dren's Council. With this order and information the council selects from the many applicants for children from the farmers of the state a home which it thinks most suitable to this particular child. After satisfactory correspondence with the proposed foster home and a satisfactory arrangement in regard to the price of board and other details, the child is sent to this family in the care of one of the traveling officers of the Children's Council. If the child is of suitable age he is carefully instructed in his rights and duties and his relation to the Children's Council and the family in which he is placed to board. Some officer of the council becomes his special preceptor. His stay with the foster family is at first probationary. Personal likes and dislikes are taken into serious consideration. It often happens that a refractory or spoiled child tries two or three foster homes before one is found in which the adoption is successful. Only rarely, so the statistics show, is it necessary to send a ruined and spoiled boy or girl to the reformatory.

As soon as the child arrives at the home of the foster parents he is placed on the same footing as the other children in the family. He is required to do certain chores and learn the ways of the farm. He goes to school and is introduced to the teacher by his preceptor, and any matters in the history of the child relevant to his education or discipline are made known to his teacher. From that time on his attendance and deportment, as well as his scholarship and general culture, are reported at regular intervals to the council by the schoolmaster. The police officer or constable of the community is also made acquainted with the child, and his relation to the state and the foster family. It becomes his duty to report at once any irregularity which may come to his notice and to make regular reports to the Children's Council or the conduct and development of the child. Every community in which children are placed out to board by the council has a voluntary aid society, usually composed of women. The secretary of this society has previously recommended the home of this foster family to the Children's Council, and now undertakes to supervise, in a friendly way, the settling of the child in the home and the adjusting of any minor unpleasantnesses or irregularities occurring between the child and the members of the foster family. One of the officers of this voluntary aid society is an unpaid officer of the council, and is in a position to meet any unusual emergency. The child is also introduced to the official doctor of the community who becomes at once sponsor for the health of the child. He reports on the sanitary conditions and any sickness which he may be called on to attend in the foster family or of the child himself. It would seem that this was a sufficient safeguard to the interests of the child, but at regular intervals he is visited by his preceptor who learns verbally and by observation what the development of the child has been and what his needs are. Jealous neighbors also watch the interests of the child and frequently send anonymous letters giving information which is afterwards confirmed or disproved by open investigation. The amount paid for the care of the child varies with his age. Nursing children naturally require more care and a higher weekly board is necessary. Until 13 the child is kept at the expense of the state. At that time he is hired out, usually to his foster parents, and continues to work until 18. During the last two years he provides his own clothes. Three-fourths of his wages until he is 16 and afterward a smaller portion is deposited in the postal savings bank. The balance is paid monthly to the child. The wages begin at one shilling ($0.24), board and clothes, and rise to six shillings ($1.44) or more a week.

When the child is of age, or when a girl marries before she is of age, or when a boy wishes to learn a trade

or go to school in town, his savings are given to him under the advice and direction of the council. The advantage which these children receive from the home in which they are placed depends very largely on the age of the child when he comes into the care of the council and the character of the surroundings from which he is rescued.

The Children's Council also has the care of the institution in which delinquent and defective children are treated who are not orphans or dependent. The adoption of children under the care of the council is not encouraged. When it is permitted supervision does not cease until the child is mature. Parents who would farm their children out are not permitted to do so except to those who receive a license which costs a shilling a year and are under as strict supervisions as that which prevails with orphans. No person who is receiving aid from the state or who is desperately poor can receive a license, and under no circumstances is a woman allowed to take more than one baby. The regulations in regard to feeding and caring for the child are reasonably strict. Discrete, friendly and indefatigable supervision is furnished by the council. No difference is made between legitimate and illegitimate children.

This system has prevailed in South Australia for thirty years or more, and yet this is too short a time to demonstrate the end result of placing children in the natural surroundings of a home instead of the unnatural and dangerous surroundings of the orphanage. It is a matter of every-day observation that institutional children are physically, mentally and mortally poorly. adapted to the life of the world. Dr. Ward, who investigated the physical condition of the children in the English parish orphanages (Report of the Bureau of Education for the year 1897, page 230) made a report which ought to shake to the foundation every institution in which children are huddled together and unfitted for life and happiness.

The building of orphan asylums and the huddling together of children without the care, affection and interest of a family, is destructive to the health and evolution of the child and unfits him for independence and usefulness, by robbing him of the essential elements of social development. The death rate in baby farms and orphanages is notoriously high, not because the buildings are insanitary or the feeding inadequate, but because the dangers of contagion are multiplied and maternal care is impossible.

The placing out of children, with or without compensation, with or without adoption, where constant, intelligent and permanent after-inspection is not carried out, is unreliable, unsatisfactory and cruel and is unworthy the effort of the devoted and misguided enthusiasts and supporters of the homing societies.

