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 Special Bulletin No. 7 
 
 Issued by the 
 
 North Carolina State Board of Charities and Public Welfare 
 
 kate burr johnson, commissioner 
 
 raleigh. n. c. 
 
 1926 
 
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North Carolina 
 State Board of Charities and PubHc Welfare 
 
 HANDBOOK ON 
 MOTHERS' AID 
 
 Special Bulletin No. 7 
 
 Issued by the 
 
 North Carolina State Board of Charities and Public Welfare 
 
 KATE burr JOHNSON, COMMISSIONER 
 RALEIGH. N. C. 
 
 1926 
 
GOAL 
 
 "Our goal is the development of the personality 
 and character of the children under our care; we 
 believe that the family is the natural cradle 
 wherein the adequate growth of human beings may 
 be best fulfilled ; and we discover that development 
 within the framework of the family is dependent 
 upon the proper functioning of the growing child 
 in relation to six fundamental factors: health, 
 education, work, recreation, worship, and beauty. 
 Each of the elements of normal living must corre- 
 late in some kind of rythmic fashion to render life 
 harmonious and significant; and it is our duty to 
 aid these children to function wholesomely on all 
 six planes, for if one of these six elements be miss- 
 ing, the child's future will be crippled and dis- 
 torted." 
 
 Mary F. Bogue, 
 
 Director Mothers' Assistance Fund, 
 
 Harrishurg, Penn. 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Foreword 4 
 
 I. The Statutes 6 
 
 II. The Mothers' Aid Law 8 
 
 III. Administration 10 
 
 IV. Investigation 13 
 
 Y. Application Blanl^ and Typical History 16 
 
 Summaries of Actual Cases Showing Different Types of Constructive 
 
 Work 25 
 
 \I. Records 29 
 
 VII. Financial Report 33 
 
 VIII. Grants to Mothers 35 
 
 Schedule for Estimating Family Budgets in Mothers' Assistance 
 
 Cases 38 
 
 IX. Summary of 206 Cases of Mothers' Aid 43 
 
 Appendix 60 
 
 X. Child Labor Laws 61 
 
 
FOREWORD 
 
 TMs Handbook, it is hoped, will find a place on the desk of every 
 county superintendent of welfare administering Mothers' Aid. Hereto- 
 fore this information has been sent out in form letters which were all 
 too easily mislaid, or lost, and much time and postage has been need- 
 lessly wasted because of applications sent in only partially filled out and 
 before the applicants had been fully investigated. 
 
 It is believed that if every superintendent of welfare and member of 
 a county board of welfare will carefully study this little handbook that 
 much time and touble will be saved the applicant, the county officials, 
 and the State Director. 
 
 Special thanks are due Mr. George Lawrence, of the School of Public 
 Welfare at Chapel Hill, for his study of two hundred cases, and Mrs. 
 Kathleen B. Holding, secretary of the Mothers' Aid Department, for 
 her help in compiling this material. The Manual for Mothers' Aid 
 Assistance Fund of Pennsylvania, prepared by Miss Mary P. Bogue, 
 has been of great assistance in writing this bulletin. 
 
 The Handbook, it is hoped, will also be of benefit to social workers 
 in the State, other than superintendents of welfare, who are seeking 
 help in problems of family welfare. 
 
 Emeth Tuttle, 
 Director of Mothers' Aid. 
 
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I. THE STATUTES 
 
 [Public Laws, Session 1923] 
 CHAPTER 260 
 
 AN ACT TO AID NEEDY ORPHAN CHILDREN IN THE HOMES OF 
 WORTHY MOTHERS . , 
 
 The General AssemMy of North Carolina do enact: 
 
 Section 1. That the boards of county commissioners of the several counties 
 of the State are hereby authorized, in their discretion, to make an allowance 
 to any eligible mother (as hereinafter explained and defined) for her support, 
 where she is left with a child or children under fourteen years of age, under 
 the conditions hereinafter set forth. 
 
 Sec. 2. That the county board of charities and public welfare of any 
 county, after investigation by the county superintendent of welfare, may 
 determine what amount within the provisions of this act is advisable for the 
 care of a child or children, and shall recommend to the board of county com- 
 missioners that an appropriation be made for the support of such mother and 
 child or childreai under fourteen years of age. 
 
 Sec. 3. That the maximum amount to be allowed per month under this act 
 shall not exceed fifteen dollars for one child, ten dollars additional for the 
 second child, and five dollars additional for the third child, or any excess of 
 three : Provided, the total amount shall not exceed forty dollars, except in 
 extraordinary circumstances in which it appears to the satisfaction of the 
 board of county commissioners that a total of forty dollars per month would 
 be insufliicient to secure the purposes above set forth. 
 
 Sec 4. That to be eligible to apply for mother's aid a woman must be the 
 mother of a child or children under fourteen years of age, a resident of the 
 State of North Carolina for three years, and a resident of the county for one 
 year preceding, and possessed of sufficient mental, moral, and physical fitness 
 to be capable of maintaining a home for herself and child or children and 
 prevented only from lack of means. Such person must be either a widow, 
 or divorced, or deserted, if it be found impossible to require the husband to 
 support her, or the husband is found to be mentally or physically incapacitated 
 to support his family, or if the husband be confined in any jail and assigned 
 to work the roads of any county or in any penal or eleemosynary institution, 
 provided no relative is able and willing to undertake sufficient aid : Provided, 
 that if the mother is given partial aid or assistance by any relative or charit- 
 able organization, the board of county commissioners, in their discretion, may 
 make allowance to such mother to help out the same where it may be neces- 
 sary, in their opinion and judgment. 
 
 Sec. 5. That any board of county commissioners taking advantage of the 
 provisions of this statute may require that the report of the investigation of 
 the county superintendent of welfare in every case shall be presented to and 
 approved by the judge of the juvenile court in that county before making an 
 appropriation. 
 
 Sec 6. That the State Board of Charities and Public Welfare shall have 
 general oversight of the administration of this act with the view to making 
 it uniform throughout the State ; shall furnish all necessary blanks and give 
 such advice and help as it can in order to aid in efficiently securing its pur- 
 pose. The county superintendent of public welfare shall make his report on 
 any case to the board of county commissioners in duplicate, one copy of which 
 shall be forwarded at once, with the action of the board of county commis- 
 sioners endorsed thereon, to the State Board of Charities and Public Welfare 
 and one filed by the board of county commissioners with its records in the 
 case. The State Board of Charities and Public W^elfare shall at once notify 
 
State Board of Charities and Public Welfare 7 
 
 the board of county commissioners its approval or disapproval for reimburse- 
 ment as provided in section eight of this act, and the said board may suggest 
 additional requirements for the consideration of the board of county com- 
 missioners. 
 
 Sec. 7. That after investigation by the county welfare officer, when the 
 board of county commissioners shall adjudge that a mother is entitled to aid 
 under this act, said board of county commissioners shall determine the monthly 
 amount that the board of county commissioners may allow and order its 
 treasurer in writing to pay said amount to the person designated by it and 
 continue the same monthly until the order be changed or the expiration of 
 the time for which the order is limited. 
 
 Sec. 8. That at the end of each fiscal quarter the treasurer of the county 
 wherein aid has been granted shall furnish an itemized statement in each 
 case of amounts paid, duly certified by him under oath, to the State Board of 
 Charities and Public Welfare. If each case thereon shall have been approved 
 by the State Board of Charities and Public Welfare and all required regula- 
 tions of this act shall have been fulfilled, the State Board of Charities and 
 Public Welfare shall certify the account to the State Treasurer, whereupon 
 the State Treasurer shall immediately make out and forward to such county 
 treasurer his voucher for one-half of the total amount certified as having 
 actually been paid out by the county. Such voucher shall be made out against 
 any fund in the treasury not otherwise appropriated: Provided, the total 
 amount for the State shall not exceed a maximum of fifty thousand dollars 
 ($50,000) per year, to be apportioned among all the counties on a per capita 
 basis : Provided, that the proportionate share of any county not availing 
 itself as above provided by this act shall remain in the hands of the State 
 Treasurer until otherwise appropriated. 
 
 Sec. 9. That all laws and clauses of laws in conflict with the provisions 
 of this act are hereby repealed. 
 
 Sec. 10. That this act shall be in force from and after its ratification. 
 
 Ratified this the 26th day of February, A.D. 1923. 
 
 [Public Laws, Session 1925] 
 
 CHAPTER 292 
 
 AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 5067 (h), CONSOLIDATED STATUTES, 
 VOLUME III, IN REGARD TO THE APPORTIONMENT OF THE 
 MOTHERS' AID FUND. 
 
 The Q-eneral Assembly of North Carolina do enact: 
 
 Section 1. That section 5067 (h) of the Consolidated Statutes, Volume III, 
 1924, be and the same is hereby amended by striking out that part of the last 
 sentence of said section, beginning with the word "provided" after the words 
 "per capita basis," in line 13 and continuing to the end of the section, and by 
 substituting in lieu thereof the following: Provided, that if the boards of 
 county commissioners of any county shall fail to enter into an agreement 
 with the State, on or before the first Monday of June, 1925, or on or before 
 the first Monday in June of any succeeding year, that they will meet the 
 State apportionment for Mothers' Aid in such counties for the ensuing fiscal 
 year, in accordance with the provisions of this act, then the amount appor- 
 tioned to that county shall revert to the general Mothers' Aid Fund and be 
 available for apportionment to the counties complying with the provisisons of 
 this act, on the basis of the population of these counties. 
 
 Sec. 2. That all laws and clauses of laws in conflict with this act be and 
 the same are hereby repealed. 
 
 Sec. 3. That this act shall be in force from and after its ratification. 
 
11. THE MOTHERS' AID LAW 
 
 PURPOSE OF THE LAW 
 
 The idea incorporated in the various Mothers' Aid laws that have- 
 been passed by forty-two states in the past fourteen years is that 
 Motherhood, in its truest sense, is of financial value to the State. It 
 seems strange that through the years we have been admonished to visit 
 the widows and the fatherless in their affliction and to minister unto 
 them — and that our response has been to take the children immediately 
 and put them in an institution if space could be found. The Mothers' 
 Aid laws are proof that citizens have realized that to break up a home 
 of any sort is a delicate social-surgical operation, but to break up a home 
 for poverty alone is a crime. 
 
 To give a widow a definite sum of money once a month to care for 
 her children is only the letter of the law. The spirit takes in the reali- 
 zation of the mother's and children's lack of the father and all that his 
 character and presence meant in the home. The Mothers' Aid Fund 
 cannot supply this need, but the superintendents of welfare can, through 
 friendly visits and with the assistance of the county boards of welfare, 
 help in every way possible to make the family life normal. 
 
 The Mothers' Aid law is not perfect. Already several amendments 
 are contemplated, but it is a big step forward in child welfare in ITorth 
 Carolina. Whether it is succeeding in the various counties administer- 
 ing it depends upon the interest taken in the work by the people of the 
 counties. Well administered it is capable of much good, poorly admin- 
 istered it is dangerous. At its best it is a wonderful, constructive agency, 
 capable of taking its place with the best of the forces for conserving the 
 childhood of the State. 
 
 Policies 
 
 At the Public Welfare Institutes at the University of x^orth Carolina 
 in 1924-1925 vexing problems of Mothers' Aid were discussed and the 
 following policies adopted by the superintendents of public welfare. 
 
 Desertion 
 
 The law is very elastic in regard to desertion cases. This laxity had 
 made it hard for officials to know when a desertion is a desertion. It 
 was decided that if a man's desertion had extended over twelve months 
 and all efforts to locate him had failed, the mother might make applica- 
 tion for aid. 
 
 Physical Disability 
 
 The law is indefinite in regard to physical disability. This point, it 
 was decided, must rest upon the findings of a thorough physical examina- 
 tion by a reputable physician and the written report of the examination 
 must accompany the application. 
 
 Furthermore, it was agreed that no case could be considered for 
 Mothers' Aid with active tuberculosis, or other infectious or contagious 
 
State Boakd of Charities and Public "Welfare 9 
 
 disease in the home. Plans must be worked out for caring for this situa- 
 tion outside the home before the case is approved. 
 
 Property 
 
 The amount of property a woman may own was discussed. It was 
 
 decided to study the question individually and decide upon its merits as 
 
 in the past. 
 
 Roomer 
 
 The superintendents ruled strongly against the "one-man roomer." 
 
 Immorality 
 
 It was agreed to make careful and patient inquiry into rumors relat- 
 ing to immorality about any woman receiving aid. If the evidence is 
 sufficient to remove a mother from the list, the reasons for such action 
 should be explained to the mother and her case either referred to some 
 other agency or provision made for the children. 
 
 Adequate Grants 
 
 The question of adequate grants was discussed and the superintend- 
 ents agreed to educate their commissioners and committees to the wisdom 
 of helping families as adequately as possible — not spreading the money 
 as thinly as possible. 
 
 Discontinuing 
 
 Because of indefinite statement in the law regarding discontinuing a 
 case, it was agreed that no change should be made in the status of a case 
 except upon investigation by the superintendent, discussion by the board 
 of welfare, and recommendations to county commissioners and to the 
 State. The State office either accepts the recommendations or appeals 
 to the county for further investigation. This policy will relieve the 
 superintendent, or the county commissioners, of personal responsibility. 
 
 This does not apply to cases where the mother remarries or the hus- 
 band returns from a State institution or chain-gang, after desertion, or 
 when a mother leaves the State. Such cases come off automatically, but 
 should be verified before information is sent to the State office. If a 
 mother moves from one county to another the county of her last resi- 
 dence may continue to aid her as long as she needs help up to twelve 
 months. 
 
 Vouchers 
 
 Because of much misunderstanding in regard to the quarterly vouchers 
 the State office agreed to mail to each superintendent administering aid 
 the THREE voucher forms during the last month of the quarter. The 
 superintendents agreed to fill out the vouchers properly, have them 
 signed by the county treasurer, and return all THREE copies to the 
 State office. 
 
HI. ADMINISTRATION 
 
 Section 2 of the bill reads, "That the county board of charities and 
 public welfare of any county, after investigation by the county superin- 
 tendent of public welfare, may determine what amount, within the 
 provisions of this act, is advisable for the care of a child or children, 
 and shall recommend to the board of county commissioners that an 
 appropriation be made for the support of such mother and child or 
 children under fourteen years of age." 
 
 A Community Problem 
 
 The administration of Mothers' Aid is therefore a community respon- 
 sibility first. 
 
 County Superintendent of Welfare 
 
 It rests with the superintendents of public welfare to make a thorough 
 investigation of the mother herself, her family, home, relatives, and 
 people who know her in her present home or at previous addresses. 
 Members of the county board of welfare and commissioners may be con- 
 sulted as references, as well as persons listed under "Eligibility." 
 
 County Board of Welfare 
 
 When the investigation is complete the superintendent is expected to 
 present the case at the regular meeting of his board of welfare and go 
 over the application blank with them. The board members are expected, 
 in their turn, to read and discuss the applications and to decide whether 
 or not to ask the commissioners for aid. If the meeting of the board of 
 welfare is held a few days preceding the meeting of the board of com- 
 missioners, much time and trouble will be saved. In several counties in 
 the State not having a superintendent of public welfare the board of 
 welfare is so much interested in the work that one of its members makes 
 the investigations and does the visiting. 
 
 County Commissioners 
 
 The commissioners' work is to hear the findings of the county board 
 in regard to the amount the mother needs and to decide what the grant 
 will be. This relieves them of all responsibility, except that of seeing 
 that the county treasurer makes out the checks to each mother each 
 month and sends in his voucher for reimbursement to the State, quar- 
 terly. 
 
 There has been a great deal of misunderstanding in the past about the 
 above points. Much of it is due to the fact that county officials have 
 not read the law. Perhaps if at the next meeting of his board the 
 county superintendent would read the entire law it would be of great 
 benefit. 
 
