veal
ending June 80, according to a de
ftciency appropriation act passed b!
congress, $4,000 outright plus ST.,
1896. If matched by the states IN
expended appropriations: and for TIN
lions act for 1923, $4,000 outright
and $9.362.74 If matched. or Il tota
Of $~14,362.74. North Dakota's nc,
ceptance was made by Governor Ncs'
tos, and is effective, as in all state:
where legislature Is not in session art
the governor accepts. until six month!
after the adjournment of the mex
regular session of the Legislature
Plans forrthe use otfthe funds mus
be submitted to the federal children!
bureau. which is given the. fedora
administration Of the act. and mus
be approved by the board of mater
nifty and infant hygiene. This boar(
consists of the chief of the children
bureau, the surgeon general of thu
u. S. public health service, and thu
U. S. commissioner of education. Th'
Initiative in formulating plans rests
with the states, and the act provide:
are reasonably appropriate and AIDE
quate to carry out its purposes"
In North Dakota, the chtldren's
code commission Is the only active
force at present aligned with thu
c%hildren's bureau in Washington, bu
the. Sheppard Towner act allows tn
administration by n agency that i
recognized by the state. This enables
North Dakota to take immediate ad
vantage Of the provisions of the act
although it was the idea Of Governo'
Nestos when he first investigated tn
possibility of North Dakota takin,
advantage of the act that the fina
administration Of the act in the stat
should be in the public health depart
ment