Evening star., 1941-11-15
Institutional Children
Receiving Better Care,
Welfare Groups Told
Greater Effort and More
Workers Recommended
To Improve Services

institution children today are re-
celvlng better assistance than they
Gid four years ago when a special
survey was made here by outside
agencies. 1t also was developed that
though the city population has in
creased by thousands, the number
OF children receiving aid has in
creased only from 946 to 2010 cases
year.
However, the three investigators
who yesterday made a preliminary
report revealing these facts in the
home of Mrs. Eugene Meyer. 1924
Crescent place NV, called for
greater endeavor and the employ
ment of more paid and volunteer
workers who would be in position
TO guide the youngsters. The meet
Ing of representatives of local child
welfare agencies was told that a con-
fidential report would be given each
group telling of the findings.
Mrs. Meyer in introducing the
speakers declared that hard tenac-
ity year TO year to work for i'm
provement' was the goal of the local
organizations. Let them the work
ers) do their welfare jobs 10 times
more" she added She took to task
government employees who come here
TO earn their living but still decline
to take an active interest in local
charity affairs.
Some Follow Same Old Ways.
The meeting, held by the WASH
ington Council of Social Agencies,
was told that the survey revealed a
need Of active representation by all
classes of neighborhood residents if
child aid is to be improved.
One point developed was that
though a number of local groups
had progressed with the changing
theme of child aid others had fol-
lowed the same old ways and shown
little, If any, progress.
Mrs. Robert Lee DuckWorth, eX-
ecutive secretary of the Methodist
Orphan Home Association, declared
governing boards are the greatest
stumbling block to progress. They
should be a cross section of the
community, she added.
She cited the Florence Crittenton
Home. Hillcrest and the Washing
ton Home for FoundlingS as insti-
tutionS which have carried out
most of the recommendations which
were made in the original survey
OF 1887" She added that the Swart-
Zeu Homes board of trustees COM
posed of men and women, which
works closely with a woman's ad-
miniStrative board, comes nearest
to the ideal plan" She then sug-
gested an administrative board of
eating them as an administrative
body and women's advisory group.
More Case Workers Needed.
She also added that her investi-
cation indicated a preference for
revolving board membership so that
valuable members could be re-
called after brief retirement per-
iod. This, she said. would widen
the interest and develop new lead
ership.
She emphasized. as did other
speakers, the need for additional
case workers ito conserve the values
Of institutional life, as well as to
plan more intelligently for children
who are admitted and dismissed"
She also stressed the need for COM
petent workers who are sympathetic
in their understanding of children
and are capable Of setting cheerful
example.
Miss Margaret Reeves. field secre-
tary Of the Child Welfare League
OF America, said surveys now are
being made in California, New
Hampshire, Michigan, Louisiana, IL
linois and Missouri and that the
District has one of the lowest rates
for children in institutions. OF the
local needy children she said So
per cent were in foster homes while
the remainder were in institutions.
She made particular note of the
work Of the Child Welfare Service of
the District Department of Public
Welfare. She noted an advance in
the closer working relationship be-
tween the units of the department
and the fact that there had been
case load reduction, but as she said,
this was not tenough. There is a
direct need here for extended case
supervision as well as further medi-
cal programs for children.
Stresses Individualizinp.
Miss Aileen M. Blong, executive
secretary for the Stamford branch
Hartford, Conn., Catholic Chari-
ties, said that in recent years all
good institutional programs have
stressed the importance of substi-
tuting insofar as possible in an in
stitution normal home life for the
child-throwing around him or her
the influences which normal family
life provided" through the family
group She referred to work being
done at the st. JoSeph's Home and
School for Boys and the St. Vim
cents Home and School for Girls.
These schools, she noted were
developing child hobbies as an out
side interest, aside from the regu-
lar vocational training and child
guidance service.
She also stressed the need for
mdividualizing the child rather than
trying to have youngster conform
10 set pattern. This, she added,
"is very important and good things
have been accomplished along this
line. Group experience is often in
dispensable in adjusting a boy or
girl who is an individuality to the
extent that he finds it difficult to
live with others; but unless we
know him as an individual and plan
the socialized program according to
his needs he may be hurt rather
than helped by the experience"
Organizations represented at the
meeting included the Community
Chest, Jewish Social Service
Agency, st. AIMS Orphanage, st.
Johns Orphanage, st. Roses Tech
nical School, st. Joseph's Home and
School, st. Vincents Home and
School, Swartzell Methodist Home
for Children, Washington Home for
Fomdlings, Masonic Home. Baptist
Home for Children, Catholic Chari-