Evening star., 1954-05-22
Child Center
Integration
Steps Taken
Transfer of 50 .
Negro Boys to
Laurel Slotted

The Department Of Public
Welfare has taken steps toward
classification of children at the
Junior Village in anticipation of
action by the Commissioners to
integrate the races at the Chill
dren's Center in Laurel. Md.
Welfare Director Gerard M.
Shea, with the support Of Com
missioner Renah F. Caanalier,
would step up a partial integra-
ton plan already in existence
by transferring so young Negro
boys at Junior Village to the
new unit Of the Laurel center.
simultaneously, IS white boys
now at. the Industrial. Home
School for White would be moved
into the unit sometime next
month, when the new plant is
expected to be completed.
Dedication ceremonies are
scheduled for 8 pm. June 20 at
the Children's Center.
Council Approval.
The Public Welfare Advisory
Council approved the recon-
mendation for integrated opera
ton of the center at its meeting
yesterday.
Orders were prepared yester-
day for the classification. to be
sent to Junior Village, the Child
Welfare Division and to the In
dustrial Home School.
The Welfare Department
wants to integrate as quickly as
possible the two remaining in
stitutions now operated on a
segregated basiS--the two In
dustrial Home Schools. one for
white and one for colored.
The children at the colored
home school will be moved about
a year from now when the sec
ond unit at the Children's Cen
ter will be completed. 1t is de-
sired to integrate both staff and
children, with the youngsters
classified according to age and
special needs, regardless Of race.
Budget Figures Coming.
The council was advised that
Mr.. Shea expects to present
preliminary figures for the 1856
fiscal year budget request at the
next meeting on June Is.
The proposed budget will in
clude a sizeable increase in the
number of case workers for pub
lie assistance and child welfare.
Such a move has been advocated
by Commissioner Camalier.
The council heard a report
yesterday by Miss Emily H.
Koehler, senior supervisor of the
Intake and Temporary Services
of the Child Welfare Division,
bearing out the need for more
workers.
Increased staff. she said, would
enable the service to accept many
cases now rejected, some sorely
in need of counseling service
which might help prevent later
breakdown of family life and
possible juvenile delinquency.
In addition, she said, agencies
throughout the community would
refer cases coming to their at
tention in earlier stages of mall
adjustment.
Origin of Cases Given.
Miss Koehler also presented
statistics indicating that of 256
cases accepted as needing inten-
Sive service the first 10 months
of this fiscal year, 37.5 per cent
were concentrated in the second
and fourth precincts and the
Northeast and Southeast. None
were from Georgetown and only
two were from the upper North
WeSC area.
Donald D. Brewer, assistant
welfare director, presented a re-
port by Mr.. Shea showing there
were 2,804 more cases and only
one more social worker in pub
lie assistance in 1853 than in
1916.
Mr.. Brewer said it was neces-
sary to cut relief checks 10 per
cent in June, but the reduction
would be restored on July /. The
checks already are on the basis
of IS per cent of a food cost in
dex for February, 1858. The new
cut resulted from an unexpected
number of new cases in March
and April.