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THE HISTORY OF THE CHILD CARE CENTER
he four-year history of to this effect, a group of business Mrs. John W. Moore, Jr. directed the Child Care Center, men, generally disapproving of the Child Care Center from its
Inc., is the story of the Federal funds and their consequent beginning until November1945, development of a “six “Federal control,” strongly urged her personality and interest leading months’ experiment” into against acceptance of them.These its development from a 40-child one of the City’s most men indicated an interest in nursery with two teachers and a
thriving and useful institutions. It is attempting a locally financed project. cook to its present enrollment of
the story of individual and personal efforts bringing about the solution of a pressing welfare problem.
In January 1943,WPA [the Works Progress Administration, a federal government program begun in
the Great Depression] withdrew its support from the nurseries—at the Point of Honor, Dearington, and Bethune centers—which
it had sponsored and financed
here for several of the war years. This left the city with virtually
no accommodations for care of
the children of working mothers. Inadequate though these little nursery schools were (one of them was housed in a brick garage), their “folding up” was a body blow to Lynchburg’s welfare set-up.This came at the peak of the war effort, when more women had left their homes to take employment than ever before.
The problem was tackled by the Civic Committee for Children’s Services, an organization which co- ordinates all the agencies and groups in the city which are interested in child welfare.The solution seemed to be Lanham Act funds—Federal provision made for welfare emergencies caused by the war.
Here begins the prominent
role which Mrs. Charles G. Baber has played in the origin and development of the Child Care Center, Inc. Her first major task as the Center’s “guiding spirit” was
to try to obtain the Lanham Act funds, and this involved a two- months’ period of concentrated effort—filling out applications and preparing a thirty-page document to establish Lynchburg’s eligibility for the funds.
The funds were granted. But on the very day the government wired
Thereupon, Mrs. Baber and her committee made a citywide survey to determine the exact needs
for child care and the location indicated.These findings were presented to a group of industrial officials, the City Manager, and the Superintendent of Schools. In the last week of April 1943, eight local industries agreed to underwrite the cost of a center for six months as “an experiment” and to contribute $100 to buy necessary equipment.
The wisdom of this method
of financing the center was proved when Lanham Act funds ended with the war, leaving many welfare establishments in other communities “high and dry.”
The “old Stuart home,” a rambling frame house with a large lawn, at Fourteenth and Fillmore streets was chosen as a location for the project and on May 3, 1943, the doors of
its brightly renovated rooms were opened to 40 children.
The value of the Child Care Center to the community could be measured in terms of the war effort during the first year—having made available for industries more than 150 mothers! The Center served mothers engaged in any type of work: hospitals, doctors’ offices, schools, beauty parlors, laundries, restaurants, retail stores and 17 different manufacturing industries. A total of 198 children used the Center that first year.
125 and a staff of 14.
Real disaster threatened the
Center in 1944, just as it was beginning to “boom.” The Red Cross, which had provided transportation for the children, was forced to withdraw this service. It seemed
as though the entire project was doomed, for its operation depended upon its ability to bring children from distant parts of the city to the Center.Taxi service was used for three months but proved far too
expensive. However Mrs. Baber and Mrs.A. D. Barksdale obtained funds to buy a second-hand station wagon, and this crisis was passed. Mrs.Tom Ward took on the duties of driving the station wagon, transporting more than 2,000 children monthly for twelve months in the year. “Mama Ward,” as the children call her, had a safety record during
the three years she served in this capacity which is providing a challenge to the city firemen who are now doing the driving. Mrs. Ward now is employed as a full time social case worker by the Center.
It took only one year for the Center to establish itself as a worthwhile community project
and for Lynchburg to appreciate it. The institution was incorporated, the Community Chest contributed to its maintenance, and the City Council also appropriated funds
to supplement the industries’ contribution and the fees of parents
The value of the Child Care Center to the community could be measured in terms of the war effort during the first year—having made available for industries more than 150 mothers! The Center served mothers engaged in any type of work: hospitals, doctors’ offices, schools, beauty parlors, laundries, restaurants, retail stores and 17 different manufacturing industries. A total of 198 children used the Center that first year.
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