The punishment of baby farmers, lying-in institutions, cruel foster-parents and other exploiters of children, is far less efficient and far more expensive than an intelligent, humane and alert inspection and supervision. The former cultivates and engenders wrong, ire and hate while it spoils the child. The latter curbs evil, encourages fair play and kindness and saves the child. The former is penal and destructive; the latter is educational and constructive.

Bayard Holmes, M.D.

Note.-Examiner will first pronounce the word, then define it or exemplify it in a sentence, then pronounce it again. Arithmetic:

1. Addition: simple example.

2. Out of a total number of 2,000 persons tried in the Juvenile Court, 365 were committed to institutions. What per cent of the total number were committed?

3. The cost of maintaining the County Hospital for one year was $469,386.00. The number of patients was 1,300. What was the per capita cost?

4. Divide 6,456,028 by 4,120.

5. Find the interest on $650.00 for 6 years and 4 months at 8 per cent. Letter-Writing:

Write a letter (not to exceed 250 words) to the Chief Probation Officer, making application for a position as probation officer, stating your qualifications.

5. What are the essential features of Compulsory Education law in Illinois?

(a) By what branch of government is it maintained?

(b) Give a typical case of truancy.

(c) The relation of the probation officer to this department.

6. What would you do if you found a homeless child in your district? What would you do in case it was afflicted with a contagious disease?

7. What would you recommend to the court in case of a boy of twelve who had thrown a snowball which had struck an irate citizen who had him arrested and brought before a police court? What would you recommend to the court in the case of a child who had been arrested for loitering on the railroad right-of-way?

8. What would you do if you found a girl of twelve whose father had deserted the family, whose mother was obliged to work away from home all day, who was found begging money in a saloon at two o'clock Monday afternoon?

(a)

(b)

What action would you take in this case?
What laws had been violated?

9. How would you proceed to investigate if you heard a rumor in your district of a boy of fifteen who had for two weeks stolen money from his employer, had spent it chiefly in taking a girl of fourteen to a five-cent theater and was suspected of improper relations with her? You further hear that a girl of twelve is a close companion of this girl of fourteen?

10. What are a few of the institutions in which dependent children are received? In which delinquent children are received?

Time, 9:15 to 10 p. m. Experience:

Note. In answering the following questions the applicants should give full details of experience, giving dates, period of service and other particulars. Any false statements made by applicant will be regarded as good cause for excluding said applicant from the eligible list, or for removal or discharge during the probation period thereafter.

Have you had experience as a probation officer or any similar position? If so, give term of service. .

Have you had any experience as a teacher in a public or private school-in kindergarten, social settlement, charitable or similar institution or organization?

Have you ever had any experience either as an employe or in connection with the management of a public institution? Are you now, or have you been

employed during the last five years; if so, in what line of work?

Have you had any other experience which, in your opinion, would tend to qualify you for the position of probation officer?

What is your age? Married or single? If mar'ried, how many children living under the age of fourteen?

EXAMINATION FOR CHIEF PROBATION OFFICER.

Penmanship:

As shown by Composition (Letter-Writing) paper. Spelling:

From dictation.

Arithmetic :

1. What percentage of indebtedness can be paid. with $45,000.00 when the liabilities are $65,000.00?

2. Find the interest on $800.00 at 5% for 3 years, 6 months and 25 days.

3. What will it cost to carpet a floor 28 ft. long and 17 ft. wide at $1.10 per square yard?

4. The total cost of maintenance of the Juvenile Court for the year 1907, the court working 110 days, was $24,000.00. Of this amount the county paid $14,000.00; the city, $8,000.00; private subscription, $2,800.00. The court disposed of cases as follows: Sent to Feehanville, 605; sent to John Worthy School, 245; sent to other schools, etc., 350; paroled, 625.

What was the cost per capita to the city? What was the cost per capita to the county? What percentage of cases disposed of were paroled?

What was the average number of cases disposed of per day?

5. If there are 600 inmates in the insane asylum and a like number in the infirmary, and the cost of maintaining the inmates at the asylum is one-third more than the cost of maintaining those in the infirmary, what would be the cost of maintaining each institution for one year, providing the cost of maintaining both institutions is $250,000.00?

Letter Writing:

Write a letter to the President of the County Board preferring charges against a probation officer, giving three instances of neglect of duty. Experience:

In answering the following questions the applicant should give full details of experience, giving dates, period of service and other particulars:

Have you had any experience as a probation officer or any similar experience? If so, give term of

service.

Have you had any experience as a teacher in a public or private school, or in any other profession?

