THIS FOR OUR CHILOREF1?
As the time for the convening of the ter
ritorial legislature nears, certain bills
and proposed amendments to existing bills
are beginning to make their appearance
throughout the territory.
. ' There have recently appeared in Seldovia
copies of three bills authorized by the
3oard of Public V’elfare 'for adoption at the
coming legislative session. These bills are
concerned with (1) the establishment of an
adoption law,'- (2) a licensing law for all
individuals caring for children, and (3) a
law which would : legitimatize' the birth of
children whose parents subsequently were
married.
Of the three, the adoption law is the
most thorough. It provides for complete in
vestigation of the child and the adult who
seeks to adopt it* Consent of a legal guar
dian or the child.1 s living parent, except
where in sane, must be given. Consent of the
child is asked, if that child is 12 years of
age or older, a trial period of one year
must elapse before a final decree of adopt
ion is given, and during that time any in
terested person may file an objection to the
decree of adoption.
One of the finest features of the pro
posed bill is its provision for substitute
birth records, once the final decree of a
doption is granted. This provision is ret
roactive and all children adopted prior to
the billTs becoming law, may be provided
with a substitute birth certificate. Orig
inal records are sealed and may not be re
opened except at the reauest of the adopted
upon reaching legal age.
Not so satisfactory is that provision of
the bill which gives the head of the Depart
ment of Public V.;elfare the power to consent
to the adoption of a minor child whose pa
rent has been judged insane for a period of
only one year before the filing of an ad
option petition.
Too, the authority lodged in the hands of
the personnel of the Department of Public
Welfare employes . in adoption proceedings
would seem to be a large responsibility.
* /*•
AT THE CHURCHES
Gospel Center
Sunday School-10:30
Ohur ch-*- - --7:30
Sermon: Studie s
in the' book of
Philippians♦
Tru-Blu-4:00
(Wednesday)
Mother1s Class-1:30
(Thursday)
.Services held in
’ Union Hall • ■ • ‘
_L...Methodist Church
Sunday School-2:00
NOW AT HOME
Miss Anetfe Jacob
sen, local public
health nurse, is now
at hone. Miss Jacob
sen had bee»i a pat
ient in Seldovia hos
pital since before
the holidays.
These are our
children which' are
being given into
other hands, j and
while the bill gives
proper attention to
fitting square pegs
into souare holes, it
sometimes seems to
lose sight of the
fact that this is a
human being which is
being pushed into the
proper pigeonhole.
Less regulation
from a •centrally lo
cated government a
gency and more human
ity dispensed through
the hands of respon
sible local citizens
would make it a bet
ter bill.