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

NEW YORK FOUNDLINGS
SEVEN THOUSAND WAIFS RES
CUED FROM MORAL DEATH.
What the Good Sisters Of Charity are Doing for
an Army Of Deserted Children In New York
City-A Hurried Glance at the Founding
Hospitals of Other Countries.

YORK rounding society VI tilc Dip'Vio vi
Charity are lately concerned with an inn
portant question. The institution under
their auspices having been incorporated
no earlier than 1860, the problem has
hitherto less forcibly presented itself Of
what shall be done for the future provis
ion for such unclaimed ones held in
charge as have passed the period of early
childhood.
About seven thousand e,ydns trOures
have been received in this institution
since it was founded, of whom there are
now sixteen hundred regularly cared for
blythe society, either within the build
ing in sixty eighth street or without, in
the homes of paid nurses. OF the re.
mainder, considerable number died in
early infancy, others have been claimed
by parents, and few adopted by other
persons.
The institution was commenced in
poverty, and the scheme was, moreover,
without the sanction of some portion Of
the public. A horror of the crime Of in
hnticide, then growing alarmingly com
mon in New York, moved some to favor
the step inaugurated; others were in
equal dread of q fearful corruption of
morals which they apprehended as a
certain result of such an establishment.
On this as on all other sociological ques-
tons, there have been in this country,
no less than in the old world, extreme
differences Of opinion, Whilethe Platos
and Senecas of the time are not ready to
counsel the putting to death of all weak
and deformed children, or of making
slaves of abandoned ones taken in care,
there are philosophers whose wisdom
would direct that the fate of the thou
sands Of infants annually discarded by
parents in this country should be left to
chance. and circumstances allowed to de-
termine the crime of direct intantcide,
which the chief intention of the found
ling ho' pital is to prevent.
The Sisters of Charity heard only the
cry of unhappy infancy; they saw the
Young children slain and cast into secret
places; their agony was to behold the
eyes that had scarce seen the light dark
ened by the hand ofshame
The result of the work accomplished
the first year by the friends of this insti-
tuition was such that the Legislature OF
1870 authorized the city of New York to
grant site for an asylum building, to
which an appropriation of 100000 was
likewise added. The condition of pay
ment of the sum was that similar sum
should be raised by private subscription,
TO be employed also in the erection of
the new building. Work was begun in
the spring of 1872 upon the structure, the
sight of which occupies the square boun-
ded by sixty eighth and sixty ninth
streets, and Third and Lexington ave-
nues. The location is very desirable,an
the arrangement Of the buildings well
suited to their purpose. The amount
expended in the erection of the asylum,
with the cost of Improvements added la
ter, is something over 100000.
THE BUILDINGS.
The large five story structure fronts
upon Sixty eighth street. and occupying
an eminence, is noticeable some distance.
The building is of Philadelphia brick,
with Ohio stone facings, and in an arch
over the main doorway is placed life
size statue ofSt. Vincent de Paul, model.
led in Paris, and presented to the institu-
ton by Mrs. J. w. Maitland In the
first story of the main building are inclu-
ded offices, reception rooms, parlors, and
larle e room now used for the kinder
garten school of the asylum. Each of
the three stories next above includes
nursery. extending the whole length of
the building, with adjoining bath, and
dining rooms and wardrobes, and each
nursery contains on either side long
row of white curtained cribs. The sew
eral ward buildings, which are three
stories high, are connected with the main
building by corridors. In these divis-
ions of the establishment are kitchens,
sewing rooms, dspensaries, and store
rooms. A two story building on Sixty
ninth street. devoted to the purpose of
isolation in case of infectious disorders,
is called the quarantine. Sufficient space
is afforded by these buildings for about
five hundred children, with the one hun
dred nurses required. Twenty Sisters Of
Charity participate in the duties of super
vision Where it might be supposed
confusion would be the natural and in
evitable condition. the most perfect order
clothing for sixteen hundred little be-
ings is all made in the establishment,
and the children are neatly clad, well
fed, and evidently happy, without the
appearance of any management what
ever. There are small dining halls on
each floor for the children who are large
enough to leave the nursery and take
meals at the table, and everything is
clean and bright in these apartments
The older children occupy the nurseries
with the infants, to give the nurses fuller
employment, and they have alternate
hours in the school, Some of these lit
tie foundlings, who were so unwelCome
in the world, are pretty and interesting,
In The school room they work at fancy
papers, sing, and make small models in
clay. Children who are the pride of
their parents are generally no more
promising in any respect. Still these are
the enfdnS trOuues. 1t is known that the
greater number of these children are lille
gitimate. 1t is vaguely asserted by some
that few of this class of children have
been claimed from time to time by per-
sons in high standing. In every instance
but one written communication has
been lett with the infant, with frequently
a name given by which it may be bapti-
zed. A number is worn by the child
until it has become so well known in the
nursery to which it is assigned as to pre-
vent all possibility Of its being mistaken
for another
Under the archway Of the high double
stoop leading to the main entrance of
this New York asylum were at first ar
ranged the "creches" or reception cribs,
adopted for reasons similar to those for
which they had been employed in older
institutions, and abandoned for the same
causes. At the asylum in New York the
reception crib is no longer exposed, and
certain questions must be satisfactorily
answered before an infant is received.
THIS SECRET NODE OF ADMISSION
was provided for originally by Innocent
III, who in 1l98 allotted portion of the
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