be cared for in a family home, and that so far as possible the child should be kept with its own family or relatives. The commission recommended the appointment for St. Louis of a board of children's guardians. To permit this a special act was passed by the Missouri Legislature April 3, 1911, empowering cities of 500,000 inhabitants or more to create, by ordinance, a board of children's guardians, and authorizing such board to receive delinquent, dependent, and defective children and to place them in public institutions or with families, and permitting such city to provide for the payment of the care of any such child in any public institution or with any family. (Laws 1911, p. 349.) The ordinance passed by St. Louis under the authority of this act is as follows:

[Revised Code of St. Louis, 1912. Appendix, p. 1135-1138.

Ordinance 26565.]

An Ordinance Creating the board of children's guardians, defining the number of its members, their terms of office, their qualifications, duties and powers, authorizing said board to manage the St. Louis Industrial School, and authorizing said board to receive delinquent, dependent and defective children, and to place them in public institutions or with families, providing for the payment for the care of any such child, and making an appropriation therefor, and repealing section fifteen hundred and ten of the Revised Code of St. Louis (now sec. 15, Revised Code, 1912).

Be it ordained by the municipal assembly of the city of St. Louis, as follows: SECTION 1. Establishment of the board of children's guardians.-There is hereby created a board of children's guardians of the city of St. Louis, to consist of seven members, who shall be appointed by the mayor, with the approval of the council, for a term of four years, and until their successors, have been appointed and qualified; if any member should absent himself from five consecutive meetings of the board without giving an excuse satisfactory to the board and entered upon the record of the board, his office shall become vacant. Members of the board shall serve without compensation: Provided, however, That necessary expenses incurred in the discharge of their duties shall be refunded to them.

SEC. 2. Organization of the board.-Within thirty days after the passage of this ordinance, the mayor shall appoint two members to said board for a term of one year each, two members for a term of two years each, two members for a term of three years each, and one member for a term of four years, and thereafter, as these terms expire, the mayor shall appoint members for a term of four years. The board shall choose from among its members, a chairman and vice chairman and a secretary thereof, whose duty it shall be to keep a record of all proceedings of said board. The board shall have an office in the city hall or in such other municipal building, as may be designated by the mayor. The board shall meet on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month, provided that if any meeting day should be a legal holiday, the board may select some other day for its meeting.

SEC. 3. Appointment of agent and visitors.-The board shall appoint an agent who may not be of their own number. Such agent shall receive a salary, payable out of the city treasury in monthly installments at the rate of twenty-one hundred dollars for the first year of service, with an increase of one hundred dollars per annum, for each year's additional service of the incumbent until a maximum of twenty-four hundred dollars shall be reached, when the maximum so attained shall be the rate thereafter. The board may appoint as many visitors as it may find necessary, not exceeding four in number, at a salary payable monthly at the rate of nine hundred dollars for the first year of service, with an increase of one hundred dollars per annum for each year's additional service of the incumbent until a maximum of twelve hundred dollars shall be reached, when the maximum so attained shall be the rate thereafter.

The board may also appoint a stenographer at a salary, payable monthly, at the rate of seven hundred dollars per annum, with an increase of one hundred dollars per annum for each year's additional service of the incumbent until a maximum of nine hundred dollars is attained, which shall be the rate thereafter. Actual disbursements for necessary expenses of employees in the performance of their duties such as transportation shall be allowed. The agent, visitors, and any other employees shall serve at the pleasure of the board. The appointment of the agent and visitors shall be made on merit only, after a public competitive examination conducted by the board or a committee thereof, under rules made a matter of public record of the board. All examinations shall be in writing. Successful applicants shall be required to answer such questions orally as requested by board.

SEC. 4. Duties of agent and visitors.-It shall be the duty of the agent to investigate all cases presented to the board, to be present when necessary in court as the board's agent, and to conduct the correspondence and general administrative work of the board, except in matters pertaining to the administration of the industrial school. The agent shall have charge of the placing and supervision of children under the direction of the board, it being the duty of the visitors herein provided for to visit and supervise such children under the direction of the agent. The duties of the agent and visitors may be further designated by the board.

SEC. 8.1 Board given authority to take charge of children.-Said board of children's guardians shall have the power and authority to receive and take charge of any child upon commitment to it by any court of competent jurisdiction in the city of St. Louis, and upon application of its legal custodian to receive and take charge of any dependent or defective child for such care and treatment as such board may determine: Provided, however, That the board shall not take charge or consider any application for the care of a child who has not been a resident of the city for at least one year prior to the application, or, if a child under one year of age whose parents or guardian have not been residents of the city for at least one year prior to the making of the application, excepting foundlings and abandoned children whose parents or guardians are unknown.

