U.S. Department of Labor
Children’s Bureau	March 15, 1944.
Washington, D. C.
PROGRESS REFORT for
CHILDREN’S BUREAU COMMISSION ON CHILDREN IN WARTIME
Leonard W. Mayo, Chairman
Contents
Commission activities
Page

Reappointment of Commission ................,.................... 1
Conferences held ................................................ 1
State committees on children in wartime   ....................... 2
Distribution of publications issued pursuant to Commission
recommendations ............................................... 2
Letter—To Mothers and Fathers of the Notion’s Wartime Children. Community Action for Children in Wartime.
Controlling Juvenile Delinquency ............................ 2-3
News in relation to items included in A Children’s Charter in Wartime:
I.	Danger zones:
Joint Committee on Evacuation, OCD—OCWS  .................. 4
II.	Defense areas:
Office of Community War Services .......................... 4
Committee for Congested Production Areas .................. 4
Adequate health, education, and welfare services .......... 4
Relocation of doctors. Availability of nurses ........... 4-5
Community facilities ...................................... 5
Working experiments ....................................... 5
Newport News, Va. Hartford, Conn. St. Foul, Minn. ....	5-6
III.	Homes in wartime:
Children of our fighting men................................ 8
Servicemen’s dependents allowances increased. Emergency maternity and infant care for families of enlisted men .	8
Adequate housing ............................................. 8
Employment of mothers and. day care of children............ 9
A maternity policy	for industry ............................. 9
Economic security	......................................... 10
Aid to dependent children ............................... 10
IV.	Children the country over:
Volunteers ................................................ 12
Health and. children ...................................... 12
Births and. deaths of mothers and babies. Medical care
and health supervision .................................. 12-13
Food for children ......................................... 13
School lunches .......................................... l4ii	< '	. .
‘	‘ page
Social services for children ...................... 15
Conference on special problens of ..children in wartime 15
Juvenile delinquency ................................ , ,, f l6
State and local conhiittecs and commissions. State public welfare programs. Publications* Congressional hearings. Senate Bill I578............................. 16-17
Social protection ....................................... IS
Training for police. Detention................ *....... 18
The right to play ............................*.......... 18
Developments for children and ^outh. Advisory Committee- on- L-ei-surer-Tine. Services for Children..... 18-19
Scho'oT and wrk ........................t.... i..........	19
■ 'Back to -school drive. Standards for 'part-tine work of school youth. Advisory Standards—Which.Jobs for -, lb Young-Workers? . Liaison mith War Manpower Commission*
Adoption of youth-employment standards by Federal
’agencies.' Administration of the child-labor provisions ' of• the-Fair■Labor. Standards Act. Young workets in agriculture. Cooperation with State and local committees. General Advisory Committee on the Frotection
of Young Workers. .4................................... 19-23
Youth participation ................................... 23
4—H Clubs '.............................................*.	24
PROGRESS REPORT for
CHILDREN’S BUREAU COMMISSION ON CHILDREN IN WARTIME
Leonard W. Mayo, Chairman
March 15,
Chai man ’ s no t e:
This is the fourth progress report sent to the members of the Commission with information that nay he used for speeches, articles, and news items. The to,hie of contents will enable you to find the information that will he of special interest to your organization,
State, op. community.
COMMISSION ACTIVITIES
Reappointment of Commission.
The Children’s Bureau Commission on Children in Wartime vras appointed in February I9U2 and has served 2 years. The original membership has been somewhat enlarged during this period and, in several cases, members from national organizations have been replaced by their successors in office in their respective organizations.
In February l^UU, the Chief of the Children’s Bureau reappointed the Commission for the coming 2 years with certain changes in membership to place it in a position to consider the problems that will affect children and youth in the period just ahead.
The first meeting of the new Commission will be held March 17 and 18, 19^4 Confefences held.
On October 22, I9.U3, on the caJLl of the Chief of the Children’s Bureau and the'Chairman of the Children’s Bureau Commission on Children in Wartime ■ representatives of national religious organizations pet with members of the Commission and representatives of the Children-'’’s Bureau and other Federal' agencies to. discuss the various ways in.which the churches may help in informing the public..of the wartime, needs of .children and in promoting the development df necessary services for their health and : welfare.
On November 10, 19^3» the Chief of - the Children’s Bureau met with the Chicago members of the Commission and representatives -of'national organize,-' tions with headquarters in Chicago to exchange observations on programs under way and on the outstanding needs ,nf -children ahd..youth,
On December 6 and 7, 19^.3, a, conference on services for Negro children was held' under the auspices, pf .the. Childrent;s Bureau and the Commission to discuss the.social, problems affecting these children, especially in wartime; to consider ways in.which the Children’s Bureau can strengthen its effectiveness in dealing with the problems of Negro children; and to stimulate Negro•. . ... ' ;
and white leadership to participate in developing more adequate public services for all children. There .were 63 white- and Negro persons qr-es-'ent o,t .the conference, representing national organizations with lay nonhership, n^tiiuil health and social-work agencies, and. workers in. §t;ate and local health?and. ’ welfare agencies, public and private*	'	?, v!-'	' v- ; ;
State connittpes on children In, waft inc* . ■" -	.	' - - ■
The Children's Bureau has collaborated with the Office of Civilian Defense in pronoting the development of connittees of State defense councils and, through the State connittees,. extending sinila.r organization into local communities.	' • ■ "
As of March 1, I9UU, 21 States ’/ere reported, to ho.ve active defense-council connittees concerned with a broad pro gran of review and planning for the needs of children in vrartimc. In several additional States similar connittees have been organized, but the contemplated. programs have not as yet taken definite shape* In a few other States, cities and other local units have undertaken more ^r less comprehensive programs without the guidance ^f a central Stale committee,
Within the past month impetus has been given to the development of both State and. local committees by the program for the control of juvenile delinquency, which provided an immediate objective and, emphasized the urgency of considering all the community conditions that tend, .to create delinquon-cy problems. Most of the State committees are giving special consideration to juvenile delinquency, and. several have appointed subcommittees to deal with this problem, A common interest in control of delinquency has brought about collaboration with other defense-council committees, especially recreation committees.
Day care for children of working mothers is a major concern of every State committee on children in wartime except in two m three States where the defense council has appointed, a, separate committee on day care. In at least 12 States, committees undertaking a, broad program are giving special attention to problems of child labor, sometimes through a subcommittee. Growing interest in health needs is reported.-, and definite programs in this field, will undoubtedly be undertaken increasingly by States and. local committees; Several of the Stale committees are studying- the need for new or revised legislation, especially in the field, of child protection.
In several States where, there is no ..defense-council committee with a broad, program fop children in wartime there are committees dealing with special programs, such Is day- -care for children of yefkihg mothers, or youth activities, or committees that deal with programs for children as a part of a general program in the field, of recreation, health, or welfare.
Distribution of publications issued pursuant
to Commission recommendations.
