Evening star., 1945-12-18
District Offers
Plans for Home
For De|inquents
194l BIueprints
Made Available for
Segregation Solution

plans for a new Receiving Home
for Children was offered today with
announcement by Col. Joseph D.
Arthur, assistant engineer commits
sioner, that he already has COM
plete blueprints for a separate re-
ceiving home for delinquents.
Col. Arthur suggested that the
Board of Public Welfare get together
with citizens groups and decide
whether they want the blueprints
recently approved by the board for
a single home for delinquents and
nondelinquents or the blueprints for
a home for delinquents alone.
Col. Arthur said the home for
delinquents could be built for $170,-
900, leaving $100, 900 in funds appro-
priated by Congress for construction
OF a separate shelter for nondelin-
quents.
Shelved Since 194I.
The blueprints for a separate de-
tention home were drawn in l94I.
after Congress appropriated $780,
600 for the project, and were ap-
proved by the board. That plan was
shelved, however, because bids were
in excess Of the amount appro-
priated.
Reconsideration Of the project
would not delay completion of a
new receiving home, according to
Col. Arthur. He said there is doubt
whether building materials are vet
available and pointed out that the
building season does not get in to
full swing until March IS.
Mrs. Eugene Meyer, head of a
citizens committee which protested
to the board yesterday against cur
rent plans for placing delinquents
and nondelinquents in a single
Immediately accepted the
suggestion. Mrs. Meyer asked that
Sherwood Norman, special consult
ant OF the National Probati As
sociation, be allowed to 60 over the
original plans for her group.
Board Yet to Decide.
A. Harding Paul, acting chair
man, said the board would have to
meet and decide whether to 90
ahead with current plans or to ac-
cept the suggestion to reconsider
in the light Of objections,
Because of the illness of Edgar
Morris. board chairman, Mr.. Paul
presided at the meeting yester-
day, advertised as a hearing for
opponents of the plan for a single
After three and a half hours
iArs. Meyer left the meeting, chare-
ing the board was taking up the
time to "rehash" its original views
and showed no interest in the crit
icism offered.
This is very unfair" she said
There has been-.no meeting of
minds here, no spirit of INQUIRY"
only f1ve members of the board
attended the meeting. They heard
SIX opponents of the plan and then
presented five employees of the
BOARD to defend it. Mrs. Never oh
lected when Mr.. Paul called on 1t
William Murphy of the police de-
partment as the sixth defender.
Earlier, the audience had nro-
tested when Mr.. Paul suggested
that they wait until all the boards
speakers had finished before asking
them any questions.
Plans Held "Obsoleten
Howard w. Hopkirk, executive
director of the Child Welfare
League of America, said the new
receiving home would be obsolete"
as soon as erected If it is built ac-
cording to present plans. He pro.
posed that the board construct
two duplex houses with four units
to accommodate 40 delinquent chill
dren. A third building could serve
for administration and a fourth as
a shelter for nondelinquents.
A supporter of the board, Mrs.
Leslie B. Wright, of the District
Federation of Women's Clubs, re-
torted that he was advocating a
fancy jail"
The board won unexpected sup
port from G. Rowland Shaw. who
disclosed he disagrees with the Joint
Committee of the Council of Social
Agencies which he heads. His COM
mittee, he explains, believes that
and nondelinquents
should be separated. Mr.. Shaw said,
however, that he personally was
afraid that If we don't go ahead
now, we won't do anything"
The opponents denied the boards
contention that segregation could
be achieved with only one dining
room, one playground and two
The blueprints brought out by
Col. Arthur provide four activity
rooms, three dormitories for five
each and 20 individual rooms. He
said that the former Gallaudet Col
lege property designated for the
project is large enough for both a
detention home and shelter.
Statistical Society