The Washington times., 1923-06-12
BOARD OFFICIAL
LAUDSCH|LD
AGENT
Mrs. Gilbert GrosVenor SAYS
She Is courageous and
Efficient Woman"
CONTINUED from Page 1s)

homes has been one of the OutStand.
ing accomplishment Of Mrs. VESTS
work. There are today 1877 white
children in eighty-four homes, show.
ing that no charge of overcrowdins
could truthfully be made"
Mrs. Vests Activities.
Speaking of Mrs. West and her
work, Mrs. Grosvenor said:
ION June 80, 1919, when Mrs West
was engaged the board had staff
Of nineteen persons. At this time
the staff numbers twenty-seven, be.
sides two graduate nurses.
with more workers it has been
possible to do a very much better
job for the children while they are
in the custody of the board, and also
in family rehabilitation, SO that chill.
dren can be returned, whenever pos.
sible, to their own families from
whom they have been removed by
court order, necessary oversight be-
ing given after they are returned on
trial.
1.-THE assistance Of two graduate
nurses, obtained largely by Mrs,
Vests initiative, enables the health
of the wards to be carefully looked
taken by their foster mothers to
the child welware centers where
they are carefully examined and
advised how to keep well, and ur-
der the direction of the boards
physician the nurses carry out an
excellent program of follow-up work
and OF general health care.
Because of two extra positions
that were granted for a part of the
year 1929, it was possible, through
the assistance Of the Child Welfare
League of America, to have ore
filled by Miss Mary S. Doran, who
is recognized in the field of chill.
dren's work as one of the leading
authorities of foster home stand.
ards. Miss Doran reorganized the
home-finding department OF the
Board of Children's Guardians ara
trained two members OF the staff
especially to do that work SO that
the standards OF the foster home
investigations now in use in this
office compare favorably with those
of the best in the country. The
Child Welfare League also gave
the services of Miss Georgia Ralph
to advise as to how the records
could be improved
Over Thousand Enrolled.
''On June 80, 1919, the Board Of
Children's Guardians had 1915
wards under care who were classed
as normal. At present out Of q
total number of 1,449 coIored and
white wards classed as normal, 296
are in boarding homes and 172 in
institutions and S1S are self.sup.
porting or with their families or
friends. This elast figure clearly
indicates 1t Is not the desire OF
the Board OF Children's Guardians
70 keep members Of the family
separated.
"As already stated, there has
been marked decrease in the ex.
penditure of money as the quality
OF work has increased. In the last
four years the amount expended
FOR board and care OF wards has de-
creased from $1S1,260.09 plus more
than $4,000 expended the same
year at the Industrial Home school,
to not more than $155,000, which
will have been expended by July /,
1928, with the Industrial Home
school not in use for practically
any OF the. year, showing that an
proximateiy $50, 1000 less will be
expended in 1923 than was expend.
ed in the year. 1919. This, too, has
been accomplished notwithstanding
considerable increase in the rate
or board paid to family homes. At
the present time special rates are
paid for infants, problem children,
older boys and girls, tubercular
and other diseased cases.
No Further Subsidy.
Another forward step in legisla-
ton concerning children begins .Tuiv
/, when for the rest of the fiscal
year no private institution caring
for children will receive any public
subsidy.
"One of the accomplishments of
Mrs. Vests work which has caused
the greatest pleasure has been that
OF helping particular children to
special educational opportunities.
Wards OF average mentality remain
In school until sixteen, but higher
!educatlon has been offered a num-
Der OF promising girls and BOYS.
sometimes through the help OF rela.
tives, sometimes through the offer
OF scholarships, and in other cases
through funds available at this
office. 1t has been the aim to give
every individual child the best that
is suited TO its needs in the way Of
nome life, health, education and
spiritual and moral development,
Mrs. West is highly thought Of
throughout the country by chill.
oren's workers. She has received
en- annual salary of So ,040, including
the bonus, when children's workers
In the same positions over the conn
try are getting $4,000 and $4,000.
Since she has been in the office she
mas not only increased the force. as
] said above, but has been able 10
secure from Congress two super.
vlsors at practically the same salary
she is getting herself. and has sc.
cured the services Of two trained
nurses and has saved the taxpayers
$50 000.' -
Norton NJ. Little, former mem.
Der OF the Board OF Children's Guar.
dians, in an address last night he.
fore the Piney Branch Citizen g
Association, declared the board did
not answer criticism because It
wished TO avoid jeopardizing the
future Of it's wards and prevent
their cases from becoming involved
In open controversy.
lie declared that criticism Of the
board of guardians grew out of
two boards being at cross nur.
poses. He said he believed the
trouble had all been Strengthened
out