Evening star., 1946-06-01
| De|inquents Better0ff
On Street Than Herded
In School, kogod Says.

IS oOssOOB ~ Z
Failure of Congress to appropriate
funds for replacing the Industria
Home School leaves the school 81
overcrowded that at least one mem
Der of the Board of Public Welfar,
believes the community would b,
better of If juvenile delinquent
were allowed to roam the street.
of Washington.
Fred s. Kogod. member of tn,
boards Institutions Committee
charged yesterday that overburden.
ing of the school is breaking dowr
its entire operations and urged ar
immediate limit on admissions ever
though the welfare board had M
place to put the delinquents it can.
not house there.
The school now houses 136 chill.
dren, IS more than 1t can handle
under the Health Department!
regulation requiring SO square fee
OF dormitory space for each child
Paul Kirby, assistant welfare direc.
W.
Delay Action for Month.
At the request of A. Harding Paul
vice chairman, the board deferred
action for month and directed Ray
l.. HUFF, welfare director, to consult
with Juvenile Court and Nationa.
Training School officials in a final
effort to find some place to put the
children who should be excluded
from the Industrial Home School.
In a three-hour closed meeting
the Welfare Board dealt with the
Districts penal system, but refused
to make public anything that hap
pened. Advised that public meet
ing on children's activities would
begin at 2 pm, reporters were ad-
mitted at 4 pm. as the board was
taking up routine changes in reg
ulations for children in its custody
j. Ellis Overlade, acting pena
superintendent, left the meeting al
2:35 pm, but brushed aside al
queries. Edgar Morris, chairman
closed the meeting without men.
tioning the penal system and re.
ferred queries to Mr.. Huff, explain.
ing that he was late for an appoint.
ment.
What did Mr.. Overlade have te
Say?" he was asked.
"Oh, he just gave us a report, ;
replied Mr.. Morris.
"Overlade said the report shoulc
be released by the District Commits.
sioners," added Mr.. Paul, followin,
Mr.. Morris.
b Penal Comment Refused.
Remaining to answer questions
Mr.. Hun and A. j. Driscoll, chair.
man OF the Institutions Committee
administering the penal system, re.
fused to comment on the FBI re.
port OF gross lack of discipline al
the District Jail. parts of which
were released yesterday by the Dis.
trict Commissioners.
Although he had read the FB]
report, Mr.. Driscoll said he had no,
seen what the Commissioners hac
given out and would not commen,
before he had read the Commis.
Sioners' release.
After reporters were admitted II
the board meeting Mr.. Paul Oh
served that the House of Rebre.
sentatives, which has criticized tn,
board very materially for its per
formance of some of its duties" Gu
from the Presidents budget fund,
for replacing the Industrial HON,
and for adding to the Distric
Training School, for feeble minded.
Mr.. Kirby reported that cuttin,
the age limit for boys from Is to /!
would reduce the population at tn,
Industrial Home by 16 and reliey,
the school of older delinquents pass.
ing on bad habits to younger chill.
dren. He also suggested barrin,
any child with an I. @. of les.
than 10.
Personnel Inadequate.
Over-crowding is making it diff.
cult to recruit new personnel fol
which Congress has provided, il
spite Of a personnel reclassificatior
made last fall, Mr.. Huff said. Tit
personnel reclassification was at.
tackled as inadequate at that timt
and Mr.. Huff conceded that might
have something to do with it."
Pointing out that 10 inmate.
escaped from the industrial home IL
April, Mr.. Kogod said that the olde,
boys are making it impossible tt
treat younger children adequatel,
and insisted that it would be bette,
to let them stay in their own homes
Mr.. Huff, however, pointed ou
that 1T is up to the Juvenile Cour
to release a boy. commit him to tn,
National Training School for Boy
or give the welfare board custody
Because Congress cut out funds TO
four units for older boys at tn
District Training School, it is inn
possible to send feeble minded de
linquents now at the industria
home to the District Trainin,
School, he said.