New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-03-08
to that rock of defense which has now become
tboir only hope.
PUBLIC NURSERIES,.

PUBLIC NURSERIES,
The current number of Ihe Medicdt 1me'
contains a criticism, from the physicians POM
of view, of the system in use by the New
York Nursery, of boarding the children out
in families in the country, as soon as they
have reached the age of four The plan Is
warmly commended, although it is stated that
its signal success here is due to strict over
sight, the agents visiting the children at I'M
expected times, and examining into their food,
clothes, bedrooms, etc. 1t is suggested that
all tho outcast children IN the cities should DC
taken from Homes and Houses of Correction
and disposed Of in this way. The cost OF TINS
method, per CAPITA to the State is less, even
although the price charged for boarding a
child may exceed the cost of the child's food
in n gigantic asylum or house of refuge; as the
price of ts boarding and clothes, in the one
case. covers all expenses, while in the other
we have the primal cost OF a great building
the salaries and support of superintendent
nurses keepers, etc.
The principal argument in favor OF the
boardng-out system is, however that each
child has the advantage of the influences OF
domestic life and home. And it may now be
considered an established fact that the infiu-
ences of any home, not absolutely criminal, are
more wholesome in their final result upon the
character of either boy or girl than the pom
derous routine and machinery of great re-
formatory, added to the effect OF the enormous
aggregation of viciOusness and ignorance IN
such establishments. We have before us now,
daily, in our exchanges the reports of the eX-
animation into two of these large reformatory
houses, one at Philadelphia, the other at Nor
CANA. which prove how easily government
of absolute Unconditional rules left in the
hands of ignorant people will degenerate INTO
cruelty not to say brutality. Even when
this government is administered with WIS
dom and kindness, as in the best man
aged reformatories in Europe (where the
care of conyicts and Juvenile delinquents
and paupcra has been far more thoroughly
studied than hcrc), it has been found that the
effect is irreyocably bad. Human beings are
not TO be reformed in masses, or drilled out OF
vice into virtue by the tap of bell; nor are
babies to be raised in platoOns, by series OF
rules, into healthy hearty, sOund-mlnded men
and women fit in their turn to rear children.
The inmates of the best reformatoIy school,
"a was proved by the report submitted to
Parliament, gave evidence Of the want OF do
nestle training, the lack of the thousand little
tcndernesses, sacrifices, even the childish squab-
bles of home life; the girls came out OF these
mills at IS hard, callous. morbid, totally unit
for any work in a family or for the care OF
children the boys equally hard, but rebelliOus;
and in both were seen defiance OF the world,
either dull or fierce, the inevitable result OF
long compression under memorable rules.
The child has never had its own rag-baby
or broken toy, its own corner of the fire. Its
own brothers and sisters to watch or Kiss OF
perhaps fight with, and more than all, its own
mother; it has been one of a class, a cipher in
n great multitude it has been fed, dosed,
drilled in a row of a thousand. All the feel
ing. the anger, The hot blood which has been
barred down so long under an unnatural sys-
TEN. is bound TO break out ut last. In the cot
tage plan each child is received into family;
care il taken that they shalt he honest clean,
and kindly folk if they are not the lady VS.
itors soon discover the fact and remove the
child. The superyisio and guardianship OF
the child thus rest ultimately with educated
Christian women, and not with paid uncul-
turcd employees, such as are usually placed IN
charge of rcformatories-with what results the
exposures i'll Pennsylvania prove too well.