SEC. 9. Board's authority in caring for children.-Said board of children's guardians shall have the power and authority to place any child in its charge for temporary custody in the house of detention; to place delinquent and defective children in any public institution within the State of Missouri for the care of delinquent and defective children, and to place dependent children in the St. Louis Industrial School, but only in case no suitable family homes can be found for them, and only until such homes can be found. Said board shall have the power and authority to place any child in its charge or under its control with any family qualified and able in the opinion of the board to provide for the comfort and wants of such child, and to care for its moral and physical welfare: Provided, That no child shall be placed with any family when the head thereof is of different religious affiliation from that of the child's parents or guardian, if such affiliation can be ascertained: And provided further, That no payment shall be made for the board of any child with such child's own father or mother, excepting with its own mother, when such mother is widowed, and then only after the board, through an investigation by its agents and at least one other independent investigation, has agreed that such board should be allowed: And provided further, That the board of children's guardians shall not place for board any child who has arrived at the legal working age (fourteen),

1 Sections 5 to 7 relate to the administration of the industrial school.

unless such child is mentally or physically incapacitated for gainful employment. The board shall, so far as practicable, place children within the city of St. Louis, and when not practicable the children may be placed in the State within a radius of fifty miles of St. Louis.

SEC. 10. Payment of board for children.-For each child so placed by said board in any public institution within the State of Missouri, the city of St. Louis shall pay whatever sum may be fixed by statute or whatever sum may be agreed upon by said board not in excess of the sum fixed by statute. For the board and maintenance of every child placed with a family, the city shall pay whatever sum is agreed upon by said board of children's guardians, not in excess, however, of the sum of three dollars and fifty cents per week: Provided, however, That with the consent of the comptroller first had and obtained as evidenced by his certificate in each and every case, the said board may authorize and the city shall pay a greater amount, as fixed by the comptroller's certificate. In addition to said amount thus fixed, the city, upon the action of said board, may pay for clothing and for medical treatment not exceeding the sum of twenty-five dollars per year per child: Provided, however, That a greater sum may be authorized by said board and shall be paid by the city, upon the certificate of the comptroller having been first had and obtained in each and every case. All expenditures authorized by the board shall be certified by the board's agent and chairman.

SEC. 11. Reports.—Said board shall render a quarterly report, on the fifteenth day of February, May, August, and November of each year to the municipal assembly, and a monthly report to the mayor, showing the number of children in its charge and under its control, the manner in which each child came into said board's control, its age, sex, and color, the disposition of each case, the number of those finally discharged from the board's control, the amount of expenditures on account of the work of said board, and any and all information that the board may be able to furnish. The board shall make to the comptroller such fiscal reports as he may require.

Approved July 8, 1912.

The work of taking care of children dependent upon the public for support and boarding them with their mothers was not begun until December 9, 1913. Thirty children in nine families were being so cared for during February, 1914. The amount given has varied with the family, the family budget being ascertained and the deficit made up. (Letter from A. Fairbank, agent of the board, Feb. 23, 1914.)

NEBRASKA.

[Revised Statutes 1913, Article VII, 1245-1250.]

1245. SEC. 118. Jurisdiction.-The district courts of the several counties in this State and the judges thereof in vacation, shall have original jurisdiction in all cases coming within the terms of this article; the county court in each county shall have concurrent jurisdiction with the district court, but such jurisdiction shall not be exercised by the county court except in the absence of the judge or judges of the district court from the county. * * 1905, p. 306; Ann., 5450; Comp., 2796b.]

[Laws

1246. SEC. 119. Juvenile court.-In counties having over forty thousand population, the judges of the district court shall, at such times as they shall determine, designate one or more of their number, whose duty it shall be to hear all cases coming under this article. A special court room, to be designated as the juvenile court room, shall be provided for the hearing of such cases, and the finding of the court shall be entered in a book or books to be kept for that purpose, and known as the "juvenile record," and the court may for con

venience be called the "juvenile court." [Laws 1905, p. 307; Ann. 5451; Comp., 2796c.]

1247. SEC. 120. Petition.—Any reputable person being a resident in the county, having knowledge of a child in his county who appears to be either neglected, dependent, or delinquent, may file with the clerk of court having jurisdiction in the matter, a petition in writing, setting forth the facts verified by affidavit. It shall be sufficient that the affidavit is upon information and belief. [Laws 1905, p. 307; Ann., 5452; Comp., 2796d.]

1248. SEC. 121. Summons.-Upon the filing of the petition, a summons shall issue requiring the person having custody or control of the child, or with whom the child may be, to appear with the child at a place and time stated in the summons, which time shall not be less than twenty-four hours after service. on the return of the summons or other process, or as soon thereafter as may be, the court shall proceed to hear and dispose of the case in a summary manner. * * * [Laws 1905, p. 307; Ann., 5453; Comp., 2796e.]

