Evening star., 1947-04-22
Plans Switched
For Children
AtGaIIinger
Rapid Cure Center
. House Inmates
Of Receiving Home

1 The Rapid Treatment Center at
Galhnger Hospital, rather than tho
isolation building, has been an
proved by health and welfare on.
cials as suitable to house the non-
delinquent inmates of the Receiy.
ing Home for Children.
Dr. George G. Rutland, District
health ofhcer, said today he had
vetoed the earlier plan to use the
communicable disease building.
! didn't feel" he said, that IL
was wise and justifiable for us TO
put the children there"
Although the children would have
been entirely separated from the
patients and there would have been
no danger of contact, s.any case Of
measles or other communicable dis
ease that might have developed
among the children would likely
have been nlisinterpreted by the
general public" DR.. Ruhland said.
Held Suitable for Playground.
The unit the children will use
was described by DR.. Alvin r.
Sweeney, superintendent of Gal.
linger Hospital, as q one-story
building with several exits $50
there's no fire hazard" Built as a
wartime addition to the Rapid
Treatment Center, is is completely
separate from other buildings and
IS surrounded by a fenced area
suitable for q playground, DR..
Sweeney SAID.
The patients now In the building
will be moved to the area in the
isolation building which earlier had
been set aside for the Receiving
Home.
up to go children can be cared
for IN the building, it was said, and
Or. William Staysky, superintend.
ent OF the Receiving Home said
there were about SO non-delinuuents
who would be moved to the hospital.
Temporary Expedient.'
The Health Department offered
the Gallinger facility to the Board
OF Public Welfare as q temporary
home for the children formerly
housed in Lincoln Hall, part of the
Receiving Home. The hall has been
ordered abandoned by Chairman
Koran of the House District Appro-
prlations Subcommittee on penalty
Of blocking appropriations to the
welfare board, which operates the
home. A report last Friday by in
vestigators for Mr.. Horan branded
the hall "firetrap.n
Both DR.. Rutland and Raymond
Clapp. assistant welfare director.
have called the use Of Gallinger 4
temporary expedient."
We are happy to help out In this
DR.. Rutland said, "but
we hope the Welfare Board can
soon find quarters elsewhere so we
may have, the necessary facilities
available at Gallinger to cope with
any emergency which may arise.
Expects to Get Building Back.
Il definitely expect we will be
able to count on the return Of the
building by fall" he added.
A recommendation that the Gal.
linger building be used by the Re.
ceiving Home will be sent to the
District Commissioners today for
DR.. Ruhland said he believed the
building could be ready to turn over
to the Receiving Home In about
"a week or 10 days"
Representatives of the Board Of
Public Welfare yesterday made a
tour of the facilities offered In the
isolation building and came to the
conclusion that the Y-shaped area
on the first floor of the building
could be adapted for use by the
home.
Just Part Of Program.
Those making the tour were DR..
Stavsky, Mr.. Clapp, Paul Kirby, as
sistant director Of the Board of Pub
lie Welfare; A. j. Driscoll, chair
man, and William Brayshaw, a
member of the institutions COM
mittee of the welfare board, and
DR.. Sweeney.
The move to Gallinger would be,
only one part of the program to
evaeuate the Receiving Home.
Delinquent white boys would 90
to the Industrial Home School. &C
cording to plans announced by the
welfare board, while delinquent coll
ored boys would go to Blue Plains.
Both white and colored girls would
be kept at Dunbar Cottage, the most
modern part Of the Receiving
Home.