Evening star., 1945-07-27
Industrial Home
Called Hopeless
|ByProbe Group
Steps to Improve
Schools Personnel
And Program Urged

Ripping into conditions at the in
dustrial Home School, 2453 Wiscon-
sin avenue NV, an investigating
committee today reported "a general
atmosphere of hopelessness" and
called for immediate steps to i'm.
prove its program and personnel.
G.. Rowland Shaw, chairman Of q
joint committee on institutions, of
the Council of Social Agencies, said
in issuing the report that the home
"is not training school and, judg-
ing from the number of escapes, it
doesn't even provide custodial care"
The committee found medical care
inadequate, described educational
and recreational programs as poor,
reported that staff morale is loy
and discovered fear and defeat
ism" among the 1870 children con-
fined there. Because of low salaries,
there are IL vacancies on the staff
and some persons on the payroll are
"of poor quality, it said.
Urges Higher Wages.
The committee recommended
supplement to the 1916 appropria-
ton for higher salaries to attract
adequate personnel and urged for
nation of an independent group TO
advise the institution and to go to
bat for it with the Commissioners
and Congress.
Daniel Ahern, superintendent OF
the home, said he agreed whole
heartedly with the findings and
recommendation of the committee.
Ray L. Huff, public welfare director.
replied that "the inadequacy of the
entire operation is recognized by the
Public Welfare Board and plans to
rectify the conditions have been
made" e
The board plans to move the home
this fall to the building of the Ma
tional Training School for Girls on
Macarthur boulevard and ultimate
ly to replace it with "children's
village" near Laurel, Md.
Mr.. Shaw said his committee con-
centrated on suggesting specific i'm
provements which could be made
now and would be helpful when the
home is moved.
For instance, it observed that
there is no educational or voca-
tional program to fit the needs Of
the childsen. The school curriculum
does not conform to that of the
District public schools" 1t advo-
Gated that the school be integrated
with the Board of Education and
that attempts be made to obtain
teachers from the public schools.
There is no infirmary nor daily
sick CALL" it continued. Girls
awaiting preliminary physical ex-
animation before placement are
kept locked in small cells with other
children who are disciplinary prob
lens, sometimes for four or five days
at time"
A physician is on call at 81 per
visit but he is not always availab.s
when called, it added While seri-
Gus cases are sent to Gallinger Hos
pital, sick children are left alone in
their dormitories.
One night supervisor, at salary
of 81 500 a year. must oversee four
dormitories on the third floor and
the disciplinary unit in the rear of
the first floor, Mr.. Shaw said.
Bed Clothes Dirty.
The committee noticed that blan-
kets and bed clothes on all the
hunks in the boys disciplinary unit
were dirty. They saw a large rat
hole in the recreation room. They
smelled noticeable odor" in the
girls isolation rooms"
Mr.. Shaw emphasized that the
home is doing all it can in the face
of inadequate staff, program and
facilities, but "the institution is
going around in a vicious circle"
"The overall impression left by
the institution is bad" the report
concluded. TT Is not clean, attrac-
tive or well maintained. 3" Two
steps are needed: First, the super
intendellt In consultation with
trained and experienced persons
should work out positive, desir-
able program. Second, the whole
community should unite behind an
effort to get the positions of per-
sonnel set up and reclassified under
civil service so as to carry out the
program.