Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-03-27
Welfare Head Admits
Industrial School
Conditions Are Bad

Ray L. Huff, director of the Public
Welfare Board. today admitted that
conditions are bad, facilities obso-
lete and segregation not adequate"
at the Industrial Home School, Dis
trict-supported institution for the
care and training of hayward white
children. located at 2453 Wisconsin
avenue NV.
Mr.. Huff made this statement
after hearing of the report on the
school made yesterday at the meet
ing of the District Federation of
Women's Clubs by federation COM
mittee.. The report charged that
the school was "unsuited for use as
training school" and eft only for
demolition"
Plan to Move.
The Public Welfare Board realizes
the need for improved conditions at
the home, Mr.. Huff said, and plans
have been made to move the school
to newer buildings as soon as pos
sible. No alternative" buildings
have been discovered, however, he
said, and discussion OF moving has
been dropped for a time.
Mr.. Huff said he would comment
further after he had read the re-
port in detail.
The report charged that:
The present institution does not
permit the segregation of children.
All girls 9 to Is are housed in one
cottage. Ten-year- truants are in
constant contact with II and IS year
old girls who are confirmed sex
problems. There is no segregation
for girls with active gonorrheal in
fections.
"All boys are in one group. They
range from 9 to Ii years of age:
from above normal to morons in
mental ability and from school
truants to housebreakers in be-
havior. The smaller and younger
boys suffer at the hands of the
older and more vicious. In many
cases the contact and association
of the younger boys with the older
ones is definitely injurious to the
younger ones"
Infested With Rats.
Other charges made in the report
included:
l. The main building, housing
staff, clinic, dining rooms, kitchen,
etc., is not fireproof. Eighty boys
sleep on the third floor.
2. Bathing and dressing facilities
would suffer in comparison with
10th century prison. The build
ing is infested with rats, mice and
reaches. The odor of dead rats is
nauseating.
3. The children come over from
the receiving home loaded with lice.
The health officer of the District has
recommended that the children have
their heads washed in coal oil
which is an archaic method"
4. The heating plant is made
quate. On many occasions it has
been necessary to dismiss school
until midday.
S. The floors in some places, and
the slate steps have been con-
demned. The roof leaks.
6. There is no infirmary avail
able for children with any con-
tagious or infectious disease.
Will Move to Another School.
Mr.. Huff pointed out that present
plans call for the removal of the
school to the buildings now occu-
pied by the National Training
School for Girls. The National
Training School is to be moved
eventually, but new buildings for
the training school cannot be erect
ed until a site has been acquired,
Mr.. Huff said.
The condemnation procedure for
the site, for which money has been
appropriated, is now in the hands
of the Justice Department and has
been for the past several months, he
said. The Industrial Home School
will occupy the National Training
School buildings only until it is
possible to build the new chiIdren's
center planned for construction in
the vicinity Of Laurel, Md, Mr.. HUFF
said.
A committee was appointed at the
Public Welfare Board meeting last
Friday to study the possibilities
OF speeding up the moving process,
Mr.. Huff said. He declined to COM
ment on the federation committee
report In detail until he had had
time to study 1t more thoroughly.
The report was made by COM
mlttee of four women, headed by
Mrs. Leslie Wright Other COM
mittee members were Mrs. Frank
Morrison, Mrs. E. Morgan Pryse
and Mrs. Ernest Howard.
Gallinger should submit a semi
monthly bill to pay patients and
make definite ARRANGEMENTS for nav.