Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1884-12-11
NORTHERN TRIBUNE.
THURSDAY. DECEMBER II. 1884
A NOBLE WORK.

Brief Mention of the State Public School for
Dependent Children at CoIdwater, Mich
igan.
Special Correspondence of the Inter Ocean.
COLDwATER. Mich, Noy. 29-The State
Public School for dependent children at
this place has now been in active opera
ton for ten years, and the results Of its
lab0rs are now past an experiment. The
institution was established by special
act of the Legislature. for children whose
home life, by circumstances over which
they have no control, has been destroyed,
and who by force of these circumstances
are out OF their normal condition. The
school receives children between the
ages of 3 and IL, and may keep them at
least until they are 16. They are taken
out of poor houses and families unable
to properly care for them. Since the
opening of the institution 1872 children
have been received, of which 1.120 are
males and 552 females. OF this number
702 came from poor houses, 1852 were or
phans, CAT half orphans, and 843 have
both parents living. Many Of the chill
dren received were simply infants, 700
being less than 8 years of age, and 1873
under years of age. The disposition of
1.-The wards has been varied. Ninety-five
.haye been adopted by order of the Pro-
bate Court, 200 have been returned to
counties for various reasons, being unfit
subjects for the schOol-diseased, Grip
pied, criminal, etc. There are 278 now
Ia the school and S95 are in homes sub
ject to visitation. 1t is in the lives of
these 800 that the watchful care Of the
school is apparent. and that the chief in
terest in the workings of the school CEN
tiers. The policy of the state, as outlined
in the law establishing the school, has
been to actively strive to secure homes
for the children, and use the school only
as temporary abiding place. During
the past summer the superintendent of
the school has visited almost the entire
number now indentured, and is emb0dy-
ing the results of his observations to the
board of control. OF the 800 children in
homes 6S4 are out on indenture, Of which
$40 were doing we'll. giving perfect sat
isfactiOn, and constituting parts OF so
many families in the family sense; eigh-
ty on indenture are doing fairly well,
with prospect of adjusting themselves
to their home relations; twenty-five ON
indenture are doing poorly, who will
soon probably be changed, or drift away
from their present homes. There are in
hemes not indentured 1913, who have eli
Their left the parties to whom they we're
indentured and are self-suppOrting or
are with parents or other relatives whose
circumstances have changed for the bet
ter. Many Of those who have left guard
ians have done SO bv consent, and some
have actually paid for their time until
of age. In the case of children adopted,
returning to their countries, becoming
of age, or of the marriage of girls. the
guardianship Of the school ceases, which
has been the case with 1856 children. or
the total number received at the school
but fifty-seven have died either at the
school or in homes. There is a reserve
mower i'm the contract of iHdeEtnre by
which the board of control may at once
remove the child from home, this pro-
vision being made that the SHOOT may
have constant and efficient supervision
and watchfalness over them and their
houses, and at once correct any apparent
evils. Two hundred and ninety were re-
ceived in 1884, and 80 per cent of them
have been placed in homes, being SO per
cent more than were received last year,
and 70 per cent more than ever before In
any one year. In one high school in the
state the superintendent found ten boys
and girls who were once inmates OF the
state school, occupying honorable places
in their classes. These facts, with many
others, were learned, which manifest the
ciyilizing and humanizinp features OF
the institution, which in its entirety has
no duplicate in the world, but which Is
having its effect by the establishment OF
various institutions in several states
having for their foundation principles
some of the most salient features OF the
Michigan State Public School for De-
pendent Children.