Letter—To Mothers and Fathers rf the Nation's Wartime Children,—The distribution of this letter continued during the fall. Bequests came mostly from State rr local groups that desired copies for direct distribution to parents. It was reprinted in a fall issue of The Family Circle, a magazine of which thousands of copies are distributed at Safevzay stores®Community Action for Children In Wartime (But). £95)* — The distribution of this bulletin continued during the fall." Approximately 3>5^0 copies were distributed!. on request to State andi local groups and local councils of defense for use in community prograns for children.
To pronote item 6, "Employment safeguards far every boy and girl,” the Children’s Bureau issued. Suggestions for Safeguar ( ing Yr>ung Workers Through -Connunity Action (nultilith©d) of which nore than 10,000 copies were distributed on request.
A folder to promote iten 1, "A veil-baby clin: c in every community,” is in press and will be ready for distribution shortly.
Controlling Juvenile Del in quency (Pub. 301) • •— The third, pub 1 i cat ion reconnend.ed at t he February 4, 19^3 nee ting of the Children’s Bureau Commission on Children in Wartine cane from the printer early io November. Approximately 42,000 copies have been distributed on request. Approximately 7 >500 vent to State d.efense-council directors and chairmen of committees concerned with children in 31 States for distribution to local defense-council committees. About S,700 copies mere sent to 24 national organizations for distribution to their State a,nd. local leaders. The following organizations are typical of those that requested quantity lots of this publication:
American Association of Social Workers
Boys Clubs of America
Community Chests and. Councils, Inc.
Girl Scouts, Inc.
Kiwanis International
National Catholic Welfare Conference
National Council, Young Men’s Christian
Association
National Education Association
National Jewish Welfare Board.
United. Rubber Workers of America United States Junior Chamber of Commerce
300
300
725
125
50
275
500
250
1,000-A-
NEWS IK RELATION TO ITEMS INCLUDED IN
A Children1 s Charter. In Wartime
I.	Danger Zones
Joint Committee an Evacuation, PCD - OCWS.
During the first part of I9U3 the Joint Cennittee on Evacuation marked. •• actively vith State evacuation authorities and State health, melfare, and education agencies developing the State plans that mould have been needed in case of invasion.
Fortunately, the course .of the ’-jar has made invasion unlikely and, •therefore, active mark on evacuation plans, is in abeyance.
11.	Defense Areas	- • , ' •
Office of Community War Services»	'	''
In November 19^3.» ^C-rk McCloskey succeeded Charles P. Taft as director of the Office of Community War Services. Shermood Gates succeeded Mr. McCloskey as director nf recreation.
The Office of Community War Services has issued a pamphlet entitled "Citizens of Tomorrow," describing those activities of Federal agencies that have a bearing on the prevention and. control of juvenile delinquency.
Committee for Congested Production Areas.
The Committee.for Congested Production Areas, appointed by the President in April I9U3, has designated the following as congested, areas and. has assigned area representatives to assist local, State, and Fed.era.1 agencies to get necessary facilities construct cd-and needed services initiated:
Portland, Me. Area
Detroit-Willorn Pun, Mich. Area Hampton Roads, Va. Area Mo bile-Pascagoula. Area (Ala.
and Miss.)
Orange-Beaumont, Tex. Area San Diego, Calif. Area.
Brunswick-Charleston Area (Ga. and S.C.)
Portland-Vancouver Area (Oreg. and. Wash.)
Puget Sound, Wash. Area.
San Francisco Bay, Calif. Area Los Angeles, Calif. Area.
Reports on the areas shorn status and progress on such matters as mater supply, sewers, garbage, streets, housing, manpower, medical care, child care, education, recreation, food, fucld, and transportation.
Adequate health, educatjon, and welfare services.
Relocation of doctors___The Surgeon-General of the United. States Public
Health Service ’-as authorized under a lam approved December 23, 19^3» to arrange with private practicing physicians and dentists to move to and engage in practice for not less than 1 year in a.reas which have requester.medical or dental service and to provide Federal relocation allowances for such practitioners*
Any local group that is ready to put up $100 nay apply through the State health department to the United States Public Health Service. If the application's approved, the United States Public Health Service will pay the cost of travel and transportation for the doctor and his family, and $250 a month for 3 months (this includes the local $300). The local group nay name its own doctor, if it has one lined up, or it nay ask the United States. Public Health Service to assign 'one. The doctor must he eligible -to practice medicine in the State to uhich he is assigned and must agree, to‘ stay in the new location, for at least 1 year.
Availability of nurses.—The Procurement and Assignment Service of the War Manpower Commission in October established criteria of essentiality, of nurses for nursing education, hospital nursing, and public-health nursing.
For public-health nursing the measure for essential positions is one staff nurse to- carry on general service per 5,000 population, considering private and public agencies. Adequate supervisory service is to be maintained because. of the necessity to Use a larger number of less well-qualified nurses and nonnursing personnel;
It has been'estimated that of the 293,000 registered nurses needed for military and civilian service 25,000 will be needed for public-health nursing.
Public-health agencies' '-’ill' soon-begin to receive benefits from the United States Cadet Nurse Corps. During the -senior cadet period, the last 6 months of training,' half the cadets may be retained for service in the..hospitals in -,-hich they have been trained. The other half will be available to Federal hospitals, civilian hospitals, and public-health agencies. About 95,000 students have entered the United States Cadet Nurse Corps since 19U2. This is the most promising source for recruitment.of staff personnel for nursing service for civilians.
After July 1, I9HU, it is anti cipatcd that the Army Nurse Corps ’./ill need only replacement s-and the Navy will continue to need 500 a month, (/'subject to change due to military needs).
It is hoped that beginning ’/ith- the fall of 19)4)4 more nurses as they graduate ’-’ill be available for civilian service, including public-health nursing.	' '
Community facilities.
The Federal Works Agency reports that .as of January 31, 19^, the follov-ing community facilities have been constructed in areas in which the population has increased as a result of the var: Schools, ^35? hospitals, SO; health centers,
Wo rk 1 ng cup cr im ent s.	,
Ncwport News«—An experimental project in. Newport News, Va., in a community program to prevent and to reduce juvenile delinouency in wartime is being conducted jointly by the Children’s Bureau and the Bureau, of public Assistance of the Social Security Board in cooperation with the Virginia State Department of public Welfare.The two Federal agencies have provided a social worker with experience in community organization, who is attached to the city manager’s office in Newport News and serves as executive secretary to the child-welfare committee of the civilian-defense organization. The committee is now functioning through three subcommittees on day care, recreation, and counselling. An advisory committee to the project, composed of representatives of Federal agencies having programs concerned with or related to child welfare, meets at least every 2 months.
The major purpose of the demonstration is to experiment with methods of adjusting community programs to prevent delinquency and to meet current wartime needs hy adapting, modifying, strengthening, and, if necessary, extending the individual services already provided without setting up any new agencies.
