New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-03-01
PUBLIC MEETINGS.
SECOND ANNUAL MEETING OF THE chill
DREN'S AID SOCIETY.

DREN'S AID SOCIETY.
The second anniversary of the above Society took
place in the Hall of the Mercantile Library, A.tor-
place. last evening. Judge JOIN l.. MASON, Prcsi-
dent of the Society, occupied the Chair.
After prayer by the Rev. Mr.. GARRY, Mr.. CHAs
L. BRACE Secretary Of the Society, read the Second
Annual Report, Of which the following is abstract:
SECOND ANNUAL REPORT
OF the great mass of ignorant, debassd, perna-
nently poor in this City, we have attempted 70
reach but ore portiop-the believing that ef-
fort for them is the most hopeful and practicable and
that through them the parents can best be affected.
Our objects have been the Improvement and elevation
of the vaant and poor boys and girls engaged in the
petty out door trades-thOse who beg or pilfer, or
pick the streets for living, and those who are driven
BY homelessness and poverty to the prison, or who
are confined there for petty crimes. The feeling with
those Engaged in this enterprise is, that childhood
is never TO be dspaired of that the habits and pas
sobs of the street boy girl be beyond the
reach OF kindly religious influences. and that their
faults are to be mildly jucged in memory Of tbs press
ing temptations and the hard circumstances which
have surrounded them We hold thst reiefc can be OF
value to society or to the poor themselves
without influence in some form on character-either
partial, through industrial and moral agencies or
thorough and lasting through rez ious motives. Ac-
cordpgly, the Boys Sunday Meetings, the teachings
in the Industrial School and the ds Of Visitors
in their mnistraOns have given the basis to in
fuepce which we have sought to perfect, by what We
regard the great and especial work OF the Society
the entire char ging Of the circumstances OF the ch
dren, by sending the to new homes In the country.
The providing of labor for the Children any large
scale has been checked by the almost unexsmplsd
depression Of oil industrial branches during the last
year. None have been willing to undertake new
busness, or to employ more hands during such
crisis. We still hope, however, In the future, 10 in.
duce come mechanic or Manufacturer in the city, to
open a trade which thsll employ boys or girls
whom alone shall have the power Of sending to
the establishment. They should be taken from the
IL ..ha at Gr~t
sst in the assistance should give to the enterprise
by the payment OF the rent OF the Workshop or OF
the wages Of the foreman but, in short time, we
would expect it 70 be In all m0Died respects, bust
ness enterprise; only share being the moral iniu.
eDce over the children. Ia support Of our views,
need only refer TO the marked which has at
tended the efforts Of Mr.. Wilson among the boys in
Prices Candle Mandatory. London. Ia the main,
various entei prises have been Unexpectedly sue
cetsful. But, We glad to say, that nearly double
II amount OF subscriptions has been received this
year. tbO,e Last year and that almost treble the
number of children have been sent into the country.
The BOYS MEETINGS aim 10 teach every Sunday,
in an informal manner, the simplest truths OF morality
and Christianity and doing thorough work among
the poor boys Of the docks asd low streets. The
great difficulty Of the meetings has been that the in
fuence is confined to one day Of the week. This has
been obviated so far as possible, by the daily minis
traitors Of our "Visitors" who 20 from house to
house, searching every shanty snf every poor ten.
ant lodging house, and inouce the parents 70 send
their chic rem TO the Public Schools TO the Indus
trial Schools. They find the homeless and neglected
children, and take them to the Central Office, to bs
cent, with the approval Of parents to farms shops,
or families in the country. They search ou. the cells
Of the Prison and the Police Station and
some just falling into houses Of crime Their business
aid occupation is TO be the friends Of the children Of
the poor. The number Of visits made during the
year BY eur Visitors amounts TO ABOUT 1892; by Mr..
Gerry, 3, 025; Mr.. Bogen, 2 s09, Mr. Brace. 2,jl3
Mr. Smith, 6l5; Mr. Root AS; Mr.. Macy, 40; Mr..
Hpda o. M Tn. ihe m nh of nQr