New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-09-08
TRANSFORMING POOR CHILDREN.
THE RESULT OF THIRTY YEARS WORK.

THE RESULT OF THIRTY YEARS WORK.
MR.. c. L. BRACES REVIEW OF TIE WORK OF
THE CHILDRENs AID SOCIETY.
fFRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNEI
SARATOGA, Sept. Tone of the most inter-
estng papers the session Of the American Social
Science Association today was Mr. o. L. Bracesre revue"
of the work of tho Chldrens Aid Society during the last
thirty years. He described three classes OF agencies or
aiding, educating. and reforming poor Children IN
crowded cities. These were, first, lodging houses moo
eed the Newsboy's Home founded In 1854; Sec
ondly industrial and balf-time schools. whcn
have been in successful operation In NewforK ana nave
been Instrumental in saving Thousands OF chdren rom
vice and vagrancy and thirdly, emigration WORK.
canse which The TRIBUNE has powerfully supported Ia
theory and practice During the last thirty years Mr.
Brace has raspanted 10000 children from New. YORK
to country homes in the West and South, and he
now sending out 1000 each year. OF whom more
than One-thrd girls These youth have now grown
up their different villages throughout tho west; ou'
they not usually having been the PToeges
OF this society, this fact carefully concealed Ior I'M
mense numbers of them now occupy positions OF trust
and responsibility, or have acquired comiortaoie Iof-
tunes, leading honest and respected IN DINER
parts Of the Union rhe girls have often married wei
and are living honured positions as wives aud mothers
1t often remarked In the West that these children turn
better than the average number OF children III west
ern villages society for the first few years keeps
careful inspection OF these children The local commit
write in regard to them local pastors are enpoyeu
TO visit Them great correspondence Is Kept up Win INC
employers and the chldren resident Western agent
employed constantly iu revisitins them, and the west
ern agents who take them return constantly to LOOK ate
companies Cases OF abuse are very rarely Ieporeu
but many changes are necessarily made.
During he past year 1857 persons were placed IN
homes and employment at expense Of S35,5iO for
all salaries rairoa ares. clothing and other expenses
counec with this branch Of the charity This would
make the average cost for each child placed IN nome
S8 o. The boy or glr supported III Poor-hOus
reformsiory prison at pubic expense "oui '0eO9V
| probably about $40 per annum
REPLY TO sCANDALOUs CHARGES.
Mr. Brace referred in his paper To the scandaous
charges made against work OF the society at the Ma
tiona Conference of Charities and Corrections In Mad-
son. Wis, refuting them completely as he had already
doue in columns OF THE TRIBUNE. He took pains TO
describe several special Investigations regarding tIose
sent twenty, twenty-five and even thirty years ago
In 1881, forty1ve names, taken at random, OF children
tweny-iye TO thirty years ago were given Mr.. Fry,
| the resident Western agent out OF the iorty-hve
searched for. eleven could not be FOUND or heard o.
They may have been living in neghbornS localities, but
to required too much time and ab or or
the thirty fOuf femalhnS Soo9 accounts Moi1 loHcto
from all except They had grown up 10 be honest
! and respectable men and women: some OF them had
considerable properties religious in character
some IN Professions and all bore good nniGe eX-
cone of TO a distant state These thirty-four have
become distinguished way hut they have provide
sending home IN Michigan has Transformed
Inn thief, vagun or vagaoond, to an honest ana
| In Iss2 another investigation made by Mr.. Fry
in regard t. children seut out rom twenty 10 twenty
five years since, taken at random. mainly in the States
OF Illinois and Indiana From ms report IL appeared
almost every one OF the children whose cases nc III
yesiigat,d an who have the West twenty
years. occupies nov good position In society one Is
spoken Of as Justice OF the Peace who was graduated
from college and OF the leading citizens in his
VILLAGE another. the leading lawyer OF the town III
whc lie placed and candidate Tor the Office OF
Attorney another, as man OF college education
also lawyer and active In all religious WORK TWO as
well known teachers another successful physc
who had made his way through college by us own
Efforts another successful artist and stu another
nominated by the state Convention rs CefK OF the
& rcut court, whose talent aGd character are highy
AIRY and Trend of his IA civil engineer one Is prom
ncnt druggist doing large business, ana "a companion
well, and DO rejoicing now III happy aud weiLorefed
families The results generally are III the highest degree
encouraging.
TIE soCIrrY's WORK POPULAR N Kansas.
It true that large boys like all the aborng class
in country disposed TO change their places IRE
quenty seeking higher wages IL Is tAis fact which has
very naturally caused more dissatisfaction with the en-
Movers than any other snch boys always described
os having run back to NewYork. and YET the society
records will show that they have frequently gone further
West. ard are doing very well Ihns an agent, Mr
10y Mr. Whiteaw Reid at Ottawa who was SAID to have
zone s 9aq ,S 20 yo%g man. WHO had successful farm
twenty thirty miles out and had come into tue village
| 10 speculate in town lois
Mr Brace stated the sociey's work is very popu
or IN Kansas There are hundreds OF calls IRON kind
hearted employers that State for these children far
bey Dnd what the society ever answer These chill
| dren lie Sid include those when were sent out
through the kind assistance OF generous friend OF the
poDr Mr. Whielaw Heid. ana also through the DeneyO
lent aid OF one much beloved among tie poor OF New
York Mrs j. j. Aston. Mr.. Reid Mr.. Brace added, has
been exposed great deal OF petty abuse Tor bis be
neyolen efforts in this direction but II he could travel
| through the of Kansas Iowa, he would he
album any compensated by seeing the great numbers OF
Young men and women who have been saved from pow
| erty and vagTancy. and have gained useful petitions
| through his lnstrumenality
OTHER PAPERS READ.
Among the other papers read before the society was
one by Professor Char A. Gardiner OF Hamilton on
"The Race Problem in the United States" Mrs Sarah
| X Bottom OF Cleveland, read paper on the al mpoy-
ers and Employed" in which she favored and advocated
Notwithstanding the most feasible cooperative plan.
PrOap Chumdcr MOzoOruddT OF Calcutta, spoke AT some
eugtI the Races OF India" "PrisOn Reform and
Public OpnOn" wasdiscussed by Eugene Smith. OF New
York G. Aeon Ives. OF Newport ~ l.. this evening read
| O paper reformation OF Criminals" aud general
took place on tne subject OF Labor in Prisons
This CONCLUDED the associations abOrs mere Tor this
| year IL will meet here again IN September, 1884.