The first progress report (July 19^3) stated that in the functional area several things have been accomplished: Case-work services with children and families have been made available in the local public-welfare department, which hitherto had restricted its function primarily to giving relief; all interested groups are collaborating in studying the recreational needs of children and adolescents and in planning for adequate group services for them; a day-care program is being started on a community-wide basis under the auspices of the local department of welfare; a plan has been approved for the entire peninsula area for counseling service for mothers with regard to employment and day-care needs, this service to be given by a competent case worker; the city schools have become interested in the possibilities of counselling and guidance services and. have become increasingly concerned, with the recreational needs of children in the comnunity; a social-service exchange for use by social, health, and other agencies for clearance purposes, unavailable up to the present time, is now in operation. Attention has been directed.effectively toward the need for liberalization and. improvement in the administration of public-assistance programs as a means of strengthening family life and. of preventing juvenile delinquency.
Hartford.--In Hartford, Conn., following a study of juvenile delinquency, a well-qualified social worker was appointed, to study the needs of children and youth and. to assist in developing programs to meet these needs. She is assigned, administratively to the Hartford Humane Society but is working with the War Council. Her activities include a study of all the school children in Hartford in both public and. parochial schools to ascertain their needs for both child-care and. leisure-time services, and work in regard, to places of commercial amusement and. entertainment.
Ste Paul.—As one result of the activities of the St. Paul Community Services for Children, a neighborhood, project carried, on from 1937 "to 19^3 By the Children’s Bureau in cooperation with local agencies, a ’’Coordination Center for Community Services for Children” has been set up. The Community Chest, the County Welfare Board, the Board, of Education, and the Bureau of Catholic Charities are providing support for the center, which is under the administrative direction of the Council of Social Agencies. The Children’s Bureau project had developed a program of coordination between the schools and social agencies with reference to children in the area of the project.
Before the project closed, inquiries had. come from public schools in the- city asking why the same program could not be developed, for all the schools as for the schools in the one district, At the present time a staff of three full-timeworkers and one part-tine worker is giving referral and consultation service for children in need of special help, who are referred by the schools and the police. Public schools arc served by a member of the staff paid for by the Board of Education, and the parochial schools by a nenber of the staff paid for by the Bureau of Catholic Charities. The Department rf Public Welfare furnishes a full-tine worker for service in relation to children coning to the attention of the police.
. if	■
At a conference held in St. Paul on February 28, ig'dU, it was stated that the work of the center already has proved the continuing need for such service It is not considered an experiment any longer. Many problems are being revealed for which resources are not adequate. Already the social agencies are developing an increasing awareness of the important part the school and police may play in the treatment of children’s difficulties and of the need for social agencies to evaluate their own services in the light' of the needs of the children in the community. The schools and the police are turning more and more to social agencies for assistance in solving the problems of children for whom they are responsible. The director of the center has described its work in part as follows:
"We started out vith the idea of bringing together community resources for children. We found shortly that just the bringing together of resources was not enough. The center takes from the school all referrals of children who are showing difficulties in school adjustments. These problems have a very wide range. It is our attempt to find within the community those services which will be-of assistance to the children and to the school in doing, their job."
Underlying all the work of the center is an educational responsibility— to interpret the varying functions and responsibilities of the different social agencies and to clear up misunderstandings that nay arise because of differences in the training and philosophy of the various professional workers responsible for services to children.
III.	Hones in Hart inc
Children o.f cur fighting nen.
Servicemen's dependents'allowances increase-1.—On October 26, 19^3> the . President approved the act amending the Servicemen's Dependents Allowance Act to provide, in addition to the wife’s allowance, of $50 a month (including $22 from the. enlisted nan's pay), $30 ^r'r the. first child and $20 for-each • ■
'additional child. Another important amendment was the provision for an initial family allowance. for the nonth in which the enlisted nan enters a pay status, a critical period, of need for dependents of many .enlisted nen. • Actions on these items was hastened by the impending induction .of. fathers into the a rmed. services.
■ Emergency maternity and, infant car e for families of enl isted non .—On October 1, I9H3, the president approved, a second appropriation for the fiscal year l^UU for grants to State health agencies for emergency maternity and infant care for the vzives and infants of nen in the four lowest pay grades of the armed. forces, bringing the total appropriation, for this purpose this year to $23,000,000.
By March S the Children’s Bureau had approved plans submitted by the State health agencies of all. 48 States, the District of Columbia, Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. Up to February 20 the State agencies had authorized_care for nore than 225,000 wives and infants of nen in the arned services, and applications were being approved at the rate of approximately 30*000 a nonth. To date over 90 percent of the applications are for maternity care.
Several .conferences have been held by the Children’s Bureau with State health administrators, representatives of nodical organizations, and hospital administrators, in working out the administrative procedures for the conduct-of this program. (See Children’s Bureau publication, TMIC Information Circular No. 1, Administrative Policies—Emergency Maternity and Infant Care Program. December 19^3*)
Adequate housing.
The housing situation for families has been improved,, in many centers of vzar ind.ustry, although some communities arc still suffering from serious inadequacies.
The National Housing Agency reports that, as of February 29, I9UU, the public-housing program, including war housing and slum-clearance projects, showed 457,293 family dwelling units completed, and occupied. Temporary shelter is still being provided in 22,286 trailers pending the construction of houses. Additional family units have been made available through private building.
Community buildings and. recreation facilities are provided. for in all public-housing projects of 50 dwellings or nore in localities where such facilities are not adequate. Standard community buildings include space for clinics and for group activities. Child-care facilities are provided in projects where need for the care of 30 or more children of employed, mothers is indicated.~CU
Since the construction program has been substantially completed, there has been widespread development of services and programs operated by public and private agencies* Frequently such programs are operated and financed by the tenants themselves®
Employment of mothers and day care of children«
The House of Representatives on March 10, 1944, passed the first deficiency bill, including an appropriation of $l?7,5OO,OOO to the Federal Works Agency for community facilities under the Lanham Act including construction, maintenance, and operation of facilities® Fart of this sum as indicated by the committee report, is for the operation of child-care projects. The previous limitation to $40,000,000 of amounts to be allocated for maintenance and operation was rescinded® The committee recommended this change because Federal Works Agency allocations for such projects mere approaching this total, and under the limitation, little further aid could have been given for the maintenance and operation of schools, child-care centers, hospitals, and similar facilities.
The State public-welfare agencies are continuing to give consultation service on the organization of community day-care programs* The plans of 27 States for the use of Federal child-v'clfare-services funds administered by the Children’s Bureau show $201,0 5 2 budgeted for this purpose for the fiscal year 1944=, These State plans provide for 55 workers on the staff of State public welfare.departments and 153 vzorkers employed in local areas to give either full- or part-time service to programs for the care of children of working mothers-.
