the probation system, is fully as great in the outlying counties as in the city of Chicago. The law provides a simple and definite method of determining whether a child is dependent or delinquent and makes suitable provision for the child when the decision is reached.

PROVISIONS OF THE LAW.

I desire to call your attention to the I desire to call your attention to the following important features of the law as applied to dependent children: Section I defines dependent and neglected children. It will be noticed that a child may be defined as dependent or neglected which "has not proper parental care, or guardianship, or whose home by reason of neglect, cruelty or depravity on the part of parent or guardian, or other person in whose care it may be, is an unfit place for such a child."

It will be observed that the benefits of the law are not confined to children of poverty, but a child may be "neglected" though the parents may have ample means. Section 22, of the law, pro

vides that if "The court shall find a child neglected, dependent or delinquent, it may proceed to inquire into the ability of the parents to support the child and may

for the child."

ficer, and by his friendly supervision could often prevent the unnecessary breaking up of the home.

DO NOT BREAK UP FAMILIES UNNECESSARILY.

It has been the policy of the Juvenile Court in Chicago, and I believe in many of the county courts of the state, to avoid, as far as possible, the breaking up of families. Children should never be separated from a good mother if it can possibly be avoided; blood is thicker than water, and a good mother can do better for her children than any one else. I am not a believer in out

door relief, but it is wrong for a family to be broken up simply to save money to be broken up simply to save money for the county. If a mother is fit to bring up her children it is wiser to probring up her children it is wiser to provide enough out-door relief to enable should be sent to the new state Home If these children her to keep them. at St. Charles or to an industrial school they would cost the public at least $10 per month for each child; whereas, an appropriation of $10 each month to the mother for three or four years would enable her to keep her family together until the children are old enough to help her. It is

after provided." "Accredited as hereinafter provided" refers to section 13, which provides that associations receiving children under the act shall obtain a certificate from the State Board of Charities; and that "no child shall be committed to such association which shall not have received such certificate within 15 months next preceding."

The object of this legislation is to prevent the placing of children with irresponsible and badly managed institutions.

The certificate of the State Board of Charities is issued when the Board is "satisfied that such association is competent, and has adequate facilities to care for such children."

This provision seems to have been overlooked by many judges, and county supervisors who have continued to

commit children to associations not holding the certificate of the State Board of Charities. The Board of Public Charities has not been technical in this matter but has promptly issued certificates. to all reputable Associations which have applied. The law does not compel the judges to accept the approval of the State Board of Public Charities, but it provides: (Section 13) that: "The Court may require from any association receiving or desiring to receive children under the provisions of this Act, such reports, information and statement as the Judge shall deem proper; and the Court shall in no case be required to commit a child to any association, whose standing, conduct, or care of the children, or ability to care for the same is not satisfactory to the court."

It is a matter of great importance in selecting such associations to be sure that their methods and management are such as to secure the best interests of the child, because the law provides, (Section 8) that: "The child shall, unand be subject to the guardianship of less otherwise ordered, become a ward the association," which shall have au

It will be no

Section 6 provides for the appointment of probation officers by the court, but no provision is made for the compensation of probation officers from the public treasury. Probation officers may be used either in the case of dependent children or of delinquent children. The duty of the probation officer is: first, to make such investigation as the judge may desire; second, to be present in court to represent the interests of the child; third, to watch over and befriend the child after the proceedings of the court. In many cases the county supervisor would, doubtless, be the most suitable person to act as probation of

ACCREDITED INSTITUTIONS.

The Juvenile Court law provides, (sections 7 and 9) that the court may make an order committing the child to some suitable state institution, or to the care of some responsible citizen, or to the care of some industrial school, or to the care of some association, willing to receive it, "which association shall have been accredited as hercin

entire control its minority,

to such association. This control of the child ought not to be lightly granted to every organization that comes along. It is important also to know that the association has the financial resources which will enable it to discharge its obligations to the child. Experience shows that it costs from $10.00 to $15.00 per year to exercise proper care and supervision of a child after it is placed in a home. That means for a child placed at the age of six years an expenditure of from $120.00 to $180.00 by the time it reaches the age of 18

INDUSTRIAL AND MANUAL

TRAINING SCHOOLS.

The Juvenile Court Law leaves unimpaired the laws regulating the industrial schools for dependent girls and manual training schools for dependent boys. The industrial schools for girls are located at Chicago, Evanston, Peoria, Bloomington, and Decatur. They are designed for girls whose parents are in temporary distress and are likely to be able to care for them again, and also for girls of the older class who are not adapted for placement in family homes, but need industrial training in order to fit them to protect themselves and to earn an honest living. The Industrial School Act provides that girls committed to industrial schools by the Courts shall be paid for at the rate of $10.00 per month from the County

month.

