Evening star., 1924-01-16
IN TODAY'S SPOTLIGHT
BY PAUL y. COLLINS,

l and wisdom in the administration OF
its work. but has never been ade-
Quately supported with finances. 1t
has nevor had sufficient personnel,
therefore. to supervise the homes in
which the wards have been placed.
rs 1t felt should be done when
children are intrusted to families.
This shortage has led to criticism
from some. who have argued that the
children ought to be cared for only
In the institution rather than be
given, out to- private families, either
for adoption or temporary. care,
The Commissioners have now con-
solidated in the board Of chtfdren's .
guardians the care of all children
committed by the courts. and there Is
united policy for the future. Where
suitable homes can be found. duly
| investigated in advance and strictly
inspected from time to time. tho
home. atmosphere and care are Tar
better. for most children than any
large institution, But without such
continued supervision of the homes,
It is dangerous to farm out the chill
dren promiscuously."
| To carry out that principle. 1t is
hoped to make important changes in
the industrial home at an early date.
Wisconsin avenue. while valuable real
estate, ts not suitable for a vocation
al training institution. and it is hoped
that It may be sold. In Its place
would be established a vocational
training school and farm. upon land
to be donated by tho Newbold estate,
and formerly occupied by the George
Junior Republic. located near An
napolis Junction. Md. The funds de-
rived from the sale Of the Wisconsin
avenue property, with moderate help
from Congress, would equip the shops
and erect COTTAGES
y X X X
DR.. Hart points out that Washing
ton has eighteen separate institutions
for dependent children, with q capac-
iity Of 1,506 beds, while they contain
,only 945 children. He recommended
that 20 per cent might be properly
returned to their families and more
could be given homes with reliable
private citizens, under suitable super
vision. At present much effort is
efficiency would be better served
through consolidation.
The modern movement for scientific
care of children began in 1908, with
the passage by the British parlia-
ment of a children's act-the first
legal definition of child rights, uni
versaily recognized as the child s
magma charta. Prior to that the
world had made laws to curb children
mot to protect them.
This WAS followed, in 1909. by the
first child conference called by Presi-
dent Roosevelt and held in the White
House. 1t was attended by the most
notable sociologists of the day. At
this conference standards for the care
OF children were enunciated, and it
was decided to oodify the laws of all
states concerning childhood. The
fundamental principle there crystal
lized was: THE home Is the natural
place for every child, and no child
except under the most compelling
reasons"
The first child codification confer
ence was called by the Governor of
Ohio, in 1911, and the laws were codi-
fed and SO published in 1913. Since
then thirty states have appointed
commissions to study and codify child
laws.
, In 1919 the federal children's bu-
reau of the Department of Labor
called an international conference,
which met in Washington, and II re-
afhrmed the fundamental principle
home for children-as quoted above
Among the measures now pending
in Congress Is one to assist mothers
In caring for their families at home
not a mothers pension" as IL is mis-
called. but whatever aid is needed to
eke out the. earnings of the family
VIXEN such are insufficient to keep the
family together. This has the SUN
port of the Labor Department and of
| influential organizations Of women.
Copyright, 1924. by Paul v. Collins.)