In January 1944, the nursery schools and child-care centers operating vzith the use of the Lanham Act funds, usually under school auspices-, numbered 2,133 vzith an enrollment of 59»2*32 children* It is roughly estimated that this represents approximately one-half of the total number of nursery-school and day-care centers in the country that are caring for children of working mothers*
During the fall of 1943 the Children’s Bureau made a brief study of the day-care program for children of working mothers in 13 representative communities® The study showed, that the needs.of children of employed mothers were met most effectively in those communities in which representative groupshad planned community-wide child-care programs®
The unmet needs were predominately for those services for which Federal funds-have not been available, such as counselling services; foster-family day care, particularly for children under 2 years age; and, homemaker service for the care of the sick or slightly ill child. Such services have been developed in some measure in certain communities.
A maternity policy for industry«.
Following the distribution of Standards for Maternity Care and. Employment of Mothers in Industry, issued in 1942, a study ’--as made by the Children’s Bureau of policies in force in 70 industrial plants employing a total of 250,000 women in 11 States® The findings of this study were published in The Child, for August 1943® Subsequently, the Children’s Bureau issued a folder entitled ”A Maternity policy for Industry,” outlining the principles on which employers can base sound policies. The folder has been welcomed by-IQr-...
employers who desire both to .safeguard.• the health of their women employees who become pregnant and to- retain their services-as long as it is vase for.
-them ta ■ continue work.	■ -	.	.
Economic security.
Aid to (dependent children.,—The Social Security Board' in its annual report for the fiscal -.year ended, June 3Qj 19^3» stated that during the year the number of families receivipg aid- for dependent children in the. continental pnited States declined nearly•-25 percent and the number of children about 20 percent, to 3O5»OOO and 7^-7,000 respectively, (Comparable figures for November I9U3 here 275* 7^9. and 6Sjy2l6. ) The Board added:
The sharpness of the decline in the number of families re^ ceiving aid- to dependent children raises- a; serious question, however, as to the extent to vzhich there have been offsetting-factors of dubious social, value - in -the. long run* The especially heavy f inancial and social pressures on dependent families have caused some children to cut short schooling to enter jobs rf little worth to their future, and have forced some mathers, when -opportunity offered, to- undertake vzork outside their-homes- leaving young children vzithout proper care.-,
Lack of adequate assistance funds in some areas'has. been accentuated by the rise in the costs of food and other essentials and the'discontinuance of Federal distribution of surplus commodities, vzhich have been an important resource of families receiving assistance, especially in the southern States ....
Since the Federal limitations on sharing costs for aid to dependent children make little provision for,the requirements of the mother or the costs of maintaining the home, in May 19^1, nearly half the payments to one-child families, 49 percent of the payments to twq-child families, and 29 percent of those to -three-child families were above the Federal- matching maximum, with the excess bo.rpc solely from State and local fundsooeoIn the calendar year 19^2^
Federal funds supplied nearly half 09^2 percent) of all expenditures for old-age -assistance, while the proportion for aid to dependent children was 40oS percent,
In its recommendations for a'basic minimum program ,^f social security, the Social Security Board, included the following reconncnd.atio.ns that would affect directly the program for aid. to dependent children:
Consideration of a variable-mat chi ng basis, under which the Federal grant-in-aid would-cover more- than half the.-total .cost in States
- • vzhich themselves have only small economic resources.
The requirement, as a condition of approval of the State assistance plans, of elimination of State residence requirements for those receiving assistance.
Making Federal funds available for use- for children who are needy for any- reason whatever, not'.merely; as at present, for those who have' been deprived.--of: parental career support by reason of the death, absence, or incapacity of the parent,..-11-
Elimination of the Federal maximums, under which matching Federal funds now can he used only within the limits of $18 a month for the first child and $12 for each additional child aided. in the same hone.
Elimination of the requirement of school attendance as a factor in eligibility of needy children aged l6 and 17 for aid to dependent children.
Making matching Federal funds available to pay medical agencies and. practitioners for the costs of• medical services and supplies-’ provided for those receiving assistance.
Other recommendations made by the Social. .Security Board with regard to old age and survivors’ insurance, unemployment compensation, disability 'compensation, measures to distribute medical costs and assure access to service, and a. grant-in-aid program for general assistance would also benefit children as members of families.12
IV.	Children the Country Over
Volunteers.
Since October 19^3 the Children's Bureau has distributed more than 22,000 copies of Selection and Training of Volunteers in Child Care. The Bureau’s consultant in volunteer training has visited several States and communities to assist in the organization of training programs.
At present the most extensive use of volunteers in children’s services is in day-care centers, child-health conferences, and on school lunch program
In some communities' very great use has been made of volunteers in one oi more of these fields, and those responsible for the programs consider their help- invaluable. The organization varies in different communities. In some cases the program is of long standing. In others, recruiting and training courses sponsored by defense-council committees have caused an increase in the number of volunteers at work in children’s services. In other communities, the leadership has come from public-health nurses or organizations such as the American Women's Voluntary Services.
The need for volunteer service in the children’s field will continue to be great as long as the war causes shortages of professional personnel. The lessened expectation of imminent danger to our communities should not be permitted to check the development of this valuable volunteer participation in programs for children. (See also p. 23 , Youth Participation.)
Health and children.
Births and deaths of mothers and babies.—A Census Bureau release (February 19^4) states that approximately 3>200,000 births occurred in the United States in 19^3, including an estimate of births unregistered. This count indicates an increase of about 33 l/3 percent in the number of births in 19^3 as compared with 1939, a factor to be reckoned with in planning child-health services.
Provisional infant mortality figures issued by the Bureau of the Census for 19^3	^2 States and the List rict of Columbia show an infant mortality
rate of 39»3 per l>000 live births as compared with UO.U, the infant mortality rate for 19U2.
The estimate of maternal mortality made by the United States Public Health Service for the first 6 months of 19^3 (based on figures from 37 States) gives arate of 2^ maternal deaths per 10,000 live births as compared with 26 for the first half of 19^2.
The maintenance of gains with respect to maternal and infant mortality in spite of the wartime shortage of doctors in evidence of the effectiveness of the newer medical techniques and of absorption by the public of lessons on family responsibility for the care of the health of mother and baby.- 13 -
Some States and communities show increases in maternal and infant mortality. Such indices call for immediate administrative consideration to determine'whether the factors causing the increase can he dealt with hy strengthening.health and medical-care services.
Medical care and health supervision for 'mothers and children. — The development of the emergency maternity and infant-care program (see p. g ) has made it necessary for State health agencies to a,sk that hospitals participating meet Certain .standards- t'o safeguard the health of mothers and babies'. It is realized, that under war conditions., many hospitals cannot fully meet the standards for. obstetric care and care of the newborn that have been developed by the -Children’s Bureau, the American College•of Surgeons, and the American, Hospital Association.
