Evening star., 1923-06-09

presume that the others will find that
| there are no such differences as will
prevent harmony and cooperation.
At any rate, the majority intend to
J respect the will of Congress, the
views of the Commissioners and the
rights of their wards and the fam
| lilies of wards.
They are willing to accept the ad-
| vice OF the agent in her letter of
resignation to the extent of giving
/ to the new agent to be chosen "com-
piete confidence and support" but
they intend to require in return the
confidence and support of their ap-
| pofntee for every member of the
board. and a loyal recognition of the
| principle that the board. and not its
employees. has the right not only TO
! control policies, but 10 correct errors
| OF administration when discovered
: With this kind of cooper ton. there
will probably be no ground for fric-
tton and no reason for not keeping.
the public and the press fully in
formed as to all the transactions of
| the board
Mrs. VESTS Letter.
Mrs. Vests letter follows in full.
My Dear Mr.. MILAN: On July /,
1928, I shall have been with the
Board of Children's Guardians four
years, having in July, 1919. been
urged in an emergency to act as
, agent until some one could be found
for the position.
AS the great needs of the work
became plain TO me, ] remained on
month after month to do what
could to help Washingtons de-
although each worker was doing his
best. the Board Of ChiIdren's Guardi-
ans was in no way equipped 10 meet
the needs. Some of the visitors at
that time had as many as 800 chill
| dren. for whose supervision they
were responsible.
step by step in the last four
Years. through being able gradually
10 enlist the interest of Congress.
eight additional persons have been
ADDED to the staff besides two grad
uate nurses. SO that il is now pos
sible TO give a very different kind
OF care and supervision to children
committed TO the board to that given
four years ago.
500 Fewer Wards.
\ further reason for the closer
supervision now possible is the fact
that there are 500 fewer wards TO
care for than in 1919. Tt is crafty
J ing 70 realze that this greatly re-
duceQ number of children under care
SHOWS that fewer are removed from
ltheir own homes. and it is especially
gratifying that this is partly due to
tne increased realization in our own
office, which is charged with the 6ufz-
of protecting children, that their best
interests are served by leaving them
IN their own homes whenever it is
possible to do SO.
Other advances in the work have
Deen Que TO the reorganization of
the home-fnding department more
tnan a year ago by a leading au-
thoFity IN the country on the in
Vesugation of foster homes There
mas also been a noteworthy improve
ment In the record system now in use
largely due to expert advice given
through the Child Welfare League of
America.
Nurses Give Aid.
Two graduate nurses. under the
have raised the standard of health
care. and have put into effect a
progressive health program with
careful follow up. This will mean
much for the future welfare of those
children yitally concerned and has
been of real educational value to the
individual and communities who have
been brought into contact with this
work.
THE general policy Of developing a
large number of good boarding homes
and of excellent free homes with rel
atiVes and others has placed the work
of the Board of Chiidren's Guardians
In line with the accepted methods and
ward looking chi1d-cariug agencies
throughout the country. This policy
has supplanted that which formerly
prevailed where the majority of all
the children We're placed in fnstitu-
tfons and were frequently allowed to
remain there until they Were old
enough to work on their own account
or were demanded by their families
because of their wage earning abfl-
ity. Even many children considered
to be delinquent or semi-delinouent
who have been committed during the
past four years to the Board of Chill
dren's Guardians. when placed under
the influence OF good family life,
where they could be taught and
trained as individuals in a. natural
manner and given an opportunity for
normal expression. have demonstrate
ed the advantages of this method of
institutional care, where they wera
often regarded as incorrigible and
quite hopeless.
Spirit of STAN Fine.
"The harmony which existed amo,y
members of the board until the lasf
few months and the apparent IInan-
nimity of feeling which prompted them
children and of the work were re-
fected in the accomplishments during
the most of this four-year period
'The service and spirit of the staff
of the Board of Children's Guard
ians have been SO fine and so loval
during the past months of attack that
1t is reErettable fact that the atti-
tude of certain members of the board,
instead of lending ipspiratio and en-
couragement when most needed has
made the tasks Of these workers most
difficult.
Another fact which made the work
almost unbearable was the policy of
silence deliberately pursued by a ma
| jority vote of the board in the face of
repeated, unwarranted and malicious
attacks. This policy showed an utter
disregard of public opinion and more
over at time when the public mind
was openly inquisitive an opportunity
was missed to set forth the construc-
tive policies of the work and the res-
sons for those policies from the stand
point of the childrens welfare. This
omissi on has left to the present Board
of Children's Guardians a challenging.
task for the future.
Urges Trained Appointed.
MAY ] venture to suggest that
when the time comes for the selection
of my successor the Board of Chill
dren's Guardians choose person
thoroughly trained in the modern
PRINCIPLES of child caring and that