New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-03-22
ORLEANS WEDNESDAY,, MARCH
A RefOrmatOry Institution Needed.

We believe yhere j. at the present time
an idea maturing among some OF the
religions and philanthrnpical i'll this com
mlnitv. upon a subject which should GER
tainly engage the attention of all who
feel that The we'll being of society is
founded upon sound morality. This sub
iect is the melioratiou of what is called.
with the questionable delicacy OF modern
nomenclature, the social evil
The idea to which we refer is by no means
new, but has. in a very restricted manner,
been put 10 practice in most European
countries for several generations past. 1t
is simply to open a door of reform to erring
women. by attording them such an asylum
rs Will facilitate their escape from crime
and iptamy iuto 'h" paths Of virtue and
usefulness
Next to preventive measures in relation
10 the growth! OF crime tSlch lis til" House
OF Refugee, the most important measure is to
assist. py proper means and a proper
refuge. the escape of those who, having be
come eItangled in vice. desire to escape
from It's tcul meshes.
There is little need 70 dilatc upon or par
tlcularzt upon the nature of an institution
designed 10 rescue fallen women from the
degradation OF vice, for the nature OF such
an institution is too Obvious. There j. but
one point to be contended for. and that is
not to clothe ii with such responsiveness of
aspect as TO trighf"n away those who might
resort to its protection. One thing is Ger
tam. that there are great numbers of fallen
wOlHen III this. IN all large cities. who
would joyfullv escape from IA life of sin did
society but give them a chance hy opening
:. way whereby they could enter into the
paths of honest self-upport. This can be
accomplished by in~tituting retormatory
asylum for fallen women. where the rules
and regulations would be attractive and
mild. calculated to heal the woundcd spirit
avoiding everything that would infer re
proach.
An Institution %. the kind here spoken
of would be less haml.crcd with pecuniarv
difficulty than other charitable institutions
generally are for as the inmates of the
asylum would ali be beyond the helpless
ness OF childhood, and As a part OF the
to:mat"ry means would be the promotion
OF industrious habits, the asylum could
easily h" made >tli-SIStaiuinr.
We are aware that there already exists
III the city u most meritOriOuS institution,
known a. the House of the Good Shpp-
herd. and devoted to the rescue of fallen
females. But the existence of this. even
were it IL much more comprehensive
scale, and adequately endowed. does not
preclude the necessity for another in-titu-
tion with similar purpose. Moreover the
House OF the Good Shepherd is in the HANDS
OF the Catholics, and Protrst;tnl> will not
deny .hat t is equally their duty to take II
part n .hr -nod work Nor is there ;inv
reason Why men Who are unronncctrd by
" HON .hr obligations OF social order and
l.cl;4ilty axe equally incumbent. who have
son, aud daughters to rear. why this
work -,.ould not concern these men "a
;nl, h u II concerns men connected with a
,EurCh; and there is no reason why they
i,,o should not take deep and active in
ocrr-t n w"rl- that, after all. rouccrn.
hem much "a it dos, others.
|, Is - b. hoped that the idea which is |
now IL The minds of some among II, will !
1o- he >!'i red 20 become infiuctuo,e.