The Children’s' Bureau, therefore:, has. developed minimum requirements for-hospital care of maternity patients and newborn infants (see Journal of the American Medical Association, January.22, 1944, pp. 24l-24b) as a basis for preliminary approval of hospitals* , The health departments thereafter help the hospitals to improve their' services in order to attain the goals set-in the standards referred to above* Important items in the- requirements are adequate space for mothers;and'infants, a delivery room separate from the -general operating room and adequate, qualifi ed'.-nursing service.
During ’ this period of wartime, hospital building, it has been possible in approximately 50 hospitals to include-nurseries'for the newborn, planned according to. the recommendations in the standard plans- for nurseries for newborn infants,as developed by the Children’s Bureau and the'United States Public Health Service (see Hospitals, April 1943). This has been done, for example, in hospitals, constructed in Bremerton,- Wash.; Vallejo, Calif.; Evansville, Ind.; Bethesda, Md.; and Anderson, Ala. ...
Standards and Recommendations for Hospital Care of Newborn Infants (Children's Bureau Publication No. 292, 1943) is available to 'aid hospitals in providing safe care for our bumper crops of babies. Similar standards and recommendations for obstetric care in hospitals are in preparation.
' The quality, of maternity care is also being improved under the emergency maternity and. infant-care program, through the provision of consultant service whenever' necessary-and. the routine referral of all cases to the publie-health-nursing . service and.by other measures. Child-health supervision is being given in the-available child’-health conferences or well-baby clinic-s and-provi sion is made for routine immunization of all infants. The raising of the standard of care .for this cross-section of mothers and infants-will stimulate - the provision of better care for all mothers, and babies. .	.
Pood for children.	"
An -article in the October 1043 issue of The Child entitled "Adequate Diets for Mothers and Children under Rat toning,,f spmmarieed information from the Civilian Requirements Branch of,the War Pood Administration andi4
the applicable rulings (as of September 13 19^3) of the Office of Price Administration in regard to food supplies available for expectant and nursing mothers, infants, and children under rationing.
School lunches.—-The Office of Price Administration in a release dated January 17 announced for the months of January and February allowances of more generous amounts of food for school lunchrooms and cafeterias, based on the number of persons served food and the amount of food currently used rather than on the amount of food used in December 19^2, the base month in the OPA "institutional user" rationing program. For most schools the new allowances represent an increase in food allotments for meat and processed food,due in part to the fact that more schools are serving substantial meals at noon and in part to the fact that a larger number of children are being served their entire noon meal at school. A revised release will appear during March,
The Government’s school lunch program is a wartime measure to make sure that school children will have a well—planned and nutritionally adequate noon mealc The War Food Administration set up definite food requirements for two distinct types of school meals that include rationed foods and OPA’s adjustment of point allowances for school meals is designed to implement this program.
It is estimated that approximately 240,000 'schools in the United Stater about one-third or lens of the total number, serve lunch. Of these, about 32,000 have contracts with the War Food Administration to serve standard-type meals and to receive financial aid.
The present OPA institutional ruling on home-processed foods permits schools to use unlimited amounts of processed foods produced from fruits and vegetables that ordinarily would not be distributed commercially. This makes available for school lunchess (l) Fruits and vegetables grown and processed by the school for its own use; (2) foods that the school processed from gifts of fruits and vegetables that ordinarily iTrould not be marketed commercially, including local surpluses transferred to it by the War Food Administration; (3) foods that were grown and processed by others from noncommercial supplies of fruits and vegetables and donated to the school; and (4) gifts of such processed foods received from another school establishment When the school applies for its allotment, it must report the number of points of the home-processed foods it used during the preceding allotment period. When the local rationing board issues the certificates for processed foods to the school, it will make a deduction not exceeding 10 percent for any one item against the allotment for which the school is applying, representing the amount of home-processed foods actually used.
A proposed appropriation of $50,000,000 for food for school lunches for the fiscal year 19^5 included in the President's budget is now before the house Committee on Appropriations and is being considered for inclusion in the Department of Agriculture appropriation bill-.15
The question of authorization for an appropriation to the Department of Agriculture of $30,000,000 for fiscal year ending June 3% 19^5 is before the Senate.in a bill, S.1721, introduced by Senator Wagner, February 15, 19UU, and referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry,
A similar proposal was considered by the House Committee on Agriculture and the committee recommended an amendment to H.R.4273, the bill for the Department of Agriculture. Organic Act of 1944 to authorize additional appropriations to the Department for school lunches not exceeding $50,000,00(7 to be available until June 305 19^5’ The House of Representatives on March 7, 19^-4 rejected this amendment- by a vote of 5^ y©as and 136 nays,
A letter from the Federal Security Administrator- to the House of Representatives transmitting a draft of a bill to assist -the States to establish and maintain,school lunch'programs was received in the House on February 18 and referred to the Committee on Education. A similar letter was sent to the Senate, The draft bill proposes -a.program of grants to State departments of education for-school lunches to be administered by the Office of Education of the Federal Security Agency,
Social services for children.
Conference on special problems of children in wartime.—A conference of State officials responsible for child-welfare services in public welfare departments, called by the Children’s Bureau, was held in Washington on February 4, 5» and & the .purpose of finding ways in which State welfare departments can strengthen their own resources and relate their work to that of other State agencies in stimulating community effort to meet the special problems of children in wartime.
The conference was attended by the State public-welfare Commissioners froml4 States, and representatives from the children’s divisions in State welfare departments from 45 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Others in attendance .included Howard Lc Russell, Director of the American Public Welfare Association, Leonard Wj Mayo, Chairman of the Children’s Bureau Commission on Children in Wartime, leaders prominent in the child-welfare field, and representatives of other Federal agencies having programs concerned with child wel’f are.	’ - •
The conference reviewed the present public provision of social services for children in State and local departments of public welfare, the resources of these departments for dealing with children, the financial and staff limitations 'affecting the establishment of local child-welfare services in additional rural areas and the development of adequate services in congested war areas, and the relationship of the basic legal responsibilities of the child-welfare divisions in the State departments to the development of community programs for dealing with needs aggravated by war conditions. The conference discussed ways in which public-welfare services for children can be strengthened and ways in'which the States and local communities, looking at the needs of children as a whole, can plan to meet these needs and effect coordination of available services.Id
Juvenile delinquency.
State and local committees and. commissions.—Henorts are "being received, by the Children1 s Bureau of the activities of State-wide committee; that- are stimulating interest in problems of delinquency and are giving leadership in developing programs for its control. In some States these committees have been appointed by the Governor; in others, the committees on children in wartime, within the organization of the State defense councils, function on a broad basis and include juvenile delinquency within the scope of their activities. Among the States in which active work in the field of juvenile delinquency has keen initiated by the State defense council are Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, hew Jersey, South Carolina, and. Washington. In Michigan a youth-guidance committee was appointed by the. Governor following a State-wide study of delinquency, which he initiated. A. similar State committee has been appointed, by the Governor of Massachusetts. The Kansas Council for Children, which is a White House Conference follow-up committee, has a committee on delinquency.
