Evening star., 1938-05-29
Value of Money Is Taught
Orphans at Jewish Home
Miss Bere1,sOn Believes
Life Is Too Easy in
Some Respects.

Is an orphans life too soft? Mis-,
Anne Berenson, VINO came to Washing
ton last fall from the Connecticut
Children's Aid Society to take charge
OF the Jewish Foster Home, 3213 q
street NV, claims that In some re-
spects 1t is. She says that while most
orphans are starved for love, they
often receive the material necessities OF
life 30 automatically that they have
no chance to develop sense Of values
Elaborating this theme. in an in.
terview yesterday, she pointed out
that Johnny Smith lives with his
parents. he hears them worrying
about the rent, doing without things
when dad Is out Of Job or has pay
cut He knows what 1t costs to go
to the moves and has to decide be-
tween that and the equivalent in ice
cream or candy. He visits the kids
down the block, they visit him. All
these things teach him how to give
and take and how to adjust to the ups
and downs Of normal living.
However, If Johnny's parents die
or separate, leaving him without a
home, all this is changed. He enters
children's home where his clothing
Is supplied as needed without any dis
cussion. He works. plays, eats and
sleeps with the same group of chill
dren every day. Treats and entertain
ments are always given-never bought
or earned. Gradually he gets the idea
that he Is in class apart from other
children and that the world owes him
q debt 1t can never repay.
Theories Put in Practice.
While Miss Berenson, who has been
working with homeless children for
the past 10 years. would be the first
to admit that nothing can quite make
up to child for the loss of his own
home and parents. she also sees a
danger in raising children in an en-
vironment that puts a premium upon
docile gratitude for favors given out
Of pity.
When the board OF directors of the
Jewish Foster Home invited Miss
Berenson to put her theories into
practice with the children in the
home. one Of the first things she did
was to return to the manager of a
neighborhood movie pass which en-
titled these children to a weekly free
movie. The children protested. Even
when they were told that they would
receive a monthly allowance of spend
ing money, they still protested. They
wanted the money, but they didnt
want to have to spend any of it for
movies.
For a time, allowances were spent
carelessly. The children had hardly
seen money before and had no idea
OF its value. The day of reckoning
came when the allowances had been
spent and school supplies and other
essentials which the allowances COW
cred had not been purchased. Re-
quests for advance allowances were
refused and the children got their first
real lesson on money. They began
to make budgets after that and to
plan ahead and save.
Miss Berensor gave them their Sec
ond lesson in practical finance by let
ting each child go with a stan men,
Der to buy his own clothing. The staff
member advises and guides, but it is
the child who makes the final decision
about the purchase.
Children Never Herded.
. Under Miss Berenson's system OF
managing the home, the children are
never herded. They do not 60 out in
public en- masSe. Their meals are
eaten at family-sized tables with a
staff member presiding over each. In
stead Of dormitories. two or three chill
dren share a homelke room and each
has his own desk and dresser where he
can be sure that his private posses
sions will be undisturbed
With this regime of individualiza
ton has come a noticeable change in
the children's attitudes. Not only are
they more self-reliant. but they are
also less self-centered. They visit
other children in the neighborhood
and invite them to their home" In
participating in the life of the com.
munity on the same plane with other
children. they are learning that they
must make their own way in the
world.
Miss Berenson never forgets there
is no substitute for real home. She
Is on the alert to place children back