The Juvenile Court Law provides also for the commitment of delinquent also for the commitment of delinquent

children to the St. Charles home for

Boys and the Training School for Girls

at Geneva. When children are so committed they have to be delivered at the State Institution at the expense of the County; after that the entire expense is borne by the State, without charge to the county. Both these institutions have limited accommodations and it is necessary to ascertain from the Superintendent whether the quota of the county is full before sending a child.

WHAT TO DO WITH COUNTY CHILDREN.

child should be cared for in his own As has been already suggested, the home and by his own parents if practicable. It is not only against public policy to take children from good parents, but it is also against public policy to relieve parents unnecessarily of the care of unwanted children, unless it is clearly for the interest of the child. In many cases by admonition of the Judge and by the wise, friendly offices of judicious probation officers homes which are undesirable can be renovated and improved, so as to make them safe and proper places for the child. This is true particularly of truant and unruly children. The experience of the Juvenile Court of Chicago has shown that thousands of such children can be reclaimed and kept from becoming a public charge through the agency of the Juvenile Court and its probation officers; and the good effects are not confined to the children only, but have been almost equally noticeable in the improvement of the character and conduct of the parents.

Even in the case of illegitimate children, it is now the practice of many of the best child-saving agencies to insist that the mother shall meet her maternal obligation, as far as practicable, and that she shall care for her child, at least through the nursing period. In this way there has been a great reduction in the death rate of these unfortunate little ones and it is claimed that on the whole excellent results have been reached in deterring the mothers from an immoral life. It is objected to this plan that the mother is led to form such an

affection for the child as to cause unnecessary suffering when the inevitable time of parting comes; but it may be a good thing for the mother to suffer for her child. It is objected that the presence of the child is a hindrance to the restoration of the mother to respectability; but can you restore a mother to good womanhood by encouraging her to disregard the most sacred obligation which can be put upon a human being? It does not follow that there must be public exposure if the mother is to care for her child temporarily. She can be safely sheltered with her child in a good institution or in a good family home until she has done what she could to meet her obligation, and then can go out into the world without exposure. METHODS OF PUBLIC CARE OF

CHILDREN.

Several different methods of care of dependent children by public authorities are followed in different states:

First: The "State Public School System"-About 30 years ago the legislature of Michigan passed a bill for the dependent children. creation of a state public school for ceives children of sound mind and body This school rebetween the ages of 2 and 14 years who would otherwise have to go to the poorhouse. The Act prohibited keeping children of this class in any poorhouse. It provided that the state public school should not be a permanent asylum for children but only a temporary abiding place until they can be placed out in carefully selected family homes, where they are watched over by agents of the state public school and also by a county agent, appointed in each county. These county agents receive a per diem of $3 per day, not exceeding $100 per year and the agents pay their own traveling expenses. This system proved very successful, diminishing pauperism and juvenile crime and emptying the poorhouses of healthy children. The system has been adopted by Minnesota, Wisconsin, Colorado, and some other states and is generally approved.

A

Poor

House

Wait.

Second: State Homes for Soldiers' Orphans-The states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and Kansas maintain homes for the orphans of soldiers of the war of the rebellion. These homes are really state boarding schools for such children, as many of the children spend their vacations at home. The state of Kansas has enlarged the scope of the Soldiers' Orphans' Home so as to admit dependent children of all classes and has become practically a state public school for dependent children. This example might well be followed by the other states mentioned. Those children who have responsible relatives should. be returned to their care and those who have not should be placed in family

homes.

Third: State Institutions for Delinquent Reform Children State Schools, State Training Schools, etc. Nearly every northern state has an institution of this class for boys and most of them have a corresponding institu

tion for girls. The early reform schools were juvenile prisons in which the discipline approximated to that of a prison, but the prison features have nearly disappeared. Most of these state schools for delinquent children are without bolts, bars and walls. It is found that when a wall is built around a boy he straightway tries to climb over it, but when the gates are thrown open and the window bars are removed he loses his desire to run away. In the best of these institutions the cottage plan prevails; good industrial training is given, a sense of honor and responsibility is cultivated. The inmates return to their own homes or are placed out in selected family homes, after a brief stay, usually less than 2 years, but are released on parole, subject to the friendly oversight of a state agent. This plan has been highly successful, especially when efficient state agents have been employed. In Minnesota and Iowa the work of the state agent is admirably performed by women.

