Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-02-12
D. {. Child Care
|Centers Fund
To Be Rejected
Commissioners Feel
Project Amounts to
Needless Subsidy

The Commissioners said today
they have decided against seeking
a supplemental appropriation to
continue the present day care GEN.
tiers for children of working mothers,
now operated by the Board of Edu-
cation.
The city heads announced their
decision today after a conferences
with members of the Board over a
proposal to seek $4,000 to continue
the 70 centers through June 80. The
centers are now financed under q
Federal Works Agency fund which
expires February %.
In turning down the continuance
of the program which serves chill
dren of 472 families, the Commits
sioners said the real question was
not finding the necessary $4,000 but
the principle involved"
Sum Rejected on Principle.
The moment the city accepts the
principle involved, by payment Of
even small sum-" the Commits
sioners declared, cit commits itself
to supporting type of center serv-
ing a quite different average group
OF society than do the present CEN
tiers, for an entirely different pur-
pose and at an ultimate expense
which no one has even attempted
to estimate"
They listed three outstanding
points about the present centers as:
/. They serve families of fairly
high average income bracket. esti.
mated at $4,000.
2. They serve working mothers re-
CARELESS of whether their husbands
are also gainfully occupied and re-
CARELESS OF the family income.
8. No working mother paws the
full cost of the service.
or the 472 families served. 1t was
said, nearly 80 per cent have incomes
more than $4,000, 10 per cent have
incomes over $4,000, and the high
est income is more than sl1. 600.
Less than IS per cent were said to
be under $4,000.
Amounts to Subsidy.
The Commissioners said th;.
amounted to State Substituting anv
motner TO leave her children for the
Gay and go to work, whether or not
the family needs the income. While
Sucn pollcy may have been justified
curing the war to release manpower.
tney said, whether it is justified in
peacetlme Is highly debatable."
commissioner Guy Mason told
reporters that any mothers who, by
working, would be the sole support
OF their children, could stay home
ana apply for the program of aid
70 dependent children now operated
by the Board of Public Welfare, He
SAD that the program is spending
1901 900 for support of such children
While opposing the temporary
| continuation of the present eenters
at this time, the Commissioners said
tney had asked the Board Of Educa-
ton to study the problem to aid
working mothers in the bottom in
come brackets and make appropri-
ate recommendations after thew
nave the data on the entire scope
and cost of such a plan.
May Repeat Requests.
II they approved the present pro-
gram, they said, requests for con-
tlnuation would be Forthcoming at
the end of the fiscal year Just as
they are now.
The centers would then be with
us forever" Mr.. Mason said, and
the cost might run into millions -
Attending todays conference for
the public schools were Supt. Rob.
ert L. Haycock, Budget Officer Adel.
bert Heinmiller, Miss Kathryn Doo-
nan, director of the day care CEN
tiers; Mrs. Velma G. Williams. DIR.
Robert A. Maurer, Mrs. Philip Sid
ney Smith, c. Melvin Sharpe and
Adelbert Lee, members of the board.
and Mrs. E. z. Watkins, secretary
OF the board.