The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-08-30

Ger, the former contractor having been removed
on account of mismanagement of some SORT and
alr. Wright placed in charge.-ED. TRIBUNE.
VERY DIFFERENT STORY.
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
have read the article in your issue OF July
l9, concerning the Soldiers Orphans Schools of
Pennsylvania, and also that in this weeks
issue by james q. Vale. of Carlisle, Pa, and |
desi1e to say that the Mercer orphans school is
not what it should be. / left there the Sd of
last April, taking my children from the school
because 1t was not under proper manage
ment. 1t is of no use for anyone to go there
to inspect the schools for the matrons always
succeed in making them believe they must
nave something to eat, and just as as
they get inside of the dining room she puts
I'VE or six large girls TO cleaning up. She
makes raid on the ironing room and makes
up the beds with clean sheets and spreads and
cleans up all filthy places as well as she can.
will give you copy of letter that | wrote
to Senator at Harrisburg, that caused Mr.
Wright to abuse me in such a manner that |
was glad to get away with my children where
he could not kick me off the grounds, as he
said he would. Mr.. Wright called me bad
names, and said It would do me no good to
write letters to any Senator, for they were
always sent back to him. | hope other schools
in Pennsylvania will not suffer on account of
the bad management Of the Mercer school.
MERCER SOLDIERS oRpHANs' SCHOOL,
Mr.. N. MARTIN
DEAR SIR: Having learned your address from
political records, beg leave to call your attention
to the Soldiers Orphans School system. / believe
the Legislature has voted to close the schools June
l, 1888, and believe there great loss without
some small gain While the Orphans schools are
giving homes to hundreds of deserving children
there are reasons for prudent mothers to think
t1f.p~ Inc
their children to the hands of those that care 20
little for the comforts of the children only to pass
inspection and to put the most OF the money in
their own pockets. have been employed III this
school for two years, and know whereof speak.
Only just yesterday Mrs. Il. w. Halter was here
She went through the dining room and looked at
the tables, which looked very neat Indeed she
expressed herself as being well pleased. Then she
went and took seat az the front table and ate a
good meal, while the children did not have the
same, neither did they have enough of what there
was for them.
Mr. Wright only buys 90 pounds of meat per day
Tor Il grown people, 29I soldiers orphans and )
pay scholars, making In all BIZ persons. The
grown people and pay scholars get meat three
times day out of the 80 pounds the soldiers
orphans only once day, and then not enough TO
go around. Then again, the soldiers orphans
treated inferior to the pay scholars, who only
pay $o per month"; while the soldiers orphans pay
siO per year BY taking OF $50 for clothing leaves
SID per year The pay scholars get better board
for $50, and do not have to work. The soldiers
orphans wash their clothes, cook their meals wash
their dishes, and, in fact, be their servants
The little boys not properly cared for as they
should be. They need a mothers care, and the
girls morals are sadly neglected Indeed, would
sooner lay my daughter in her coffin than trust her
here if could not be here with her.
Now, Mr.. Martin, while am truly thankful for
what the State has done for my children, would
be more thankful for one-half that amount paid to
me in my own home. 1t is all nonsense for the
State to send inspectors here, for always know
when they are coming and we put the chldrens'
Sunday clothes and make pretty good appear
ance.
Orphans Schools" ought to be suppressed, for
the schools not what the book represents them
to be. There is 81 very bad mistake in the manage
ment OF the schools. Why not pay the money to
the mothers, and have the children where they
viii be treated with kindness. No man would vote
to support these schools if he could see the evils
that any person could see-n he could see every
thing 1t is there. Pay the money to the mothers
and If they fail To make proper of it, then they
are accountable before God. and the State viii be
innocent knowing the sin is not at their door.
Aiiis. S. Z. EASTMAN.
Mr.. Wright told me that Dir. Martin sent my
letter to the Department at Harrisburg, and it
was sent back to him. / do not believe Dir.
Martin intended to do me an injury, but | was
obliged to leave the school on account of that
letter, and l took my children. | could not
leave them there. MRS. s. L. EASTMAN.
YANKToN, OAK.
REPLY TO CoMRADE Wales LETTER.
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
Like great many others, I take great de-
light in THE TRIBUNE. l read everything in
it. | read your editorial on Soldiers Orphans
Schools in your issue Of July 10, and, of course
read the communication of Comrade Vale in
regard TO lt, and 1t has occurred to me that
possibly, Comrade Vale may be strongly and
| seriously misiniormed." Now, / do not intend
TO discuss the matter hereafter with Comrade
| Vale nor speak OF the schools in other parts of
the State, but OF the school in our own vicinity
and what we know. Comrade Vale says: 81 /
| know of no Soldiers Orphans School in the
State where the furnishing of clothing of any
| kind by parents or other friends to the chill
dren is permitted" Comrade Vale did not
| inspect all the schools, or he certainly would
not have made his statement so strong. Now,
| do know OF a Soldiers Orphans School where
| the management allows the parents and other
friends OF the children TO furnish all the cloth
ing they see proper to- from the socks TO the hat
OF course the boys have to wear the uniform of
the school on certain occasions but, as a gen.
eral thing, you can see all sorts of clothing on
| the pupils. What does it matter who furnishes
| the clothing or the kind, so the children are
| comfortable? Again, he says: The girls had
| mono less than five and some as high as eleven
complete suits EACH and the boys had none
! less than three and some as high as FIVE COM
| plete suits, including underclothing, boots,
| shoes, hats and caps" Now, in the school to
| HhiNAA AOASAs VIC oPEOo4tS ID VIC 1aSS ob nU
time do the boys have two complete suits-let
| alone five TO eleven. In fact, what is the use
of so many suits to the child? Conlrade Vale
knows that it would be utterly impossible for a
child to wear out eleven complete suits, or even
| five. The child would out-grow them, when
they would be given to a smaller child or
| thrown away, which is not at all probable.
The child wears the same suit in the winter
that he does in the summer. with the excep-
ton of a change in the weight of the shirt
woollen being substituted for cotton. Now, If
TO this could be added great coat, we would
| partly agree with Comrade Vale and say that
they had clothing sufficient for comfort. Now,
| in regard to subsistence we don't want to
find any fault with the kind of provisions fur
nished, but the manner in which it is served.
We know that visitors and teachers eat at q
separate table, and get greater variety We
never heard of child complain of not getting
enough to eat, but of the sameness. They get
tired of one thing the year round. And, then,
they are cheerful and contented- because they
are compelled to be. MEADyILLE.
A Tribute to General Warren's Memory.
Charles f. McKenEa and W. w. Mcclellan,
of Pittsourg the committee appointed at a
public meeting at Pittsburg August II, 1892, to