Reports also indicate considerable activity by a variety of groups in local communities in the development of plans to provide constructive programs for children and youth. Such groups include councils of social agencies, local defense councils, mayors’ committees, child-welfare advisor; committees, the schools, churches, women’s clubs, and other civic organizations.
Although much of the activity of the various groups has been.concerned with the effort to obtain facts about the problem and to plan the action needed, programs are in progress in various stages of development.
The type of action varies from community to community and includes: Increased recreational opportunities, especially in the development of services for teen-age youth; the relating of social services to the work of police departments; the addition of especially trained personnel to police departments to handle problems of juveniles; the development of closer relationships between the social agencies and the schools; and the promotion through use of the newspaper and the radio of better.understanding of the problems of youth and the r esponsibilit.y of parents. Detroit, Mich., Jacksonville, Fla., Hartford, Conn., and St0 Paul, Minn, are only a few of the communities that are taking definite steps to protect their children and young people.
State public-welfare programs.,—The child-welfare services furnished by State and local welfare agencies with assistance from Federal funds under title V, part 3, of the Social Security Act have been adapted to the fullest extent possible to wartime needs, with no additional appropriations to meet needs in war-affected communities. In the annual plans developed jointly by the State public welfare agencies and the Children’s Bureau for the current fiscal year, 12 States—Alabama, Arizona, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Hew York, North Carolina, South Dakota,
Texas, Utah, and Virginia---make some provision for special projects for
the study and prevention of juvenile delinquency. Five States—Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Texas and Utah—provide for a special consultant on- 17 -
the State staff. Six States—Alabama, Arizona, Mississippi, New York,
North Carolina, and Virginia—provide for special workers in connection with the State training schools for delinquents, and two States—Indiana and South Lakota—'provide for local child-welfare workers to be assigned to areas faced with problems of increased delinquency because of the war situation.
Publications.—There has been a very active demand for the two Children *s Bureau publications issued about November 1, I9w3—No. 300, Understanding Juvenile Delinquency and No. 301, Controlling Juvenile Delinquency.
The United States Office of Education, Eederal Security Agency, issued a pamphlet called "Juvenile Delinquency and the Schools in Wartime" as leaflet No. 8 in its School Children and the War series. This also has had a very wide distribution.
Congressional hearings.—Public hearings on juvenile delinquency have been held by the Subcommittee on.Wartime Health and. Education of the Committee on Education and Labor of the Senate, under the chairmanship of Senator Claude Pepper of Florida^ Miss Katharine P. Lenroot, Chief of the Children1 s Bureau, testified at the hearings on November 30, 19^3«
Others appearing at the first hearings, which continued through December 1 and 2, included leaders in the fields of child welfare, child guidance and education and community organization as well as law-enforcement officials, juvenile-court judges, probation officers, and industrialists. They placed emphasis on coordination of community resources for the prevention of juvenile delinquency. Several young persons appeared at the hearings held on March 1 and 2, 19^4, two of them representatives of youth groups operating "teen-age" centers and the others youths to whom service had been rendered by the Vocational Foundation of New York City, after their release from institutions for delinquents.
On December l6, 17, and IS, the Committee held a hearing in Pascagoula, Miss., at which representatives of welfare, health, and education agencies testified.
During February 1944 public,hearings on juvenile delinquency in the District of Columbia were held by the subcommittee on public-health hospitals and the charities sub-committee of the District Committee of the House of Representatives under the chairmanship of Representative Thomas D'Alesandro of Maryland. Public officials and representatives of welfare agencies and of citizens organizations testified at the hearings.
Senate bill 157^«—A bill (S.157&) nto reduce juvenile delinquency by providing for the care and prompt return home of run-away, transient, or vagrant children of juvenile age going from one State to another without proper legal consent through the use of funds appropriated under the provisions of the Social Security Act for aid to dependent children. This bill provides for transportation only and makes no provision for the services required to determine what plan is best for the child. The billIS
was introduced in the Senate on December 7 by Senator Andrews of Florida and referred to the-Committee on the Judiciary._ A .hearing by a subcommittee was held on March 1 and 2,■ The bill is sponsored by the Association of Juvenile Court Judges of America.
Social protection.
■Training for police.—At the suggestion of the Social Protection Division, Office of Community War Services, Federal Security Agency, a conference was called by the Children’s Bureau on November 20 and 21, 194-3, for the purpose of considering the training of police for work with juveniles. The conference was attended by reoresentatives of the International Association of Chiefs of Police; the National'Sheriffs’ Association; The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Bureau.of.Prisons, United States Department of Justice; Office of Education, Federal Security Agency; American Public Welfare Association; and others.
The group emphasized the need for,full utilization and for coordination of existing social-welfare services in local communities, It asked.
'the Children's Bureau to appoint a committee to.explore the possibilities and plan a course of training for police work with juveniles. Plans for the appointment of this committee are under way.
'Detention,,—The increasing number of children coming to the attention of the police and juvenile courts has created additional concern in communities throughout the country with regard to facilities for detention care. In response to the increasing volume of requests from communities for help in planning for adequate detention care, the Children’s Bureau is preparing a statement of the factors that enter into planning for detention care, the- types of care used, and acceptable practices,
The right to play.
Developments for children and- youth,-.-Well-.established and complete programs of recreation and improved education activities for adults as well as for children have been developed in many communities during the war period. This has involved: (l) Pall utilization of school buildings, parks and playgrounds, park areas, community centers, museums, and libraries; (2) the development of public or municipal recreation resources; (3) varied activities conducted by youth-serving agencies, settlements, and churches; and (4) wholesome use of commercial recreation, such as motion pictures, theaters, dance halls, bowling alleys, swimming pools, and skating rinks,.under proper control through municipal ordinances and policing. Examples of such communities are Cleveland, Ohio, Denver, Colo., Los Angeles, Calif., and Salt Lake City, Utah.
It is estimated that there are now between 300 and 4-00 teen-age centers throughout the United States under the auspices of public recreation departments, private settlements, youth-serving agencies or other adults' organizations, with the youth members sharing part of the cost. Although adult leadership is given, the centers are operated by the young people- 19 -
themselves, who, for the most part, conduct their own dances and manage their own snack bars, game rooms, and similar enterprises that appeal to them. Every center has its own individuality; no.two are exactly alike* Centers that have become well known are those in Raleigh, No Cc. , Memphis, Tenn., Seattle, Wash., Columbia,. Mo, , Casper, Wyo. , and numerous others.
The description of a typical teen-age center with suggestions for suitable programs are contained in the article entitled "A Typical Teen-Age Center Under Community Auspices’* appearing in The Child for February 19W Other material on teen-age centers is available from the National Recreation Association, 315 Fourth Avenue, New-York, N.Y., and from the Recreation Division, Community War Services, Federal Security Agency, Washington, D0C.
