Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-11-06
CRUELTY TO ORPHANS.
How they are Treated in Pennsylva-
nia-A Girard College Expose-Flog.
gings, Starvingss TOrturings, Dun
geOnS.

4
geons. III
.r lFrom the New York Mail.I t.
The air of Pennsylvania is burdened
with rumors in relation to the treatment of
its orphans, both in State and city institu-
tions. The recent exposures which have
been made in relation to the interior work.
ings of that palatial marble pile in Phila-
delphia. known as the Girard College, have
filled the public mind with alarm thew
. show how the best and highest of institu-
=. -tions may be changed into dens of cruelty
and positive evil, when they fall into the
hands of irresponsible and incompetent
parties. No class of beings i'm the world
sare more deserving of kindness, pity and
charity than the unfortunate little orphans
which crowd our public institutions, but
especially should we cherish the orphans
o. or those who have fallen in battle in de-
tense OF their country's flag 1t is time
that all of these public institutions were
thoroughly examined and their interior
condition and workings made known to
the public.
1t seems that for four long years there
nave been clamorous appeals made i'm
Philadelphia for relief against the cruel
punishment which was almost daily in
hicted upon the poor orphans at the Girard
College. Mothers in tears went to the pri-
vate houses and places OF business of the
Directors of the College, begging for JUS
tice to their outraged children. The pupils
at the College showed the purple welts and
the marks of cruel stripes upon their per-
sons; and yet the public and the press
were. silent. At last the true facts have
come to light and we now learn that boys
were incarcerated under lock and KEY for
weeks upon weeks, in midwinter, in the
topmost rooms of the College buildings,
where no heat was allowed them, no light
permitted when evening came, no books
given them to read. In some instances
they were almost entirely denuded of their
clothing, and here they were fed for weeks
upon weeks upon bread and water
New and ingenious modes of punishment,
which were but the synonyms of torture,
were invented; there was an utter want of
sympathy for the mute appeals of orphan
age, and disregard for the feelings and
rights of mothers. Their most innocent
requests were met with denial. The chill.
dren were condemned to the House of Ref
uge without knowledge'on the part of their
mothers and friends, and without an op-
portunity of appeal. Girard College has
been drifting along for the past four years
without purpose, chart or compass, save
what had been previously provided by
others; there was moral mold and rust up |
on everything; dirt in the house; v, rmin in |
the beds; the appointments of the tables
were torn, dilapidated and offensive; there |
was want of all heart in the treatment of
mothers and orphans; and as a result of all |
this hundreds OF orphans ran away, while |
all grades OF crime were committed, from |
absconding and petty larceny up to arson |
In eighteen months the President of the |
OF the College dismissed sixty-four of its |
pupils; and in six months.one hundred and |
three of them absconded, and in the three |
months following ninety We more of them |
ran off. During the period of five months |
there were no less than 243 cases of fog
gings in the College, 6S of which the Pres
ident OF the College administered with his |
own hands!
Nothing can be claimed as an offset to |
these things, or As an evidence of progress
in four years trial, except the establish
ment of a 'Legion of Honor" which ena-
bies certain little boys to sport piece of
colored ribbon in their button holes; posi-
lively nothing else. These orphans are the
wards of the Councils of Philadelphia.
Many of them have the additional claim
that they are the children of fathers who
fell in defense of the nation. Is it possible
that the people of that city would wish to
see this noble charity converted into
house of correction, or prison, and stripes
and beatings to be the daily fortune of its
children, instead OF the tenderness and love
that ought to belong to their years? Is it
possible that they will not sustain and ap-
plaud any change intended to relieve these
evils, to give the College back the conf
dence it once possessed, and help to make
S,OON
bean ornament and a credit to Philadel-
phia, and blessing to the poor fatherless
and unfortunate?
Rumors reach us of similar cruel practi-
ces in the large orphan asylum, established
by the State of Pennsylvania, at Orange
Vile, Columbia county. The institution is
far removed from the centres of travel, and
is not of easy access by the public, and as
ir is under the control of one man, he has
every opportunity in the world to abuse
the great trust committed to his care. The
children are said to be under the most des.
potic tyranny; they do not have the proper
kind of food; they are abused as badly as
ever they were at Girard College, ETC., etc.
We trust the State authorities will look in
to the management of all these institu-
tions. and at once depose those who are
found to be cruel or unfit for the official po-
sitions which they occupy. The establish
ment at Orangeville should be looked after
in particular.