The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1869-08-14

they receive within their wallis They have per-
mission to eject such children as may be peryerse
and intractable, of unsound mind, crippled, or
otherwise affected with chronic disease; and
these children, thrown upon the public charities
of the city, constantly find their way to Randall
Island. Here the little sufferers are cared for in
large hospitals, which receive no less than a
thousand children per year. The hospital staff
is composed Of a visiting physician, two house
physicians, a matron, and a clerk. About sixty
deaths occur in it per year. There is hardly a
more touching sight than these rows OF patients
in their little white COTS the victims of inherited
misery and disease. Their fates were settled be-
fore they were born. Neither reforms nor reli-
gions can do much for such as these Healthy
minds and healthy bodies essential to the i'm
provemcnt of the world. The lesson of Randall's
Island is that only people who possess these have
the right to become parents.
Besides the infant hospital there is asylum
for juvenile idiots. 1t is under the same man
agement with the hospital, and contains sixty-two
children, representing many varieties and de-
grees of imbeciIity. Some of them lolling
around the main room, unclean in look and ges-
ture; others sit against the wall, painfully sus-
tanning their immense hydrocephalic heads that
droop sidewise, as if too heavy for the puny
frame to bear; others gambol, with loutish
movements and brutal cries, in the playground
that adjoins the hospital.
An idiot school is established in connection
with this institution. 1t has about fifty pupils,
divided according to their degrees OF intelligence
into four classes. Several of last years pupils
were unable to distinguish, upon admission, be-
tween n square and triangle Others were un-
able to distinguish colors; and defects in each oil
the special senses were common. Still, consid-
cradle success has been reached in the treatment
of this poor material. Within the first year
twelve pupils learned to read, six to write, nine
to sew; while eight have attained some knowl-
edge Of arithmetic and of history, and eighteen
Of geography. 1t would appear by this that
geography is about twice as easy sewing.
Five hundred of the sane children attend
another school upon the island n tailor's shop
gives employment to some or the boys; n sewing
room busies the girls during four hours of each
day, and here ten thousand articles OF clothing
are repaired yearly. The annual washing
amounts to 3S0, 900 pieces. 1t is done by means
Of machinery.
In the Nursery Department there are no less
than eleven large buildings, comprising the dor
houSS Va NSeSh
tion, engine house, residences of the warden and
Of other officials, ETC.. They form small village
among the trees with which the island is heavily
shaded. Though but half an hours sail from
the Battery, Randall's Island is quiet, cool, and
green,-just the place for the youngsters to romp
in. They have bathing ground; they are ex-
pert in the simpler military evolutiOns, and like
to perform them for the benefit of visitors.
The expense Of these nurseries is S67 900 an
nually; OF the Idiot House, Sl4 1000; and of
the Hospital, S3S 900. These sums are paid by
the city taxes.
/ am leaving myself no room to speak of
several items which / had noted. The Cooper
Institute reception, ON the 9th ult., was pleas
ant and largely attended. The art-studcnts ex-
hibited many very crcditable productions in paint
ing, sculpture, and in free-hand drawing. Among
those that received special commendation by the
judges were paintings by Miss Hattie Baldwin,
lately q resident Of Lalaina-
Miss Sarah Coan sailed for Europe on the 26th
ult., with party OF her cousins from this city.
The Boston papers have doubtless informed
you of the recent death OF Mr.. Jas. Hunnewell
of Boston, one Of the earliest business pioneers
Mt the Hawaiian Islands.
r. B. Armstrong and Capt. PeIrce, lately OF
the islands, are in New York. DIR. n. B. Emer-
son, also an islander, has established himself in
medical practice in this city. CALaMUs.