 First Monday is a very busy day. Commissioners want things cut 
 and dried. Instead of taking up time with circumstances of a case, or, 
 
State Board of Charities and Public Welfare 11 
 
 on tlie other hand, just asking for so mucli for a Mothers' Aid case, 
 present a case very briefly : "Mrs. S. of Holly, R. F. D. ^o. 1, a widow 
 with four children, has applied to the county board of welfare for 
 Mothers' Aid. We have gone into the merits of the case thoroughly and 
 recommend that she he granted $35 a month. I have the application 
 here for your signature and will be glad to answer any questions." 
 
 The same form should be observed in reducing or increasing or dis- 
 continuing a grant. 
 
 A letter similar to the one suggested below should be promptly mailed 
 to each mother as she is put on the list : 
 
 Dear Mrs : — Your application for Mothers' Aid has been duly 
 
 presented to the county commissioners of County, and to the 
 
 State Board of Charities and Public Welfare. We are glad to inform you 
 
 that beginning with the month of you will receive a check for 
 
 $ each month from the county treasurer for your county and State 
 
 grant. This grant will continue until such time as it appears upon further 
 investigation, and with your knowledge, that a change should be made." 
 
 (Signed) Superintendent Public Welfare. 
 
 If this grant is changed or discontinued, then a personal letter should 
 be sent setting forth reasons for the change. 
 
 These little courtesies would mean a great deal to these mothers and 
 would take very little time. 
 
 Procedure of Superintendent of Public AVelfare in Administering 
 
 Mothers' Aid 
 
 To assist the mother in making application. 
 
 To make investigation of home and references at request of county 
 board of public welfare. 
 
 To give this report in writing, according to outline submitted by State 
 Board, to the county board for approval, sending originals and dupli- 
 cates of such cases as county board approves to State Department. 
 
 To keep in touch with the family through : 
 
 a. Monthly visits. 
 
 b. School attendance. 
 
 c. Working certificates. 
 
 To keep in close touch with the board of public welfare through dis- 
 cussions of various problems in Mothers' Aid cases and to secure their 
 help. 
 
 To help in plans to keep ambitious, bright children in school after 
 they reach fourteen years. 
 
 To find suitable work for children coming of working age. 
 
 To find suitable work, preferably in the home, for mother, if necessary. 
 
 To put mother in touch with all county and State agencies, health, 
 educational, recreational, religious, that will aid family. 
 
12 Handbook on Mothers' Aid 
 
 To clieck over family budget every six months, at least, and maintain, 
 reduce, reject or increase; to make report to the county commissioners 
 and to report their action to State Department. 
 
 To preserve in every way possible the self-respect of the mother, avoid- 
 ing any implication of charity, emphasizing the idea of partnership 
 between the mother and the State. 
 
IV. INVESTIGATION 
 
 The very first point to be considered in an applicant for Mothers' Aid 
 is the woman's own eligibility under the law. If this is not settled at 
 the beginning of the investigation, time, and sometimes money, is lost. 
 It is a reflection on the superintendent of welfare to make a superficial 
 and hurried investigation and then "to find out something" about the 
 w^oman after she has been receiving aid several months that makes it 
 imperative to drop her. Many superintendents who have lived in their 
 counties for years know the type and character of their clients, thor- 
 oughly, but do not know the details that are necessary if the family is 
 to be helped wisely. 
 
 To be eligible : 
 
 1. "A woman must be the mother of a child or chiklren luider fourteen 
 years of age." 
 
 2. "A woman must be a resident of the State of North Carolina for three 
 years and a resident of the county for one year preceding." (In a few coun- 
 ties officials have continued aiding mothers on their list a few months after 
 the mother has moved into another county. This is legally right, because 
 she is a resident of that county until she establishes residence elsewhere. 
 It is economically right, because the mothers have moved with the coopeation 
 of superintendents of welfare in order that they might improve living condi- 
 tions and become self-supporting.) 
 
 3. "A woman must be possessed of sufficient mental, moral and physical 
 fitness to be capable of maintaining a home for herself and children and 
 prevented only from lack of means. (Under Grants to Mothers will be found 
 an explanation of what we mean by 'home.' It will readily be seen that the 
 pauper type of woman is not the kind intended for Mothers' Aid.) 
 
 4. "Such a person must be either a widow, or divorced, or deserted, if it be 
 found impossible to require the husband to support her, or the husband is 
 found to be mentally or physically incapacitated to support his family, or if 
 the husband be confined in any jail and assigned to work the roads of any 
 county or in any penal or eleemosynary institution, provided no relative is 
 able to and willing to undertake suflScient aid : Provided, that if the mother 
 is given partial aid or assistance by any charitable organization the board of 
 'jounty commissioners, in their discretion, may make allowance to such mother 
 to help out the same where it may be necessary in their opinion and judgment." 
 
 The above points must be verified by court and institutional records. A 
 further discussion is found under "Policies." 
 
 If Associated Charities, Red Cross, or other organization has dealt with the 
 family, a summary of the history should be secured. If the county has a 
 confidential exchange, this will be a mere matter of form. If there is no 
 confidential exchange, then a request for this information, in order to avoid 
 duplication of effort, will help show the need of centralizing the family 
 case work. 
 
 Teachers, preachers, church visitors, relatives, employers — past and present — 
 doctors, rural mail carriers, "the leading man in the community," and the 
 "time merchant" should be interviewed. This not only to get information, 
 but to acquaint them informally with the value of the work and to secure 
 their interest and help. 
 
 Following is suggested an outline that may be of help in making an investi- 
 gation in a family applying for aid : 
 
14 Handbook on Mothers' Aid 
 
 A (1). The Husband's Death. 
 
 1. Circumstances ; cause and date of death, verify. 
 
 2. How long was he ill? Name and address of doctor. 
 A (2). The Husband's Desertion, 
 
 1. Why? When? 
 
 2. What efforts have been made to locate him and secure support for 
 
 his children? 
 
 A (3). The Husband's Commitment to State Hospital. 
 
 1. Date of commitment. Physician in charge. Place. 
 
 2. Diagnosis (obtain from a physician). 
 
 8. Influence of man's condition on family — depressing or disturbing? 
 A (4). The Husband's Commitment to Penal Institution. 
 
 1. Date. Session of Court. Judge. 
 
 2. Cause of sentence. Length of sentence. (No case with sentence 
 
 of less than one year eligible.) 
 A (5). The Husband's Permanent and Total Disability. 
 
 1. Diagnosis and prognosis from reputable physician. (Does doctor 
 
 believe everything possible has been done for man? What does 
 he suggest?) 
 
 2. Is there likelihood of more children if man stays at home? 
 
 B. Sources of Help and Information. 
 
 Relatives — names and circumstances of nearby relatives. Distant rela- 
 tives. What plans do they suggest? How will they help in carrying 
 them out? 
 
 Church and other social agencies. Does the pastor know family person- 
 ally? What financial help does the church give? 
 
 What other agencies, social or fraternal, are interested in the family? 
 Do they advise Mothers' Aid, or do they think children should be re- 
 moved and placed elsewhere? 
 
 Employers, friends. What help and information can they give? 
 
 C. Background and Married Life. 
 
 1. Man's ancestry — education, reputation as he was growing up, early em- 
 
 ployment. 
 
 2. Woman's ancestry — education, reputation before marriage, employment 
 
 before marriage. 
 
 3. Married life — how long had man and woman known each other? Finan- 
 
 cial conditions under which they set up housekeeping? Did wife have 
 regular amount to spend or did husband do all the managing and 
 buying? 
 
 4. Was married life happy? Reputation as a father. Physical defects. 
 
 5. Is there any history of drunkenness, tuberculosis, immorality, insanity, 
 
 feeble-mindedness, epilepsy, on the man's side? 
 
 6. Did he ever have a court record? Why? 
 
 D. Mother. 
 
 1. Character and ability. 
 
 a. Is she temperate? Resourceful? Optimistic? 
 
 b. Is she thrifty? Does she buy and cook nourishing food? What is her 
 
 idea of a good daily menu? 
 
 c. Condition of house, mother and children, as regards cleanliness and 
 
 order. 
 
 d. Does she give the children religious training? 
 
 e. Is there any history of immorality, drunkenness, insanity, feeble- 
 
 mindedness, epilepsy, tuberculosis, physical defects in mother's 
 family ? 
 
State Board of Charities and Public Welfare 15 
 
 f. Are there curtains, rugs, pictures, books, flowers in the home? 
 
 g. Does she take part in community activities? 
 
 E. Children. 
 
 1. Individual characteristics and ambitions. 
 
 a. Are they obedient and helpful? Can the mother control them, espe- 
 
 cially the boys? 
 
 b. Are there juvenile court records? Why? 
 
 c. Do they like their school and teachers? If not, why? Are they re- 
 
 tarded? Why? Irregularity, sickness, sub-normality? Do they 
 want to stop at fourteen ? 
 
 d. Do they attend Sunday School? 
 
 e. Do they belong to church societies. Scouts, or other recreational 
 
 groups 
 
 f. Have any of the children special talents or ambitions? 
 
 g. What are the mother's plans for their future? 
 
 h. If there are grown children in the home, what do they think of their 
 mother's receiving aid? Are they doing their part? 
 2. Others in the home. Relation to the family? 
 
 a. What is their effect on the home life? 
 
 b. Should other arrangements be made for them? 
 
 F, Present Environment. 
 
 1. What is the character of the neighborhood? Where do the children play? 
 
 2. Condition of the house, roof, plastering, type of water supply? 
 
 3. Are there separate sleeping rooms for boys and girls above twelve years 
 
 of age? Number of beds? Is bedding clean and sufficient? Are 
 rooms airy and sunny? 
 
 4. How does the standard of living compare with that when the man was 
 
 alive? 
 
 G. Health of Mother and Children. 
 
 1. Mother's physical condition — make sijecial inquiry as to decayed teeth, 
 
 headaches or eye trouble, back ache, goitre, uterine trouble, varicose 
 veins, cough, throat. 
 
 2. Children. 
 
 a. Mental and physical condition of each. Was he normal at birth? 
 
 Tonsils and adenoids, bad teeth, frequent colds, eye trouble, ear 
 trouble, skin eruptions, malnutrition? 
 
 b. How much milk does family use daily? Source of supply? 
 
 e. If physical examinations seem necessary, they should be made and 
 reports sent in with application if the county has health officer. 
 Otherwise they can be made and followed up as quickly as possible. 
 In cases where there is a history of T.B. or V.D. examinations are 
 required of every member of the family. 
 
 d. Does any member of the family need institutional care? 
 
 e. Work problems. Has mother time for some remunerative work at 
 
 home? Outside? (See chapter on Home Occupations.) 
 
 note. — Miss Richmond's Questionnaire on "The Widow with Children," and Miss Bogue's 
 Manual have been of great help in preparing these questions. 
 
V. APPLICATION BLANK AND TYPICAL HISTORY 
 
 NOTE 
 
 The application for Mothers' Aid and history following was adapted 
 from an actual case in a superintendent's office. All names of persons 
 and places are changed. 
 
 To a superintendent with no clerical help such a record may look very 
 long, but when he considers that with the exception of the hours neces- 
 sary in filling out the application and writing the accompanying history 
 the remainder was written over a period of two years it does not seem 
 too hard to do. Certainly the mother is entitled to as definite a record 
 as this. 
 
 State Boaed of Charities and Public Welfare 
 
 Application for Mothers' Aid from Mothers' Aid Fund of North Carolina 
 
 (STATE... 
 
 Case No i 
 
 [County No. 3 
 
 Name of County Supt. of Welfare 
 
 Surname: Rockwell. Date: April 15, 1924. 
 
 1. Address, city, town, street number, R. F. D.: Oak City, R. F. D. 1 (About ten miles 7iortheast, near 
 
 L. L. Branch). 
 
 2. Mother's name: Lizzie McRae Rockwell. Date of birth: June 28, 1885. Birthplace: Person County. 
 
 Religion: Methodist. 
 
 3. Husband's full name: William Hardison Rockwell. Date of birth: June 27, 1888. Birthplace: Person 
 
 County. Religion: Presbyterian. Occupation: Farmer. Name other organizations he belonged 
 to: Tobacco Cooperative Association. 
 
 4. Is he dead, imprisoned, disabled, or deserting? Dead. Cause: Bronchial asthma. Place; Oak City, 
 
 R. F. D. 1. Date: Feb. 15, 1924. Is he an ex-service man? ... With what organization? 
 
 Verified how? 
 
 5. Date and place of marriage: Sept. 20, 1914; Oak City, R. F. D. 1. Verified how? Register of Deeds 
 
 Office, Person County. 
 
 6. Date and place of any previous marriage: Verified how? 
 
 Termination: Cause: 
 
 7. Is man living, where? Verified how? 
 
 8. Length of mother's residence in county: Life. In State: Life. 
 
 9. Children under 14; where they are, and why: 
 
 Name 
 
 Date of Birth 
 
 School 
 
 Grade 
 
 Defects 
 
 Willie, Jr. 
 
 Apr. 8, 1916 
 Mar. 1, 1918 
 Apr. 14,1920 
 Nov. 16, 1921 
 
 Laurel 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 Ruptured 
 
 James Byrd 
 
 Laurel 
 
 Normal 
 
 Pearl 
 
 Bad tonsils 
 
 Bell .. 
 
 
 
 Healthy 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 . 
 
 
 
 10. Children above fourteen (if not living at home 
 
 state where and why): 
 
 
 Name 
 
 Age 
 
 Employer 
 
 Address 
 
 Weekly 
 Wages 
 
 Contribution 
 to Family 
 Expenses 
 
 None 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
State Boaed of Charities and Public Welfare 
 
 n. Others in household: 
 
 17 
 
 Name 
 
 Age 
 
 Relationship 
 
 Income 
 
 Contribution 
 to Family 
 Expenses 
 
 Garland McRap 
 
 18 
 
 Nephew 
 
 Works on farm in 
 
 busy season. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 12. Mother's occupation: Farmino and housekeeping. At home? Yes. Weekly earnings, $ See No. 13. 
 
 Number days and hours away from home: How are children cared for in absence? 
 
 Employer's name and address: 
 
 13. Important— Answer as fully 
 
 as possibl 
 
 
 
 
 Average Income Covering 
 Six Months Period 
 
 Paid to 
 Mother 
 
 Amount 
 of Income 
 Monthly 
 
 Expenditures of Family for the 
 Month of Application 
 
 Amount 
 
 Names and ages of children 
 
 .« 
 
 S 
 
 Taxes, insurance. Interest 
 
 $ 1.50 
 
 working 
 (11 
 
 Food 
 
 Medicine and doctor 
 
 Fuel and light {kerosene) 
 
 Clothes — repairs 
 
 Shoes — repairs 
 
 14.50 
 1.00 
 
 (2) 
 
 
 1.00 
 
 (3) 
 
 
 
 5.00 
 
 
 
 10.00 
 1.63 
 
 16.17 
 
 3.50 
 
 
 
 
 Stock Feed -. 
 
 8.00 
 
 300 lbs. meat, $75.00 
 
 
 2.75 
 
 Other sources: Irregular assistant 
 relatives and friends in food ana 
 
 e from 
 
 Total 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 27.80 
 
 37.25 
 
 
 
 
 Amount requested from county and State for family to live respectably, $20.00. 
 
 14. Liabilities, mortgages, nature, creditors, addresses: Mortgage, $200.00 on home. House unfinished, 
 
 walled in, no partitions. Well to be dug; rocks on the ground. 
 
 15. Property, real estate, business equipment, loan or cash value of insurance, money, food, clothing 
 
 on hand: One mule, one cow, 25 hens, 4 turkeys, 1 small pig, small farm equipment, household fur- 
 nishings, wagon and buggy. 
 
