The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1923-09-13
COUNTY CLUB WOMEN
HOLD FINE MEETING
Continued on Last Page)

married mother. She said that
Stearns county was among the ten
counties in the state having the high
est illegitimate birth rate. In reality
Stearns county is hshighest in the
state. ~St%
She said thatArif your boy makes
good and grows up to be fine man
the credit is not all his. A consider.
able share of it goes to the GOOD
mother and father and good home ne
has had. Where mothers were able
to do so much for their own children
she urged them to make an effort te
extend that mothering to the children
in the community who have it not.
She quoted DIR. Henry Cabot of Bos-
ton who says "that only four things
are necessary to life-work, play, re.
ligion and love-" She asked these
women to place the same safeguards
as regards the dance-hall, pool-room
late hours, ETC., about other children
that they demand for their own. Miss
Yerxa commended the StearnS Coun-
ty Child Welfare Board highly for its
works along these lines and she urged
the women clubs to get back OF
them.
The discussion was opened by Mrs,
Moynihan of Sank Centre, executive
secretary for the Stearns County
Child Welfare Board. She told OF
che actual amount of work done by
the Board in the course of one year
Between Jan. 9Th, 1922 and Jan:
4, 1928, the Board had investigated
212 cases which was an increase OF
4iftt-nine over the 1 previous year
Sixty-eight mothers, are drawing al.
iowances for 211 children who are
being cared for in their own homes
1T an average cost of 81 .97 a. month
per child. The total amount paid; out
for mothers pensions in Stearns
county in 1922 was $2Q655. By vote
of the Child Welfare Board mothers
pensions were reduced or discontinued
during the year to the amount OF
.S3408 In every such case, condl.
tions changing in the home warranted
this reductions.
i. The total number of unmarried
mothers in ,Stearns county during
1922 was So, 15 were held over from
1921. The average age OF the moth
er was 20 and of the father was ~
years. - In five cases the child's faith
er was married man and three cas-
es it was the, second, illegitmate child
born to the omther.
During the year an effort was made
to ascertain the contributing causes
Of the high illegitimate birth rate in
Stearns county. The average educa-
tier: of,these girls was found to be
Sixth grade. The loss of parent
seems ito be an important { factor.
Three, of these girls were orphans,
five of them had lost a father and
eight of them had lost their mothers.
The average number of children in
the girls home was six, Occupation
plays an apparently important part
Tor the greater nurHDer WHY, = -
Eight cases of feeble-minde dness
were committed to the Board OF Con-
troll during the year. -Four others
were investigated but no action was
was found necessary Three cases
are under the supervision OF the Child
Welfare Board. Gaf1s- 8s.ilEs2l.{tz=
Mrs. Moynihan told of increasing
demands upon the Board by city and
village councils, police departments,
correctional institutions and physlc-
ians. The support and cooperation
of the club was asked for. work
which can be given little publicity be-
cause of its peculiarly intimate ma
lure. H1@' -.
Mrs. Helen Ingram continued the
discussion very delightfully."- by telling
of her reluctant acceptance OF ap-
sentiment on the Child Welfare
Board and how gradually the hu.
name aspect overcame a natural re-
pupnance. She told of the discour-
asements and of the satisfaction in
relieving childish helplessness.
: MRS.. B. Dunn of st. Cloud
concluded the discussion by emphasiz.