Evening star., 1952-03-27
Tell Us What to Do About These Children
To the Editor of The stor:

(
To the Editor of The Star:
The Star has done magnificent job
during the past few days In reporting on
"Our Neglected Children. and especially
your article Sunday on Our Child Care
Problem: A Study in Neglectful Delay"
I'd like to speak for all who feel as ! do,
but fail to express it. when say THANK
you"
know what you are talking about, At
the last Christmas, went with group
from our church to take some toys and
gifts to the children at the Industrial
Home School Annex. and what we saw
in 15-minute period of conditions such
as you described, made us sick Of heart.
I had thought that had become fairly
well accustomed to ShockS-graft and
corruption at the heart Of the Nation,
gambling rackets and dope rings, and in
fiuence peddling-but your expose OF
this callous and Indifferent attitude
toward segment of our society proves
me vulnerable.
You have touched the core Of what
ails us-the moral breakdown OF the
home, and the comnnunity's indifference
toward it. Your articles viii not get the
headlines nor the spotlight on television.
such as gambling and narcotics are
getting, but you are dealing with a Tar
more deadly problem-the neglect of
children. For graft and crime and mar
cotics to which children and youth turn,
as an escape from the kind Of hell which
you. have described would die aborning
If we refused to permit conditions to
continue to nurture dependent and de-
linquent children.
You know, Mr.. Editor. you hurt me
in that article. You hurt my profession.
You hurt every lover Of the good and
the true and the beautiful in our city.
You hurt the men who govern us and
who shape the policies OF our public
institutions. There are your words:
Downstairs is the nursery-children six
months to three years old being cared
for in q cell block. Their 'playroom' and
dining room is the windowless corridor;
they sleep, 18 of them, in cribs in flye OF
the cells. Their laundry is done in the
sixth cell. These babies do not get out
of doors much. There is not enough
staff for that" This statement is just
one of several which shows public igno-
rance Of and indifference to the several
age groups. How can policeman ever
arrest one such person who has been so
Nneglected by those who could have
helped? How can minister ever say,
sincerely, God cares"
Will you tell us what to do? For a
hundred years or so, now. the District
has been Just about to get around to
doing something drastic about its prob
lem of institutional child welfare" Can't
you suggest some way to bring pressure
where it will be felt? If speak for all
who feel as I do. promise our full
support. We will petition, protest. picket,
march, strike, campaign, preach, pray.
and give in more sacrif1cial way. ION
an individual basis" If that is the
answer.
Tell us what to do. !.
Colbert H. Pearson,
Minister. Berean Baptist Church.
A 4
wish to compliment The Star for the
excellent feature article on "Our Child
Care Problem: A Study in Neglectful
Delay" From personal observation can
testify to the accuracy Of your reporters
descriptions Of the disgracefully made
quate facilities in some Of the Districts
institutions for children. I also know
first hand something about the devoted
and unself1sf service given by the stafis
their work is hampered by poor build
ings and equipment.
One other facet to this vexing prob
lem is the fact that graduate schools Of
social work in this community use some
of the District institutions for field work
placements for their students in order to
give them on-the-job training for future
positions in social welfare. These stu
a1l 1n
States and from many foreign countries.
The quality of their professional train-
ing could be markedly improved if the
institutions in which some of them are
trained offered, If not model care for
children. at least decent standard for
which no apologies need be made.
Perhaps The Stars presentation OF
the needs OF the District in relation to
the institutional care Of children will
lead at last to effective action.
Dorothy A. Mohler.
Assistant Professor of Social Work.
The Catholic University OF Amer
lea.
Sunday the 23d in the Nations
churches an anguished plea went out for
what was called zone Great Hour Of
Sharing"-and the Bishops Fund" to
rehabilitate the worlds children During
the tear jerking appeal. nothing was
said of the plight Of thousands Of our
own children, or the children Of WASH
ington, as pointed out by your editorial
and Page C-1 spread the same day.
Right here at home. Childrens Hospi-
tai cannot raise the necessary funds to
adequately carry ON their work for the
children of the Nations Capital. Yet
this Government is pouring out billions
OF the taxpayers money to rehabilitate
Korea which our bombs flattened and
is succcring Korean children Of north
and south alike; our contribution OF
more than 1870 Of the total to UNICEF
feeds and helps to clothe Europe's chill
dren including those Of the Iron Curtain
countries. These win one day reach
II II