Evening star., 1943-09-01
BY DON S. WARREN.

fiscal year for the long list of Dis
trict welfare activities-an increase
of II per cent over current appro-
priations-was proposed today by
the Board of Public Welfare and
Welfare Director Ray L. Huff. The
plan centers special attention on an
ambitious postwar construction pro-
gram and otherwise reflects wartime
conditions.
One high light of the new welfare
budget proposals, now awaiting the
reaction of the public, the city
heads, the Federal Budget Bureau
and Congress, is request for more
than $4,000 for drafting speciica-
tions for suggested new welfare
agency homes, the total construc-
ton cost of which is estimated at
$6.360, 400.
Such a sum would permit de-
velopment of new homes for the
four child-care institutions, the col
ored and white industrial home
schools for boys and girls, at new
or perhaps at centralized locations.
This program represents dissatis-
faction with present housing and
arrangements for these institutions.
Asks New Aged Home.
In addition, these postwar plans
include prospects for an entirely
new home for the aged and infirm,
large scale Improvements at the
District Training School for Feeble
| minded at Laurel, Md, and for con-
siderable expansion of facilities for
inmates of the Workhouse and
Reformatory at Occoquan and Lor-
ton, Va. ..--.
Another major feature of the well
fare requests is sharp denuncia-
ton of conditions at the present
home of the Industrial Home School
! for White Children on Wisconsin
avenue NV. This place was called
a "firetrap" where morale was re-
garded as exceedingly low, where
such commonplace things as chairs
and tables were insufficient for the
| population and where some en-
ployes are remaining only because
they are frozen" in their present
jobs.
With priorities blocking any new
construction now. welfare officials
are urgently requesting increases in
funds for personnel and supplies in
move to carry over until more ade-
quate provisions can be made.
Descriptions of existing conditions
at the industrial school, incorporated
in the original budget proposals of
welfare officials, include the follow
ing:
There is a 33 per cent shortage
in personnel *s* the present popu-
lation is now 142 and is rapidly in
creasing all employees except
school teachers are working from 50
to 10 hours week with no overtime
for anything beyond A hours
There are ITO delinquent boys sleep
ing in three dormitories on two floor
levels with no supervision A
similar situation exists in the girls
cottage the building is a fire
hazard and the situation is danger
Gus there is no planned rec
reation hour program"
More Employees Wanted Now.
In a move to correct conditions at
this agency so far as possible now
welfare officials are seeking funds
for employment of 10 additional
workers, including a chief matron
for girls, a recreation director, two
night supervisors for boys, morn
ing and night male attendant two
night matrons for girls, relief
cook chauffeur and clerk.
Disorders at the institution during
the last year had given warning OF
something wrong, it was recalled
Request is made for new equipment
including Sc beds, mattresses ano
chairs for the boys quarters and
other equipment for the remainder
of the establishment. 1t was sale
the Institution now is using % beds
and mattresses borrowed from other
agencies and that there are not
enough chairs at the place to pro-
vide each boy one beside his bee
; and one in the dining room, and that
the girls have only ping pong table
in their dining room and only g
bench on their perch.
In recapitulation, it is found that
,, of the grand total S987 ,l27 budget
increase sought, S468,073 is for
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