Fourth: The Boarding Out System -In Massachusetts the plan of institutional care for children formerly prevailed. The state had a large reform school containing more than 800 boys. In 1866 the plan was adopted of boarding out both dependent and delinquent children at state expense. This plan has been followed ever since. In 1866 the state had 2,000 children under its care, of whom 1437, seventy per cent, were in institutions, and 428 were out in families. In 1893 the state had 4,400 children under its care, of whom 1,933 were boarded in families at state expense, 1,859 were in family homes without board being paid and 642 (only 14 per cent) were in institutions. plan of boarding out children in family homes is practiced also to a limited extent in the state of New York, and is practiced by private societies in Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania. This plan has the advantage of bringing children into the natural atmosphere of the family home. It costs no more than keeping children in institutions and it saves the cost and the interest on lands, buildings, furniture, etc. It is maintained that the children do much better in this way than in institutions.

The

Fifth: Placing Out and Supervision of Children by State Boards In Indiana, Massachusetts and New Jersey, State Boards of Charities, or "State Boards of Guardians" have authority to place children in family homes and to maintain supervision over them. In the District of Columbia, a District Board of Public Guardians exercises similar powers. In Indiana the children received temporary care in county

homes, but in Massachusetts and New Jersey they go directly into family homes. Massachusetts formerly maintained temporary receiving homes, similar to the state public schools of Michigan and other states, but the Boarding Out system has rendered such receiving homes unnecessary. The work of these state placing out agencies does not differ essentially from that of the state public schools, except in the matter of the temporary care in the institution. Sixth: Care of Children in County Poorhouses-The keeping of children in county poorhouses is generally recognized as an unmixed evil. The majority of the inmates of county poorhouses are shiftless, and ignorant, many of them are vicious, profane and obscene. scene. Many poorhouses contain also, insane, idiotic and epileptic patients. A child brought up in such surroundings is inevitably corrupted by his environ

THE POWER OF COUNTY
SUPERVISORS.

State legislation on this subject is not indispensable. Each Board of County Supervisors can adopt a resolution prohibiting the keeping of such children in the poorhouse, and can enforce it by requiring either that mothers with chiidren above the age of two years shali leave the poorhouse with their children. or that provision shall be made for the mother and child by outdoor relief or that temporary provision shall be made

for the children in some suitable instition or family; or if the mother is unfit shall be filed under the Juvenile Court to have the care of them, that a petition law and the children shall be cared for as provided for in that Act.

Seventh Care of Children in County Children's Homes-In the states of Ohio, Indiana and Connecticut, homes

ment and is likely to become a pauper, ment and is likely to become a pauper, a criminal or a prostitute.

The most progressive states, like Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, passed laws many years ago, forbidding the keeping of children of sound mind and body in poorhouses. It is to the discredit of Illinois that we have no such laws on our Statute books. The Juvenile Court law, as originally drawn, contained such a provision, but it was struck out by a legislative committee.

for dependent children are maintained by the several counties. Ohio and Indiana have each about 40 county homes. This system was at first regarded with faction. The tendency is for each coungreat favor, but it has not given satisty home to grow in size and to accumulate children who ought to be placed in homes; consequently there has arisen a strong reaction against the county home system. The original intention was that the county officials should place these children in family homes but this plan has not worked well for the reason that

it locates children too near the place of their birth and makes them too easily accessible to relatives and friends, who interfere with the children and their foster parents and cause them to lose their new homes. The care of the children in the Home is very expensive and finally many of them have to be placed ir homes.

In the state of Illinois there is, I be

lieve, only one county home, namely, that in Vermilion County, and there is no apparent tendency to adopt the county home system.

Eighth Placing Children in Family Homes by County and Town Officials The plan of binding out or apprenticing children, or of placing them out without indenture by county and township officers is an ancient one in the United States. It is authorized by the Laws of Illinois, and is practiced in some counties of this state. The plan of binding out or indenturing children has gradually fallen into disfavor and has been entirely discarded by many of the best placing out agencies. The Illinois Children's Home and Aid Society formerly indentured many children, but we found that the indenture protected neither the child, the well meaning foster parents, nor the Society, and that it often stood in the way of protecting a child against the injustice or the cruelty of the foster parents. The plan of placing out children by county authorities, either with or without indenturing, presents serious difficulty: (1) It is often embarrassing to the county officer to decide for or against the application of people in his own county. He may feel that the home is not a proper one, without being able to allege specific reasons, and if he refuses the child he provokes the hostility of the applicant and his friends. (2) If it becomes necessary to remove the child' after it is placed, local jealousies and enmities are aroused and the child is crushed between the upper and nether millstone. (3) If the child has vicious or disreputable parents or relatives, they readily discover its location, and are almost certain to make trouble sooner or later. It is touching to observe the way in which a lazy, worthless father, or a vicious mother will revive their parental affection when the boy or girl becomes old enough to earn something. (4) If the child remains unmolested by parents or relatives the story of their disrepute often follows the child to cloud and embitter his later years.