Have you had any experience either as an employe or in connection with the management of a public institution? Are you now, or have you been em. ployed during the last five years? If so, in what line

of work?

Have you had any other experience, which, in your opinion, would tend to qualify you for the posi tion of chief probation officer? State what general education you have had. What is your age?

Duties:

1. Give the intent and purpose of the Juvenile Court law. Why was it considered unsatisfactory to take children's cases into the regular courts?

2. State other Illinois laws which are designed to apply to the children who are brought into the Juvenile Court.

3. How does the Juvenile Court at present obtain jurisdiction of the child?

4. What is the difference between a dependent and a delinquent child? What are the leading causes of dependency? Of delinquency?

5. (a) In what way can the Juvenile Court deal with the parents or guardians of dependent and delinquent children?

(b) How may the court dispose of the children in cases in which the parent or guardian is contributing to the delinquency?

6. (a) State fully your idea of the duties and qualifications of the chief probation officer.

(b) What are the duties of a district probation officer? A police probation officer? A volunteer probation officer? The relation of the chief probation officer to each?

7. (a) In your opinion could a chief probation officer collect statistics which might be useful in the prevention of crime?

(b) What points should such statistics cover? 8. Can you suggest any plan of organization which would more effectively deal with juvenile delinquency than the present one in this State?

9. Three children are found in a family; a girl of 17, a boy of 15 and a boy of 12. The father makes good wages but is careless about his family; the mother cannot control them. The girl attends saloon hall dances and stays out late at night. The oldest boy does not work and constantly frequents a certain pool room. The youngest boy is out of school weeks at a time.

ter. They gradually tore away all of the brass fittings and valuable fixtures, which they sold to a junk dealer. All the boys are brought into the Juvenile Court, where it is, discovered that the 15-year-old boy had been twice in the John Worthy School, the 12year-old boy was under parole from the St. Charles' School for Boys, the 13-year-old boy had lately been paroled from the Parental School, the 17-year old boy had never been in trouble before, the boy of 14 had been in the Juvenile Court three different times, and each time placed on probation to three different offiHe appeared to be the ringleader. What investigation would you make? What action would you take as chief probation officer?

TEXAS.

The judges of the State are working hard under the new Juvenile Court Law to get it in active operation in the different counties and are doing much to better the condition of children, but they find a great necessity for State or other Industrial institutions to which Delinquents may be committed.

PHILADELPHIA, PA.

Millions for Orphans.

Charitable societies throughout the country looking for an institution in which orphan girls six to ten years old may be educated will be interested in learning that Robert W. Carson who died recently at a theater in Philadelphia, left $5,000,000 for such an establishment, the bequest to become effective on the death of his widow.

The will is almost identical with that of Stephen Girard's, who founded the largest college of its kind in the world. Like Girard's will, Mr. Carson's bequest provides that the institution shall not be controlled by any religious denomination, and that no religious services shall be held there that are peculiar or exclusive to any church.

The girls are to be carefully instructed in the fundamental doctrines of Christianity, and no clergyman of any sect is to be excluded from the grounds, but there is to be no proselyting or reference to any peculiar tenets or belief expressed before the pupils. The management of the college is to be intrusted to a board of seven trustees, who are to be appointed by the executors and trustees of the will.

The college will be open to all poor white girls both of whose parents are dead. In the matter of admission preference is to be given equally to girls born in the city of Philadelphia or in Montgomery county, which adjoins that city. After that admissions are to be to those born in the state of Pennsylvania and lastly to those born in the United States.

The age of admission is between six and ten years and of discharge from the college at eighteen or earlier, if the trustees deem it for the best interest and advantage of the girls.

Plans for the greater care of defective children in

the public schools have been suggested to Doctor Brumbaugh, the Superintendent of Schools by. Dr. Walter S. Cornell, one of the assistant medical inspectors of the schools. No steps have been taken to place them in practical operation, but Doctor Brumbaugh and Dr. C. A. Abbott, of the Bureau of Health, have approved of the general scheme, says the Public Ledger.

Continued watching of each child through its progress through school life is the first thing provided for in this plan. Doctor Cornell would accomplish this by creating special classes for those suffering

from physical defects and for the unruly child, separating the two. He would like to see a neurologist who had devoted himself especially in addition to the present staff of medical inspectors, and, to aid the physician, a corps of nurses.

It would be the business of the nurse to follow the child to its home and impress upon the parent the need for special treatment and, if necessary, to take the child herself to a dispensary for treatment.

"Many of the children in the schools are now suffering from physical defects which may be removed with proper attention," said Doctor Cornell yesterday, "but the medical inspectors are handicapped by the fact that each has so many children to see that he probably does not see each child more than once a year."