Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-04-19

AID SOCIETY-FARMERS WHO WANT
THEM, TO BE sUPPLIED-INTERESTIN
ACCOUNT OF THE OPERATIONS OF THE
SOCIETY,
&C., SC, &C.
Mr.. Charles Brace, the agent for the
''New York Children's Aid Society,"" in
New York, was in the county last week, a
guest of Mr.. H. D. Peck. He is an author
of repute, and among his works are 'Home
Life in Germany and Hungary in 1851, -
but he is also widely known as a philan
thropist, and one of the most prominent
builders up Of the institution we have
named. His mission to Augusta is to put
some of the boys of the Society, who are
old enough to be serviceable, with such of
our farmers as may desire them. The
Young Mems Christian Association last
Sunday afternoon, invited Mr.. Brace to
address them, and his remarks were of the
highest interest. He said that twenty
five years ago he returned from Europe
impressed with the misery and want Of the
thousands of New York poor, and after
some general efforts at it's amelioration
became convinced that if any could be
made it must be begun among the childr en-
news boys, rag pickers. boot blacks, beg
CARS, sc. He would find them on the
streets and ask "where do you live my
hoy ?'' 'sNowhere," was the reply. They
made their beds in empty boxes, barrels, land
under steps, Two of these waits wintered
in an old burnt out iron safe. One said
there was no bed like box of sand, they
could curl up SO nicely; another preferred
steam grating as superior to any thing
else. He had asked them if they knew of
Jesus Christ. They had never heard of
him. Heard of God? Yes! heard the
boys swear by him. Ever pray? Yes Lin
stormy nights had said something for luck.
Such was the character Of the boys the
Society went to work upon.
The first thing to be done was to provide
them with lodging. They rented aabuild-
ing and fitted it up with iron bedsteads
and comfortable beds. When first invited
to occupy it they were suspicious, and
thought it "a Sunday school dodge, or some
sort of take in.'' Few slept that first
night, the novelty of the situation keeping
them awake, it being the first bed many of
them had rested upon. They were soon
convinced of the kind intentions of those
who invited them, and the story OF the
boys home spread, and the house Was
filled, though the design OF the whole
thing seemed to them mystery. Now
for the reforming process! They could not
attempt to teach religion in the abstract,
but at first tried only to teach them to be
honest-to give the right change and the
like, and to follow the example of Chris
tians. Their Sunday meetings were most
interesting. The work grew on the hands
of the Society. so that they had to purchase
a lot and build a large institution, at cost
of 10000, one half of the expence being
borne by the city and the rest by indivi-
dual contributions. Savings banks for the
boys, to be drawn from only once d month,
taught them economy. A steam drying
room was made; so their clothes, when they
came in wet nights. could be put in and
dried directly.
ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND BOYS
had been provided for since the enterprise
went into operation and the society is now
accommodating ten thousand children a
wear in various establishments, including
one for girls. Their health Was excellent,
with hardly ever a case of sickness.
The home for girls had received many
little outcasts who were furnished with
homes and hardly ever turned out badly.
A young girl of Is or 16 years old living in
Jersey City was driven from home by
drunken father and wandered all day
through New York seeking employment.
At night, still Wanderer, she passed by
the rilded haunts of crime and at last
crept fuJo a deserted hall to pray-not for
bread or home or friends, but to be de-
livered from temptation. She Was over
heard by gentleman, taken to the lodging
and was saved.
Another branch Of the Society's work
was the Industrial Schools where children
too squalid and miserable to be admitted
into public schools were gathered to the
number of 10000, were instructed, cared
for. and taught to work so as to fit many
of them for situations which were provi
ded for them by the Emigration Depart
ment. There was a great demand for
children's labor in the West, and the Soci-
etv has for some years sent 1000 yearly to
Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin and other Wes-
tern States. Nearly 10000 in all have been
provided for in this way, and many good
and thrifty citizens made of them. Mr..
Brace gave many
INTERESTING INCIDENTS
i'm this connection. A smart little Five
Points rogue, taken up and reformed,
taught and sent West had gotten good
home. learned rapidly, become a teacher.
made some money and came back to Yale
College. He graduated there with distinc-
ton and while a theological student went
to one of the Society's schools. sixteen
years after he had left it, to tell his story
to the bows Another had returned after
fifteen or twenty years, rich Western far
ner and came to get boy to take back
with him.
WHY THEY LOOK TO VIRGINIA.
THE long Journey West for so many boys
is q heavy expence to the Society, and it
has turned nearer. home, to Virginia, to
find homes for them. Two hundred Of
them had been comfortably provided for
in the tidewater section Of Virginia, but
the speakers attention had recently been
directed to Augusta county, as place
. suited in climate as well as by the intelli-
oence and enterprise of its farming COM