brought to my attention a study prepared by Gizella Huber, the economic consultant to the Junior Village project-according to her estimate, there are some 45,775 children and 11,520 submarginal families living in the District. Because of the nature of her study as it relates to our study of the problem of poverty in the District, I am going to have inserted in the record, unless there is objection, page 14 and chapter 4, on pages 15 through 20. The full study will be kept on file for reference by members of the committee, and for reference by any witnesses who may wish to look at it, but will not be printed in the record. It is too bulky for that, and would be too expensive. But this material on chapter 4 deals directly with the subject matter, in my opinion, of this hearing. (The document referred to is as follows:) SUBMARGINAL FAMILY INCOME Although there was marked improvement in the incomes of both white and Negro families in the period 1950-57, at the submarginal income levels1 the improvement was greater for white than for Negro families. În 1950, there were over 22,000 white families with incomes of less than $2,500. They represented 17 percent of all white families. The year 1957 showed a drop of over 40 percent in white families at this level. There were only about 13,000 white families with the equivalent income; they represented 11.6 percent of all white families. In 1950, almost half (31,600) of the District's Negro families had incomes of less than $2,500. By 1957, the number of Negro families with equivalent income had fallen by only 9 percent, to 28,750. These represented 31 percent of the total number of Negro families. IV. THE FACE OF POVERTY IN THE DISTRICT SUBMARGINAL INCOME FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN Most statistical sources (including those used here) define "family" as "A group of two or more persons related by blood, marriage, or adoptions and residing together." By this definition, statistical reporting under "families" includes not only parents with children, but various other combinations of related persons with, as well as without, children. However, the special income survey of 19562 provides a means for estimating "families with children." It gives the relative proportions of families with one, two, and three or more children under 16 years of age, according to income level.3 These proportions applied against the estimated total number of submarginal income families 4 are tabulated on the following page. They disclose these disquieting facts: That in 1957 there were about 11,500 "families with children" living in the District, with incomes under $3,000, roughly 28 percent of all submarginal income families. That about 3 percent of these families had incomes of less than $1,000; 26 percent had incomes of between $1,000 and $2,000; and the balance (71 percent) had incomes of between $2,000 and $3,000. That close to 45 percent of these 11,500 families had "3 or more children", each; some 24 percent had two children; and 32 percent had one child, each. For purposes of this study, a level of under $2,500 was selected as representing submarginal income in 1950; and for 1957, an income of under $3,000 (the closest equivalent income category, allowing for depreciation of the purchasing power of the dollar). The 1957 income level of under $3,000 compares with public assistance grants and income eligibility for surplus food (averaged for families ranging in size from 2 to 13) of $3,135 and $3,435, respectively. 2 Income of families and individuals in Washington, D.C., 1956. A special survey conducted by the Bureau of the Census; issued by the Department of Public Health, Washington, D.C., July 1958. Ibid., table 3. 4 See table III-A, in appendix I. Number and size of submarginal income families with children by level of income, 1957 The income survey does not provide a base of estimating the relative proportions of white and Negro families or the actual number of children involved. But approximations in this regard can be arrived at by using the DPW surplus food data. These show that approximately 3 percent of the recipient "families with children," with an average number of 3.4 children per family are white; that Negro families represent 97 percent of the total, with an average number of four children per family. Applied against the total number of submarginal income families with children, these ratios result in the following distribution of white and Negro families and children: None of the established statistical sources consulted show any data relating specifically to "families with children," aside from the basis for estimating the number and size of families, already noted. But some idea of the facts behind the District's submarginal families and their children may be gained from the Department of Public Welfare's records on surplus food recipients. A review of the 285 applications of nonpublic assistance "families with children" which were certified for surplus food during the month of September (1958) revealed the following basic facts: Con position of the families. Only 155 of the families were headed by 2 parents - mother and father; 125 were mother-headed; and in 5 homes there were no parents-relatives acted as caretakers. Size of the families. The children in these homes totaled 1,107; the average was 4 children per family. Fifty percent of the families had from 1 to 3 children, each, 37 percent of the families had from 4 to 6 children each; and 13 percent had 6 or more children, each. Mothers' age- The mothers are young --25 percent are under 25 years of age; 45 percent are under 30; and over two-thirds are under 35. Children's age - The children are also young-- over 40 percent are under 5 years old; 32 percent are between 5 and 9, 20 percent are between 10 and 14; and only around 7 percent are 15 years old and over. The family income- Average monthly incomes are summarized on page 20, according to family earner and source of earnings The average monthly income from fathers' was es is 8209 In the four cases where the mothers are also working. the average is $255 a month. Where the family's sole sup port is from the mother s earnings, the average income is $145 a month. Of the 155 families with two parents, 27 homes show no income. Of the 125 mother-headed families, 48 mothers are shown as not working and having no income. The roba that provide the family hiring.-Virtually all of the fathers whose earnings provide the family income are unskilled laborers--construction workers, tra-hinen, street cleaners, laundry and kitchen workers, porters and janitors, truck drivers, and general laborers. Only a few fathers have a trade: one is a one a carpenter, one a painter, and our is a printer a apprentice ix fathers earn over $ joWER TT) SELEN 8125 non fuieter für a eða n found atte re man at a Federal Govern gest instalatin I m イケン Senator MORSE. I also wish to comment that a quotation from the Huber study made by Mrs. Philip Graham, in her report to the Regional Committee on Health and Welfare of the National Capital area in January 1959 was personally most shocking to me. She stated, "It appears likely that less than half of the children are known to the Department of Public Welfare, in either the aid to dependent children or in the surplus food program." If this conclusion is substantiated by the testimony we will be given in this hearing, then I think it constitutes a very serious challenge to our publie welfare program. I would like to have Mr. Shea, when he testifies, be prepared to comment on these allegations contained in Mrs. Graham's report. I also insert in the record a table prepared by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service, on the national school lunch program, comparison of free or reduced price meals with total meals served, by States and area, 1957-58. I want the table in the record so we can use it as a reference source. (The table referred to is as follows:) |