News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1885-12-17
STREET ARABS.
HOW NEW YORK SOCIETY b.
FRIENDS THEM.
Some of the Work Accomplished in Saving
Boys and Girls from tae streets and
from Crime.

The annual report of the New York
Children's Aid Society gave an interest
ing and instructive review of the So
ciety's work.
In recapitulating the labors of the
thirty two years of the organizations ex-
istence the report said that the society
had, since its foundation in 1853, shell
tered, partly fed, and instructed over
300, 900 homeless boys and girls in its six
lodging houses. Many of these had been
in this manner saved from becoming
criminals and Migrants. They had part
ly paid for their own support, and had,
therefore, not been pauperized. They
had been prepared for the duties and
struggles of life by learning to save their
earnings, by being taught cleanliness,
and by hearing constant lessons in
! honesty, faithfulness and religion. The
| society has sent to country homes and
places of work, bo:h in the East and
/ West, during this period, II, 1879 home
less persons, of whom large proportion
had become good and useful citi ems.
In 1884 the organization had turned out
3, 40 persons. The society could have
done its work even better had 1t not been
for the terrible evils from overcrowding
in the poorer quarters and the immigra-
ton of poor and ignorant foreigners.
1.-THE lodging houses of the society,""
says the report, ''are now wonderfully
well organized and adapted to their pur-
pose. The dormitories are exceedingly
clean, airy, healthful, and are exempt
from vermln; the meals are wholesome
and plain, and the conveniences for
bathing and washing ample and practical.
Each boy has his own locker for clothing,
and the smaller boys are protected from
the rougher larger lads. The boys very
soon find that they get great deal for
their money, and this fact aids the dis
cipline. They are tempted to save their
earnings, forced to be clean, orderly,
punctual, and are gradually brought into
the night school and religious meeting.
AS almost every lad pays something for
his quarters, he feels himself an independ-
dent ledger in his own hotel, and does
not fall into pauper or dependent habits
When 1t is remembered that in the
course of the year these houses pay into
the treasury of the society some $31, 900,
it will be seen how important feature
of our work are these little payments of
the children. The great effort of the
perintendents is to induce these lads
to take places in the country, and.
though only partially successful in this,
we measure their influence somewhat by
the number sent to places. The amounts |
also deposited IN the penny savings banks |
are an indication of what |
Is being accom- lished in these |
houses, and the use of the loaning fund
to start boys in business is an important
part of the work done We believed
that the religious meetings on Sunday |
evenings have effected much good |
among this class of Toys, and our only |
regret is that more young men from the |.
upper classes do not come for ward to aid
The report shows that while the pop
ulation of the city increased from 629,-
$40 in 1855 to l, $50, $50 in 1884 the
n Lumber of comm tmonts of female
Migrants decreased from BAD in
1851 to 2,52O in 1884. The commitments
Of young girls for petit larceny dimin-
ished from ga in 1850 to 267 in 1888.
The commitments Of males for petit lar
ceny were 2, $50 in 1881 and 1926 IN
1884. Mae Migrants have also dimin-
ished In twenty-five years in proportion
to the population, and in the same time
the number of male thieves has fallen of |
700. In juvenile delinquency there has |
been diminution from /, 1879 in 1875 to
5i3 in 1884. In 1877 the commitments |
of girls under twenty numbered 2,657; |
in 1884, 2,4l3. In all crimes against |
person and property there has been a
decrease of 12I per cent. in the past ten |
years, and this, the report says, is due |
to the labors of this and similar charita-
bic organizations.
ga review of the work of 1884 was
given as follows: There were during
the past year, -iu our six lodging houses,
IL, ZIP different boys and girls; 214, 495
meals and 246, S75 lodgings were sup
piled. In the 81 day and IA evening
schools were 1850 children who were
taught and partly fed and clothed, $40, 10
meals being supplied; 3, 14O were sent TO
homes and employment. mainly in the
West; 1913 were aided with food, med.
icine, etc, through the Sick Children's
mission 4, 3a5 children enjoyed the
benefits of the Summer Home at Bath.
Long Island, averaging about 5000 per
week. 1891 mothers and sick infants
were sent to the Health Home at Coney
Island; 37S girls have been instructed In
the use Of the sewing machine in the
Girls Lodging house and in the in lus-
trial schools; S1,276.4l have been de-
posted in the penny savings banks.
Total number under charge of the society
during the year, 3S,311."
The treasurer's report showed that the
total receipts for the year ending No.
vember l, 1894, were $3.50, 713. 81, and
the total current expenses $219, 558. fi4.