The Ely miner., 1924-08-01
1H0
AMERICAN
oL-I:GIONo
Copy for This Department Supplied By
the American Legion News Servtce.D
REGIONAL BILLETS
FOR WAR ORPHANS


With the dedication recently OF the
American Legion's children's billet at
Otter Lake, Mich, the Legion has
gotten under way with a nationwide
program Of child welfare. Specifically.
the Legion intends TO care for all the
children whose fathers were killed in
action or who died as a result Of sery-
ice in the American forces during the
World war.
There are at present, according TO
experts, 5000 waits Of war who ara
being denied childhood privileges be-
cause their fathers died in service By
the creation of regional billets the Le-
gion intends TO care for all OF these.
The plan outlined by the national
child welfare committee Of the Legion
allows for expansion TO meet the re-
quirements ten years hence, when the
peak load will be reached-35,000 Of
them.
The billet at Otter Lake, Mich, is
typical Of the Legion's method Of
handling this important phase Of serv-
fee work 1t is neither an institution
nor an orphanage. 1t approximates 9
home as far as it is humanity possible
Instead Of having one big dormitory,
the way most institutions are run, ths
Legion has small cottages OF from
four to six rooms. Nine children az
the most are housed in one building.
where they are looked after by a
house mother. The children dress as
other children, with no semblanee OF
uniformity. They attend public school,
leaving in the morning, taking their
lunch, and returning about five o'clock
in time TO play until supper time.
The Otter Lake billet. which Is the
first regional billet, now cares for %
children, with three houses built and
ground broken for two more. These
children are of every extraetion-Hun-
garian, Polish, French, Italian and the
like. Many Of them came TO the billet
In extremely poor health, emaciated
and undernourished.
Overlooking otter lake, one Of tha
prettiest of Michigan's thousand lakes,
the billet Is ideal for health purposes
and, under the guidance of Mrs. Eva
IngersoIl. supervising mother, the food
prepared is based on bodybuilding
needs. Dr. o. Johnson. the superin-
tendent. looks after the health Of the
children and not one case of serious
Illness has been reported since the
hillef got under way.
The need for more room TO handle
the fatherless children is manifested
by the constant requests for permis-
sion TO send children TO the billet A
waiting list ample in size has con-
vinced he Legionnaires that they
need more space. As fast as the
money is available such expansion is
taking place.
/ The Michigan billet was first begun
as an activity of the Michigan depart
ment of the Legion, with help by tha
legislature. However, when the ma
tional organization of the Legion went
into the problem, Michigan graciously
turned over her billet to the national
body.
The second child billet Is now under
way ar Independence, Kans- John r
Quinn, national commander Of the Le-
gion, recently dedicated a 400-acre
tract of land, where the second series
of cottages win be erected Kansas
raised 100000 TO insure completion
of the project by a statewide drive
for funds. The tract Of land was the
gift of Daniel Dabney, whose two sons
were killed in action while serving
with the American forces In France.
Not only does the Legion care for
children In regional billets, but it also
cares for them in childless families.
Following precedents established by
social workers, the Legion seeks about
for ex-service men who have no fami-
lies and who wish TO rear one at the
waits of war, and allows them TO
adopt one. The Legion takes excep-
tional care in Investigating circum-
stances SO that the child viii get the
tender care rightfully due.
In other instances the Legion has
found that the mother does not wish
10 De 1IOiu ACA 1A
such an event the Legion furnishes
cash support.
The need for such welfare work Ia
proved when II is known that the
government does not compensate q
widow sufficiently TO insure adequate
support 4 widow with no children
receives but S25 month. With one
child. she gets s35. and So for each ad-
ditionaI child As a result, II Is neces-
sary for her TO werk 70 support her
self, and If her child Is very young she
must place Ii in a nursery. II the
child is but few years Of age the
Legion has found that II runs Wild
and, In many cases, the environment
Is such that II becomes a gamin-
The child welfare activities Of the
Legion are the most important. next
to the care of the disabled. on the Le-
gion's program Of national service.