The Washington herald., 1922-08-20
independence Of Board
OF Guardians Is
Deplored.
WANT CITY TO RULE
Injection Of Personal At
tacks Is Banned by 81
Workers.

an organization of mothers having
children with the guardians. known
as the Citizens COMMITTEES; the
Board of Catholic Charities and the
trustees Of the school.
While the District Commissioners
have not taken an open stand they
have made It plain that their SYM
pathies are with those seeking to
retain the Institution. 1t Is known
also that the Commissioners
strongly favor a reconciliation of
the boards which will give them
supervising authority.
A summary of complaints which
IT is believed are substantiated by
actual conditions in a number Of
| the homes to which children are
assigned are as follows:
Summary of Complaints.
| 1. A large number of homes usee
by the board are believed to accept
| children primarily because Of the
money paid for their board. This
belief Is substantiated by the fact
that numerous homes have been
found in which there were seven or
4 eight children. Many have had
more than this, while a few have
\ been discovered where there were
| fifteen to twenty-four children In
enc private home.
| 2. For reasons which have not
been explained. II 10 the policy OF
| agents of the board to move cnil-
dren from one home to another.
This has been emphasized in ptac-
| n
vestigators. In many instances tho
children have been taken away"
from families just at the time w1en
a mutual devotion was beginning.
In fact, custodians have declared
that board agents warn them not
to become attached to the children
because they were liable to removal
at any time. In other cases. inves-
tigators have found that children
have been placed in three. four and
five different homes within q few
months.
3. School attendance on the part
of children who are moved from
home to home Is spasmodic.
4. Protestant children have been
placed with Catholic families and
vice versa.
Brothers and sisters Separated.
5. Brothers and sisters from the
same family in numerous cases
have been separated and placed in
families with other wards.
6. While the majority OF children
Harmed out" are believed to work
no more than the children of aver
age families. many instances have
been discovered where young boys
and girls have been made virtually
slaves.
I. Girls for whose board the guar
dams were paying from $50 to $50
per month have been made to act
as cooks and housemaids for large
families. washing. ironing. scrub
bling Of floors. etc. is known to
have been common practice.
s. Neighbors of placement homes
have made numerous complaints
that children were whipped I'M
mercifully.
.. Unusual punishments. such as
striking children with the fist. Bit
ing them. and scratching their
hands, have been related to inves-
tigators by children who have suf-
fered such treatment or have seen
1t inflicted upon other wards.
10. Many OF the homes investi-
gated have been models of clean
illness. in which the children ap-
peared to be happy. and where
their were evidences Of devotion be-
tween the little ones and their
foster parents.
Some Conditions worse.
Worse conditions than those
above described It Is claimed have
| h,, In
morality. illegitimate children. YER
min and filth have been discovered
in few homes. However this con-
dition Is believed to have existed
only at rare intervals.
| Many of the above causes of COM
plant, 1t is acknowledged. would
be difficult to prove in court. How
ever. the facts substantiating others
are In the hands of Investigators.
And Investigators whose informa.
tion has been used declare that they
have been careful to avoid hearsay
or gossip. In the main their con-
illusions are based upon personal
contact with the children and their
keepers. and upon observation of
scores of homes which they have
Investigated.
With reference to a mothers PEN
sion OIL, welfare workers point out
that this is highly desirable. How
ever, 1t Is shown. such a measure
would remedy only a part Of the
problem. The clumsy organization
OF the charities system and the re-
sulting evils. 1t is claimed, would
remain.
A complete solution OF the prob
lem. 1t Is believed. can be effected
| Only after the ,op6i,t, - IT,. -
control have been removed by
legislation. and the activities OIL
those In charge of 1900 Washing
ton children placed under super
vision Of the District Commission
ers. When this is done the benefits
or mothers pension and of other
suggested remedies. It is believed.
will be inorder.
MARRIAGE