Advisory Committee on Leisure-Time Services for Children,, — An Advisory Committee on Leisure-Time Services for Children (subcommittee of the Advisory Committee on Social Services for Children), appointed by the Secretary of Labor to advise the Children's Bureau, held, its first meeting March 13, 19^4. The topics discussed were the needs of children for leisure-time services and the emerging pattern of planning to meet these needs, relationship of State child-welfare services to the development of recreation programs, and recommenations for post-war planning for leisuretime services for children.
School and work.
3ack-to-school drive.—In August 19^3> the Bureau, in cooperation with the Office of Education, initiated a back-to-school drive* It was launched by a leaflet named "Back to School," bringing together ideas and facts for the use of various groups in spreading an understanding of the importance of schooling for teen-age youth* This leaflet was sent to the State defense-council committees on children in wartime, who distributed it to State and local groups, and also to State labor and education officials, labor organizations and employer groups, and to national youth- serving and other agencies. It met with a.response that exceeded all expectations and the demand necessitated the printing of some 30^000 additional copies, making a total distribution of more than U0,000, Excerpts from the leaflet were printed in various journals and were included in leaflets and letters sent by national organizations to their members* The press also gave the campaign excellent publicity and commendation, and the information office, of the Department of Labor prepared a back-'co-school skeleton radio script, which was locally adopted and presented through arrangements made by the regional offices of the United States Department of Labor*
Standards for part-time work of school youth* — Continuing the promotion of standards for employment of children and young persons, the Children* s Bureau developed with the War Manpower Commission and the Office of Education a statement of policies and standards on part-time employment of in-school youth. This was officially issued on September 3> 19^3» and was distributed by the Bureau in connection with its back-to-school drive. It was published by the Office of Education in the September 15 issue of Education for Victory.- 20 -
The report of the Children’s Bureau study of part-time work of children attending school in Baltimore (mimeographed) gives a. picture of the child-labor problems arising from this type of employment and will be useful to agencies and communities in arousing the public to awareness of the need for regulation and guidance of part-time- school and work programs to prevent harm to young workers.
Adontion of youth-employment standards by Federal agencies.—As the Federal'Government isexpressly exempted from the Fair Labor Standards Act of I93S and is not.subject to State child-labor regulations, the Bureau has continued its efforts to promote voluntary adherence by Federal agencies to legal standards. In November 19^-3 the Army Service Forces, which employ about ■90 percent of the civilians hired by the War Department, issued instructions to their installations and to the service commands relating to employment of minors under IS. These instructions set standards including provisions substantially equivalent to those, established under the child-labor provisions-of the Fair Labor Standards Act, and in addition require conformance to State child-labor and compulsory-school-attendance standards. This has been followed recently by a similar statement Issued by the War Department, covering not only the Army Service Forces but also the Ground Forces and the Army Air Forces.
Although the Dost Office Department issued a regulation in IPUl requiring adherence to State standards in employment of children, many reports have been received of such employment in certain city rest offices during the Christmas holidays contrary to those standards, Information on post-office employment practices during the past Christmas season has been collected and will be presented to the Post.Office Departments The report s'r eceived so far indicate- nonconformance principally in the local post offices but not in the railway mail service..
This voluntary adherence to child-labor standards by Federal agencies does not mean that they become in any sense subject to the jurisdiction of State labor departments. The Children’s Bureau.will continue its efforts to obtain voluntary conformance to State and Federal standards by Federal agencies.
Advisory standards—-Which Jobs hr Young Workers?—Tho Bureau has continued its program for protection of young workers from hazardous occupations, through the formulation and promotion of advisory.standards pointing out both occupations too hazardous for l6- and 17-yea.r-old workers and also those in which young workers may suitably bo employed. In addition to standards for.the six industries or processes reported In the last progress report in August 19^3, ^Ae Bureau Aas issued standards for the aircraft industry. Standards for the railroad.industry, which has employed many thousands of young workers during the past 2 years because of wartime labor shortages, arc n.ow being prepared. Investigation of pulp, paper, and paper-products manufacturing is also under way, with a view to formulating advisory standards for these industries, because they have high accident rates, include many hazardous occupations, and employ young workers in considerable numbers.
Liaison with War Manpower Commission.—The Commission has sent its operating staff Children’s Bureau publications relating to the employment of minors. The Sta.te and regional staff of the War Manpower Commission in certain areas has been helpful in maintaining child-labor and comoulsory-schoo 1-at t endance st anda.rds.21
Administration of the child-labor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.—The demands upon the Bureau’s program for administration nf the child-labor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act have increased wzith the continuing rise in the employment of young persons under IS and the added pressure upon child-labor and youth-employment standards. Estimates for October 1947 place the total of young workers lU through 17 years of age in all industries at approximately 84 millions—2 million l6 and 17 years of age and p million lU and 15 years of age, an increase of Id million over April 19U0.
An indication of the seriousness of the situation in industries subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act is found in the increasing violations of the child-labor provisions of that act. Preliminary figures for the last 6 months of 1943 show almost 100 percent more minors illegally employed, and 70 percent more establishments in violation than in the last 6 months of I9U2.
In fact, in these last 6 months of 19^3 almost two and a half times as many violating establishments and more than twice as many illegally employed minors mere found than in the entire 12 months from July 1, 19^0, to June 30, 19^1»
The staff of the Bureau assigned to the administration of these provisions is still operating on the reduced funds reported in the progress report for last August. It is therefore impossible to strengthen the advisory and consultative services to the \7age-and-hour staff, and to State labor and education departments and local certification staffs that are essential to adequate enforcement. The Children’s Bureau budget estimates, as submitted by the President to Congress, include an increase in its funds that would make possible considerable progress in these services and further development of good standards in emp.loymcnt of young persons in the labor force*
A serious threat to the protection the act gives to children employed in commercial fruit and vegetable packing sheds and storage houses is the bill (S. 1671) introduced January 27, 19^b by Senator Bilbo, which exempts from the coverage of the child-labor provisions children employed in handdling, packing, or s taring agricultural or horticultural commodities for market during periods when they are not legally required to attend schoo'lo
A major legal decision involving the interpretation of the child-labor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act was handed dowm on October 7, 19^3» by the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and has just been upheld, by the United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the Second. District. This decision sustained the applicability of the child-labor provisions to telegraph messengers ark thus upheld a minimum age of 16 for such employment. The case is being appealed by the company and. will presumably go to the United. States Supreme Court for review*
Young workers in agriculture.—The YZar Food Administration estimates that ^400,000 youths under IS years of age were placed, in farm jobs by official placement agencies last year and 700,-000 were employed, the add.itional 300,000 getting their own jobsc Plans for the use of young workers during 19^ are being expandedo It is estimated, that 700,000 wij.I be officially placed and a total of 1,200,000 youths under IS will be employed.
