Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-10-21
Welfare Center
Urged for D. {.
Institutions
Relocation Would
Consolidate Four
Problem Units


Consolidation of four problem
welfare institutions in a District
Welfare Center" on a single tract
of ground some distance from the
city is urged in the annual report
Of the Board of Public Welfare sub
mitted to the Commissioners today
The board said it favored such
a relocation ultimately for the Home
for the Aged and Infirm. the In
dustrial Home School, the Indus
trial Home School for Colored and
the National Training School for
Girls.
Economies resulting from central
utilities and services were urged as
a justification for the proposal, to-
gether with the statement that the
present locations of the institu-
tions are too near the city, creating
supervision problems.
All Of these institutions were
visited by Representative DAles-
sandro of Maryland during a con-
gressional investigation last spring.
Mrs. Roosevelt also has been in
terested in the institutions, par
tlcularly the Home for the Aged and
the National Training School for
Girls.
1000 Acres Declared Needed.
Commenting on the proposal to
relocate the institutions, Welfare Di-
rector Robert E. Bondy expressed
the opinion that at least 1000 acres
would be needed for the welfare
center. He said the institutions
would be kept separate, but cited
the advantages of central utilities
and other services, Many services,
he felt, might be developed at such
a center when they could not be
justified at the institutions singly,
as for example strong medical
service unit. He said the board had
no particular site in mind.
Previous recommendations have
been made toward moving the In
dustrial Home School, now at 2453
Wisconsin avenue NV, to a point
farther from commercial and resi-
dental areas. Todays report re-
lterates the complaint that resi-
dental construction hemming in the
institution has aggravated problems
OF supervision. 1t also recommends
smaller cottage units in the housing
of the inmates as a means to better
segregation
The report said that the Indus
trial Home School for Colored Chill
dren, now at Blue Plains. is better
adapted to the work it is supposed
to DO than the Wisconsin avenue
school, due to its smaller units But
similar recommendation of a site
more distant from the city also was
made. -.,.....
Increased Facilities Needed.
Heavy enrollments at the National
Training School for Girls on Con-
duit road at the District line, were
cited in the report and need of in
creased maintenance and upkeep
as we'll as larger staff were urged.
Some of the conduct problems
have doubtless had their origin
in inadequancies of staff and equip
ment. the type of buildings and their
location near the city" the boards
report continued.
Need for additional personnel to
take care of the aged inmates of
the Home for the Aged and Infirm
at Blue Plains also was recon-
mended, along with requests for new
building construction and additional
equipment. Funds to take care OF
some of the buildings and equip
ment are being sought in the 1912
welfare budget. The board. how
ever. felt that sound economy and
better care" would probably result
If this institution also we're moved
from the city.
In reporting on the work of the
Public Assistance Division, the
board cited several administrative
changes leading to a more efficient
handling of relief applicants. In
take, according to the report, was
completely reorganized so that per-
sons applying for assistance might
be interviewed that same day It
was pointed out further that all
sections of the division, formerly
located in widely separated buildings
throughout the city. had been con-
sOlidated at $50 C street NV. Just
before the close of the year last
June 30.
Fewer Children Committed.
~ II -,
number of children committed to
the boards foster care was men
toned in the report. Only 425 were
committed, as compared with 465
the previous year. The daily aver
age number of children in care,
however, increased from 1854 to
2022 in 1910, rise attributed largely
to the difficulty in getting families re-
established, according to the board
Problems of personnel continued
to be of major Importance at the
penal and correctional institutions,
according to the report. The pos
sibility that the problems might be
aggravated by the draft was cited
with the suggestion that the Com
miss oners may need to study the
possibility of replacing personnel by
men in deferred age groups and by
procedure which will provide for
quick replacement. Calls to military
training will be on short notice. it
was pointed out. and new appointees
must promptly take vacated places.
Unsatisfactory internal telephone
communications probably will make
a new central installation necessary
at the workhouse and reformatory
1t was said.