|
During the 30's and 40's, as in earlier eras, most children
were brought to Cunningham by one of their parents and
for the same reasons. The building program throughout
during this time had concentrated on maintaining congregate,
communal living. The children still lived in large dormitories
where large spaces held many children. Former residents
remember marching into the dining room in the late 40's.
This was an era of fast-changing child welfare practice
in Illinois. The Social Security Act was passed in 1935.
After 1937, when the State of Illinois created county
welfare departments, increased funding to Aid to Dependent
Children, and began to employ more professionally trained
social workers, the changes began to have a major impact
on the Cunningham caseload. This growth of public welfare
administration in the state meant that many more children
now had dependency decrees from the courts and an increasing
percentage were brought to the Home by government officials.
Next: The Transformation Begins >>
|
