The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-06-22


annual average of children of late admit
ted into the Paris hosI ital is about 5000,
or about one sixth of the discarded in
fants in France. The number of found
lings in Rome is estimated at 5000 an
nually. The number in Naples is 1000.
There are 10000 foundlings provided for
in Spain and Portugal In Germany asy-
lums of this kind are not regarded with
favor, deserted children being in that
country provided for in various charita-
BILE institutions. In the London Found
ling Hospital large numbers of children
have been maintained, where also 1t has
been necessary to modify the character
of the institution in consequence OF the
enormous abuses to which the facility OF
admission rendered the system liable
An improved system of management
in regard to outside nursing has resulted
in a decreased rate of mortality. The
institution is provided for by liberal con-
tributions, aided by regular approprlSa.,
ton of the city, amounting to about 80
cents per capita daily. Time has flown
with these little children as with others,
and those who were received into the
asylum during its earlier history are boys
and girls six or seven years old. The
question of
WHAT TO DO WITH THEM HEREAFTER
will soon have to be answred, The Statee
iswithout right to them, and has no d.
rect concern with their management. -
The next step to be determined in the
scheme is of considerably more impor'
tance than was the first one.
The methods of different countries in
relation to the training and occupation
of foundlings have been various. and
have frequently presented curious IDEAS
of social life. Previous to the seventh
or eighth century there were no hospit-
ais for this class, and middle age customs
designl d to be humanitarian, appear at
this period of time scarcely more SO IN
reality than those founded upon the bar
barous codes of the ancients. In Ath-
ems and Rome, where places were set
apart for the common practice OF expo
sing children, such as were saved from
death were the absolute property otthose
by whom they were taken and reared
Frequently these children were rescued
from the most inhuman motives; those
who adopted them, by mutilating their
persons and exposing them in the street,
were able to derive an Infamous llvell-
hood from the aims bestowed upon them
by passers by.
HOW THEY MANAGE IN RUSSIA.
Few countries have given as much at
tention to the matter of educating this
class of children as Russia. In the es-
tabIishment provided at Moscow, any
children are received on condition that
they are given up to the State. In after
years the government settle some OF
them as farmers and colonists upon the
crown lands; some study engineeringand
such have been among the best of this
class of scientific workmen in the coun-
try. If unusual skill is shown, boy is
sent to the university. The girls, who
are taught feminine handiCraft, are like
wise instructed in the usual studies Of
schools. With them also, as with the
other sex, an unusual evidence of intel
lectual gifts leads to higher advantages
of culture, and from among these have
come teachers, musicians and actresses.
1t is said that the property devoted to
the maintenance and education of Rus
sian foundlings is not less than $500 ,OOO-
600, and in accordance with the laws, the
Government is enabled TO furnish con-
stant supply of recruits for the army and
navy from the hospitals of Moscow and
st. Petersburg.
The Hotel Dieu Of Lyons, established
in 1923, was among the first hospitals Of
France to undertake the education Of
foundlings, and similar institution was
founded in 1886 by Francis |. In conse-
quence ofabuses to which reference has
before been made, the donations were
not enough to support the institutions
with their greatly increased numbers Of
children. During such a condition it
was customary to cast lots to decide who
should have the benefit of education, and
those who drew blanks were entirely
forgotten. 1t was this injustice to HELM
less innocents that moved st. Vincent
de Paul to establish new institution in
1910, with the cooperation of the King,
the court and many philaL Lthropic ladies,
The children remain in the hospitals un-
Ill the age Of six, being usually thereaf-
ter placed in the families of peasants and
artisans, who receive stipend for their
board and training, AT twelve they en-
ter the public service or are placed under
apprenticeship by the administration of
the hospital.
OTHER INSTITUTIONS.
A foundling institution established in
Nuremberg in 1881 made it obligatory
upon the children to refund the expense
of their education. In Madrid the found
lings of the hospital are transferred at
the age of seven years to a college, where
they receive instruction, some likewise
being dra ted to learn manual labor. The
principal foundling hospital of Brazil is
at Rio Janeiro, where the girls remain to
be educated, while the boys are sent to
Botofogo, neighboring establishment,
and apprenticed to trades. The anniver-
saries at this Rio Janeiro institution is
visited by men in want of wives. The
choice is made, proposition received by
the managers, and an investigation of
the applicants character determines the
result. If favorable, small dowry is given
from the funds of the hospital to the
bride. The custom is less singular than
one formerly prevailing in some of the
Spanish cities, where the girls reared in
the founding hospitals were led in pro-
cession, when of marriageable age, and
any man taking fancy to one of them
might indicate his choice by throwing a
handkerchief upon the favorite maiden
and marrying her afterward.
THE MURDER OF DR.. COOK IN