 16. Number of rooms, and condition as to safety and sanitation: 5 rooms when divided. Number beds, 
 
 4. Is kitchen equipment adequate? Yes; good stove. 
 
 17. Church and Sunday School attended by children: Sapling Ridge. 
 
 18. Mother: Education — About sixth grade education. Industrious, resourceful, ambitious, determined to 
 
 make the best of a poor situation. Any training other than school work? No definite training, but 
 knowledge of sewing, embroidering, quilting, preserving, cooking. Business ability (illustrate): Sells 
 chickens, eggs, sews, and keeps her accounts. Hopes to develop turkey raising into an industry. 
 Evidences of culture and attractiveness in home (rugs, curtains, pictures, magazines, etc.): Cur- 
 tains, rugs, counterpanes, etc., made by mother; pictures and magazines in evidence. Health: Fairly 
 good health except that teeth need attention; worried over responsibilities. Physical examination: 
 Needed? Yes; Given? Arranged for next month. 
 
 19. History of family: (1) Explain how lack of adequate income has been met heretofore. (2) Fornaer 
 
 occupations of woman. (3) Children removed, when, why, how long. (4) Juvenile court records, 
 etc. (5) Former addresses of family, landlords, and dates of leaving: (1) Relatives and friends 
 provided for family since husband's death. (2) None. (3) None. (4) None. (5) From date of mar- 
 riage until 1923 family lived as tenants on S. K. Eckard'sfarm about one mile north of present address. 
 One year ago Mr. Rockwell's father gave him 30 acres of half-cleared land on which the present home 
 was started. 
 
 20. Immediate plans for family if aid is granted: To help mother develop turkey business and become 
 
 self-supporting. To enable her to pay off mortgage on home and finish her house and well. To help 
 mother make arrangements with a dentist for treatment; to have Pearl examined thoroughly and her 
 tonsils removed, if necessary; have Dr. Wells see Willie again. 
 
18 Handbook on Mothers' Aid 
 
 21. Collateral references: (1) Married children. (2) Near relatives. (3) Pastor, physician, school and 
 Sunday-school teachers, former employers. (4) Present and former neighbors. 
 (Check References Interviewed and Attach Reports) 
 
 Name 
 
 Address 
 
 Relation to Family 
 
 A. T. McRae 
 
 W F Rockwell 
 
 Oak City, R. 2 
 
 Oak City, R.l 
 
 Oak City, R. 1 
 
 Oak City, R. 1 
 
 Oak City, R. 1 
 
 Oak City 
 
 Brother 
 Father-in-law 
 
 Robert Rockwell 
 
 Brother-in-law 
 
 L. L. Branch 
 
 T. H. Kelly 
 
 Dr. B. F. Wells... 
 
 Neighbor and friend 
 
 Neighbor 
 
 Physician 
 
 22. The above is correct, according to my knowledge and belief. 
 
 MRS. LIZZIE ROCKWELL 
 (Mothers Signature) 
 (seal) 
 
 , Notary Public. 
 
 RECOMMENDATION 
 
 23. The County Board of Welfare, having inquired into conditions and circumstances of Mrs. Lizzie 
 
 McRae Rockwell, an applicant for Mother's Aid, do reconamend that she be granted aid to the 
 amount of $20.00 per month from County and State. 
 
 (Signed) MRS. MAY ELLINGTON 
 JAMES CHURCH 
 Date: May 5, 1924 F- R- BURRELL 
 
 24. Approved by County Commissioners for $10.00, May 5, 1924- 
 
 Chairman. 
 
 25. Approved by State Board of Charities and Public Welfare to the amount of $10.00 on 
 
 192-... 
 
 Director, Mother's Aid. 
 HISTORY SHEET 
 
 (To accompany application blank) 
 Re : Mrs. Lizzie McRae Rockwell 
 
 April 4, 1924. The register of deeds of Person County reported to the 
 superintendent of welfare in April that he believed Mrs. Rockwell should have 
 Mothers' Aid under the new law, passed by the 1923 Legislature. 
 
 The superintendent immediately began investigations. (This history, with 
 the application blank, brings the case up to the present.) 
 
 Family History 
 
 The Rockwells are ambitious and intelligent farm people. When William 
 Hardison Rockwell died the family was in a fair way to rise out of the tenant 
 class into the owner class. 
 
 Husband's father, who owns farm of about 200 acres, offered each of his 
 three sons 30 acres if they would settle and build. They were to pay the 
 taxes. William accepted this offer about a year ago, built the frame of his 
 house, a satisfactory barn, and had partially dug a well, when he died. 
 These improvements were made with money he had saved during the years 
 he was a tenant farmer. He had asthma most of his life. This reached a 
 bronchial stage in February, which caused his death February 15th. 
 
 Neighbors hauled sufficient rock to wall up the well and have been trying 
 to find some one to do the work which wdll cost about $25. 
 
State Board of Charities and Public Welfare 19 
 
 There is a $200 mortgage on the house which Mrs. Rockwell expects to 
 pay when she is able. 
 
 Environment, Housing and Neighborhood 
 
 The Rockwells live at Oak City, R. 1, in a fairly prosperous section of 
 Person County. Most of the farm homes are painted and apparently com- 
 fortable. 
 
 The house stands on a hill at the edge of a wood about one and a half miles 
 from the nearest main road. The nearest neighbors are a quarter of a mile 
 away in opposite directions. The house itself, when finished, will be con- 
 venient and unusually compact for a farm dwelling. The outside walls, the 
 roof and flooring are in place. The living room is ceiled and Mrs. Rockwell 
 expects to get, the others ceiled as soon as possible. She has sufficient furni- 
 ture to be comfortable. Everything was clean and in good condition at the 
 time of visit. 
 
 Mrs. Rockwell has planted roses around the porch and has set out a number 
 of other plants. 
 
 Health 
 
 Mrs. R.'s health is good in spite of decaj^ed teeth. She expects to have them 
 looked after next month. 
 
 Willie, Jr., lost a month of school because of sickness. He was ruptured 
 when quite small. Has worn a truss about two years. Recently he took it 
 off to go in swimming, forgot to replace it, and his mother knew nothing of 
 it until he complained. She will take him to Dr. Wells when she goes to 
 town. Willie is a bright, attractive brunette. 
 
 James Byrd is apparently well and strong. A bit shy, but very quick 
 mentally. He is a blond. 
 
 Pearlie, almost an albino, looks well, but is nervous, excitable, hard to 
 manage. She has bad tonsils, which will be looked after. 
 
 Belle, the baby, is a golden-haired, blue-eyed cherub. 
 
 Children's Education 
 
 Willie and James attend Laurel School, two miles away. They like their 
 school and do good work. Will probably be promoted. Mrs. Rockwell is 
 ambitious for her children. She and her husband planned to buy a Ford when 
 the girls were big enough to go to school so they would not have to walk 
 in bad weather. 
 
 Church Connections 
 
 The family attends Sapling Ridge Methodist Church, two miles away. 
 There is Sunday School every Sunday and preaching once a month. 
 
 Relatives and Friends 
 
 Mrs. R. has two sisters and one brother, all married, with families, living 
 in Person County, though not right near. One sister has ten children. While 
 they cannot give financial help, they are interested and sympathetic. 
 
 Mr. Rockwell, Sr.. lives in sight. He and Robert Rockwell are of great 
 help in carrying on the work of the farm. 
 
 The people in the neighborhood are much interested in the family. (See 
 collateral references.) 
 
 Recreation 
 
 The community is rural. Recreation in the sense of clubs and organized 
 play activities is practically nil. The Rockwells, as other families in the 
 community, go to church, where they get together socially, spend the day at 
 
20 Handbook on Mothers' Aid 
 
 each other's houses, go fishing, have quilting parties, and do whatever the 
 neighborhood does by way of social activities. 
 
 Mother's Plans 
 
 Mrs. R. has been accustomed to farm work all of her life. She is indus- 
 trious in the field and in her house. This year she expects to work about 
 ten acres of land. Three in cotton, three or four in wheat, the rest in com. 
 She also plans to have a garden, as usual, and raise vegetables for summer 
 use and for canning. She will put up a supply of fruit for the winter. 
 
 Mrs. R. has arranged with her 18-year-old nephew to do the plowing for 
 her. He has rented ten acres himself from L. L. Branch, whose farm adjoins. 
 This boy will continue to live at Mrs. R.'s until fall. Mrs. R. will help him 
 with his crops in return for the work he does for her. 
 
 Besides 25 hens, Mrs. R. has a good many little chicks, and expects to raise 
 more. She also plans to raise more turkeys. She hopes eventually to be 
 able to make her living with her turkeys and chickens and not have to do 
 heavy farm work. 
 
 She would like, also, to do sewing, especially children's clothes, in the 
 winter months. It is hard, however, to get a market, as she is quite a dis- 
 tance from a town. 
 
 Family Budget 
 
 Like most country women, Mrs. R. has never kept account of her income 
 or her expenses. She grows most of the things she needs on the farm and 
 so has little cash to handle. When she goes to town on her occasional trips 
 she buys remnants of cotton and wool material which she gradually works 
 up into clothes for the children. 
 
 She figured roughly that she needs around $10 a month cash for food alone. 
 
 Flour $3.50 
 
 Molasses 1.00 
 
 Sugar 2.00 
 
 Coffee 1.20 
 
 Other food 1.80 
 
 Kerosene 50 
 
 $10.00 
 
 Mrs. R. uses about ten bushels of corn each month for her stock. When the 
 twenty bushels she has are used up she will have to buy at the rate of $1.20 
 per bushel. She has meat enough to last through the summer. She has 
 bought ten sacks of guano, and has spent $20 since Christmas for the family's 
 clothes. 
 
 Taxes amount to about $6 a year and, in addition, there is a small amount 
 of interest on her mortgage. 
 
 Taking all things into consideration, this seems to be an excellent case for 
 Mothers' Aid. Most of the supervision needed will be directed' toward helping 
 Mrs. Rockwell develop her poultry and turkey business. If this can be done 
 probably two or three years help will see her self-supporting. 
 
 Collateral References 
 
 April 15, 1924. Interviewed Mr, P. H. Kelly, Oak City, R. 1, who has known 
 the Rockwell family all his life. He believes that Mrs. R. is a fine woman 
 and mother. She is noted throughout the community for her industry and 
 good housekeeping. It would be impossible for any one in the neighborhood 
 to bring any charges against her. 
 
State Board of Charities and PtiBLic Welfare 21 
 
 April 15, 1924. Interviewed Mr. L. L. Branch, neighbor and friend. Mr. 
 Branch reported the case originally to the register of deeds. He is a justice 
 of the peace and married Mr. and Mrs. Rockwell at his own home. He is 
 much interested in the family and believes it will be much better for Mrs. 
 Rockwell to have aid and keep her children with her than to put them in an 
 institution. 
 
 April 20, 1924. Interviewed Dr. B. F. Wells, family physician, who lives at 
 Oak City, He has known the Rockwell family since the birth of the first 
 child. Thinks Mrs. R. is in good physical condition, but is at present rather 
 run down because of exti-a w^ork during her husband's illness. He believes 
 that financial help will relieve her of some of the responsibilities she feels now. 
 
 Dr. Wells has treated Willie for rupture and put the truss on him. He 
 has never been called in to treat any of the children except Willie and Pearl. 
 She had colitis when little, and has not been strong like the other children. 
 
 RUNNING HISTORY IN COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICE 
 
 April 4, 1924. Mr. Job, register of deeds, asked superintendent, who was 
 in Oak City on business, if Mrs. Rockwell, a widow with four children, would 
 be eligible for Mothers' Aid. Told him that it would be necessary for super- 
 intendent to visit the home and make out the application. Investigation 
 might prove her eligible. Mr. Job directed superintendent to Mrs. R.'s home. 
 
 April 15, 1924. Visited Mrs. Rockwell. Filled out application. Talked with 
 neighbors. Verified the marriage at the courthouse. 
 
 April 29, 1924. Met with board of welfare and presented Mrs. R.'s applica- 
 tion and the history of the family in typewritten form. Two members of the 
 board knew Mrs. R. personally and considered her a good subject for Mothers' 
 Aid. 
 
 Board signed application asking for $20 a month from county and State. 
 
 May 5, 1924. Presented signed application to county commissioners at their 
 regular meeting. They approved the $20 grant. 
 
 3Iay 6, 1924. Application blank in duplicate and one copy of history sheet 
 sent to the State Director of Mothers' Aid. 
 
 May 15, 1924. Letter from State Director enclosing approved application 
 for county file. 
 
 May 22, 1924. Showed approved application to county treasurer, secured 
 check for $20, and took it to Mrs. Rockwell. 
 
 June 1, 1924. Letter from Mrs. R. saying she had not received June check. 
 
 Talked with county treasurer over the phone. Asked him to see that checks 
 were mailed regularly when other county bills were paid. 
 
 July 17, 1924. Visited Mrs. R. with State Director and the representative 
 of the Laura Spelman Memorial Fund. The crops were in good condition. 
 Mrs. Rockwell was much improved in appearance, children healthy. Visitors 
 took several pictures of the older children. Belle was asleep. Promised to 
 send mother copy of the pictures. 
 
 The family was living in Mrs. R.'s bedroom and kitchen. Boys sleep In 
 the unfinished part of the house. 
 
 AVent over Mrs. R.'s expense account for June. As she did not have to buy 
 much food — her garden bringing in plenty^no shoes, or animal feed, she had 
 
22 Handbook on Mothers' Aid 
 
 been able to get material to make some dresses for the girls and shirts for 
 the boys; also, to get a few jars and new rubbers for her canning and pre- 
 serving. She had paid $10 on her original bill of $35 for lumber to ceil her 
 house. 
 
 Income Expenditures 
 
 Mothers' Aid check $20.00 Food (sugar for canning) $4.00 
 
 Sale of eggs 2.50 Clothing (remnants for chn.).... 4.60 
 
 Blackberries 70 Ladies Home Journal 15 
 
 Glass jars and rubbers 3.20 
 
 $23.20 Soap, starch, scrub brush 1.25 
 
 On lumber bill 10.00 
 
 $23.20 
 
 August 14, 1924. Made friendly visit at the home. Mrs. R. said the rainy 
 weather had "fouled" her crops to some extent, and had drowned most of 
 her little turkeys. She expected a good cotton crop and had planted early 
 to beat the boll weevil. 
 
 She displayed with much pride little smocks and bloomers she had made 
 for the children. 
 
 September 17, 1924. Visited at the home. Mrs. R. wanted help in selling 
 her turkeys. Advised her to try to market them in Oak City, as the Durham 
 market did not seem very good. 
 
 James Byrd was sitting on the steps reading the bulletin from the State 
 Board of Health, which had been coming since Mrs. R. was put on the Mothers' 
 Aid list. 
 
 Mother had saved $25 out of her checks for the past three months to pay 
 for finishing the well. Water excellent. Inspected account book. 
 
 November 11, 1924. Visited at the home. Found Mrs. R. and the two little 
 girls picking cotton. She expected to make about a bale and a half. Had 
 already picked about four bales all together for herself and neighbors and 
 relatives. One of her fields, already picked, had been plowed up again, sewed 
 in oats and rye for her chickens. Two boys were in school. 
 
 December 11, 1924. Visited home to take Christmas presents to the family, 
 from the Woman's Club of Oak City. Mrs. R. was much pleased. Asked that 
 they be hidden in the barn that the children might be surprised on Christmas. 
 
 Mrs. R.'s nephew had gone to High Point to work in a furniture factory. 
 While he had been much help, Mrs. R. said he w^as a "tremendous eater." 
 
 She reported that she had sold ten turkeys recently for twenty-two cents a 
 pound. Was not able to get to town with them until the market was crowded. 
 Promised to help her more next year. 
 
 February 10, 1925. Visited at the home. Because of bad weather in 
 January, it was impossible to get over the roads to Mrs. R.'s house. Found 
 the family at home, the children around the fire making Valentines. All had 
 been well except for bad colds. They were longing for spring so they could 
 get out again. Left a number of magazines for the children. 
 
