Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-13
INCREASE IN CHILD
WELFARE PROGRAM
URGED AT HEARING
Committee Seeking Informal
ton for Congress Gets
Many Suggestions.
"OPEN-W WINDOW" ROOMS
IN ALL SCHOOLS ASKED
Only Division of Opinion Comes on
Method of Caring for Under
nourished Pupils.

host Of recommendations for pre-
yentive and curative work among
Washington's undernourished and i'll
cared for children was presented at an
open hearing today to the committee
set up by the District Commissioners to
report on the subject. The Commits
sioners will transmit. the committees
report to Congress at the coming ses-
sion.
Little difference of opinion developed,
except with reference to the problem Of
feeding children in school. Mrs. Giles
Scott Rafter, who said she was speak
ing for herself, urged the inclusion in
every public school of an open window
room" for adjustment of the child to
his school environment in all respects,
including the problem Of malnutrition
or ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. She favored
continuation Of feeding the children,
as Is now done by some parent-teacher
associations, but at public expense.
Present Method Upheld.
Mrs. Louisa S. Roberts, executive
secretary of the Washington Council of
Social Agencies, commended the pres
ent method Of treating undernourish-
ment was better. She said that after
teachers report cases of undernour-
tshed children to the council, the latter
organization sends a worker who sup
plies nourishing food to the child's
home seven days a week. This was
preferable, she said, to giving the child
lunch Of crackers and milk five days
a week.
The recommendations submitted by
the various welfare agencies covered
wide range, and took in recreational,
hospital, clinic and welfare facilities
for adults as well as children
Mrs. Whitman Cross, president of the
Instructive Visiting Nurse Society,
quoted from one CT the studies made at
the White House Conference on Child
Health to show Washington stood thir-
tieth in list of SO large cities in its
tmmunization Of children against diph-
liberia, twenty-sixth in vaccination Of
children against smallpox, twenty
fourth in preventive dental examina-
lions and nineteenth in general medi-
cal examinations or health examina-
lions. The American Public Health
Association rated Washington only ST
per cent adequate in medical inspection
in schools, she pointed out.
Urges More Funds.
Among her recommendations were
doubling the nursing service of the
Health Department Of pre-school chill
dren. increasing appropriations to make
possible the immuniZation of pre-school
children equivalent to so per cent Of
the annual births in the District en-
largtng STATS of school medical and
dental inspectors and nurses and ex-
tension Of this health service to pri-
vate and parochial as well as public
schools, preventive care Of physically
handicapped children, including the
hard of hearing, cripples and children
IN need of sight conservation classes.
Mrs. Ernest r. Grant, president of
the tuberculosis Association, said that
on October 81 there were 739 children
in the city diagnosed as tubercular. OF
these children, 245 were suffering from
communicable pulmonary tuberculosis
! and 494 from childhood tuberculosis.
She pointed out construction of the
Children's tuberculosis Sanitarium
would provide accommodations for only
140 patients
She recommended a new building to
replace the Toner School, continuance
in operation Of the two health schools.
establishment OF an open window class
In each large school building, enlarge
| ment Of the Childrens Summer Camp
so as to take care Of all applicants and
eliminate the waiting list, provision of
a larger central tuberculosis clinic and
| an increase Of the bed capacity for
tuberculous adults at the Municipal
tuberculosis Hospital to the number
comparable with the annual tuberculosis
death rate.
Club Recommends Projects.
The Monday Evening Club, represent
ed by Paul Benjamin, recommended
the projects spoken for by the WASH
ington Council of Social Agencies, and
In addition an increase from 16 to is
years in the requirement of a physical
examination as a condition for the is
suance OF work permit, separate social
| disease clinics for children, including
evening clinics, and a social service de-
partment at Gallinger Hospital.
DR.. William A. White, superintendent
OF st. Elizabeth's Hospital, spoke briefly
In favor OF more work in social hygiene.
The recommendations of the Child
Welfare Committee of the Washington
Council of Social Agencies. presented
by Miss Fay Bently, included liberaliza-
ton Of the policies of the Board of
Public Welfare in accepting families
for home care, pro- iding home instruc-
ton Tor children not in physical con-
dition to attend school and study of
several important child problems.
The committee will meet next Thurs
day to consider the matters submitted
at the public hearing