Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-10-17

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had been sOrClN felt from the first but the
limited means at the disposal of the man
ayers, forbade any action toward supply
ing The want, until the last year. The
purchase was effected, and now there is
provision for both hay and pasturcage, as
well as some other crops.
The condition of some of the children
sent to the "IlOmc,' prompts us to make
an appeal To all good citizens throughout
the state, and especially To- town officers,
in behalf of the unfortunate children VINO
become inmates of our aims houses.
These children who are thrown upon the
towns, from whatever cause, whether by
Orphanagc, or the poverty or vice of their
parents, are. in the present arrangement
of our poor houses, necessarily thrown IN
contact with the very worst element OF
our population. They learn every form of
evil. and if they remain long in such an
atmosphere it is inevitable that they
should grow up criminals. And what
right has the state to expect anything
else;
If she places her children in school of
crime. can she expect that virtue will be
the outcome We know that some of the
inmates of Poor Houses are brought there
by misfortune and honest poverty, and we
know, too, that in the majority of cases
their own vices are the sole cause, and
becoming town charges does not reform
them. Can those persons he proper aSSO-
catcs for Young children And these
children in too many instances, may have
inherited evil tendencies. and are only too
easy to learn from their elders. We ask
in all CandOr. is ii wise to subject child
rem, for whom the towns must provide,
to such influences On the contrary,
would ii not he wiser torcnOvc them with
out delay, to the purcr atmosphere of a
fOStcr-mOthcr. where they would at least
he taught no evil, but be nourishcd and
trained in the path of rectitude. appeal
to all intelligent. right minded citizens,
and ask is il not more patriotic ana more
Christian to give these children chance
to grow up good and respectable citizens,
able to bear their own share of the world :
work, rather that add to its burdens The
"IlUmc' has offered. and does still offer To
take these children, when under ten years
of age, from the towns. for SlOO, so or 500.
according to the age or to he more eX-
plCit for an infant one year old ana I'M
der 500. for one. year old and under two
so, and for one three years old ANA over
so. We have sometimes been repulscd
with the charge of being eNorb tant, but
let me ask amy candid. thoughtful parent,
how long it take, to spend 500 in the care
of an infant And which will he the
cheaper in the long run, to pay these sums
and he relieved of further responsibility,
or keep the children ON the town. until
they are old enough to work, and then
send them out to practice the vices they
have learned, and atterward bear the bur
den of Furnishing them?
Surely towns do not ask or expect that
an institution supported by private bene-
factions, should relieve them of their in
digent children, without partial cOmpen-
sation, That would be unreasonable and
the sums specified are small. 1t occasion
ally happens that child coming from the
aims house is taken away soon, but i'll the
majority of cases, they remain until the
cost of providing for and schooling them,
] Il.
has taught us. that this is not the class of
/ children most to be desired, but in the in
/ terest of the children themselves, and of
the State. shall an effort be made to bring
them up to he Industrious intelligent AID
respectable citizens, or shall the State bear
the disgrace of their crimes, and the bur
den of their punishment. Probably in
some cases. these efforts would fail of all
that we should hope and pray for but is it
doing the duty the State owes her child
ren, to leave them to grow up III ignorance
and vice. No. we feel assured that this
view is taken only when the subject has
not been sufficiently considered in all its
bearings, and that an enlightened public
sentiment Will render an entirely differ
cnt verdict.
In cases where children, as they grow
older. develop inherited evil tendencies
il is desirable that they should be remOv-
ed from contact with the better class. 1t
was this want. and in connection with
this Institution. which suggested the petit
ton. signed by ladies in this city, to our
/ Legislature, and resulted in our present
Reform school for girls. But the restric-
tons upon admissions are such, that its
doors are practically closed to the inmate rs
of the Home" This is one of the most
serious obstacles the Home has to con
tend with. and an effort will be made dur
ing the present session of the Legislature
to nave tine laN SO changed, that when
he - al ia raj "a
II child, without success, the State will
come to the rescue. and place such child
rem in the Reform school, where facilities
are provided for Il longer continued anC
sterner discipline.
Miss Louisa Howard has placed the
"liOmc' under still further obligations to
her. by improving and identifying tn,
Home lot in Lake View cemetery, AND
placing suitable monument upon ii. II
surely was the dictate of Il tender. loving
heart, which prompted 50 appropriate 4
gift. The graves are all those of quit,
young children, and each one was marked
by head-StOne, with the name upon il
the gift of our well known townsmen, j
W. GOOdell X Co., bur Miss Howard la,
. erected u monument which cOmmemOr
ateS all alike. II was ii graceful act, ano
, one but few persons would have thought
to perform but we doubt not it will mer
. it the plaudit, "lnusmuch as We have don,
, 1t unto these little ones, We have done i
unto me- And it adds another to tn,
many benefits bestowed by the donor ant
, other members of her family. upon Bur
lngtOn and It's manifold interests.
We received II letter II few weeks sine,
from the Secretary of the vermont Bibl
Society," asking il the Home was il
+ need of Bibles and TcstamentS An ailr
10 native answer brought the asSuranc,
that the requisite number would soon b
. sent.
l 1t is with sincere regret that we ChrOni
+ Gle the resignation of Mrs. l.. NJ. Clapp il
! Il member of the Board OF Managers, an,
/ this regret will he shared ut least, by ever
5 local friend of the Institution. Mrs. Clap
5 has held the Office of treasurer of tn
y Home for thirteen consecutive years
i and she has discharged its arduous dutie
with great fidelity and we, feel that sh
: has earned an honorable discharge
e Nevertheless it is sad to her associates, t
p see one after another of those who hay
= borne the heat and burden of the day i
:, this cause, dropping out, and thus re
e minding us most forcibly, that change
e written upon all human institutions. Blu
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