 March 26, 1925. Visited at the home. In the interim between the last visit 
 Mrs. R.'s neighbors had helped her ceil the house — at least, two additional 
 rooms. It was much more comfortable. She had finished pajang for the 
 lumber with some of the money she got from her cotton. 
 
State Board of Charities and Public Welfare 2?y 
 
 April 20, 1925. Visited at the home. Found school closed for the term.. 
 The boys had finished the third grade. Mrs. R.'s feet had been giving her 
 some trouble and Dr. Wells had ordered arch supporters. 
 
 June 1, 1925. Mrs. R. got a neighbor to bring her to town to superintend- 
 ent's office. Took her to Dr. Giles, dentist. Had previously made appoint- 
 ment and he had offered to do the work on Mrs. R.'s teeth for the cost of. 
 material alone. 
 
 Late in the afternoon she came back to the office and left word that she^ 
 had two teeth removed and several filled. 
 
 July 15, 1925, Visited the home. Because of Pubic Welfare Institute, it 
 was not possible to do any visiting for some time. Mrs. R. was expecting to 
 make two bales of cotton, fruit and berries had been so scarce that she had 
 not been able to do much canning and preserving. She was helping her 
 father-in-law with chopping and picking and he was doing her plowing. 
 
 Her cow was giving an abundance of milk and she had sold the nine-weeks- 
 old calf a few weeks before for $10. 
 
 Her garden had been fair, but dried up early. She again had some young 
 turkeys and expected to have about seven gobblers and eight hens for sale 
 in the fall. Hoped to get a better price than last Christmas. Told Mrs. R. 
 that State appropriation for Mothers' Aid had been cut one-third and that 
 she would be notified as to the amount she would receive each month in the 
 future. 
 
 August 3, 1925. At a meeting of the county commissioners. Mrs. Rockwell's 
 grant was cut from $20 to $15 a month. Wrote Mrs. R. to this effect, also a 
 letter to State Department. 
 
 August 9, 1925. Mrs. Adams, newly appointed member of the welfare board, 
 told superintendent she was trying to help Mrs. R. find some sewing in 
 Oak City. 
 
 September 10, 1925. Visited at the home. Mrs. R. was hoping to hear from 
 Mrs. Adams about some sewing. Said her turkeys were getting along very 
 well. She hoped the superintendent would help her market them. 
 
 September 11, 1925. Interviewed cafeteria manager in regard to buying 
 turkeys. Said they got theirs readj^ dressed and besides that wanted large 
 birds. As Mrs. R.'s were small, the cafeteria people suggested selling them 
 in private homes. 
 
 October 19, 1925. Wrote Mrs. R. that eight would-be purchasers had been 
 found for her turkeys at thirty-five cents a pound. 
 
 October 22, 1925. Letter from Mrs. R. expressing thanks at the prospect of 
 turkey sales. Three children were in school and doing well. Belle had just 
 entered. 
 
 Her father-in-law would make the crates to carry the turkeys to town. 
 
 November 1, 1925. Wrote Mrs. R. sending names of five additional pur- 
 chasers and asked that she have turkeys ready on the 19th, when superin- 
 tendent and State Director would come down after them. 
 
 Looked over expense account for previous month. Although Mrs. R.'s grant 
 has been cut to $15, she managed to sell enough eggs, etc., to bring in $20.10. 
 As the children had to begin school, most of the money had to go for things 
 
24 Handbook on Mothers' Aid 
 
 they need and nothing was left over for the mortgage, which slie hopes to 
 pay off from her sale of turkeys. 
 
 Income Expenditures 
 
 Mothers' Aid $15.00 Pood, flour, meal, molasses $7.45 
 
 Eggs 2.50 Shoe;S— Willie 3.00 
 
 Chickens .,— , 50 Sweater — James 4.25 
 
 Sausage 1.60 Tablets, books, pencils 5.30 
 
 Sewing child's dress 50 . 
 
 — $20.00 
 
 $20.10 
 
 November 19, 1925. Drove to the home for the turkeys. Had dinner — a 
 good country dinner with Mrs. R., the two little girls and Miss McRae, a 
 niece of Mrs. R. Then went to the barn. The turkeys had been shut up for 
 a week and fattened. Weighed each bird and put them in crates fastened 
 on the side of the car. They varied from eight to sixteen pounds. 
 
 Mrs. R. said that she had finished picking her own cotton and quite a lot 
 for her father-in-law. The little boys had been helpful even though they 
 are still small. 
 
 Promised to send her a check as soon as the birds were sold. Left some 
 magazines. 
 
 Stopped at the school to see the two boys. Mrs. R. had said they would be 
 very much disappointed at missing the visitors. 
 
 November 30, 1925. Wrote Mrs. R. enclosing check for $51.60 for turkeys. 
 Also enclosed copies of kodak pictures that had been made that day. 
 
 December 19, 1925. Visited at the home and returned the crates. Left a 
 box of Christmas things provided by the Episcopal Sunday School. Mrs. R. 
 had received her check for the birds and had immediately used it as payment 
 on her $200 mortgage. 
 
 Show^ed superintendent bulletin on Turkey Raising the State Department 
 had sent her. Said it had many good ideas in it she hoped to use. 
 
 This leaves only $50 to be paid before the house will be unencumbered. In 
 addition to the money from turkeys, she had put $50 on it from the sale of 
 her cotton. 
 
 It is hoped that by July, when Mothers' Aid appropriation for the new year 
 will be made, that Mrs. R, will be out of debt and able to "carry on" without 
 financial assistance. 
 
State Boakd of Charities and Public Welfare 25 
 
 SUMMARIES OF ACTUAL CASES SHOWING DIFFERENT TYPES OF 
 CONSTRUCTIVE WORK 
 
 (Health) 
 
 Mrs. Greene is now keeping house with her sister, who looks after the 
 children while Mrs. Green works in Liggett & Myers Tobacco Factory. The 
 children are well and strong. The mother, optimistic and ambitious, is proud 
 that she can support herself and children. 
 
 Three years ago she was deserted with three children and an unborn baby. 
 She scattered her children with relatives and only called for help at her 
 confinement. As the county has many agencies working together, arrange- 
 ments were made for her in a local hospital. As her health was bad after 
 the birth of the baby and the two children were in homes that were already 
 crowded, it seemed Wise to relieve the mother of all responsibility for a few 
 months in order that she might reestablish her home later. The children 
 were placed in the Detention Home where they were given medical attention 
 and the best of care. The mother stayed with an uncle until she was able to 
 work. She then got a job in Liggett & Myers, rented a little room, bought 
 herself an oil stove on credit, and began to save a little each week for the 
 time when she could have her children with her. 
 
 In the meantime, eiforts were continued to locate the husband. At the 
 end of twelve months he was still unfound and Mrs. Green was put on the 
 Mothers' Aid list. Her first check for .$35 was used to add to her savings to 
 buy needed furniture. The Welfare Department contributed some things 
 from other sources. The children, well and stronger than ever, were restored 
 to a mother proud and well and the home was more firmly reestablished. For 
 one year the checks for $35 continued to go to her and then the mother said 
 she could do without them, as she was making between $60 and $70 a month. 
 The case was discontinued. 
 
 (Part-Time Work) 
 
 Mrs. House is now living in her own home (half paid for), is running a 
 small hot lunch counter in the consolidated school in her village, clearing 
 $3 or $4 a week extra. With the little she can earn sewing at home and with 
 the $20 a month she receives from Mothers' Aid she is well on the way to 
 independence. Her lunch business is only a month old. Her health is much 
 better and all the children are well nourished. 
 
 In January, 1924, when Mrs. House was put on the list she was living in 
 three rooms of an old house, barely able to stand up. The walls were dark 
 and the windows few. She was trying to sew in the bad light and make a 
 living for herself and children. With the $200 insurance left by her husband 
 and constant help and supervision of the superintendent of welfare and the 
 home demonstration agent, she has reached her present place. By the time 
 her house is paid for at the rate of $6.50 per month she will be independent. 
 
 (Education) 
 
 Joe, the oldest boy in this family, is a freshman in college, where he is 
 making his expenses with the help of money saved last summer. His record 
 as a student and as a boy is splendid. 
 
 The fifteen-year-old girl. Alice, is taking a business course and eighth grade 
 work. She hopes to support herself during the summer. 
 
 The twelve-year-old boy makes enough selling papers out of school hours 
 to clothe himself. The seven and iive-year-olds are dependent. The mother 
 with the help of $17.80 which she receives from Mothers' Aid, and what she 
 makes on transient roomers and a little sewing manages to keep her home 
 
26 Handbook on Mothers' Aid 
 
 together. Joe will work during the summer and help his mother, so will 
 Alice. During the winter they hope to continue at school. 
 
 Mrs. James received ^'40 Mothers' Aid from May, 1924, until June, 1925. 
 Then because of the cut in the appropriation and because Joe had saved a 
 little money to go to school and was sixteen, the natural reaction was to take 
 her off the list and throw the support of the family on the boy, depriving him 
 of the higher education he is mentally able to take to good advantage. Finally 
 the county decided to continue the case, and it is hoped they will keep the 
 aid going at least for another year. 
 
 (Housing) 
 
 Mrs. Doe is now living on the edge of town in a two-room house, "nice 
 comfortable rooms." She has recently bought another bed, additional bed- 
 ding, a new stove, and will soon finish paying for her cow, which gives plenty 
 of milk for the family and leaves some to sell. Dahlia (who was seemingly 
 so backward) has been fitted with glasses and is already showing improve- 
 ment. The three oldest children are in school. Mrs. Doe makes four or five 
 dollars a week mending hosiery from the nearby mill. 
 
 In December, 1923, when Mrs. Doe was put on the Mother's Aid list she was 
 living in a tiny shack about 14 x 16 on the side of a mountain. Her nearest 
 neighbor — a cousin — out of sight over the top. Her husband had been in 
 the insane asj^lum for two years and neighbors and relatives had helped her 
 out. Her baby was born after the husband went to the hospital following 
 an attack of flu and pneumonia. She was brave and determined to keep her 
 children with her. Though ignorant herself, she was anxious that her children 
 should have a chance. The little cabin was spotless and as conveniently 
 arranged as she could make it. 
 
 The present condition of the family and the mother is receiving only $10 a 
 month, is due not only to the money they hav.^ been receiving, but to the con- 
 stant supervision of the superintendent and the interest and determination of 
 the mother. 
 
 (Health) 
 
 Mrs. Jones lives in a rural county. She is at home with her children, 
 health much improved, keeping house and teaching a few music pupils. She 
 is still receiving Mothers' Aid and will for some time to come. Her sixteen- 
 year-old son works but makes barely enough to cover his own needs. The 
 four younger children, the baby five j'ears old, are still dependent. 
 
 When this case was first presented, Mrs. Jones was suspected of having 
 tuberculosis and the application was held up until a physical examination 
 could be made. It was explained to the superintendent that if the examination 
 showed the mother should have sanatorium treatment, then the application 
 would have to be held up until the tuberculosis could be arrested. The ex- 
 amination came in negative, but the doctor suggested several months rest. 
 This was explained to the mother and her family. A sister who had only two 
 children offered to have Mrs. Jones close up her house for two months and 
 live with her. She agreed to see that she rested morning and afternoon and 
 had plenty of nourishing food. The case was put on the Mothers' Aid list 
 immediately for $30. 
 
 (Remarriage) 
 
 Mrs. Duo is now keeping house for her husband and four children in a neat 
 little home in an eastern city. Mr. Duo is an honest, sober and industrious 
 citizen. His business is truck driving for a big firm at $30 a week. 
 
 If you were to ask Mrs. Duo where she lived four years ago she'd tell you 
 she was a widow, left with nothing in the world but her children — living in 
 
State Boaed of Charities and Public Welfare 27 
 
 a tenant home. It was bare of most of the necessities and mother and cliil- 
 dren were undernourished. The superintendent of welfare found her and 
 made out her application for Mothers' Aid. This $20 a month that she could 
 count on enabled her to rent a tiny house in the village and keep her children 
 in school. The superintendent also put her in touch with the health officer 
 and county nurse, who advised her about the children's food. Gradually they 
 all improved, looked better, dressed better, and when Mr. Duo came to the 
 village to do some special work on a road contract he was attracted to her 
 and before long they were married. 
 
 The oldest girl came back to her home county for a visit not long ago and 
 called on the superintendent to thank him for his help. 
 
VI. RECORDS 
 
 Every welfare office, regardless of its size and the value of business, 
 should keep : 
 
 1. A general folder, marked ''Mothers' Aid," for letters on policy, 
 information, etc. 
 
 2. A bill folder to keep correspondence in regard to vouchers and list 
 of families paid each month. 
 
 3. A folder for fresh blanks, etc. 
 
 4. Individual folders for pending, active and canceled cases. Each 
 case folder should contain application blank, history sheet, health record 
 cards, statements from references, running history, letters and expense 
 accounts, school reports and health records of the individual children, 
 pictures — everything relating to the individual case. Whether the case 
 is active, pending, withdrawn, or canceled should be indicated on the 
 card in the card index. 
 
 (See sample Application Blank.) 
 
 WORK FOR MOTHERS 
 
 A mother left with the entire responsibility of a family of small 
 children cannot perform her highest service in caring for and training 
 them if she has to be away from them eight or ten hours a day in order 
 to make money to buy their food. Mothers' Aid in such case should 
 be sufficient to meet the financial needs and to enable the mother to 
 stay at home. 
 
 Home Work 
 
 A small percentage of mothers can do whole-time work away from 
 home, if there is an older woman in the home or in the same house who 
 Avill look after the children. The plan, though, is generally unsatisfac- 
 tory as the hours are too long for a woman to work and then come 
 home and cook, wash, and sew for her family. Efforts should always 
 be made to work out some plan by which the mother can do part-time 
 work outside, or find work she can do in the home, which will bring in 
 money. Outside interests broaden the mother's contacts and sustain her 
 self-respect. She is not over-taxing her strength and at the same time 
 she is doing work she likes which benefits herself and her children. 
 Three whole days away from home, if children are well cared for, or 
 five hours a day each day, is permissible. The county superintendent 
 should know conditions surrounding the mothers who are working out- 
 side, whether the work rooms are well lighted and heated and the mother 
 in good health. 
 
State Board of Charities and Public Welfare 
 
 29 
 
 Part Time 
 
 Below are some types of work possible on a part-time basis. Stars 
 indicate work done by mothers on the State list. 
 
 Domestic 
 
 *Housecleaning by the day. 
 
 * Sewing by the day. 
 Washing by the day. 
 
 Miscellaneous 
 
 ^Janitor. 
 
 * Canvassing. 
 
 * Serving hot lunches in schools. 
 
 Hotel or Business 
 
 * Counter girl in cafeteria. 
 *Linen room. 
 
 News stand. 
 Information desk. 
 Public stenographer. 
 
 * Office girl. 
 
 (Under canvassing is suggested magazine subscriptions, getting mail orders 
 for Larkin goods, selling soap, etc.) 
 
 The superintendent of welfare, who is in touch with local conditions, 
 will be able to suggest other things and put the mother in touch with 
 them. 
 
 The field of remunerative work that can be done in the home is much 
 larger. The following list is suggestive. Some of the jobs are season- 
 able, some sectional. Others depend on the energy of the mothers and 
 local conditions. Some depend on market conditions. 
 
 * Boarding children. 
 *Bee and honey. 
 
 Basket making. 
 *Bulbs. 
 
 * Chickens and eggs. 
 
 * Cakes, pies, sandwiches (sold on 
 
 special days in schools, offices, 
 drug stores, etc.). 
 Canning, preserving, pickling. 
 *Crates (for berries). 
 
 * Christmas greens. 
 '■'Children's clothes. 
 
 Dolls. 
 
 * Dried fruits. 
 
 * Embroidery. 
 
 *Flowers (fresh or artificial). 
 Herbs. 
 
 *Music lessons. 
 
 Millinery (cleaning and dying). 
 *Pigs. 
 
