The New York herald., 1876-12-25
What the Charitable Institutions
Are Doing for the Children.
HARD TIMES AND FEW PRESENTS.
An Appeal to Those Charitably
Disposed.
WHERE "GIFTS" WILL TELL

Cnristmas gltsF Iney cannot adopt tue Time.
honorcd custom OF hanging their stockings by the fire
place 10 await his coming, Tor, unlike the children
with cheerful homes ami kind parents they never
wear stockings, but they hold out lieu eager and
shiverng hands, praying that he will pass them by
uunotced. On no other day in the year do they
presume 10 think Of gifts. Balls ana tops are not Tor
them The struggle for bread and shelter is too great
10 allow childish hopes and wishes any place
In their iniantie hearts, but they have heard
OF Christ and charity, and they sec at Christ
mas time drums ana horns, marbles and dolls,
sicds and ten and thousands or other play things
lavishly given by Santa Claus children who have
pleasant homes and loving parents, they dare to
hope.
VIII their longings be in vain9
To answer this inquiry HsRALp reporter made
tour yesterday among several OF our charitable insu
tions devoted principally TO the of children. AS
rule he found that the waits not to be entirely
neglected Some OF them at least to have their
hearts gaddened and their minds impressed with the
memory Of Christmas and the charity OF Christians
But the class be cared for he found
In small proportion to tho muItitudcs 10 whom
Christmas would have kindly thoughts
pleasant rccollcctions and small the gifts
this year would have to be ihiny spread. "Thc times
hard that charitable donations very
meagrc, !" was the universal complaint, and insttu-
tions at which the poor children have hitherto been
OF ., least two aythngs at Christmas this
year give but one.
The first place visited tho Howard Mission, No.
20 New Bowery Here about 500 children regularly
receive food and clothing under the superinten.
dence OF Mr.. Tompxina To-day the managers
purpose giving at least 1000 chdron good oyster
stew dinner, with abundance OF pies and cake for
dessert. IN addition each child will from
Santa Claus. in the person 81 Mr.. TompLins, Christ
mas gifts, consisting OF suitable article OF clothing
aud bag OF candy. The donations have this year
been unusually light, but tho managers look Tor bet
ter times The dinner will ,ako place at half. past
twelve O'Clock l.. N. and the gifts VIII bs distributed
soon aflcrward.
INDUSTRY.
The managers OF tho Five Points House OF Industry
also incnd dong the handsome by the homeless chill
dren committed to their Tho dinner will be Of
turkey and pie and III be in the large play rooms
Eight hundred little hungry ones aro expected to par
lcipate. Whether Santa Claus will come down tho
large ch mney OF the institution this year with his
arms tuil Of toys cannot yet be told The prospects, It
Is to be regretted, are against it reasonable guam
thy LETT from last year viii, however, be to
gladden. the hearts OF the anxious children.
POINTS
The Institution known as the Five Points Mis-
sion with iarc somewhat better, SO far gifts arc
concerned already three large boxes OF toys have
boen received. The sorting and arranging going
during tho writer's VISIT and the sccue presented
lively and picturesque Dolls that squeaked and
dolls that did not squeak; monkeys with movable
tails, miniature locomotives mado OF wood, and
donkcys with long ana heads that
nodded when touched babies that crawlcd
wheels, piant vcy cried "Ma," IN response to
the working Of SPRING horses the act of galoping
carts oil tin. watches which did tell timc
thousands OF other lay scattered in proluson
the floor, ready 10 DO ckcted and aside by tho
busy hands engaged in the labor OF charity TO await
the coming Of tins blessed morning About 600 chill
At rnK GIRLS LODGING HOUSE
In this inst ution, No. - ST. Marks place. Christ
dinner IS TO be OF turkey and pudding, the gifts of
dresses and undergarmcnts, and tho whole be
the peig hborhood OF 100 giris will participate.
The Wilson Industrial scuoo at the OF avenue
and Eighth street, viii have DO Christmas celcbra-
ton proper, the managers having decided 10 postpone
the festivities until the Friday following in the hopo
that out Of The surplus OF good things lett in families
alter to-day they may receive enough TO do JUS
tice TO the 500 expectant children Miss Huntng-
Ton, tnc courteous matron Of the institution, stated
that the donations this year were exceedingly hight,
and added, 81 never knew the children to much
before. IL really does seem thai the one poor meal
winch they get from eveIy noon IS all they have
during the twenty -four hours, ravenousiy do they
eat IL" notwithstanding the hard times and the pres
lack of supplies the Board OF Managers hope
tu that enough toys Will be received 90 around.
They contemplate three large Christmas filled
with good things OF all descriptions The festival will
take place between the hours OF one anu three T. ".
The ST Barnabas Mission House. at No. 3o6 Mulberry
street under the auspices Of the New York Protestant
Episcopal City Missionary Society," also contributes in
the name oil charity but like the soa Mission post
pones the festivities. The thursday following has been
set apart as the time for distributing presents, which
viii consist manly OF articles oil clothing The distrbu
zion WIN take place Tor the sunday school children GOO
10 number IN ST. AIMS church The nursery children,
OF whom there are ninety will receive giits oil toys
candy and clothing, and u IS contemplated to mako
presents OF clothing 10 the most needy mothers One
thousand little ones will SIT dowL TO good turkey
dinner on Christmas
In the Dewitt chapel No. 1856 Greenwich street. toys
and books will be given TO about 100 children on Sun
day evening, at hait-past seven O'Clock.
The 0nver chapel, at No 63 Oliver street, will
commodate 700 poor chdren on the day after Christ
mas, presenting each oLe some article Of clothing
most needed Extra food viii also IN many instances
he sent 10 the parents.
Lebanon chapel, AT No. 70Columbia street. will have
Santa Claus this afternoon. hs goods Will Of
substantial iood TO be sent 10 the homes OF needy and
deserving persons At the same time he Will not ior
&C.. to reward tho children with appropriate toys.
The Shclterng Arms, u; Tenth avenue and l29th
street. will IN all probability have abundance OF
good things to-day. Their mode OF bringing the
supplies is ingenious Large paper bags, which the
stars and stripes render attractive broadcast
to the Charitable Each bag bears 10 bold type the
legend '.The boys ana girls OF the shelterng Arms
send me TO wish the children and everybody else a
merry Centennial Christmas. They told
straight home again but have run my feet on getting
here, and am, oh so empiy Do give me something
to eat and plenty oi IL" Then follows list OF cdbes
which the rapacous bag is wiInne to take, and also
arcQucst that u be sent home It's iu condition by
she nearest express. The appeal s irresistible.
The industrial schools OF the Cnidren's AID Society
distributed In the second street, the avenue C. the
Eleventh street, the Fiiiy-thrd street. the Crosby
street and others, Christmas has been
order TO give the Superint,n ,ndeDt opportunity TO
personally oversee each school and make the neccs
sary arrangements TO reward the children. Presents
were distributed in ali, and the remainder OF the
schools of the society VIII be similarly cared lor.
The lodging houses oi the society situated East
Eleventh. Ryington, West eenth and East thirty
NTH street, aud tho Ncwsboys Lodging House, on
Duane street, will give good dinner on Christmas
DAY, but Will not be able to stributc presents
The poor children OF the Fourth ward will be given
dinner ut the ST. James Industrial School. corner Of
Batavia and Roosevelt streets The Rev T. III. Far
reilly has devoted much OF his time TO this branch Of
charity.
The following letters, showing thorough realization
OF The widespread suffering OF the poor, have been
ceived:-
APPEALS CHARITABLE
10 EnifnI nYr TINY HWY L.