CHAPTEE XIV 



THE DEPENDENT CHILD 



The abandoned, dependent child forms a 

 problem that has been poorly solved by modern 

 society. We have warnings that some of our 

 methods of cliild care are not the best. Those 

 who thoughtfully work for dependent infants 

 and children have long felt stirrings of dis- 

 content with the methods in common use. We 

 need a fresh orientation to guide our efforts in 

 newer and more productive channels. A new 

 spirit is called for which is not easy to find, and 

 in which the individual needs of every neglected 

 child will be considered. In this period of gen- 

 eral reconstruction, let us try and put the salv- 

 age of abandoned, dependent children on a 

 natural and secure basis. To this end, all 

 remedial efforts should be planned, as far as 



possible, along the line of Nature's laws. 



i68 