 Patch and repair work for business 
 women. 
 
 * Quilting. 
 
 * Strawberry picking. 
 Smocks. 
 
 *Turkey raising. 
 
 Tomato growing. 
 
 Trucking. 
 
 Weaving. 
 *Washing towels for barber shop. 
 
 * Washing for family. 
 Washing undertakers gloves. 
 
 ^Washing for hotel in small town. 
 
 Christmas Greens 
 
 Everywhere protest is being made against the careless destruction of 
 our holly, trailing cedar, mistletoe, galax, spruce and pine. The constant 
 decrease is running the prices up higher each year. Any mother who 
 owns land where any of these evergreens grow has a business right at her 
 door which she can develop into a permanent industry of real value with 
 a little care. Instead of ruthlessly destroying the trees she can cut prop- 
 erly and preserve her source of income. "Holly should be cut with a 
 sharp ax, toward the tips of the branches, and not more than twenty-five 
 per cent of the leaf surface should be taken each year." 
 
30 Handbook on Motheks' Aid 
 
 Boarding Homes 
 
 Boarding cliildren, dependent cMldren needing care at tlie liands of 
 the superintendent of welfare, is one way a few mothers are making 
 extra money. It is essential that the superintendent know the mother, 
 and also the child he wants to place. 'No risk must be run of carrying 
 contagious disease, or delinquent tendencies into a normal home. Well 
 managed Mothers' Aid boarding homes could help solve the problem of 
 temporary care of children in several counties. 
 
 Motor 
 
 If the mother takes in washing (and lives in town) she should have 
 an electric washing machine, even if she has to buy it on the installment 
 plan. 
 
 If she does sewing, her room should be well lighted and, if possible, she 
 should have an electric motor for her machine. 
 
 INDIVIDUALIZING MOTHERS' AID 
 
 The greatest opportunity open to counties doing Mothers' Aid work 
 is to individualize the work in their counties. This is an age of stand- 
 ardization. Standards should serve only as foundations, the best work 
 is that which goes beyond standards. 
 
 Few homes investigated for aid will perhaps come up even to the 
 minimum standards suggested under "Grants for Mothers," but every 
 home should approximate them at least before the family has been on 
 the list a year. 
 
 The State Department sends each mother on the list a letter as soon 
 as her case is approved, calling attention to the fact that she has been 
 found worthy and explaining her responsibility in the contract. The 
 State office gives the name of each mother to the State Board of Health 
 that the mother may get the Health Bulletin. On different occasions 
 bulletins on health, gardening, poultry, nutrition, etc., have been sent 
 also. 
 
 How well and rapidly the work is done will depend largely on how 
 understandingly and successfully the county superintendent has surveyed 
 his field and generaled the social forces at his command. 
 
 It is impossible to take up each county in detail and tell what each 
 has done. While some have been careless about the details of the work 
 we have no convincing evidence that all mothers and children aided have 
 not benefited by this fund. ISTaturally, the more urban counties offer 
 more agencies that can help supply all the needs of a normal family, but 
 rural counties frequently have unsuspected agencies for help if they will 
 only discover them and ask their cooperation. 
 
 Buncombe County ties up its Mothers' Aid work with the juvenjle court 
 work. The law provides for such coordination, and Asheville, with its well 
 organized juvenile court, is in a position to set the fashion. "The best way 
 to keep the child out of court is to keep the mother in the home." 
 
State Boakd of Charities and Public Welfare 31 
 
 Forsyth County, haviug thirteen mothers on the active list and three former 
 recipients of aid, organized a Mothers' Aid Club in October, 1924. This club 
 has been fostered by the Woman's Club and Rotary Club. The Associated 
 Charities, Salvation Army, Y. W. C. A., and other organizations have helped 
 make it a success. The home demonstration agent has met with the club and 
 been of greatest assistance in demonstrating wholesome and attractive foods. 
 One of the city papers sends a free subscription to each mother. 
 
 Guilford County has taken advantage of its tubercular sanatorium with 
 great benefit. In two cases in that county the men of the family with active 
 tuberculosis wer© placed in the county institution — the wife in one case, the 
 mother in the other, put on the Mothers' Aid list. In one of these families 
 the husband is now self-supporting and the family off the list. In the other, 
 the eighteen-year-old boy, an arrested case, is at home doing light work, but 
 not able yet to assume the entire support of his mother and little sisters. 
 
 All counties with whole-time health officers and nurses get physical examina- 
 tions made before they send in their applications and then have defects 
 attended to as quickly as possible. 
 
 In Ashe, Haywood and Person counties the Mothers' Aid work is done by 
 the board of welfare. In Ashe and Person one member serves as field agent. 
 In Person a committee from the Woman's Club works with the part-time 
 probation officer. 
 
 In Warren County, where there is no welfare officer, the social worker from 
 the mills makes the investigations and does the visiting at the request of the 
 county board of welfare and commissioners. 
 
 Avery's v/ork is done by the judge of the juvenile court. 
 
 Alleghany, Bertie. Bladen, Caswell, Chowan, Clay. Dare, Graham. Hertford, 
 Lincoln, Madison, Northampton, Pender, and Scotland "carry on" through the 
 superintendents of schools. 
 
 Gaston County is keeping a mother on the list that the seventeen-year-old 
 son, an ambitious boy, may take a college course — for which he has saved up 
 the money. 
 
 Johnston County, with the aid of the home demonstration agent, is helping 
 a mother to run the school lunch room as a start toward independence. Every 
 mother in the county receives all the latest household bulletins supplied by the 
 Department of Agriculture. 
 
 In only a few counties are the superintendents asking the mothers to keep 
 accurate records of income and exi^enditure and going over the accounts with 
 them. It is hoped that more and more this very important bit of work will 
 be developed. 
 
 Mecklenburg, Robeson and Durham each has a Negro mother on its list. 
 These mothers come up to the standards of mothers in the State as a whole 
 and are doing their part in training their children. 
 
 Many superintendents correspond with and visit other counties in an effort 
 to get and give new ideas. This policy is a great help in improving the work 
 all over the State, and it is hoped it will grow into a custom. 
 
 In no county has the work been as thoroughly organized — that is, all the 
 helpful social forces brought to focus — as will be done later. The growing 
 demands of the work will gradually prove the necessity of bringing all the 
 social resources of the county to focus through the welfare officer. 
 
 I 
 
32 Handbook on Mothers' Aid 
 
 VACATIONS 
 
 l^o class of women work as long hours and with as little outside inter- 
 ests as mothers, and yet no class ever gets so little vacation. It is hoped 
 that some county may get interested in this phase of the work and make 
 some plans by which the Mothers' Aid mothers may get at least one 
 week's vacation a year. The children might be sent to relatives or 
 friends, girls' and boys' camps, together or separately, and the mother go 
 on some little trip, or she may prefer to stay quietly at home and do 
 as she pleases. Mothers and children would all be better off for some 
 such arrangement. 
 
 Women's organizations of various kinds might be interested in this 
 field of work and try out some plans. 
 
VII. FINANCIAL REPORT 
 
 Tliougli the people of the State, as evidenced by their legislative vote, 
 wanted Mothers' Aid, their ideas about it were very vagiie. To many 
 it was synonymous wdth "poor relief." Others thought it applied to 
 old ivomen deserted by their grown children. Many had an Mea that 
 any woman, regardless of her character, whose husband had run away 
 for a short time or who was in jail for thirty days or on a chain-gang, 
 should immediately be handed out sufficient cash to squander as she 
 pleased. To get over to the public, even the intelligent public, the ideas 
 of definite, constructive work set forth in this little handbook takes time 
 and patience. Unless Mothers' Aid is granted only after careful and 
 thorough study of the family and its needs and that family aided in a 
 friendly manner to solve its problems on the way to independent living 
 then the fund should be revoked. Enough can be done under the old 
 style "out-door poor relief" to increase pauperism. 
 
 July, 1923, to July, 1924 
 
 Because Mothers' Aid was nevs^ and the machinery had to be set ap 
 only 188 cases were approved during the fiscal year, July, 1923-24, and 
 $104-19.66 used of the $50,000 available from the State alone. 
 
 These figures do not state the facts. Of the sixty-seven counties ad- 
 ministering Mothers' Aid, eleven were using all of their quotas, and, 
 in addition, calling on civic organizations and churches to carry other 
 families that were eligible. One county was aiding thirty eligible 
 mothers in the same manner as it was its Mothers' Aid mothers, but not 
 on county and State funds. Another county had a waiting list of 
 fifteen. Still others had from one to ten mothers they wanted to put 
 on the list. 
 
 Again the mere figures do not state the facts. Many counties were 
 making smaller grants than the mothers needed and smaller than the 
 superintendent and the State office thought wise. It takes time to prove 
 that "penny wise is often dollar dense." 
 
 Still again the figures are misleading. The more progressive counties, 
 with whole-time superintendents of welfare, were the first to take advan- 
 tage of Mothers' Aid. The others came in slowly. Often it was neces- 
 sary for the State Director to spend days in a county visiting prospective 
 cases, talking with relatives and county officials, lawyers, etc., to get the 
 work started. Because this one agent from the State office had, in addi- 
 tion to the Mothers' Aid administration work and field w^ork, all the 
 general case w^ork of the State Department and only part-time steno- 
 graphic help, it was impossible to visit all the counties asking for help 
 within the year. 
 
34 Handbook on Mothers' Aid 
 
 July, 1924, to July, 1925 
 
 Between July, 1924, and July, 1925, the work grew surely, thougli 
 slowly. One hundred and twenty-four new cases received aid to the 
 amount of $24,710.09 from the State alone, or more than double the 
 first year's work. 
 
 The Legislature of 1925 cut the appropriation from $50,000 to $30,000 
 and further reduced that by the five per cent cut to $28,500. Even 
 though the law was amended so that counties desiring to administer the 
 fund must sign a contract so stating, seventy-six counties signed and the 
 $28,500 had to be apportioned among them. This cut the appropria- 
 tions of the counties down to two-thirds of their former grants and 
 necessitated the checking oif or reducing of many cases. 
 
 July, 1935, to January, 1926 
 
 In the half year between July, 1925, and January, 1926, only thirty- 
 five new cases have been added and $11,320.41 used. Only seven counties 
 of the seventy-six who signed agreements have failed to use their quotas. 
 There are six cases pending now. With the addition of these, it is confi- 
 dently believed that every dollar available will be used except in the 
 few counties that have failed to live up to their contracts and so have 
 kept the appropriations assigned to them from their purpose. These 
 amounts will come back into the Mothers' Aid fund for redistribution 
 in July. 
 
 With the interest in the work growing steadily and understandingly, 
 it is believed that all the appropriation available for 1926-27 will be 
 used. 
 
 MOTHERS' AID VOUCHERS 
 
 The law states that the county should pay each mother on the list, 
 each month, the amount approved by county and State. The State is 
 required to reimburse the county quarterly one-half the amount advanced. 
 
 Three Copies. — The State office mails out to each superintendent of 
 public welfare in counties administering Mothers' Aid three copies of 
 the voucher form early in the last month of the quarter. The super- 
 intendent's duty is to go over the voucher and see that the names and 
 amounts recorded in the State office correspond with his list, correct 
 mistakes found, see that the blanks are properly signed, and return all 
 three copies to the State Department. 
 
 As some counties pay bills on the first and some on the last of the 
 month, the vouchers trickle in all during the month. It is requested 
 that the superintendent see that they are signed as soon as the bills are 
 paid and returned promptly to the State office. 
 
VIII. GRANTS TO MOTHERS 
 
 To make Mothers' Aid work tlie splendid type of Child Welfare it 
 should be^ grants must be adequate. "The physical basis of life must 
 be the foundation for all high qualities of the spirit; the grant, there- 
 fore, must be such that the mother can give to her children a minimum 
 of adequate nurture whether this means full or partial support." 
 
 Inadequate Grants — 
 
 1. Defeat the purpose of the laiu. If the regular monthly aid is so 
 small that the mother continues to overwork and is nervous and irritable, 
 the children^ undernourished and wandering the streets, church societies 
 and other agencies still handing out "old clothes and cold vittles," then 
 the county and State are not building up but destroying family life. 
 
 2. DeWioraUze the family. If the family is not responsible to the 
 Welfare Department for all funds above what the individuals make, 
 then there is the danger of different members of the family playing their 
 various sources of income against each other and of becoming sophisti- 
 cated paupers in the end rather than good citizens. 
 
 3. Make constructive work impossible. Inadequate grants mean un- 
 dernourishment, over work, which in turn means tuberculosis, anemia, 
 pellagra, etc. The family is broken up, in the end, as effectively as if 
 the children had been removed or allowed to starve. 
 
 4. Lowers local standards of relief. Rural counties often receive their 
 first ideas of family case work from the Mothers' Aid applications. 
 Unless high standards of assistance, both financial and supervisory, are 
 set, if local boards of welfare, commissioners, etc., are not educated to 
 high standards, then Mothers' Aid is only one of many agencies making 
 paupers. A $10 grant is not made into $30 by calling it Mothers' Aid. 
 
 5. Making the appropriation ''go as far as possible" is false economy. 
 All widows have not an equal right to share in Mothers' Aid. The law 
 sees to that. Mothers' Aid is only three years old in l^orth Carolina — 
 still in the experimental stage. Each case should be carefully worked 
 out according to the suggestions given in this handbook and followed 
 closel;f. 
 
 Adequate grants are possible only when "the grant makes up the 
 deficit in the family budget so as to insure wholesome living on a 
 minimum wage." "There is a minimum normal standard of living 
 below which physical and mental health and efficiency cannot be main- 
 tained and which should be insured to every family regardless of its 
 former standard of life." 
 
 THE FAMILY BUDGET 
 
 No grant can be fairly determined until a careful inventory has been 
 made of the family income and of how far this income fails to provide 
 the minimum standards for normal living. The grant should bridge 
 the difference between these points. 
 
36 Handbook on Mothers' Aid 
 
 Income 
 
 Wages. (Count in wages, or whatever part of wages is paid in by the 
 children.) Boarders or lodgers. Money received from farm produce or home 
 work. Regular help from relatives. Money from "money crop" last year, 
 cotton, corn, tobacco. Other sources. 
 
 Expenditure 
 
 Rent. Amount needed for rent, either at present place or better one. If 
 in country, give terms on which family rents land — on half shares, croppers, 
 etc. 
 
 Interest, taxes and repairs. If home is owned, get value, taxes, repairs, 
 interest and other payments. Count these expenses on a monthly basis. The 
 total should not exceed reasonable house rent in the community. 
 
 Insurance. Members of family insured and amounts. If too excessive 
 family should be advised to reduce. 
 
 Fwel and light. Find out last year's bill as nearly as possible and divide 
 by twelve. Amount to be allowed will depend on local prices and conditions, 
 also upon arrangement and condition of house. Fifty cents a month is usually 
 sufficient for kerosene in country homes, unless it is also used for cooking. 
 
 Food. This is one of the most important items on the list. The amount 
 spent is frequently hard to get. If the mother lives in a mill section her bill 
 is usually large and the money goes for quickly prepared rather than nour- 
 ishing food. She may need very careful help for some time in learning to 
 know and prepare new foods, more inexpensive and at the same time more 
 nourishing. If the mother lives on a farm, has chickens, eggs, milk, butter, 
 vegetables and fruits, then her food bill will be small and will include only 
 such things as flour, meal, tea, cereals, coffee, flavorings, and such things as 
 the farm does not produce. In cases where families are undernourished, 
 special provision for abundance of nourishing food should be made. 
 
 Clothing. The last year's expenditure for clothing should be known, also 
 the amount of clothing contributed if the family has been receiving aid. (Due 
 allowance should be made for increasing size.) If the family is not suffi- 
 ciently clad, then an amount above that worked out on the monthly average 
 should be allowed. Whether the mother sews well and buys materials eco- 
 nomically is also to be considered. Likewise, whether clothes can be handed 
 down from one child to another. 
 
