Evening star., 1938-03-27

OF Columbia League of Women Voters
has assumed the responsibility for the
management Of the affair. Miss
Katherine Lenroot chief of the United
States Children's Bureau, also will be
one OF the honor guests and speakers.
This is one in long series of steps
taken by the League of Women Voters
to bring health problems to the atten-
tlon OF the public. The Department
Of Child Welfare of the league, which
includes about hundred members, is
headed by Mrs. R. Gordon Wagenet
1t has long been interested in all of
the phases of the life of the under
privileged child"
Beginning with protective facili-
ties, the department studied the Juve-
nile Court with the result that rec
concentrations were made to Congress
Tor its reorganization. The blue
prints proposed by the league have
been thoroughly studied and are care
FULLY itemized. The major change rec
commended is that the court be made
court Of chancery rather than a
criminal court. This is now being
considered by the congressional COM
mlttee. An examination of the Re-
ceiving Home indicated that, in the
opinion of the league, many improve
ments could be made in the handling
OF juvenile delinquents and depend
ents. A record of the leagues stand
on this is part of the hearings be-
fore the Senate District Committee
on Appropriations.
All Projects Studied.
The fact that both of these meas
ures are under consideration by Con-
greSs brings out one of the charac-
teristics of the work of the league.
Any project considered by the group
Is carefully studied, then after a
thorough discussion a decision as to
what stand the league will take is
reached, Once a plan of action is
agreed upon, league members do all
they can to see it through and get
thelr plan into operation.
While studies in the protective field
OF child welfare led to definite rec
concentrations to Congress, studies of
health conditions led to crusade for
better handling of health problems
and to a volunteer project of definite
value to the District. Interest in a
suitable site for the Jefferson Junior
High School brought the league to
study of health conditions of the
section adjacent to the school.
Study of statistics of the census
tracts in the general area showed that
OF all absences from school because of
illness in the entire city, fourth
occurred in that area" Mrs. Wagenet
SAID, With the exception of the CEN
tral area, which is notoriously bad.
tbs was the worst from the stand
point of health, of any section. 1t was
OBVIOUS that not only was a new
junior high school needed but also
more public health nurses and more
clinics as well. Naturally our interest
was as much in infant mortality as in
school children. When we asked for
statistics on the subject we found
that birth certificates had been coded
only as far back as 1882.
Personnel Inadequate.
The explanation for this was quite
simple. Handicapped by inadequate
personnel, the Public Health Division
had been unable to have the work
done. To be sure, as much of the
personnel as could be spared had
worked on the codification and a
W. P. A. worker had been assigned.
but her services had been discontinued.
We particularly wanted the statis-
tics for 1928 and 1929 as we were
interested in seeing what had hap
pened in the prosperous years. Since
the work was sort of drudgery that
could be done by any intelligent
person, our group decided to code
those years. Members of the depart
ment who could give two hours on
Tuesday mornings were invited to
come down and work We found that
we were able to handle about 5000
names each Tuesday. BY the time
the prosperity years had been taken
care OF we had become so interested
in codification that We were de-
termlned to continue it, with the re-
suit that the records will soon be COM
plete for the entire 10-year period"
series of eight charts, based on
the leagues findings, was prepared
to show the nursing needs of the Dis
trict. One of them showed that each
public health nurse was responsible
Tor 1,460 school children, whereas the
number considered possible for a nurse
IN generalized service to handle eff
GENTLY is thought to be not more
than $50.
Another showed that in maternal,
infant and pre-school work, four
times as many nurses as are now en-
ployed are needed. The most dramatic
OF the charts showed the rapid in
crease IN population from 1884 on,
with the consequent increase In de-
mands on the Public Health system.
Doing Some Patching"
III child showed that much de-
velopment within. a year we would
think whole new garnet was indi-
Gated" Mrs. Wagenet told the Senate
committee when explaining the situa-
ton.
IL you uld 4lOt nave tIl6 ClOCfl YOU
would do some patching" observed
Senator Elmer Thomas.
THAT is all we are asking for, a
little patch" Mrs. Wagenet replied.
The little patch" for which the
league was asking was an additional
10 nurses, when it had been de-
termined that there was need for 10.
I'VE know that progress must be
made slowly" Mrs. Wagenet ex-
planned, 80 we try to be realistic in
our requests. The league stands for
continual advancement, for adapta-
tions to changing conditions, for
understanding, facing and meeting
local needs as they arise"
\ X
The w. c. T. U. will give a break
fast Wednesday at the Methodist
Building in honor of the candidates
for office in the District Federation OF
Woman's Clubs, who have been in