Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1881-03-01
Wards of Massachusetts.
A Statement and Appeal by 1.-The Au
Hilary VfsitQrs,''

Hilary Visitors.''
Some of those enlisted in the volunteer
charity service of the state are of the opinion
that the community in general is neither
aware of the amount of work that Massachu-
sets is already doing for her dependent and
delinquent children" nor of the opportunity
to lend helping hand to this work by Civ
ing homes to these homeless children of the
infant asylum and the state schools We
have now, outside of the infant asylum, in
the three schools of the state, about 700
children. The Lancaster school for girls has
at present less than 100, the Westboro school
for boys about 200, and the primary school
at Monson over 400, of whom the greater
number are boys The Lancaster and West
boro schools reform schools, and the
children of these schools belong to the class
of Juvenile offenders, although in many cases
| the wrongdoing does not seem to be part
of the nature of the child, but the result
| rather of unfavorable circumstances and
associates. These children when placed in
| circumstances favorable to the growth of
| their good qualities, rather than of their evil
propensltieS, are almost always reclaimed
| and it is estimated that large percentage of
those formerly connected with these institu-
| tions are now leading well-regulated lives
| The children of the state primary schools be-
| long for the most part to an entirely different
| class. The state provides for such poor
| persons within its borders as have no settle
its foreigners and pet-baggers.
By statute of the state the poor children
i are maintained at O separate institution from
/ the adult poor. When any child under two
| years of age comes into the care of the state,
| it passes into the Massachusetts infant asylum
| or is boarded out or otherwise provided for
/ If it remains in the care of the state at
| three years of age, it may be transferred to
| the primary school, where it is placed in its
| kindergarten department.. ALI children be-
| tween the ages of 3 and IS are Immediately
placed in the primary school. These are
| children of unfortunate persons, often the
| children of our working poor, but death hav-
| ing taken the bread winner of the family they
are left alone on foreign soil and among
strangers, far away from kindred and friends
thrown upon the tender mercies of the state
Their heritage is sometimes one of sobriety
and industry, sometimes of drunkenness and
wastefulness but their own record is vet to
be made. Alone and friendless, they need
the help of the whole community. Another
class is also to be found at the primary school
the Juvenile offenders or court children,
the children who have committed offenses
against good order too Insignificant in the
minds of the dispensers of justice to warrant
punishment but sufficient to make it wise to
transfer them from their natural surround
ings. These three schools are judiciously
conducted, and any prejudices which may
have arisen in the community in regard to
think, by a personal visit to them Con-
scientious care of these children would be
apparent to all.
But it is a self evident truth to every one
who has had experience in this work, that it
is not possible in such large institutions to
give the training to these children which will
best serve to make them self-supporting
citizens. As institution life is less favorable
to the development of a child than family
al ff, 10
desirable, therefore we urge families to take
them while young, and before the habits are
formed, between the ages of and TO- or
earlier. The result will be that the child will
usually prove more satisfactory and receive
more benefits in the end. There is no diff
Guilty in placing boys and girls who are old
enough to be of service, but such are fire.
quently returned because they are vicious
and troublesome, and their habits of dis
honesty and untruthfulness have become SO
fixed as to be difficult to reform. The same
child at six or eight years of age, under the
moral influence of good family, would prob
ably have soon forgotten evil habits. If
kept for too long period in these schools,
they are likely to become sinstitutionized /"
and drift sooner or later, after they have
ceased to be wards of the state, to our poor
houses, and those of evil inclinations to our
jails and our prisons. The Bible tells us,
He setteth the solitary in families - The
experiment of all interested in these children
has proved the value of the reformatory eff
cheney of the family, and the use of home
and family influence and life to restrain and
reform offenders. and to nurture and bring
up homeless ones in the right way All Of
these children need healthful home influence
true family life and training many of them
need only this to bring them into and keep
them in the right way.
The placing out of these children in families
has been the settled policy of the state for
many years. but the methods employed to
accomplish this purpose have been somewhat
changed and Improved. Within the past
year Sc women, living in different parts of
the state, have been appointed to assist the
state agents In their care of the girls placed
out in families These are commissioned and
made responsible to the department. of
indoor poor and each has special district
assigned to her. Applications for children
may be sent to either S. @. Wrighington,
state-house, Boston, or to the superintendent
of the schools N. Porter Brown, state indus
trial school, Lancaster, E. I. Dooley, state
reform school, Westboro, Col Gardiner
Tufts, state primary school, Palmer. The
applicants win soon receive call from the
appointed visitor, and viii be able to explain
fully the sort of child whom they are willing
to take, and the conditions, etc. No adop-
ton or indenture papers are required. al
though such are allowed, If desired, on GER
tain conditions. The child thus placed must