 Household furnishing and supplies. The house should be adequately fur- 
 nished. Much misery is caused by the very absence of things. There should 
 be beds enough so that not more than two should have to share one. ^ Chairs 
 enough for the family to sit at the table at once ; an easy chair for the mother ; 
 bedside rugs ; covering, sheets, and pillow cases — sufficient for warmth and 
 cleanliness. A good stove for cooking ; sufficient pots, pans and other utensils 
 for cooking. If the house is lacking in the basic essentials for normal living, 
 then the cost of these things should be included in the budget, so much each 
 month to be used to supply these things. 
 
 Incidentals. The budget should cover family needs and practices, if suit- 
 able. In it should be included church contributions, recreation, newspapers, 
 postage, magazines, and small articles needed for the home. 
 
 Health. The better the family conditions at the time the case is approved, 
 the less need be allowed for health. One dollar a month would probably be 
 sufficient for home remedies. Most counties take care of doctors and hospital 
 bills through local health officers, nurses, clinics. 
 
 I 
 
State Boaed of Charities and Public "Welfare 37 
 
 Farm and garden. Garden seed, implements, cost of animal and poultry 
 feed, fertilizer, labor, etc. Usually a year's estimate can be worked out and 
 divided on a monthly basis. 
 
 Sunmiary 
 
 The working out of tlie budget is frequently tlie first inkling tlie 
 mother, particularly the country mother, has had of the relation of cash 
 money to the fooa and other supplies she grows on the farm. The 
 investigation itself is a suggestion to the mother of business methods — 
 of the fact that she is entering into a contract with her county and 
 State in which she must bear her part. Xo superintendent will insist 
 upon the family's changing nonessentials in family routine for a cut 
 and dried budget. A slow process of education in better methods of 
 spending the family income is usually necessary. 
 
 By asking each mother to keep a monthly account in a notebook (see 
 suggested -outline), and by going over that account with her on each 
 monthly visit, complimenting, suggesting changes, etc., the mother will 
 gradually take pride in the way she runs her house. By noting foods 
 bought and looking at the children the superintendent can form some 
 ideas as to whether or not they are getting the right foods. 
 
 If the roads are bad and distances great, as they are in many counties, 
 the superintendent would find that carrying on a correspondence with 
 some member of the family will keep him in touch with things. It will 
 also mean a great deal to the family to receive letters and occasional 
 magazines or newspapers from the outside world. 
 
 Until our county welfare departments have larger personnels, the 
 search for the most hopeful type of mother for our Mothers' Aid work 
 must continue, the mother that needs only financial help to come up to 
 community standards. 
 
 When our appropriations shall be large enough for the urban coun- 
 ties to have a worker for Mothers' Aid alone, then mothers requiring 
 more personal help, more education in the minimum standards of normal 
 living, can be approved. 
 
 In practically every case that has been withdrawn or canceled the 
 trouble can be traced back to poor material to work on and lack of time 
 on the part of the work, for supervision. 
 
 BUDGETS 
 
 Xo definite work on budgets comparable to that done in Xew York 
 and Chicago has been done in Xorth Carolina. The standard budget 
 used in computing estimates for household expenses of any normal home 
 is quoted below. These estimates allow for nothing beyond the necessi- 
 ties of life. They deal, however, with city life. As the majority of our 
 cases are rural, and the families have rent free, own farm animals and 
 gardens, and wear the type of clothes current in their communities, a 
 family could live well on less than is suggested here. A study of what 
 the necessities of life actually cost in other states will not come amiss 
 to a superintendent who is interested in doing a genuine piece of work. 
 
38 
 
 Handbook on Mothers' Aid 
 
 SCHEDULE FOR ESTIMATING FAMILY BUDGETS IN MOTHERS' 
 ASSISTANCE CASES 
 
 (Compiled by the Westchester County, New York, Department of Child 
 Welfare; Food Schedule compiled by the New York Nutrition Council.) 
 Rent. Amount paid. 
 Fuel. Coal : 
 
 1. For one stove, one-half ton a month. (Amount allowed for.) 
 
 2. For second stove, a quarter ton a (coal at the standard rate per ton 
 charged in district) month additional. 
 
 Kindling: Not to exceed $1 a month. (From November 1 to May 1 a 
 second stove and kindling allowed. During the remainder of the year only 
 one stove allowed.) 
 
 Light. Where kerosene is used, $1 a month. Where gas is used, 1,000 cubic 
 feet per month allowed at rate charged in the district, plus service charge. 
 
 Sundries. One dollar a month per person, with a maximum of $7 for a 
 family. 
 
 
 Boys Cost 
 
 per Month 
 
 Girls Cost 
 
 per Month 
 
 Age — Years 
 
 A 
 
 B 
 
 A 
 
 B 
 
 Under 2 _----. ._ .. 
 
 $ 5.20 
 5.42 
 5.63 
 5.85 
 6.28 
 6.72 
 7.58 
 9.20 
 9.75 
 10.83 
 
 $ 6.93 
 
 7.15 
 
 7.15 
 
 7.37 
 
 7.58 
 
 8.02 
 
 8.67 
 
 11.00 
 
 11.92 
 
 12.78 
 
 $ 5.20 
 5.20 
 5.42 
 5.63 
 5.85 
 6.28 
 6.50 
 7.37 
 7.80 
 9.10 
 
 $ 6.93 
 
 2 " 3 , 
 
 6.93 
 
 3 " 4 - - 
 
 6.93 
 
 4 " 7 
 
 6.93 
 
 7 " 8 
 
 7.15 
 
 8 " 9 
 
 7.37 
 
 9 " 11 
 
 7.80 
 
 12 " 15 
 
 8.45 
 
 15 " 16 - -- 
 
 8.88 
 
 Over 16 -- -- --- --- 
 
 9.75 
 
 
 
 Qualifications for food allowances : 
 
 1. Family of three or less, B allowance for each member. 
 
 2. Nursing mother, $13.65 (no extra allowance for baby). 
 8. Use B allowances where special nourishment required. 
 
 4. Deduct one-fourth allowance for adults eating lunches regularly away 
 from home and make special allowance for lunches in budget estimate. 
 
 5. For all cases in which B allowance not recommended in above qualifica- 
 tions, use A allowance. 
 
 6. Allow for the average mother $9.10 per month. 
 Clothing: 
 
 Woman at work $7.50 
 
 Woman at home 5.53 
 
 Older girl at work 7.50 
 
 Older boy at work 7.44 
 
 Girl 10-14 years 4.41 
 
 Boy 10-14 years 4.54 
 
 Child 6-10 years 3.62 
 
 Child 3-6 years 2.67 
 
 Child of 2 or under 2.78 
 
 Insurance. Each family considered separately. 
 
State Boaed of Charities and Public Welfare 
 
 39 
 
 03 o 
 
 P^H 
 
 g £ C 
 
 
 
 
 o "C 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 , I CO 
 
 a a 
 
40 Handbook on Mothers' Aid 
 
 HEALTH 
 
 The health, of the family is one of the great problems in Mothers' Aid. 
 In the majority of cases the mother has been trying to the limit of her 
 strength to keep her children with her. She has neglected herself and 
 her nerves are on edge. If this disintegrating process has not gone too 
 far^ often the doctor who examines her will say "rest and relief from 
 worry about money matters is what she needs." If this fight, against 
 odds too heavy for her^ has gone on long, there may be organic trouble 
 or incipient trouble that will take time and money to straighten out 
 before the mother is in condition to care for her children. Sometimes 
 teeth, eyes, tonsils, falling arches need attention. 
 
 Children are frequently undernourished, their eyes, teeth, tonsils in 
 bad condition. Sometimes they are found to have incipient tuberculosis, 
 hookworm, or are crippled. (See Constructive Work Examples.) 
 
 Physical Examinations 
 
 If each county will have thorough physical examinations made of each 
 member of the family before the grant is made, much time and energy 
 will be saved. It is hard to persuade a mother already getting checks 
 to have an examination later. 
 
 Health Departments 
 
 If the county has a whole-time health officer, county nurse, or both, 
 the superintendent should talk with them about the Mothers' Aid cases 
 and get their help in examinations and treatment whenever possible. 
 
 Physician 
 
 If there is no county health ofiicer, then the local physicians will 
 generally be found willing and able to help, if they understand the 
 
 work and the need. 
 
 Specialist 
 
 When a case for a specialist comes up, eyes, ears, nose, throat, tubercu- 
 losis, etc., a doctor should be consulted. His interest should be enlisted 
 in the constructive preventive work being done and his best terms 
 should be requested for the family. If the mother can pay even a small 
 amount on the bill, monthly, it will be better for her than to accept too 
 much from charity. 
 
 Hospitals 
 
 The superintendent should know the hospital situation in his county. 
 He should talk over the case he wants admitted and give the institution 
 the sort of cooperation that he expects from it. 
 
 Clinics 
 
 The superintendent should find out ahead of time prospective climes 
 for eyes, teeth, cripples, etc., and get patients needing attention in touch 
 with the doctors. 
 
 I 
 
State Board of Charities and Public Welfare 41 
 
 To put motlier and children in good physical condition and keep them 
 so, to help mother financially so she can keep her children in school, are 
 the greatest opportunities the State has in Mothers' Aid work. 
 
 EDUCATION 
 
 The law requires that every child be kept in school until he or she is 
 fourteen. The mother on the county and State Mothers' Aid list is 
 under double obligation to do this, for she is receiving aid with this end 
 in view. She should not have to oifer as excuse in cotton and berry 
 and tobacco seasons that she has to keep them out to make money. If 
 the county and State are helping, they are under obligations to help 
 enough, otherwise they are breaking their contract. 
 
 Whether or not a child stays in school after he is fourteen depends 
 largely on the child's ability and the" superintendent's efforts. If the 
 child has been slow, uninterested, anxious to get out and work, perhaps 
 further time spent in school would be useless. Effort to find him a job 
 "with a future" would be more worth while. On the other hand, an 
 ambitious, gifted, intelligent child who wants to continue through high 
 school and college, or take special work, should have an opportunity to 
 go on. The superintendent, or a member of his board, should exhaust 
 every source of help to give the child his chance. 
 
 In one county the Kiwanis Club furnished clothes and books for a 
 fifteen-year-old girl who wanted the home economics training in the 
 high school. She worked in the summer. 
 
 In another county a Rotarian gave a boy a flute and made arrange- 
 ments for lessons. The boy worked after school, on Saturdays and dur- 
 ing the summer, and finally paid for his lessons himself. 
 
 In still another family the superintendent got several Sunday School 
 classes and individuals to finance a sixteen-year-old girl at a boarding 
 school for a year. If she makes a good record this year, further plans 
 will be made. 
 
 A boy of fifteen wanted to finish high school and then work as ap- 
 prentice in a machine shop. He could not learn Latin. A talk with 
 the principal helped. The boy dropped Latin, concentrated on his other 
 studies, worked Saturdays and in summer, finished his course, and is 
 now doing well as an apprentice and helping his mother. 
 
 This question of "vocational guidance" is a grave responsibility in 
 our work. It is the business of the county and State departments of 
 welfare to know the abilities and opportunities and desires of the chil- 
 dren receiving aid and to steer them in the right way. "The greatest 
 adjustments which the individual makes in life are to love and to work. 
 If the children under our care are nurtured and reared to their working 
 years in good homes, and if they are aided in finding jobs suited to 
 their individual capacities for self-expression, we will have done our 
 part in giving them a foundation for that greatest of the arts, the art 
 of developing one's own character." 
 
4:2 Handbook on Mothers' Aid 
 
 Tile tendency to take a motlier off the list as soon as she lias one or 
 more children above fourteen is one tliat should be eliminated. Children 
 above twelve and fourteen should realize, as much as possible, the home 
 situation and be trained, to do their part of the work and to make enough 
 to buy their own clothes if possible, but no group of county officials 
 should throw the entire support of a family on the older children. Too 
 many times such a policy results in the children's leaving home and 
 'Agoing on their own." 
 
IX. SUMMARY OF 206 CASES OF MOTHERS' AID 
 
 (All the approved cases up to August 15, 1924.) 
 
 The following study, made by Mr. George Lawrence, of the School of 
 Public Welfare at the University of I^orth Carolina, was first printed 
 in the Biennial Keport of the State Board of Charities and Public 
 Welfare to the General Assembly of 1925. Because the study is still 
 true of present conditions in Mothers' Aid families, it is reprinted here. 
 
 During the first year of operation of Mothers' Aid in N'orth Carolina, 
 or to be more exact, from August 1, 1923, when the first case was ap- 
 proved up to August 15, 1924, a total of 206 cases were approved by 
 the State Director of Mothers' Aid. 
 
 Information on these 206 cases was tabulated, classified, and summa- 
 rized in order that it might be made clear just who were the people being 
 assisted and what were some of the pertinent facts regarding their social 
 and economic status. 
 
 A. Localities of Families: 
 
 Chart 1 shows clearly that our problem with Mothers' Aid in J^orth 
 Carolina is largely a rural one. This, however, is to be expected when 
 we consider that in spite of the many people engaged in manufacturing 
 ours is still primarily a rural population. 
 
 "City" defined as a place of 20,000 population or over. 
 "Town" defined as an incorporated place of under 20,000. 
 "Rural" defined as all unincorporated places. 
 
 City 19 
 
 Town 71 
 
 Rural 116 
 
 206 
 
 L o c 9X\X\ e s of Tarn Vl *\ e s 
 
 B. Ages of Mothers: 
 
 The mothers .being assisted range in ages from 22 to 50 years, averag- 
 ing 35.2 although 34 is the most frequent age. Thus it is seen we are 
 dealing with women who are mostly in the prime of life at the stage of 
 maturity where we could expect them to give of their best for their 
 children. 
 
44 
 
 Handbook on Mothers' Aid 
 
 20 
 19 
 18 
 17 
 16 
 15 
 14 
 13 
 
 tn 
 
 I 10 
 *» 8 
 
 Z 5 
 
 4 
 5 
 
 1 
 
 il 
 II I 
 
 III! 
 
 mil nil I II I II HUM 
 
 22 Z3 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 51 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 Al 43 44 4546 47 48 49 50 
 
 Range — from 22 to 50 years. 
 Average age — 35.2 years. 
 
 C. Length of Mothers' Residence in North Carolina: 
 
 Our law requires a residence in the State of 3 years, but it is interest- 
 ing to note tlie exceptionally liigli percentage of mothers who have spent 
 their entire lives in ^N^orth Carolina. Kot a single mother is foreign- 
 born, and practically all of the 13 per cent not natives of ISTorth Caro- 
 lina came from the adjoining states of South Carolina and Virginia. 
 
 Lived in North Carolina for life 179 
 
 Lived in North Carolina 21 years or over 11 
 
 Lived in North Carolina 11 to 20 years 5 
 
 Lived in North Carolina 6 to 10 years 5 
 
 Lived in North Carolina 5 years or under 6 
 
 Total 206 
 
 ^otWers' "ResVa 
 
 esid.ence «»v 
 
 N.C. 
 
 Life srzi 
 
 2 1 v^rs. or ove,r 5 7% \ 
 
 6-10 
 
 y5 
 
 zktM 
 
 ^Atr 37o 
 
State Boakd of Chakities and Public Welfare 45 
 
 D. Church Affiliations of Mothers: 
 
 Because of the variations of standards as to just wliat constitutes 
 cliurcli membership, affiliations were listed rather than memberships. 
 Only 5 of the 206 mothers, or about 2 per cent, have no church affilia- 
 tion. 
 