In view of these considerations, it is our practice, in the majority of cases, to remove the child from its early environment and to select a home at such a distance and with such secrecy as to protect it from these dangers. Thought

less people often object to the cruelty of preventing intercourse between the parent and the child; but if the parents are fit to continue communication and association with the child then the child ought not to be taken from them, but should either remain with them or be temporarily cared for until they are able to again receive it.

We find that those who are engaged in the work of placing children in homes agree almost unanimously that it is impractical to allow parents to know the whereabouts of their children after placement.

Ninth Care of Children in Private Institutions at Public Expense-In New York, California, Pennsylvania and other states children are kept in orphan asylums, children's homes, etc., which are owned by private societies, but are supported by grants from the Public Treasury. In New York appropriations are made from the state, county and city treasuries for the support of children in private institutions to the amount of nearly three millions of dollars annually. In California appropriations are

that this system tends to multiply unnecessary institutions, to accumulate thousands of children who ought to be in family homes and to "Institutionalize" children so as to deprive them of independence and to make them helpless and dependent. It is claimed also that the system imposes large unnecessary burdens upon the tax payers.

On the other hand, it is maintained

by the friends of the system that it saves by the friends of the system that it saves money for the tax payer because private beneficience provides the buildings and pays a part of the running expens

es; that better care is secured because

the private institutions are free from the control of partisan politics and enjoy the unpaid services of the best men and

women as directors. It is claimed that

through this system parents, who are in temporary distress can have their children cared for until their difficulties are removed, when families can be reunited.

The subsidy system prevails extensively on the Atlantic Coast and the Pacific Coast, but is not widely spread in the Central States. Here in Illinois we have the beginnings of the Subsidy System. In the city of Chicago, $44,000 are appropriated by Cook County for two industrial schools and two manual training schools, and $12,000 to a foundling asylum making a total of $56,000. Other counties appropriate to industrial schools, manual training schools and placing out societies for the care of pauper children, perhaps $14,000 more, making a total of $70,000 or $75,000.

The difference in conditions between New York and Illinois is very marked. We have in Illinois some 40 or 45 societies and institutions, containing all told about 6,000 children, which are cared for at a total expense of $600,000 or $700,000. New York with a population one-half larger than Illinois has a large array of Children's Institutions, containing about 30,000 children, who are maintained at an annual cost of about $4,000,000. California, with a population less than that of the City of Chicago is caring for more than 4,000 children at an annual cost of more than $500,000. Those who oppose the Subsidy System maintain that the excess in numbers and expense in New York and California is due to the prevalence of the Subsidy System.

Tenth: The Care of Children by Placing-out Societies, with Assistance from the Public Treasury -This plan is pursued in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Oregon through Children's Aid Societies and in the states of the Union through the twenty-six Children's Home societies, which are from the federation known as the Na

tional Children's Home Society. The National Children's Home Society is a federation of 26 state societies, extending from New Jersey on the East, to California on the West. Of these Societies the oldest and largest is the Illinois Children's Home and Aid Society, which has cared for 5,300 children in the past 21 years, has 2,200 children now under its guardianship in family homes and handles over 500 children yearly in its placing out department.

POLICY AND PRACTICE OF THE ILLINOIS CHILDREN'S HOME AND AID SOCIETY.

The Illinois Children's Home and Aid Society has always cared for many county children. For a portion of these children the County Boards of Supervisors have made appropriations, usually, $50.00 for each child. It was formerly estimated that an appropriation of $50.00 would cover the entire expense incurred by the society in receiving, moving, boarding, placing, replacing, visiting and supervising the child, from the time of its reception until it reaches its majority or otherwise passes from the guardianship of the society.

Boards of County Supervisors have taken the view that this arrangement was a profitable one for the county. If the child remained in the poorhouse it would cost the county at least $1.50 per week or $75.00 per year. If the child

was sent to an industrial school or a

manual training school, it would cost the society $2.50 per week, or $130.00 per year, whereas by a single payment. of $50.00 the county escapes all further responsibility for the child.