*

1249. SEC. 122. Probation officers.-The judge of the district court having charge of the juvenile docket shall have authority to appoint or designate two or more persons of good character, one of whom shall be a woman, to serve as probation officers during the pleasure of the court. Such officers shall perform the duties prescribed in this article for probation officers and such other duties as may be required by the judge of the juvenile court, ** In case a probation officer shall be appointed by any court, it shall be the duty of the clerk of the court, if practicable, to notify the said probation officer in advance, when any child is to be brought before the said court. It shall be the duty of the said probation officer to make such investigation as may be required by the court; to be present in court to represent the interests of the child when the case is heard; to furnish to the court such information and assistance as the judge may require. [Laws 1905, p. 308; 1907, p. 186; Ann, 5454; Comp., 2796f.]

* * *

1250. SEC. 123. Dependent children-Custody-Aid to parents.'-When any child under the age of eighteen years shall be found to be delinquent, dependent or neglected within the meaning of this article, the court may make an order committing the child to the care of some suitable institution or to the care of some reputable citizen of good moral character, or to the care of some association willing to receive it, embracing in its objects the purpose of caring for or obtaining homes for dependent or neglected children, which association shall have been accredited as hereinafter provided, or, if under the age of sixteen years, or if he pleads guilty to or is convicted of any crime, to the care of the State industrial school. The court may, when the health or condition of the child shall require it, cause the child to be placed in a public hospital or institution for treatment or special care, or in an accredited and suitable private hospital or institution which will receive it for like purposes. If the parent or parents of such dependent or neglected child are poor and unable to properly care for the said child, but are otherwise proper guardians and it is for the welfare of such child to remain at home, the court may enter an order finding such facts and fixing the amount of money necessary to enable the parent or parents to properly care for such child, and thereupon it shall be the duty of the county board, through its county agent or otherwise, to pay to such parent or parents, at such times as said order may designate the a mount so specified for the care of such dependent or neglected child until the further order of the court: Provided, Not more than ten dollars per month shall be allowed for the care of each child: And provided further, No such

1 The amendment providing aid to parents was approved April 5, 1913 (Laws 1913, chap. 38).

order shall be effective for more than six months, unless renewed by the court at or after the expiration of that period. All payments are to be made from the general fund of the county. [Laws 1905, p. 309; 1907, p. 187; 1911, p. 207; 1913, p. 133; Ann., 5455; Comp., 2796g.]

NEVADA.

[Laws 1913, chapter 133.]

An Act To amend an act entitled "An act relating to children who are now, or who may hereafter become dependent, neglected, or delinquent; to define these terms, and to provide for the treatment, control, maintenance, protection, adoption, and guardianship of the person of such child or children," approved March 24, 1909, said act as amended to provide a pension for dependent or neglected children.

The people of the State of Nevada, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Section twelve of the said act is hereby amended to read as follows:

739. SECTION 12. Guardianship, how perfected.-Any child found to be dependent or neglected or delinquent as defined in this act and awarded by the court to a guardian institution or association, shall be held by such guardian institution or association, as the case may be, by virtue of the order entered in such case, and the clerk of the court shall issue and cause to be delivered to such guardian or association a certified copy of such order of the court, which certified copy of such order shall be proof of such guardian institution or association in behalf of such child. The guardianship under this act shall continue until the court shall by further order otherwise direct, but not after such child shall have reached the age of twenty-one (21) years, but if the parent or parents or grandparent or grandparents of such dependent or neglected child are poor and can not properly care for, maintain and properly educate such child, but are otherwise proper guardians and a person or persons of good reputation and morals, and shall covenant and agree that such child shall attend school regularly during all school days, when such child is of school age, or until said child shall have completed the eighth grade of the public grammar school, or school of like grades of studies, or have graduated in bookkeeping and commercial course, the court may enter an order finding such facts, and fixing the amount of money necessary to enable the parent or parents or grandparent or grandparents to properly care for and educate such child, providing such amount shall not exceed the amount it would cost the county to have such child maintained and educated at any county or State home, or place provided for dependent or neglected children, in the State of Nevada, and thereupon it shall be the duty of the county board through its county agent, or otherwise, to pay to such parent or parents, or grandparent or grandparents, or blood aunt or blood uncle, the amount specified at such times as said order may designate for the care of such neglected or dependent child, until the further order of the court, and the court shall cease to sanction the payment of the specified amount whenever it shall appear that such child is not receiving the benefit it should from the payment of said specified amount of money. SEC. 2. Any person or persons who shall violate any of the provisions of the said act as amended shall upon conviction thereof, be fined in any sum of money not less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500), or not less than sixty (60) days nor more than two hundred days (200) in the county jail, or by both such fine and imprisonment.