White House Conference of 1909 The Beginning of the American Welfare System
... It established a system of old-age pensions, unemployment insurance, and welfare benefits for such groups as dependent children and the handicapped. The American welfare system’s ideological roots, however, can be found in the White House Conference of 1909, which responded to the needs of dependent children. The White House Conference of 1909 originated when James West, a once orphaned child, secretary of the National Child-Rescue League, and eventual “Chief Scout” of the Boys Scouts of America, approached his good friend and President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, on the care of dependent children. West and Roosevelt agreed to convene the White House Conference because they felt “the State had dealt generously with her troublesome children, but what is she doing for those who make no trouble but are simply unfortunate?” Roosevelt issued a call for the conference on Christmas Day of 1908 sending out invitations to more than two hundred child welfare experts and philanthropists. ... In 1899, a special committee of child welfare workers, sanctioned by the National Conference of Correction and Charities, performed a study of problems involving dependent children. ... The findings, however, provided little clarification on the situation and it was not until the White House Conference of 1909 that clarification was given. The conference convened on January 25, 1909 and among those attending were delegates from every state in the Union as well as the likes of Jane Addams, Lillian Wald, and Booker T. ... The conference opened with Roosevelt giving a speech reminding all those present that the central argument was to determine which form of child care was more desirable, institutionalism or foster-family care. In his speech, Roosevelt declared that while the government had a lot to do with child welfare, “the government cannot do everything; there must always be help from individuals and associations outside; that religious and philanthropic associations of many different kinds must cooperate with Government or we cannot get the best results.” After Roosevelt’s speech, James West became the principal speaker at the conference and formulated nine questions for the delegates to review.