The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-25
Work In Behalf Of Children To Be Broadened At Mont
 gomery Conference
STATE CAPITAL BUREAU l
 THE AGE-HERALD Monf1nmerY. Ala. Nov. 24 ]

The state child welfare commission, at it's annual meeting Monday, IS ex- pected to devote much Of It's atten- tion to the problem of raising funds which must be had, 1t is stated, to properly carry on the work or the child welfare department. Expansion of the scope of activities of the de- partment, and the comparative. tall- ure of it's hopes to obtain from the 1923 legislature funds deemed essen tlal to carry on the work will make the financial question most serious one for the commission to consider with an appeal to the public likely to he resorted to as the only means left to carry on" in the work for the relief of destitute and unfortunate children.
 The child welfare commission Is composed of Gov. William w. Bran don. chairman; Dr. s. w. Welch state health officer, and Dr. John w. Aper- crombie, state superintendent or ed- ucation. ex-officio members, and SIX appointive members: w. T. Murphree of Gadsden, Judge s. D. Murphy or Birmingham, Mrs. w. L., Murdoch or Birmingham, Lawrence Lee of Mont gomery. Prof. Lee Bidgood or the University of Alabama and Miss Elizabeth Fonde of Mobile. The terms of office of Mrs. Murdoch and Miss Fonde expire December 5, and ap- pointments to fill the vacancies will be made by Governor Brandon, for terms of six years, under the new law governing the child welfare de- partment.
 Funds Provided.
 At the recent Legislative session a bill appropriatlng $50,000 to the child welfare department with another $50 ,O00 contingent upon the condltlon
 l. fled appropriation of $1OOOOO annu- ally after the first year, was passed by both houses of the Legislature with but little opposition. Governor Brandon, however. feeling that the condition of the treasury would not warrant such an appropriation, re- turned the bill with an amendment f:xing the annual appropriation at $50, GOO, one-half of the amount sought.
 The appropriation to the depart ment in the past has been $S3,0oO yeerly. However. the child welfare department less than year ago took over the Children Aid society, which greatly increases it's scope of work. A sum of 2o,999.16 was raised by public subscription last year ana was used exclusively for child care, in addition to the state appropriation of $33,000. It will thus be seen that the new state appropriation will not alone be adequate for the work of the department. even with no ex- pansion of activities.
 Mrs. Bush To Report.
 The child welfare commission, at it's annual meeting, will receive the report of the director, Mrs. l.. B. Bush, and determine plans and poli- cies for the year ahead, The 1923 legislature gave the state juvenile court bill. which Is pronounced one of the test in the south and the child welfare department, in expectation of to push county organization work to the end that all counties should be organized for child. care and for saving children and keeping fami- lies together, as they are organized for public health and for educational . work. It was estimated that 1000 destitute children would have been saved with the added volume of work planned. Mrs. Bush stated.
 As evidence of the work of the child welfare department, the chill dren's aid division, which Is one of four features of it's activities. re- ceived during the last fiscal year 5S6 applications for assistance for chill dren Of this number 210 were re- ceived into boarding homes, 57 of these being placed for adoption; 245 children were helped. in various other ways, and 196 children were kept in their own families. which involved financial invest ment. but averted in these cases the family break-up, which the child welfare department combats with every means at it's disposal. total of l05 children