The Daily Alaska empire., 1949-03-09
CHIiDREN'S HOMES
 LICENSING BIlA
 IS EXplAINED E Q

FlSS DfotIuCilUuIY A SN }
 Support Of Bill for Pub-
 lie Welfare Department
 With House Bill 75, the bill that rrovidas for the licensing of cllil- lGren's homes in Alaska, scheduled for a committee of the whole hear ing in the House of Representatives tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock, Miss Alice Brandebury, director of social services for the Territorial Department of Public Welfare, has made the following statement re- galding the proposed law: t.
 This law has the endorsement of 18 of the 21 children's institutions in Alaska, which at present are operating without any governmental supervision. The licensing law would put the stamp of official approval on the homes and would prohibit the development of unqualified child care facilities operating on com mercial basis with resulting eXplci- tation of parents and children.
 eThe legislation has the endorse ment of homes providing care for approximately 1000 children in AL aska as well as the approval of all six national mission boards sponsor ing these childrens homes. Those institutions approving the licensing law and the approximate number in each home are:
 First Division: Juneau Children's Home, Juneau, 30; Haines House, Haines, 40; Plus X Miss on, skagway, 75; Guiding Light Childrens Home, Ketchikan, Is; Sheld on Jackson Junior College, Sitka, 135.
 second Division; St. Mary's Mis- sion, Akulurak, G0
 Tnnd Division: Fl Nathan Hoale, valdez, 50, Kadiak Baptist Chil- dren's Home, Kodiak, 60; Jesse Lee Home, Seward, 115; Children's Farm Home, Palmer, 1T; Valley Christian Home for Children, Wasilla, 40; Lazy Mauntain Children's Home, P almey. go; Matanuska Valley Chil- dgsns Hons. Palmer, 20; Lutheran Rlis-icn Childrsn's Home, Cordoga, 13. Br.stal Bay Mission .c-col, Al- ekaa k, %.
 "Fousth Division: nol Crase l1i- : sion, Holy Crcss, 150; St. Marks Miss.cn, Ncnana, 70; Morayian Childrcn's IIo--o. Ewctslrk, @.
 'T.,e cnly opposition to tie li- i co1sa law las been expressed ay the Winfield Ezone at Juneau where 53 children Eve, tic cur 1erae at ase- mana, With % czi.dren, end ths Covenant Ceildren's Homs at Unal- akleet with 5 children. The latter two iomes are relsti.sly new iasti- tutions in Alaska.
 Endorsements of the le2isation . have been forthcoming from numer- ous organizations interested in t . welfare Of children, such as the A. aska Federation cf Womens Clubr, the American Legion of Alaska, etc,
 The proposed licensing lill will gut Alaska in line with the 47 states of the union. All of the states ex- eept Nevada have licensing laws for the protection of children.
 "W.thaut governmental supervis- ion, homes providing inadequate, unsafe and unsanitary condition for children can be operated on com mercial basis with resulting exploi- tation of parents and children. With the enactment of such legislation anyone can open home in Alaska for the care of children.
 "The licensing bill is not designed to hamper CT close any ch;ldren's homes. A plan of cooperation will be followed in developing the pro- posed rules, regulations and stan dards, copies of which have been sent to the institutions and the na- tional mission boards for suggestions before being adopted by the Board of Public Welfare.
 Many of the citizens of Juneau are acquainted with the Juneau Children's home caring for 90 chil- lren and operated by MT. and Mrs. Lyle Johnson and the Winfield Home caring for 50 children and operated by Miss Minnie Field.