Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 3.djvu/801

 THE RELIEF AND CARE OF DEPENDENTS 787

commit children abused or neglected by their parents or brought up in evil associations to these homes. It is the duty of the township trustees to report all such children to the court for commitment. When committed, they become the wards of the trustees of the homes. These homes are to be used as temporary refuges, and it is made the duty of the boards to use due dili- gence in finding family homes for children placed in them. When placed with families, the children are to be visited at least once a year and a report made to the county commissioners. The state board of charities is to appoint one or more agents to cooperate with the boards of the county homes in finding family homes for children and in visiting such as are placed beyond the limits of the county. The agents may also receive children directly from the court and the county commissioners, and find homes for them. Each county home is to report monthly to the state board of charities and the county commissioners the num- ber received during the previous month. 1

Six states Michigan, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Kansas, and Colorado have what is commonly known as the "Michigan system." In 1875 Michigan provided for a state public school, in which all the dependent minors of sound mind and body were to find a temporary home and school, and from which they were to be placed out, their guardianship being vested in the board of control of the state institution.

As Michigan's law now stands, all indigent children between the ages of two and twelve, of sound mind and free from bodily disease, are not to be retained in the almshouse, but, if there is sufficient room, sent to the state public school. The superin- tendents of the poor are to report all indigent minors to the probate judge. The fact of a child's dependence is established by the court, the parents of the child being notified of the cedure and having the right to appear in defense of their rights to the child. When the fact of its dependence is established, the child is examined by the county physician and, if found to be normal and free from contagious disease, is then committed

Act of February 23, 1897.