Evening star., 1953-12-23

expect to have brought out by
the District Council on Law En-
forcement."
e" Senator Hennings wanted to
know whether the Commissioners
were asking for funds to enlarge
the Receiving Home for Chill
dren which the subcommittee
had visited.
1--WE haven't asked for that"
Commissioner Spencer replied,
"but that's one of the things
we've got to re-examine."
II certainly hope you will re-
consider" Senator Hennings
said. II realize there are many
other things but the Receiving
Home seemed to me one OF the
worst in terms of it's impact on
young people"
Commissioner Spencer told the
subcommittee the Commissioners
are asking for $40 million more
in taxes which they feel is as
much as the people can bear.
Kefauver Hits Low Payment.
"The Federal contribution is
too low" Senator Kefauver
remarked.
Commissioner Spencer noted
that the Budget Bureau has
agreed the Federal share in Dis
trict expenses should be $40 mil
lion instead of $11 million. If
that goes through. he said, "it
will go a long way toward help
ing us to correct these things"
Mrs. Henry Grattan Doyle,
chairman of the Commissioners
Youth Council. commented on
the city's poverty in reporting
that the council is starting out
without funds.
I'VE will need professional
help to teach techniques, to tie
together the good work of area
committees and to permit the
Youth Council to function eff
GENTLY in it's program of preven-
tion," she said. This is a
municipal function and I know
that Commissioner Spencer and
his colleagues will do all they
can to provide us with the small
professional staff that we need.
Without it, the enthusiasm of
our citizens will not be translated
into worthwhile program but
will ultimately wither on the
vine"
Mrs. Doyle predicted that the
Young Council and its area COM
mittees will have the result of
strengthening both the public
and private agencies that deal
with children.
Grass Roots Advise.
The area committees, through
their knowledge of actual cases,
she said, can speak authorita-
lively and intelligently on help
needed in various wayS-such as
jobs for teen-agers. pSychiatric
care for children, resident CEN
tiers for emotionally disturbed
children. recreational centerS
with realistic programs and con-
ferences for parents among
others.
She reported that offers of
help from the community have
been Amazing" When all the
26 area committees are formed.
she said. over 400 persons will
be actively engaged in the work
of the Youth Council.
She said she was sure the
need of more coordination
among agencies dealing with
children would become obvious.
Ferdinand v. Grayson. exec
utive director of United Com
munity Services, stressed pre-
vention. He said one of the key
agencies geared to do a pre-
ventive job is the Protective
Services Unit of the Welfare
Department. which was estab-
liShed to help families with chill
dren who might get in conflict
with the law. He said Congress
had not seen fit to give the We'll
fare Department enough staff
to carry out this job.
Three in Each Class.
| In every elementary school
room. he went on, are an aver
age of three emotionally dis
turbed children, many of whom
will end up in conflict with the
law if left to their own devices.
Many communities, he said,
now have social workers as an
integral part of their school Sys-
tenn so these children can get
help early. Washington schools
have no social workers. Mr..
Grayson said this lack would not
M.fA ARnl