Evening star., 1939-06-05
Miss lenroot
DefendsTraiiniino
School Methods
Indorses System
OF Dr.. Smith
At Defense Heurino

Miss Katharine Lenroot, chief Of
the United States Childrens Bu-
reau, today gave strong Endorsement
to the ideals and modern methods
of handling juvenile delinquents
which DR.. Carrie Weaver Smith
sought to follow at the National
Training School for Girls as hearing
before the Commissioners on the
custer of DR.. Smith were resumed,
One of the key witnesses for the
defense" Miss Lenroot described
conditions of lack of proper facili-
ties and lack of an adequate trained
staff at the institution, which she
said made very difficult the task of
changing practices there to accord
with the better modern practices.
She referred to the findings of
members of her staff at the Chill
dren's Bureau, the Wickersham
report on Presidents Conference On
Law Enforcement of some years ago,
and the recent studies by advisory
committees, embodying the recon.
mendations of Miss Dorothy Henry
and Jacob Kepecs, to show that DR..
Smith had grasped modern methods
concepts.
Mrs. Kittle Testifies.
Another witness for DR.. Smith
this morning was Mrs. William
Kittle, past president of the League
of Women Voters and chairman of
the District Minimum Wage Board,
who was described in testimony last
week as one of the "dauntless three"
members of the league who sought
to aid DR.. Smiths program at the
request of former Welfare Director
Elwood Street. She, too, said that
with the District operating its train
ing school for girls under an
archaic" law and with a staff under
DR.. Smith which for years had fol.
lowed old punitive" methods, it was
not surprising that the superin-
tendent had difficulties in trying
to carry out transition to the new
methods.
Shortly after DR.. Smith took office,
Miss Lenroot said she visited the
institution and was shocked" by
conditions which she said DR.. Smith
was striving to overcome.
She said DR.. Smith was full Of
plans" for reconstruction of physi.
cal equipment and for development
OF constructive" program for the
girls. Later visits, she said, revealed
great accomplishment in a short
period.
Referring to the various reports,
Miss Lenroot said DIR. Smith under
took to apply some of these prin-
ciples in a peculiarly difficult situ-
| alton.
Conditions Deplored.
Under the questioning by DR..
Smith. Miss Lenroot said she agreed
with Mrs. Roosevelt that conditions
at the school cat a former date
were "barbarous and medieval
She agreed that the Wickersham
report made reference to the mod
ern program at the Montrose School
in Maryland, where Dr. Smith was
superintendent before getting her
District job.
Miss Lenroot, earlier, had told the
Commissioners she wanted to clar-
ify her relations to the appointment
OF DR.. Smith here. She said in
1885 Mr.. Street had asked the
Children's Bureau to aid in PLAN
ming the child welfare program and
asked for suggestions as to a new
superintendent. She said she told
it would take "a real crusader" to
t1kn hold nf tho jVc 4
"modernize its equipment and pro-
gram" She said she suggested the
name OF DR.. Smith, whom she knew
well, and for whom she had a hign
regard.
Oliver Gasch, assistant corpora
ton counsel in charge of the prose
cutlon on cross-examination
brought from Miss Lenroot that she
had made some six visits to the
institution, mostly on the occasion
OF Easter Sunday services, dinners,
parties for the girls. one of which
was attended by Mrs. Roosevelt.
Under questioning by DR.. Smith,
Miss Lenroot said that immortality
did occur in every institution ham
ding the type of girls as sent to
the training school, that difficulties
were caused by the condition of the
physical plant, and that in her
opinion the various studies made by
persons IN whom she had profess
slonal confidence led her to believe
that the staff of the institution
under DR.. Smith was not adequate
in capacity.
Answering another question by DR..
Smith. Miss Lenroot said it did not
seem to her that Dr. Smith had been
lazy, shiftless or careless" in treat
ment of serious problems caused bv
inmates of the institution. DR..
Smith had asked her this question,
and whether the witness thought it
was conceivable that she had
waived aside" these problems.