 Denomination No. of Mothers 
 
 Baptist 95 
 
 Free Will Baptist 12 
 
 Primitive Baptist - 3 
 
 Methodist 49 
 
 Methodist Protestant : 5 
 
 Presbyterian 8 
 
 Christian 7 
 
 Episcopalian 4 
 
 A. R. P 3 
 
 Reformed 3 
 
 Holiness 3 
 
 Moravian 3 
 
 Lutheran 2 
 
 Quaker 2 
 
 Morman 1 
 
 Church of Living God 1 
 
 No affiliation listed 5 
 
 Total 206 
 
 rietKodist 24Z 
 
 CKrtst\a.n 
 
 Otix ers-all a a 1,07 v//V/'/7777nn 
 
 Tfxone 
 
 E. Occupations of Husbands: 
 
 Since over half of the mothers live in rural localities, the fact that 
 50 per cent of the husbands were farmers is a logical sequence. To many 
 the low percentage of husbands who were cotton-mill workers, 5 per 
 cent, will be surprising. 
 
46 
 
 Handbook on Mothers' Aid 
 
 Occupation No. of husbands 
 
 Farmer 103 
 
 Carpenter 16 
 
 Cotton Mill 11 
 
 Mechanic 11 
 
 Merchant 7 
 
 Sawmill 4 
 
 Day Laborer 4 
 
 Painter 3 
 
 Occupation 
 
 Barber 
 
 No. of hus'bands 
 . 3 
 
 Furniture Factory .. 
 Clerk 
 
 3 
 
 Electrician . 
 
 3 
 
 Plumber -.. 
 
 2 
 
 Preacher 
 
 <■) 
 
 Railroad Work 
 
 2 
 
 One each of the following : 
 Blacksmith 
 Bookkeeper 
 Brick Mason 
 Car Cleaner 
 Car Repairer 
 Carpenter and Policeman 
 Fisherman 
 Garage Helper 
 Hospital Attendant 
 Insurance Agent 
 
 Insurance Agent and Jitney Driver 
 Interior Decorator 
 Iron Worker and "Hot Dog" Stand 
 Jitney Driver 
 Jobber 
 
 Laundryman 
 Lumberman 
 Mail Carrier 
 Mattress Maker 
 Meat Market 
 Planing Mill 
 Policeman 
 PostofRce Clerk 
 Railroad Conductor 
 Road Construction 
 Teacher 
 
 Tobacco Factory 
 Transfer Work 
 Undertaker 
 
 Uccotoatvons of 
 
 H Os\) aLtvAs 
 
 '^'^f. 
 
 
 °'H 
 
 
 \ 
 
 ?* 
 
 
 o 
 
 
 -4 
 
 
State Boaed of Charities and Public Welfare 
 
 47 
 
 F. Marital Status of Mothers: 
 
 Although Mothers' Aid is primarily for the family where the mother 
 is a widow, we find that 41, or 20 per cent, of the husbands are still 
 
 living. 
 
 165 widows 
 41 have husbands living 
 
 206 
 Cjf T"l Lwmo nus\>an<ls 
 
 6 Di6aUe<l 
 
 6 Insa^ne A-j^ Ay\A/V 
 
 2. Dwox'ce'd 
 
 /f/f 
 
 G. Causes of Deaths of Hushands: 
 
 A glance at the following table of causes of deaths of 165 husbands 
 reveals the high percentage of deaths from preventable diseases. 
 
 Causes of death No. of hushands 
 
 Pneumonia 24 
 
 Influenza 19 
 
 Tuberculosis 17 
 
 Accident 15 
 
 Bright's Disease 11 
 
 Typhoid .' 8 
 
 Murdered 6 
 
 Heart Trouble 6 
 
 Paralysis 6 
 
 Cancer 6 
 
 One each of the following : 
 Acute Indigestion 
 Apoplexy 
 Bronchial Asthma 
 Congestion of Brain 
 Dysentery 
 Encephalitis 
 Gas Gangrene 
 Malarial Fever 
 
 Causes of death No. of hushands 
 
 Dropsy 6 
 
 Meningitis 4 
 
 Appendicitis 4 
 
 Kidney Trouble 4 
 
 Diabetes 3 
 
 Blood Poisoning 3 
 
 Drowned 3 
 
 High Blood Pressure 2 
 
 Not Known 3 
 
 Pleurisy 
 
 Ptomaine Poisoning 
 
 Rupture 
 
 Tumor of Brain 
 
 Typhoid Pneumonia 
 
 Ulcer of Stomach 
 
 Suicide 
 
48 Handbook on Mothers' Aid 
 
 H. (a) Length of Time Between Death of 165 Husbands and Date of 
 Approval of Application: 
 
 Before the passage of the Mothers' Aid Law many of our widows 
 struggled along for years after the death of their hushands without the 
 advantages of State and county assistance, hut it is gratifying to find 
 that in nearly one-third of the cases aid has heen given Avithin a year of 
 the loss of the family breadwinner. As the time wears on and the full 
 value of Mothers' Aid is appreciated it is hoped that assistance will he 
 forthcoming in most cases within a few months of the deaths of the 
 husbands, thus approaching a form of social insurance. 
 
 Length of time No. of cases Length of time No. of cases 
 
 Under 1 year 48 5 to 6 years 9 
 
 1 to 2 years 45 6 to 7 years 5 
 
 2 to 3 years 21 7 to 8 years 2 
 
 3 to 4 years 18 8 to 9 years 3 
 
 4 to 5 years 14 
 
 Average length of time, 1 year and 11 months. 
 
 (h) Length of Time Between Desertion, Disability, Imprisonmnent, In- 
 sanity, or Divorce of Jfl Husbands and Date of Approval of 
 Application: 
 
 Length of time No. of cases Length of time No. of cases 
 
 Of 16 Deserting Husbands of 11 Imprisoned Husbands 
 
 Under 1 year 4 ^^^(jer 1 year 8 
 
 1 to 2 years 3 . i to 2 years 1 
 
 2 to 3 years 4 2 to 3 years -- 2 
 
 3 to 4 years 1 
 
 4 to 5 years 2 Of 6 Insane Husbands 
 
 6 to 7 years 1 1 to 2 years 2 
 
 No date of desertion 1 2 to 3 years 3 
 
 6 to 7 years 1 
 
 Of Disabled Husbands 
 Under 1 year 1 
 
 Of 2 Divorced Husbands 
 
 2 to 3 years 3 2 to 3 years 1 
 
 3 to 4 years.. 2 5 to 6 years 1 
 
 Average length of time : 
 
 Desertions— 2 years, 21/2 months ; disabled— 2 years, 3 months ; impris- 
 oned— 101/2 months; insane— 2 years, 7% months; divorced— 3 years, 
 6 months. 
 
 The Division of Mothers' Aid has ruled that no deserted mother may 
 apply under one year, and only after every effort has been made to re- 
 quire the husband to assume his financial obligations. 
 
 From the above figures it would seem that the families of imprisoned 
 men come most quickly to our attention. It is possible, however, that 
 at a later date, when a greater number of cases are tabulated, that the 
 results will disapprove this assumption. 
 
State Board of Charities and Public "Welfare 49 
 
 /. (a) Calendar Year of Deaths of 165 Husbands: 
 
 The following two tables simply augment the preceding two, although 
 by means of them it may be possible to better estimate the extent of our 
 problem for the next year or two. 
 
 1924 7 1919 10 
 
 1923 41 1918 9 
 
 1922 44 1917 5 
 
 1921 21 1916 2 
 
 1920 23 1915 3 
 
 (h) Calendar Year When Jfl Living Husbands Ceased Supporting 
 Fa,milies: 
 
 1924 4 1920 4 
 
 1923 11 1919 3 
 
 1922 7 1917 2 
 
 1921 9 No date given 1 
 
 /. Children Under IJf. Years: 
 
 By a mere coincidence this study includes exactly 1,000 persons given 
 assistance through Mothers' Aid, since there are 794 children under 14 
 in addition to the 206 mothers. It might be thought that the average 
 number of children under 14 per family would be higher than 3.9. The 
 length of time from marriage to the cessation of the support of the 
 husband in a large measure accounts for this figure. 
 
 Total number in 206 families 794 
 
 Average per family 3.9 
 
 Range per family 1 to 8 
 
 Number of families with one child under 14 3 
 
 Number of families with two children under 14 33 
 
 Number of families with three children under 14 42 
 
 Number of families with four children under 14 68 
 
 Number of families with five children under 14 38 
 
 Number of families with six children under 14 18 
 
 Number of families with seven children under 14 3 
 
 Number of families with eight children under 14 1 
 
 , Total families 206 
 
 K. Children IJf Years Old and Over: 
 
 In over half of the 78 families where there were children 14 years old 
 or over there was only one such child per family. This indicates that 
 these families in most cases cannot count on much financial help from 
 the older children simply because there are not enough of them, neither 
 are they of sufficient age to replace the income which formerly was pro- 
 vided by their fathers. 
 
50 
 
 Handbook on Mothers' Aid 
 
 In 78 of the 206 families there were children 14 years or over, 
 
 totaling 130. 
 Average per family of these 78 families, 1.7. 
 Range, 1 to 5. 
 
 Number of families with one child 14 or over 43 
 
 Number of families with two children 14 or over 25 
 
 Number of families with three children 14 or over 6 
 
 Number of families with four children 14 or ovei'. 1 
 
 Number of families with five children 14 or over 3 
 
 Total families 78 
 
 L. Children Born After Death or Nonsupport of Husbands: 
 
 Sometliing of the hardships which have been endured by many of 
 these mothers is shown by the tables below. In over 22 per cent of all 
 the 206 families a child was born after the husband had been taken 
 away by death, or by circumstances which caused his nonsupport. There 
 were 51 such children in a total of 46 families. ISTone of these children 
 are illegitimate. 
 
 In 30 families one child was born after death of husband. 
 In 2 families twins were born after death of husband. 
 Total of 34 children born after death of husband. 
 In 5 families one child was born after desertion of husband. 
 In 3 families one child was born after imprisonment of husband. 
 In 3 families one child was born after insanity of husband. 
 In 2 families one child was born after disablement of husband. 
 In 1 familj^ 4 children (triplets and one other) were born after disablement 
 of husband. 
 
 Total of 17 children. 
 
 T^rt\\\*ves wKere CKVliren wcre'BorYv af t 
 
 [eir 
 
 I)eitk or Mcn-SUjpport of Hus^a^nAs 
 (None of these children dxe \lle<i'iVimd.-ie) 
 
State Board of Charities and Public Welfare 
 
 51 
 
 M. Occuputions of Mothers Other Than Housekeeping: 
 
 Among tlie occupations of the mothers^ farming plays a major part. 
 And this in most cases means no less than it would if the term were 
 applied to a man — plowing the land, working the crops, and gathering 
 the harvest. Whereas there were only 11 husbands listed as mill workers 
 we find 29 mothers so engaged. This indicates that several women, after 
 having been deprived of their husbands, consider mill work better 
 adapted to their needs than some of the other occupations. 
 
 Occupation No. of mothers 
 
 Farming 51 
 
 Cotton Mill 28 
 
 Sewing 25 
 
 Boarding House S 
 
 Washing 8 
 
 One each of the following : 
 Bookkeeper 
 
 Cotton Mill and Boarding House 
 Farming and Caretaker 
 Farming and Worker in Laundry 
 
 Occupation No. of mothers 
 
 Washing and Farming 6 
 
 Washing and Sewing 3 
 
 Sewing and Farming 3 
 
 Washing and Ironing 2 
 
 Clerk 2 
 
 Film Inspector 
 Makes Baskets 
 Makes Berry Crates 
 Merchant 
 
 Total of 144 out of 206 mothers. 
 
 Occut)aut\ons of Mothers 
 
 
 ;? 
 
52 Handbook on Mothers' Aid 
 
 N. Occupations of Children IJf Years and Over: 
 
 Of tlie 130 children over 14, occupations of 60 were definitely listed. 
 The status of 22 others Avas also given; 35 of the remaining 48 were of 
 rural families — 11 from towns, and 2 from cities; in most cases they 
 helped at home; many attend school. 
 
 Cotton Mill 16 Odd Jobs 3 
 
 Farm Work 9 Telephone Girl 2 
 
 Store Clerks 6 Print Shop 2 
 
 Tobacco Factory 5 
 
 One each of the following : 
 
 Army Navy 
 
 Construction Company Newspaper Office 
 
 Dairy Railroad Work 
 
 Furniture Factory Sawmill 
 
 Hauls Wood Shuttle Factory 
 
 Janitor at School Teacher 
 
 liumber Company Training for Nurse 
 
 Mica Company Waitress 
 Movie House 
 
 Total of 60 out of 130 children 
 
 Children over 14 married 18 
 
 Children over 14 in orphanages 2 
 
 Children over 14 feeble-minded 1 
 
 Children over 14 invalid 1 
 
 0. Rooms and Beds Per House: 
 
 Since the average number of children under 14 per family is 3.9, the 
 fact that the average number of rooms per house is also 3.9 seems to 
 indicate that on the whole the housing situation among our Mothers' 
 Aid families is not as poor as might be expected. 
 
 Rooms per house — 
 
 For 202 houses (4 cases not listed) total number rooms.... 790 
 
 Average number of rooms per house 3.9 
 
 Range — 1 to 8 (one boarding house contained 10 rooms) 
 
 Beds per house — 
 
 For 199 houses (7 cases not listed) total number beds 691 
 
 Average number of beds per house 3.5 
 
 Range — 1 to 7 (one boarding house contained 13 beds) 
 
 P. Home Ownership: 
 
 Sixty of the mothers own their homes ; many of these homes, however, 
 are mortgaged and practically all of them are of small valuation. In 
 most of these cases encouragement has been given to retain ownership 
 since the landed family tendsi to greater stability than the landless. 
 
 Families owning homes 60 
 
 Families not owning homes 146 
 
State Board of Charities and Public Welfare 53 
 
 Q. Sources of. Previous Aid for These 206 Families: 
 
 Tlie important part tliat relatives tave played in assisting these 
 families before Mothers' Aid has been granted is seen in the list below. 
 Under the heading County is included assistance given by County De- 
 partments of Public Welfare in addition to County funds for the poor, 
 etc. The 4 cases listed under Thomasville Orphanage Aid were trans- 
 ferred to the State plan of Mothers' Aid; in this connection the State 
 Director has had occasion to recommend several other cases to Thomas- 
 ville. Besides the 2 cases listed under Sale of Land many mothers were 
 forced to sell furniture and other household equipment. The sale of 
 crops and other produce, the earnings of children over 14, and the wages 
 of some of the mothers have of course been important items in the sup- 
 port of these families prior to the granting of Mothers' Aid. 
 
 The following is a list of agencies with the number of families assisted 
 by each : 
 
 Relatives 131 
 
 Friends and Neighbors 78 
 
 Churches 49 
 
 County 46 
 
 Insurance 20 
 
 Red Cross 9 
 
 Associated Charities 8 
 
 Husband's Employer 5 
 
 Thomasville Orphanage Aid 4 
 
 Kiwanis 2 
 
 K. K. K 2 
 
 Junior Order 2 
 
 Odd Fellows 2 
 
 King's Daughters 2 
 
 Masons 6 Sale of Land. 
 
 One each of the following 
 Cash left by husband 
 City 
 
 Husband's bondsmen 
 Elks 
 
 Man who accidentally killed husband 
 
 Merchant 
 
 Newspaper 
 
 Organization not named 
 
54 Handbook on Mothers' Aid 
 
 Red Men School 
 
 Rotary Teacher 
 
 Salvation Army Woodmen 
 
 In 20 out of tlie 206 cases no previous aid or assistance v^as listed. 
 One hundred eighty-six cases had received previous assistance. 
 
 Let it not be supposed, however, that all these agencies have ceased 
 their active interest upon the arrival of Mothers' Aid. On the contrary, 
 the supervision which is part of the duty of those administering Mothers' 
 Aid has in a great many .cases awakened a keener sense of responsibility 
 on the part of these individuals and organizations for the mothers and 
 children who have now become recognized assets of the State. 
 
