Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-10-17
Child Care Problems.

spouse to the Budget Bureaus sugges-
ton for consideration of the future of
the National Training School for Girls
and the whole program of delinquent
and dependent child care in the District
serves to bring proper focus upon the
needs to be met before any radical
change in present policies and systems
can be brought about.
The Budget Bureaus suggestion was
made in connection with the execution
of plans for new construction work and
improvements at the National Training
School for Girls, authorized and ap-
propriated for by the past session OF
Congress. The plans are now being
held up by a difference of opinion
whether one or two cottages should be
constructed. The difference should be
resolved in the shortest possible time,
and probably will be. But in the mean
time the Board of Public Welfare has
shown the nature OF the problem in
volved in future change of system in
care and commitment of juvenile de-
linquents or juvenile dependents.
Last Spring the Budget Bureaus es-
Inmates for needed work at the National
Training School for Girls were forwarded
to Congress-after Senator King and
Senator Copeland had deplored the
"barbarous" conditions found at the
1x,;th nj
other steps. One of these involved trans
fer of Jurisdiction of the National Train
ing School for Boys from the Depart
Iment of Justice to the Board of Public
Welfare and another was the abandon
ment of the Industrial Home School, on
Wisconsin avenue, which had been
authorized by Congress in 1927.
The Board of Public Welfares report
sympathy with such a program, as far
as detectives are concerned, but points
out that adequate foster home care for
the so-called problem" children or de-
pendent children cannot be substituted
for the institutional care of children at
the Industrial Home School, nor can
that school well be abandoned until there
are sufficient funds for development of
the home care program. In addition.
transfer of the jurisdiction of the Ma
tional Training School from the Depart
ment of Justice to the Board of Public
Welfare will require legislation, and ad-
ditional legislation is necessary to per-
NIT the Board of Public Welfare, as well
as the courts, to commit children to the
national training schools, giving to these
schools flexibility in use by the Board
of Public Welfare that does not now
exist.
The whole trend throughout the coun-
try is away from institutional care and
toward home care for dependent and
s"problem" children, while emphasis in
institutional care Is placed on finding
and removing the causes of juvenile de-
.3linquency rather than mere incarcera-
.tion or punishment under the concep-
tions of the old reform school" idea.
But, like so many other things, the pres
ent system in the District has developed
over long period of years. Jurisdiction
sand responsibility are divided. Com
-plete change of the system in line with
more modern ideas, means change of
statutes and larger appropriations. Con-
igress has said the old Industrial Home
School can be closed, and the Board Of
Public Welfare is anxious to have it
closed. But before 1t can be closed pro-
vision must be made for care of the
children now there. The Board of Pub
lie Welfare is willing to take over the
National Training School for Boys. But
before it can do that the law must per-
init its use by the board, and other
arrangements must be made for some of
the boys now committed there by other
Jurisdictions.
In the meantime, 1t would seem that
as between the Budget Bureau and the
Board of Public Welfare, the latter
would be better able to judge the type
Of equipment and building which can
best serve the needs of the National
Training School for Girls.