Many county boards have taken the view that this society, with its long experience, its corps of trained workers, its system of district superintendents in different parts of the state and its 640 local advisory boards, and with its 25 affiliated societies through which children can be placed if necessary in distant states could do this work to better advantage than county officials, with their multiplied duties and their limited territory.

Some county boards have been unwilling to appropriate so much as $50.00 per child, but have offered $25.00 per child. In some cases, new and competing societies desirous of obtaining children and money, have made bids to receive children at $25.00 each.

The Illinois Children's Home and Aid Society is devoted exclusively to the work of caring for homeless and neglected children. It is the rule of this society that anyone in Illinois who is in trouble about a child may apply to the society and the effort will be made to solve that trouble.

The chief work of the society is plac

ing children in family homes but we do many other things for children. We try first to find out what ought to be done and then to do that thing or to get someone else to do it if possible.

METHOD OF SELECTING HOMES.

Applications are received on a printed form in the applicant's own hand writing, stating church relations, location, financial ability, kind of child wanted, etc. If the application seems promising,

confidential letters are sent to at least

three reliable citizens in the locality of the applicant, asking pertinent questions as to the character, standing, family, means, etc., of the applicant. Formerly, we were accustomed to place children on written recommendations, but we found that such recommendations, even from good people, were unreliable, partly from lack of knowledge of all of the facts and partly from the unwillingness to make adverse reports: sending an experienced paid agent We have therefore adopted the plan of to visit the home, if the references report favorably. This agent is expected to obtain information in reply to about 80 questions, relating to the home, its comforts, conveniences, sleeping accommodations, books, newspapers, pictures, surroundings, etc.; the his character, habits, standing, treatdisposition, habits, house-keeping, etc.; ment of employes, etc.; the woman, her the general fitness of the home for a child and the kind of a child for which it is adapted.

man,

This society accepts appropriations from the county treasury to aid in caring for county children. If such appropriations are made, we expect that the amount will be $50.00 per child. We would rather take a child without any appropriation from the county than to take a child with $25.00, for the reason that if $25.00 is accepted, the public is led to suppose that a child can be cared for with that amount, whereas no society can do its duty by a child with that sum. The following is a conservative estimate of the cost of caring for a child by a placing out society:

ESTIMATED COST OF CARING FOR A CHILD.

.$7.00

... 15.00

Salary and expenses of agent, investigating and receiving child, Board of child in receiving home, (6 weeks) ... Expense of finding and proving up home,.. Clothing and outfit for child.. Expense of sending child to home Pro Rate share of expenses of central office

Total expense of receiving and placing child

5.00 4.00 3.00

When the child has been successfully placed in a home, the expense is just begun. The society has become responsible for the care of the child during its minority. If the placement proves unsuccessful, the child must be received back, kept in the receiving home until a new home is found, and replaced. Then the child is to be visited from time to time and correspondence is to be maintained. Sometimes legal expenses are incurred, amounting to from $5.00 to $100.00. These subsequent expenses may be fairly estimated as follows:

Average cost of replacing (one

half of our children have to be
replaced)

.$ 15.00
Average cost of supervision
(average 6 years @ $10).... 60.00
$75.00

of $112.00 per child on the average, and This makes a total estimated expense

than over the actual expense, if the work of the society is faithfully done.

I believe that this will be under rather

The Illinois Children's Home and Aid Society has been acting as the western agency of the New York Juvenile Asylum, in caring for 400 children in western homes during the past 16 months. The actual expense to the been $6,300, or about $15 for each child, New York Juvenile Asylum for this work during the past 12 months has instead of the $10 given in the foregoing estimate.

COUNTY APPROPRIATION NOT DEMANDED.

The impression has prevailed in some quarters that this society would not accept a child unless money was given with it. That is a mistake. The Illinois Children's Home and Aid Society will accept every county child which is a suitable object for its care, as far as its means allow, whether any appropri ation is made for it or not. The society cannot accept children who are feeble-minded or incurably diseased or incorrigible, because such children are not placeable in family homes. The society will not accept a child which has a good mother living without first exhausting every effort to enable the mother to care for her own child. The society will not accept a nursing babe unless the mother will care for it during the nursing period if possible; but the society will provide for both the mother and child, if necessary.

After we have decided to accept a child we will leave it to the county authorities whether they are willing to 3.00 make an appropriation to aid in the subsequent care of the child, or not.

$37.00

If we accept a county child, it is understood that the child is accepted