Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1928-06-14
Report of Regional
Meeting of Social
Workers Held at Mora

On Wednesday of last week, June
9Th, there was held at Mora a re-
.gional conference of social work. LAG
delegates registered at this confer
ence, representing fifteen counties Of
Minnesota.
Miss Colby, assistant director of the
Children'S Bureau of the State Board
of Control stated the following facts
about the birth, growth and work Of
that board:
In 1916, Governor Burnquist APP
pointed committee of twelve, whose
duty it was in a general way, to look
after the social problems of the state.
Almost Immediately the great need
of organization and legal power was
recognized and at the 1917 legisla-
ture, 43 bills relative to child welfare
were presented and 3S of them pass
ed. In 1918 a staff of six was APP
pointed which makes up the Chill
dren'S Bureau, of the State Board of
Control. Under the supervision of
the Children's Bureau are the 10000
illegitimate children with the annual
additional number of 1900; the 200
licensed maternity hospitals; 81 in
fants homes; II child placing agen-
cies; and 100 boarding homes. They
also supervise the guardianship of
400 children unsuited for adoption.
The 1928 legislature provided a de-
partment for the blind with an ap-
preparation, and 100 pupils are at
present enrolled in the school for the
blind, where grade, high school ard
special vocational training is given
them. The 1925 legislature provided
for the sterilization of the feeble
minded and insane. This permits a
good number to go home in place
of having to remain st the institution.
Miss Thomson, director of the de-
partment for the feeble minded, tells
us that 25 per cent of the mothers
of illegitimate children registered at
the seven maternity hospitals in Min
peapOlis and st. Pal, have an intelli-
gence quotient below rs; and DR..
Coleman, who is a national and inter-
national authority on the subject, says
that when l. Q. is below Is, the
child is below normal and should be
given special attention. Miss Thorn
son dwelt at length upon the mean
ing of feeble mindedness and stressed
the Importance of training the feeble
minded while young.
Charles E. Dow, superintendent of
the Children's Home society, st. Paul,
a man of sterling worth, with a deep
and earnest concern for the children
of America, says it is the birth right
of every American born child, to be
given the best possible environment
and help for a full round mental and
physical Development. Unless we do
our part in providing such, we are
falling short Cf our duty as christian
American citizens. Mr. Dow further
states that SO per cent of adoptions
prove successful.
Stanley H. Perry, of the general
extension division of the University
of Minnesota, spoke on adult educa-
ton through the extension division of
the University. There is a crying
need throughout all the country today
for the education of parents in child
rearing, nome study classes, group
study and correspondence courses are
a few of the ways provided by the
extension division for adults to learn
at home. Information regarding legal
or governmental matters may be OBJ
tanned from the Municipal Reference
Bureau. A great variety of educa-
tional films may be obtained for a
very small sum through the visual
bureau. Any club or community group
may receive wealth of help through
the Drama Service if asked for.
G. A. Lundquist of the department
of sociology of the University, while
speaking of the value of a recrea-
,tional program for a rural commun-
1ty, asserted that athletics, like ev-
-erything else, is today made too COM
mercial. He emphasized the need of
the return of the old fashioned social
activities such as the community pic
mic, husking or rag bees, etc., where
the entire family joined in general
recreation. The auto today, Mr. Lund-
'qufst says, is depriving people too
much of needed recreation. He says,
Tell me how you spend your leisure
time and I'll tell you what you are"
is just as true as tell me how you
spend your money and I'll tell you
what you are Every community
needs a good recreation leader.
j. NJ. Drew of the general extension
division of the University, while
speaking of the boys and girls club
work, tells us that a child learns
three-eighths of what they hear, five
'eighths of what they see and seven
eigths of what they do. He pointed
out that 100000 boys and girls in
Minnesota are All club members,
representing lSS,OOO farms. Each year
two members of each county having
the best exhibit, are sent to Chicago,
and each year four winners from each
state are sent to Washington, D. c..
Mrs. E. G. Quamme, a representative
of the Minnesota Association for Grin