Evening star., 1952-03-29
THE EVENING STAR ALL
Washington, .. 9. -
SATURDAY, MARCH 20, l06z

N-4SNN&NNN -
Washington, .. 9. -
the number Of people that can
be served adequately.
I'VE are fully aware that under
this policy there win be segments
of the population In need for
whom we will be doing nothing
and we do not propose to recon-
cile this with all other factors
1t cannot be DONE"
Breakdown Of Cuts.
Mr.. Shea gave this breakdown
OF the impact Of the cuts:
The board wanted to increase
payments from $45 to $50 =
month per child for the 1900 city
wards now In foster homes and
private institutions. This is about
|one-third Of what it costs per
child in the Districts institutions.
and there's no room for these
children there. Because of the
budget cuts, the increase cannot
be granted, and the District Is
running the risk Of losing the
foster homes and places in private
institutions.
The board asked funds to
separate the Industrial Home
School annex for dependent chill
dren from the Industrial Home
School for delinquent children,
particularly since the latter is
moving to Laurel. Since this
money will not be available, the
annex-now called the Junior VII.
lage. D. c. Home for Children
win have a superintendent as
miles away.
Also, the board wanted to pro-
vide enough staff to set up an iso-
lation unit to prevent the spread
Of disease and keep the institution
open. With this cut out. it will be
necessary to continue to mix the
sick and well children. give them
care in the dormitories by the
already overworked staff and
periodically close the entire place
to children desperately In need
Of care.
With the closing Of a country
home for IS teen-aged colored
girls, the board had planned to
increase the capacity of the Ma
tional Training School for Girls
from 35 tc 80 girls and separate
the dependent from the de-
linQuent ones in three different
buildings. Because of the budget
cuts. the school will have to keep
its present staff Of II operating
in one building with a capacity Of
35. The money spent to AK up
the other two buildings will be
wasted and As girls committed by
Juvenile Court will be turned
loose.
Complicating matters, the
board had shifted the money to
care for these girls from the fos-
ter home budget to the training
school budget. There. it was cut
out SO that, even If the country
school could be persuaded to stay
open, there would be no money to
pay for the girls there.
Alternatives in Situation.
To meet the budget cuts, the
board will have to cut the popu-
lation Of the Industrial Home
School for white children from
l25 to 10. despite notice from
the court that it has a number
of children it plans to commit.
The board has two alternatives
to try to spread food and cloth
ing to 125 or more when 1t is
budgeted for ITO or to release
children in a few months. al
though they are not ready to be
released and are likely to get into
more serious trouble.
The Industrial Home School for
Colored Children was supposed to
be increased in this budget from
a capacity of ITO. to 100 boys. As
Of now. it has 1874 boys with q
budget for ITO. The board had
PLANNED to open and staff a
vacant cottage. This cannot now
be done.
To relieve the present over
|crowding, the board will have to
turn loose some Of these boys.
Many Of them are expected to
|get into the kind of trouble that
will result in their going to the
National Training School for
Boys. where they are committed
until they are 81. So, instead Of
paying for them until they are
|18 and have been retrained, the
District will be stuck with the
bill until they are 81.
The board has been making q
special effort to I'LL vacant jobs
at the District Training School
for feeble-minded children. Now
many Of them cannot be filed
because Of the budget cut. This
comes at a time when an in
creasing number of those sent to
the training school are totally
helpless.
The budget cuts would elimi-
nate the Municipal Lodging
House. which provides overnight
lodging for INDECENT residents
and transients. Without it. many
Of those seeking overnight help
would wind up in police stations
where they would also cost
money.