 R. Length of Time Between Date of Application hy Mothers in Counties 
 and Date of Approval hy 8iate: 
 
 At the outset there was necessarily a good deal of delay between the 
 time the mother made application and the final approval of the State. 
 Our county superintendents of public welfare were unfamiliar with the 
 prescribed procedure and a considerable number of applications received 
 by the State Director liad to be returned for further information. Also, 
 since the county commissioners and the county boards of public welfare 
 meet regularly only once a month, applications often are held up to 
 await action from these bodies. Because the State Director has had 
 the field work, and the ofiice work as well, cases have sometimes had 
 to wait attention until her return from county trips. With more com- 
 plete cooperation between county and State and a more general knowl- 
 edge of how Mothers' Aid may be secured it is felt that the average 
 length of time of 2 months as listed below can be cut in half. 
 
 Length of time No. of cases 
 Less than one week 5 
 
 1 to 2 weeks 6 
 
 2 to 3 weeks 20 
 
 3 weeks to 1 month 18 
 
 1 month to l^/^ months 42 
 
 1% months to 2 months 33 
 
 2 months to 21/2 months 23 
 
 2y2 months to 3 months 21 
 
 3 months to 3% months 13 
 
 SVq months to 4 months 6 
 
 4 months to 4% months 4 
 
 4% months to 5 months 7 
 
 5 months to 5% months 1 
 
 5% months to 6 months 3 
 
 6 months to 7 months 1 
 
 7 months to 8 months 2 
 
 8 months to 9 months 1 
 
 Total families 206 
 
 Average length of time slightly over 2 months. 
 
State Board of Charities and Public Welfare 55 
 
 S. Jui^emle Cotirt Records: 
 
 The higli character of the families being reached through Mothers' 
 Aid is indicated by the fact that there was one lone juvenile court record 
 among all the children of the 206 families. In this case a boy had been 
 placed on probation and at last reports was doing well. 
 
 T. Physical Exarmndtions: 
 
 Physical examinations had been given in 63 families out of the 206. 
 In most cases all the members of these 63 families were examined. 
 Many other Mothers' Aid families have since had physical examinations 
 as a part of the supervision given. 
 
 U. Illiteracy: 
 
 Twenty-four mothers were unable to write, but in every one of these 
 cases it was obvious that the intelligence and capability of these women 
 qualified them as being competent to care for their children. "Without 
 exception they are all particularly anxious for their children to secure 
 educational advantages of which they themselves were unfortunately 
 deprived. 
 
 Y. Others in Household: 
 
 In 77 out of the 206 families there were others besides the mother and 
 children living in the same house. Many of these 77 mothers had been 
 taken into homes of relatives after the husbands died, others were board- 
 ing relatives or outsiders, and a few lived in two-family houses. 
 
 W. Previous Marriages of Mothers: 
 
 Only 8 mothers had been married twice: 
 
 X. Amounts of Aid Granted: 
 
 The following figures are for total amounts (half from State and 
 half from county) : 
 
 Total of $3,944.44 per month for 206 cases. 
 Average amount per month per case, $19.15. 
 
 Amount per month No. of cases 
 
 $10 30 
 
 15 47 
 
 20 67 
 
 25 19 
 
 30 20 
 
 35 4 
 
 40 4 
 
 Odd amounts averaging $14.96 15 
 
56 
 
 Handbook on Mothers' Aid 
 
 Number of Cases 
 
 . ^1 v///////////.z<^y//////////A 
 
 1 ^^ w////mm/Mi//m//m/M/A 
 
 vmMMMMMM2MmMMMm 
 
 I % 30 
 
 11 
 
 35 E3 
 
 40 K 
 
 y. Canceilation of Cases: 
 
 The first Mothers' Aid case was approved by the State Director 
 August 1, 1923. On August 15, 1924, there were 191 cases in active 
 operation, 15 having been canceled for the following reasons: 
 
 Married 5 
 
 Moved out of North Carolina 2 
 
 Moved out of county 1 
 
 Immorality 2 
 
 Mother self-supporting 1 
 
 Disabled husband supporting family 1 
 
 Deserting husband returned 1 
 
 Government pension granted 1 
 
 Thomasville Orphanage aid granted 1 
 
 Z. Distribution by Counties: 
 County No. of cases 
 
 Alamance 4 
 
 Alexander 2 
 
 Alleghany 1 
 
 Anson 4 
 
 Beaufort 6 
 
 Bertie 1 
 
 Bladen 4 
 
 Brunswick 2 
 
 Buncombe 11 
 
 Cabarrus 2 
 
 Catawba 2 
 
 Chatham B 
 
 Cherokee 2 
 
 Chowan 1 
 
 Columbus 5 
 
 Cumberland 3 
 
 Dare 1 
 
 Davidson 9 
 
 Duplin 3 
 
 County No. of cases 
 
 Edgecombe 5 
 
 Forsyth 15 
 
 Franklin 5 
 
 Gaston 3 
 
 Graham 2 
 
 Granville 4 
 
 Guilford 7 
 
 Halifax 1 
 
 Harnett •. 2 
 
 Henderson 3 
 
 Iredell 8 
 
 Johnston 8 
 
 Lee 1 
 
 McDowell 3 
 
 Macon 3 
 
 Madison 2 
 
 Mecklenburg 8 
 
 Nash 1 
 
 New Hanover 4 
 
State Boaed of Charities and Public Welfare 57 
 
 County No. of cases County No. of cases 
 
 Orange 4 Stanly 4 
 
 Pasquotank 2 Surry 5 
 
 Pender 2 Swain 1 
 
 Pitt 3 Union 3 
 
 Richmond - 3 Vance 1 
 
 Robeson 7 Wake 7 
 
 Rockingham 3 Wayne 4 
 
 Rowan 3 Wilson 1 
 
 Scotland 2 
 
 Total of 55 counties represented. 
 
 CLIPPINGS FROM LETTERS OF MOTHERS 
 
 "Many, many thanks for the cheek received recently. Am oh so grateful." 
 
 "Without Mothers' Aid checks I could not keep my children with me, but 
 would be compelled to give them up. I am trying earnestly to teach them to 
 be Christians, and to love the State that is doing so much for them. I will be 
 glad of any advice you can give us — especially on nourishing foods for the 
 children. 
 
 "May God bless all the noble ones who have made this possible for us." 
 
 "Novella said tell you she had been trying to drink milk, and they say they 
 want you to come again. They will start school Monday. Well, you may 
 know I am appreciating your work, for it certainly helps me." 
 
 "We are all three so thankful to our county and our State and will try to 
 prove this by living right. Earle often adds to his prayer, 'God bless the 
 Mothers' Aid.' " 
 
 "That Mother Goose Health Book you sent sure is fine. I can't read myself, 
 but May has read it to all of. us." 
 
 "I have received all the nice books and papers and we do appreciate them 
 all. Our crops are looking good. Hurry and come back to see us.'" 
 
 "I want the Mothers' Aid Director to know how thankful I am of what they 
 are doing for me. and I also feel so glad that this is for all the needy mothers 
 with small children." 
 
 "I will write you a few lines and send you the account of what I have spent 
 and tell you we are getting along very well. All the children are going to 
 school and learning fast." 
 
 "I sure do thank you for the kindness which 3^ou have turned to me. The 
 children all beg to be remembered to you." 
 
58 Handbook on Mothers' Aid 
 
 "When I began to get help I was in debt and now I am able to settle all 
 my debts and think I will be able to clothe the children and start them In 
 school very soon. If it had not of been for the help I don't know what I 
 would of done. I appreciate it so much. I want to give you my thanks for 
 you good people that is working for us." 
 
 The State Director has been making kodak pictures of the Mothers' Aid 
 families. One of these pictures is so attractive and so typical that it was 
 decided to use the picture for the little questionnaire bulletin, if the mother 
 agreed. She replied : "I received your letter today. I would rather you 
 would not use our picture. As I am not much of a public woman I don't 
 care to have my picture in public." 
 
 This spirit is typical of the mothers receiving aid. 
 
 One little girl writes : "I am glad for mama to get this help for us.'* 
 'We have been to town and had our teeth fixed." 
 
 A mother M^rites her county superintendent : "I received my December 
 Mothers' Aid check this evening and thank you for same. We are getting 
 along very well at the present, the children are in school." 
 
 "You know you told me you didn't give the Mothers' Aid to those who stay 
 away from their children. It sure did please me to hear that, for I don't 
 want to stay away from mine. You see, I wasn't getting the Mothers' Aid. 
 If I had been I would have been with my children." 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 SUPERINTENDENT'S LIBRARY FOR MOTHERS' AID 
 
 Social Diagnosis (Mary E. Richmond) — Russell Sage Foundation. 
 
 What is Social Case Work (Mary E. Richmond) — Russell Sage Foundation. 
 
 The Delinquent Child and the Home (Breckenridge & Abbott) — Russell Sage 
 Foundation. 
 
 Social Case History (Ada E. Sheffield) — Russell Sage Foundation. 
 
 Broken Homes (Colcord) — Russell Sage Foundation. 
 
 The Family and Social Case Work (Edward T. Devine) — The Survey. 
 
 Child Training (Angelo Patri) — The Survey. 
 
 The Child's Unconscious Mind (Lay) — The Survey. 
 
 Youth in Conflict (Van Waters) — The Survey. 
 
 Successful Family Life (Abel) — Lippencott. 
 
 What Men Live By (Cabot) — Houghton Mifflin. 
 
 When Fathers Drop Out — Society for Improving Condition of the Poor, New 
 York. 
 
 Standard of Care for Children in Their Own Homes — U. S. Department of 
 Agriculture, Washington, D. C. 
 
 Bulletins on Living Conditions and Family Living in Farm Homes of Various 
 States — U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. 
 
 Manual of Mothers' Assistance Fund— State Department of Welfare, Harris- 
 burg. Pa. 
 
 Rural Standards of Living — N. C. A. and E. College, Raleigh, N. C. 
 
 BULLETINS FOR MOTHERS 
 
 At Raleigh, N. C. 
 
 State Forester Dept. of Conservation and Development. 
 
 Bulletins Child Welfare Commission. 
 
 Poultry Raising Bulletin N. C. Agricultural Department. 
 
 Gardening Bulletin N. C. Agricultural Department. 
 
 Household Bulletin N. C. Agricultural Department. 
 
 Health Bulletin N. C. State Board of Health. 
 
 Bulletin 447 (Bees) , U. S. Department of Agriculture. 
 
 Bulletin 961 (Modern Hives) U. S. Department of Agriculture. 
 
 Bulletin 653 (Honey) U. S. Department of Agriculture. 
 
 Bulletin 1409 (Turkey Raising) U. S. Department of Agriculture. 
 
 School of Applied Arts Battle Creek, Michigan. 
 
 Woman's Institute of Domestic 
 
 Arts and Sciences Scranton, Pennsylvania. 
 
 Franklin Institute Rochester, N. Y. 
 
 Homekraft Studio : Weaving No. 50 Barrow Street, New York. 
 
 Miscellaneous Bulletins Metropolitan Life Ins. Co., N. Y. 
 
 Bulletin on Bulbs U. S. Experiment Station, Willards, N. C. 
 
X. CHILD LABOR LAWS 
 
 5032. Employment of children under fourteen regulated. No child 
 under the age of fourteen years shall be employed or permitted to work, in or 
 about or in connection with any mill, factory, cannery, workshop, or manu- 
 facturing establishment. No child under the age of fourteen years shall be 
 employed, or permitted to work, in or about or in connection with any laundry, 
 bakery, mercantile establishment, office, hotel, restaurant, barber shop, boot- 
 black stand, public stable, garage, place of amusement, brick yard, lumber yard, 
 or any messenger or delivery service, public works, or any form of street 
 trades, except in cases and under regulations prescribed by the Commission 
 herein created, provided the employments in this section enumerated shall not 
 be construed to include bona fide boys' and girls' canning clubs recognized 
 by the Agricultural Department of this State, or vocational training classes 
 authorized by the State Board of Education, and such canning clubs and 
 vocational classes are hereby expressly exempted from the provisions of this 
 article. 
 
 5033. Prohibited employments of children under sixteen. No perSon 
 under sixteen years of age shall be employed, or permitted to work, at night 
 in any of the places or occupations referred to in the first preceding section, 
 between the hours of nine p.m. and six a.m., and no person under sixteen 
 years of age shall be employed or permitted to work in or about or in con- 
 nection with any quarry or mine, nor shall any child under the age of sixteen 
 years be employed, except in cases and under regulations prescribed by the 
 Commission herein created, when (1) such child has symptoms of disease 
 contributory to retardation or disability; or (2) when determined by physical 
 examination that employment of such child is injurious to its health; or (3) 
 employed when surrounding conditions are injurious to its morals; or (4) 
 employed when dangerous employment hazards are present. 
 
 50 34. Age certificates. No child under the age of sixteen years shall 
 be employed in any of the ways enumerated in this act unless at the time of 
 such employment the employer shall in good faith procure, rely upon and 
 place on file, a certificate issued in such form and under such conditions and 
 by such persons as the said Commission herein provided for shall prescribe, 
 showing that the person is of legal age for such employment, and the laws 
 and rules made by the State Child Welfare Commission under authority of 
 this act have been complied with. The possession of such certificate by an 
 employer shall be prima facie evidence that he has complied with the require- 
 ments and obligations of this act when employing such child. No person shall 
 knowingly make a false statement or present false evidence in or in relation 
 to any such certificate or application therefor or cause any false statement 
 to be made which may result in the issuance of an improper certificate of 
 employment. 
 
 LIMIT OP HOURS — MINORS, WOMEN, ADULTS 
 
 (Consolidated Statutes, Section 6554) 
 
 6554. Week's work to be sixty hours. Sixty hours shall constitute a 
 week's work in all factories and manufacturing establishments of the State, 
 and no minor nor woman shall be worked in such factory or establishment 
 a longer period than sixty hours in one week, and no adult male shall be 
 worked in such factory or establishment for a longer period than sixty hours 
 in one week unless there shall be a written contract entered into between 
 said adult male and his employer to that efeect in which the employer shall 
 
62 Handbook on Mothers' Aid 
 
 agree to pay said adult male extra compensation for extra hours he may work. 
 No employee in any factory or manufacturing establishment in this State 
 shall be worked exceeding eleven hours in any one day : Provided, this section 
 shall not apply to engineers, firemen, superintendents, overseers, section and 
 yard hands, office men, watchmen, or repairers of breakdowns. 
 1915, c. 148, s. 2. 
 
 [Public Laws 1919] 
 
 CHAPTER 100 
 
 AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE UPON 
 THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF CHILDREN BETWEEN CERTAIN AGES, 
 AND TO REGULATE AND RESTRICT THE EMPLOYMENT OF CHIL- 
 DREN, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE PRO- 
 VISIONS OF THIS ACT AND OF CHAPTER 83, PUBLIC LAWS OF 1913, 
 AND CHAPTER 857, PUBLIC LAWS OF 1909. 
 
 The General Assembly of North Carolina do enact: 
 
 Section 1. Every parent, guardian, or other person in the State of North 
 Carolina having charge or control of a child between the ages of eight and 
 fourteen years shall cause such child to attend school continuously for a 
 period equal to the time which the public school in the district in which the 
 child resides shall be in session. The principal, superintendent, or teacher who 
 is in charge of such school shall have the right to excuse the child from 
 temporary attendance on account of sickness or distance of residence from the 
 school, or other unavoidable cause which does not constitute truancy as defined 
 by the State Board of Education. 
 
 Sec. 2. Any parent, guardian, or other person referred to in section one of 
 this act, violating the provisions of the aforesaid section, shall be guilty of a 
 misdemeanor, and upon conviction shall be liable to a fine of not less than 
 five dollars ($5), nor more than twenty-five dollars ($25), and upon failure 
 or refusal to pay such fine, the said parent, guardian, or other person shall be 
 imprisoned not exceeding thirty days in the county jail. 
 

 
 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF N.C. AT CHAPEL HILL 
 
 00043601628 
 
 FOR USE ONLY IN 
 THE NORTH CAROLINA COLLECTION 
 
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