The youth farm-labor program, known as the Victory Farm Volunteers program, is included among the farm-labor responsibilities ^f the State and. local extension services through funds allocated, by the War Food Administration to22
State directors pf extension in. land-grant colleges. As was the case last year, the farm-labor-supply-appropriation act tends to pronote the employment of youth without defining standards for protecting then. There is a.limitation in the law providing that none of the funds he spent directly, yr indirectly to fix, regulate, or inpose standards as to wages, hours, shelter, .or collective bargaining except as provided in foreign contracts* Although there is still a wide field .in which standards could, be promoted, this provision tends to dis.courage the Extension Service fron pronoting standards even for youth.
The Federal Extension Service is giving consultative service- in States and localities to promote the acceptance of youth on farms, and the Office of Education is stimulating orientation and,, training courses on a.wide scale.
The national youth-serving agencies have taken an important part this year in safeguarding youth employed on farms, thus benefiting not only their own members but other boys and girls as well. Their interagency commit-tea on youth in wartime agriculture has formally approved the Children's Bureau, standards and is urging that representatives of youth-serving agencies serve on State and local 'farm-labor committees concerned with youth farm labor.
In some States, last year there ms organized recruitment of youth down to 11 years of age. Boys and. girls sometimes, worked very long hours; were often transported in unsafe trucks; were frequently given poor fields to pick; were sometimes paid unfair wages, and were hurt, in some cases, without receiving medical attention nor insurance compensation for their injuries?
The best programs last, year were developed in those communities in whiich community groups had united to establish certain policies and standards and to see that these policies and standards were maintained. Such community groups usually included the .county, agricultural agents. With the increasing employment of children planned for this coming .season, it is essential that community groups be aware of. the necessity for assuming responsibility for the conditions under which young people are employed on farms if these boys and . girls are to be protected. In order that interested groups .everywhere may become familiar with certain minimum standards of protection developed by.the Children’s Bureau in cooperation with other Federal agencies, three new publications for use as tools for bettor programs have boon prepared this year.
The first of these is Work Loaders for Croups of Nonfarm Louth Employed' in A ;riculture, which tells why work leaders are needed, v-hat the job of the vzork leader is, who can qualify for the job, where to look for work leaders, and how to prepare them for their vzork. This bulletin was planned in consultation with representatives of various Federal agencies and is approved by these agencies. The Extension Earm-Labor Frogram of the War Food Administration has ordered 10,000 copies for distribution to State and county extension-service staff. The second publication, entitled "Boys and, Girls Employed in Agricultural Programs—19^3," is a reprint of an article in the February igUU issue of The' Child' that tells ’-hat happened to youth employed on farms in 19U3, analyzes the safeguards recommended in Guides to Successful Employment of Nonfarm Youth in Wartime Agriculture, and sets forth additional safeguards considered as essential in the light of the season’s experience.
The third is a Check List—When Boys and Girls Work on Farms, giving in brief the essential safeguards for youth in agriculture. This is for the use of groups and organizations that arc planning, operating, or evaluating programs for the employment of youth in agriculture*
Community groups are becoming more interested in standards for the employment of youth in agriculture as they become more aware of the. poor working conditions and the accident and health hazards that result ,rhen employment of young people is left to chance. Until there are adequate legal standards for the employment of boys and girls' in farm vzork the only r,ay that children can be protected is by such community act inno We have to look to these community groups for safeguarding over a million children und,er IS who will be employed on farms this coming summer,,
Cooperation with State and, local committees. — In response to evidence of increasing interest in the necessary problems of young workers and. the need for community activity to assure safeguards, a statement, Suggestions for Safeguarding Young Workers 'through Community Action, was prepared, giving simple, clear-cut suggestions of ways in which local defense-council committees on children in wartime and. other groups interested in employment of young workers can protect them during this periodo The Bureau cooperated, with the group of national organizations that met in November I9H3 in New York on the call of the National Child Labor Committee and prepared the Child Labor Manifesto and a leaflet. Community A.ction on Child. Labor, which are being used by local organizations in community programs. Broadened activities in the field nf employment problems by State and. local committees on children have been promoted, by regional child-labor consultants and by joint action with the child-welfare and health-service consultants of the Bureauc
General Advisory Committee on the Protection of Young Workers®—A meeting of this committee to consider particularly the problems of young vzorkers in the demobilization period, was held, on February 25 and 26, I9UU. The emphasis of the discussion and. of the committee’s recommendations was placed on the need for community action to insure guidance and. counselling services for youth who will be affected by lessening employment opportunities; for an educational program to fit their needs; for raising child-labor standards after the war; for community planning to find out what the needs are; for consideration of the place of Federal aid to education; and for the building up of greater public understanding and. support? It was also suggested, that the Bureau call together a group, either a small working group or a larger conference, to promote joint consideration of these needs and, proposals for action.
Youth participation?
In the fall of I9U3, the Office of Civilian Defense issued a publication (No, 3623), The United States Junior Citizens Service Corps, prepared, in cooperation with the Children’s Bureau, the.United States Office of Education, the Extension Service of the Department of Agriculture, the Fed,oral Security Agency and private youth-serving agencies. The Corps is a means of Federal recognition of the contribution that boys and girls under l6 years of age are making to their own communities and, to the Nation.-,
As leaflet No? 5 in its School Children and the War series, the United States Office, of Education in July 19^3 issued, a publication, Training High-School Students for Wartime Service to Children?
24	' -.
To protect junior child-care aides giving volunteer service nr engaging in part-tine employment the Office of Civilian Defense in November l^Ug issued a folder, Protecting Junior Child-Care Aides (Publication 363!). The folder gives the recommendations- of the Office of Civilian defense, the Children’s Bureau, and the Office of Education, on hours of service, selection of volunteers, supervision, and conditions of service and calls.attention to the fact that hoys and.girls accepting part-tine employment mill he subject to child-labor Ians and policies for wartime enploynent of youth.
The Junior Citizens Service Corps has been established in some l4 States and in 156 local communities. Advisory committees of the Junior Citizens Service Corps have promoted. various types of volunteer services for youth, such as vzork in’ settlements and. playgrounds, the making of handicraft presents for men in service, and. other activities.
4-H Clubs.
Prom March 4 to 12, 1,700,000 farm boys and. girls in 30,000 4-H Clubs conducted their third wartime 4-H Mobilization Weeko Under the slogan ”Peed A Pighter nr More in 1944” they laid, plans for the fullest possible contribution to the war-food. and other vzartine programs both for themselves and for their clubs and invited, other farm boys and girls to join then.
Last year under the slogan, nPeed. A Pighter, ” 4-H Club members produced enough food to feed a million men in the armed forces, according to M.L. Wilson, director of extension vzork in the War Pood Administration.
4-H Clubs are located, in practically every county in the United States and. in Alaska. Havzaii, and. Puerto Hico. The clubs arc organized in groups of five or more members, each with a local volunteer leader. Under the supervision of county extension-service agents they raise livestock, grow crops, care for victory gard.ens, plan healthful meals, can food, and otherwise carry on farm and home projects in a scientific way* The 4-H‘s stand, for fullest development and use of head, heart, hand^. and health.