Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-05-14
SUMMER CAMP FOR NEEDY GIRLS OFFERS
OPPORTUNITY FOR SERVICE CLUB EFFORT,
SECRETARY CORNISH Tells k|WANIANS

Declaring that there is not single
camp in Maine where poor girls may
go to pass a vacation, Secretary CRUDE
B. Cornish Of the State board of char
tiles and corrections. addressing the
Augusta Kiwanis Club at it's luncheon
meeting Thursday noon at the Angus
ia Girls Community clubhouse on the
topic THE Under-Privileged Child"
pointed out that clubs now are stress
ing boys work and suggested that
the wives of the Kiwanians make pos
sible an outing for girls of Augusta
and surrounding towns some day this
summer.
Briefly. Secretary Cornish sketched
the various phases Of the important
work carried on by the charities
board, making definite suggestions and
recommendations on various points.
He told of the hearty cooperation that
has been given by various citizens, es-
pecially by three Augusta Kiwanians
Judge Robert A. Cony. who has al
ways been willing to aid unfortunate
children: DR.. Warren B. Sanborn,
whose clinic has treated 5000 babies
and children; and State Auditor Gilbert
D. Hayford, who has been of great as
sistance to the board in various lines
Of endeavor.
There are SO almshouses in the
State. Is per cent. Of which should
be closed, for they are not fit to keep
human beings in, the speaker said In
place of these he suggested that three
district almshouses be maintained I'M
der the direction Of the State and at
the expense of the towns having pau
per inmates. The per, capita cost in
the almshouses of the State is S7.02
per week. Outside poor are being cared
for at a per capita cost Of $S0.92 per
year.
There are sanitoriums at Hebron,
Fairfield and Pressure Isle with 525
beds for the care of tubercular pa
tients. The State hospitals at Angus
ia and Bangor for the treatment of
the insane have $500 inmates. General
hospitals receiving State aid provid-
ed 53,042 days of treatment for 2733
patients last year at an average cost
per patient of $49,15.
The Jail Problem
Referring to the Jail problem in the
State. Secretary Cornish said that
one Of housekeeping" The two
are idleness and vicious co-mingling
of prisoners. 1t is unfair to the pris-
oners to keep them confined with no
work to do, and it is even more I'M
fair to put a 15-year- old boy in with
hardened criminals.
The task of the industrial school
at Hallowell is more than to restrain;
1t Is to reform and make it possible
for delinquent girls to become better
fitted to be useful citizens.
Cost of Haine Welfare Program
The total cost of the welfare pro-
gram in the State last year was So
100000, and $4,000 people We're aided,
or two per cent of the population.
The average amount given for each
person aided was S4.I0 per week. The
annual per capita of population cost
was $40. The per capita cost for
poll tax payers was 81 cents a week,
or a little less than four cents a day.
There are 10 private children's So
cieties in the State, caring for 1861
children.
Maine is the first state to send its
children beyond the high schools.
There are State wards in the State
normal schools, the Maine colleges
and at Mason Institute. The vale
hiSbOi Adh at NhdlhS SSilIdl
this year is a State girl. Boys and
girls are willing to respond to kind
treatment and are making good.
So the day is coming when Kiwan-
ians and other citizens of the State
will be able to look into the faces Of
our boys and girls and know that
they are being properly trained to
take their places in the communities.
Mr.. Cornish's interesting discourse
was followed with prolonged ap-
plaus.
Suggests kiwanis Field Day
Suggestion was made by Kiwanian
Levi T. Williams that the Augusta
club sponsor a field day the latter
part of June to Monks Hill in Read
field and invite members of the
kiwanis clubs i'm lewiston Auburn,
Waterville, Portland and Biddeford
to join them on the occasion. He
said that the matter had been sug-
gested to him by kiwanian Walter
d. Thurber, who was unable to be
present at the meeting.
1t was voted that the Inter Club
Relations committee take the matter
under consideration and that Presi-
dent Mace appoint five club members
to cooperate with the committee.
Upon motion of Mr.. Williams a
vote was passed that the publicity
committee consider the proposition
OF a klWanls auto tour this summer
to Harrington so that the members
can meet some of the leading men
of that live community in the spirit
of business cooperation. President
Mace appointed Mr.. Williams to con-
fer with the publicity committee on
this project.
kiWanians Aid in "Y" Campaign
At the close of the meeting. the
kiwanians marched up Winthrop
hill to the Augusta Y. NJ. C. A.
building to attend the meeting of
the ~ Development Fund cam
paign workers and to pledge their
support to this most worthy project.