The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-12-12


TmE good that Is being done by the
Children's Home in this city will never be
more than approximately known. We
can never know what Il has actually saved
and will continue to save in the shape Of
diminished crime and added usefulness
10 this and other localities. The remark
Of The late Gov. Stanton, when the pro-
jeCt Of the Home was first broached among
u.s. often occurs to us, viz: that in found.
ing such an institution we are simply
deciding that tits better to pay money to
prevent crime than to punish 1t. More
than this, we are deciding to secure q
double interest on heinvestment by not
only preventing crime, but by adding 70
society class that will not only not be
criminals but on the contrary, good,
iisiul and productive citizens.
Tie experience OF other communities in
this respect is worth a great deal to us as
amatter OF encouragement In the City
Of New York, they have had a Children's
Aid Society in existence for twenty-five
years. and in Cincinnati for fifteen years.
During the existence OF the New York
Society, the commitments of boys and
urls for petty larceny have decreased 80
per cent, and this, too, notwithstanding
the population has increased during that
period more than 50 per cent, and aggre'
pate criminal commitments $50 per cent.
For instance, in 1860 there were 500 boys
and girls committed for vagrancy, while
in 1876 there were only 5000. That year
1he Aid Society sent out 1900 children to
western Homes. The Christian Union, to
whose columns we are indebted for this
information, says: .
'rlat these children-the Society's
yaris-are waits, otherwise homeless and
uucared for, appears from this: that out
Of 1900 BOYS who were In the lodging
houses last year only. 1900 had parents,
1000 were half orphans, and 1900 had
neither fathers nor mothers: With respect
70 these boys, II must not be supposed
that thew are ignorant or Of alien blood.
Out Of 1900 there were $500 who could
read, and $500 who could both read and
write; while 5000 OF their number boasted
VI American birth.
THE economy OF the work may be
demonstrated by few figures. During
The past year the society has had the I'M
mellale oversight and care OF l4,Voo poys
and girls. and less intimate knowledge oil
1000 others-attendants upon the even
ing schools, industrial schools, Seaside
Home, &c. This has been done at an out
lay OF $l75. 5.OO0-a ratio Of Sl2 80 per an
mum for each scholar, five take into ac-
count those In the direct care, or OF 50 W
to each scholar, Il we consider the entire
number reached.
"NOw, take two other institutions which
6eal with children-the New York Juye-
nile Asylum, which Is allowed by the City
Of New York u yearly appropriation oi
Sll6 for each inmate, and the Catholic FRO.
lectOry, also allowed $ll0-and without
any disparagement to the work ot these
institutions the greater relative economy
Oi the Children's Aid Society Is strikingly
apparent" e - .
No one can estimate what has been done
ta society by the care that has been given
thesa destitute children. As mere mat
ter o. dollars and cents, New York has
been paid vastly more than compound In
terest. And SO likewise will Wheeling bt
paid in tho same liberal manner for tbs
trouble and expense Voluntarily assumed
by her benevolent people in caring tol
euniortunates Of the Children's Home.