Show women and child welfare JOSE who have the welfare of the 1110 thuman human race at heart realize that the most molt promising field for their activities tivi tivit ties les lies in child welfare work gradually it has dawned upon the consciousness ness of increasing numbers of people that the state owes every child its supervision and has a right to dictate how any child shall be cared for provided for and educated for the first arlt sixteen years of its life the state provides schools and compulsory education laws and when the time comes that these are carefully enforced a great step f onward will have been taken but the state must go farther than merely providing the means tor for obtaining tai Dirig schooling and this la Is a theme in which women show unfailing and vital interest children have the right to be comfortable to be well nourished and clothed clot lied to bo be taught cleanliness and morality many chail table associations ciati ons and many women organizations have interested themselves thorus elvei in these affairs of children in certain localities but the work Is not as universal or as thoroughly organized as it should be A plan has been evolved that might have universal application and it alms alma to give every child a chance to male make a good citizen this plan advocates the establishment in every county ot of this country a child welfare board this hoard board la Is to bo be made up of oc public spirited oil catt zens zena who are willing to serve on it without pay the board will have under ander its jurisdiction every poor and dependent child and will exercise its supervision under compulsory statutes with proper appropriations made for their enforcement the provision made abada by such a board for children la is not a charity any more than a public school chool Is the idea la Is to avoid any that might a attach to a child who has been a charge of charity and tho the object Is to start eiery child on tho the right road to good citizenship such a board will make itself felt in the homes and insist that conditions are as an for favorable ablo there as possible it will sometimes undertake to provide homes it will have a record lof every childs progress at school and every child rich or poor will ba b registered with it any number ol of activities will radiate from such a center the important thing is to lish such boards and their fir first s t business q will be to have such statutes enacted as will secure the right protection and care for every child that thai needs their help this la Is a work that will usually attract women at and d fox foi which they are peculiarly fitted fitt it Is somewhat difficult to d disassociate sasso it from any thought of charity but it Is merely a widening of the supervision of the state over its children heretofore the state has provided schooling and gradually in ID crowded centers in the large ciulei it has extended its care in other directions than se schooling booling so that the health of children has come in for systematic attention A child welfare board will make every interest of every child its ita business such a board saves the ha public money in the long run besides doing about the best work that adalla the interest and activities of intelligent men and women ja awe d y |