The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1873-07-31

NO. 3.
CHILDREN SENT WEST BY TME
cH1LDREN'S AID SOCIETY.
An ingenious effort for the benefit of
tho destitute children Of the city is the
"plaolng out system," which has been
carried out by the Childrso's Aid So.
oietJ during the last twenty years with
such remarkable success. The society
early saw the immense benefit in tax
ing advantage of the peculisr economi.
cal condition of this country in treat.
ing questions of pauperism. They at
once recognized the fact, and resolved
to make use in their plans of :he end
less demand for childreo's labor 10 the
western country. The housekeeping
life Of western farmer is somewhat
peculiar. The servants of the house.
hold must be members Of the family,
and be treated more or less as equals.
1t is not convenient nor agreeable for
western matron to have a rude Eu-
ropean peasant at the same table and
in the same room With the family.
She prefers = child whom she can
train up in her own way. A chld's
labor is needed for thousand things
on western farm. Childreo, too, are
valued and thought much Of. The
same opportunity is given to working
children as to all other children.
They share fully in tho active and in.
spring western life. They are mould.
ed by tho social tone around them,
and they grow up under the very best
circumstances which can surround a
poor boy or girl. No treatment which
man could devise could possibly be SC
beneficial to the labering children Of
this city as that offered by western
farms. Moreover Guilds place at the
table in our rural households is Of
email account. Of food there is enough
and an abundance. Generosity, and
especially toward children, is tho rule
in our western districts. This benevo.
lent association, taking advantage o1
these great facts, easily made arrange.
ments for scattering such little worker.
of the city that were friendless and
homeless all through the western coun'
try. Western agents are employed
who travel through remote farming
districts, and discover where there ii
an especial call for children's labor
An arrangement is then made with tht
leading citizens of the village to re-
csive . little detachment of thes'
homeless children of the great city.
7 On a given day in New York tn
ragged and dirty ittlo ones are gather
ed to a central Office from the street
and lanes, from the industrial school
and lodging-houses Of the society, ar
cleaned and dressed, and sent away
under charge Of an experienced agent
to seek "a new home in the west.
When they arrive 10 tho village
great public meeting is held, and
committee of citizens formed to decid
on the applications. Farmers COIN
in from twenty to twenty-five mile
round, looking for the "model boy
who shall do the light work Of tn
farm and aid the wife in her endIes
household labor childless mother
seek for children that shall replac
those that are lost housekeepers loo
for girls to train up; mechanics see
for boys for their trades; and kind
hearted men, with comfortable homt
and plenty of children, think it
their duty to do something for the Of
phans who have no fair chance in th
great city. Thus in few hours th
little colony is placed in oomfortabl
homes. Subsequently, if chapge
should be necessary, the committee r<
place the children, or the agent revisit
the village, while steady correspond
ence is kept up by the central ofit
with tho employers. In this va
something like $4,000 boys and gir
have been placed in country home
during the past twenty years. Near
5000 year are now sent forth by Il
society. Great numbers Of these chi
dreu have acquired property, or ha,
grown up to positions of influence an
respectabl)ity.-Rarper's Magazi,
+ for Au9ust.