Evening star., 1936-10-16
WELFARE BOARD
FAV0RS TRAINING
SCHOOL PROGRAM
Tacit Approval Given to
Budget Bureau Plan
of Consolidation.
WILLING TO ASSUME
DIRECTION OF UNITS
Transfer of Dependent Children
From Industrial Home Be.
lieved Feasible.

Members of the Board Of Public
Welfare tacitly have approved the pro-
posal advanced by the Budget Bureau
for pooling the care of dependents and
neglected. types Of its wards in
institutions established for confine-
ment of delinquent children. it was
disclosed today.
A report by the board, released to-
day by the Commissioners, showed the
welfare agency has accepted the
Budget Bureaus view that dependent
children now housed at the Indus
trial Home School could be trans
ferred to the National Training School
for Boys and to the Nations' Train
ing School for Girls.
Such a plan could be accomplished,
the welfare board decided, only If
there was provision of more funds
for care of an additional number of
children in foster homes and for en-
largement of the staff Of the District
Child Welfare Division.
NOuIu ASSUME JuEISulCElOUs
Also, the Welfare Board said it was
willing to assume responsibility for
administration of the National Train
ing School for Boys, now under JuriS-
diction of the Justice Department.
The board suggested, however, the
number Of Federal wards at the in
stitution be reduced to make room
for a larger number of District wards
there.
The question Of the future policy
of caring for the different types OF
cases became an issue recently when
the Commissioners, at the direct sug-
gestion OF the Budget Bureau, sud-
denly halted drafting Of plans for i'm
provement and expansion of the Ma
tional Training School for Girls, for
which Congress at the past session
appropriated 100000.
The Budget Bureau objected that
the Welfare Board plans for this insti-
tuition called for construction OF two
cottages, each to house IL girls.
whereas the report sent to Congress
by the President on the 500 900 item
contemplated cottages twice as large.
.,r Consultations Favored.
Acting Budget Director Daniel W.
Bell called the Commissioners and
members of the Welfare Board into
conference early this week on this
issue. Later Commissioner Hazen an
nounced it had been agreed the Wei
fare Board would consider legislation
for the proposed consolidation Of the
institutions and the plans for en-
largement of the girls training school.
Some surprise was evidenced over
the Welfare Boards report. released to-
day, because some welfare officials
previously had suggested the unde-
STABILITY of caring for dependent and
delinquent children in the same in
stitution.
However that may be. the welfare
board report stated that it believes
that if sufficient additional staff and
funds for foster home care were pro-
vided for the Child Welfare Division,
and if both the National Training
School for Girls and the National
Training School for Boys were mace
available for the placement OF chill
dren. and if the two institutions
named were conducted on suf1ir
GENTLY flexible program with suitable
classifications according to type OF
case there two institutions would be
suficient, with perhaps relatively
slight development of additional cot
tage space, to care for the Districts
needs for institutional care OF de-
pendant, neglected and delinquent
children"
Receiving Home Discussed.
The report also involved the Re-
ceiving Home for Children in a pos
sible consolidation move. The board
said the present home, at 8l6H2 Po-
tomac avenue southeast. was "entlreiy
inadequate for its purpose and a dis
grace to the District"
On this point, it added, "it is quite
possible that If the National Training
school for Girls and the National
Training School for Boys were avail
able. and If long detention facilities
were erected on their properties, for
girls and boys, respectively, and If
funds were made available for social
service and for payment for foster
home care for children who did not
need close detention, the Receiving
Home could be dispensed with"
The Welfare Board insisted there
was urgent need for prompt starting
and completion Of the 100000 of i'm
movement at the National Training
| School for Girls.