Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-04-06
u Wants Members Congress Themselves How Cares for Children
By Miriom Ottenbero

"A oAAOShCd anu iklOlSLldIlG DELI
ator yesterday called on members
of the House and Senate Appro-
priationS Committees to see for
themselves the way the District
takes care of its child wards.
That's what Senator Hunt,
Democrat, of Wyoming, did him.
self Friday. His reaction:
The men who pass on these
institutions have never taken
enough interest to look them over.
Maybe that's why they are so
neglected.
IF the committees responsible
for appropriating for these in
situations would go out and take
a look, there's no question but
that there would soon be a
change"
UnannOunced Visit.
Senator Hunt paid an unan-
nounced visit at the Industrial
Home School Annex and the Ma
tional Training School for Girls.
The aged buildings are located
on a aforementioned reserva-
ton at 5000 Loughborough road
NV.
Senator Hunt is an ex-officio
member of the Senate Appropria-
tons Subcommittee on the Dis
trict. And he's going to tell his
colleagues what he saw.
He saw plaster falling off aged
walls. He saw a 3-month-old
baby in one of the old reforma-
tory cells that make up the annex
nursery. He looked at rusty
plumbing and antiquated stoves.
At both the annex and the
training school, he wanted to
know where sick children are
cared for. He was told neither
institution has an isolation ward
or infirmary.
Finds it "Terrible."
This is terrible" he muttered.
horrible"
He looked at a room that was
bare except for discarded school
room chairs around the wall. He
was told that was the indoor
playroom for the so boys at the
annex. He turned away, shaking
his head.
He CHANGED to run into Budget
Officer Walter Fowler, who was
also paying a call.
This is just temporary" Mr..
Fowler assured him.
Senator Hunt looked at him
quizzically. S..
Well" Mr.. Fowler added, "of
course, it's been temporary for a
number of years."
Senator Hunt was in a position
to understand what he saw. For
IA years, he was a member of the
Wyoming board in charge of all
State institutions. For six of
those years he was its chairman.
AS governor, he was responsible
for further development of Wyo-
ming facilities for care of it's
SAAAAASA4 oAAA QSNOs
After going through all the
buildings. he declared:
There's nothing to be done with
these buildings but demolish them.
This is the lowest standard of
institution service I have ever seen
and I've been through institutions
In many States. Id be willing to
say no State has such low stand
ards as the District for it's chari-
table institutions.
First Congressional Visitor.
He congratulated officials of
the two institutions for being will.
ing to work under those condi-
tions. He was told he was the
first member of Congress who had
ever visited the annex. That, he
found as shocking as the condi-
tionS under which the children
live.
AS he looked at the Lincoln
Building-the one where the third
floor cannot be used because of
fire hazards but where 40 girls
sleep on the second floor-he re-
f1ected:
1--WE spend District money on
fancy buildings and broad ave-
nues and We hide the seamy side
where nobody can see it."
The Commissioners have now
asked the Senate for $4,000 to
draw architects plans for new
buildings for the National Train
ing School for Girls in the pro-
posed Children's Center at Laurel,
Md. They also hope the Senate
will restore most of the $260,OOO
cut from the welfare budget by
the House. This cut is hitting
hardest at the children's insti-
tuticnS.
Hearings on the District budget
begin before the Senate APP
preparations Committee Thursday.