The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-24
STARVING THE SOLDIERS ORPHANS.
The Economical Plan on which the Penn
sylvania Schools Are Conducted.


sylvania Schools Are Conducted.
Philadelphia Record.
The soldiers orphans schools of Pennsylvania
have almost solved the problem of living on
nothing the average cost of the raw articles of
food In some of the syndicate institutions being
estimated at less than three cents per pupil per
meal. though the manager claims to give the
children butter twice day, meat once and some
times twice a day, stewed fruit, preserves
canned vegetables, tea. coffee, and all the
bread they want The Soldiers Orphans
Institute. OF this city. which makes a
comparatively good showing. managed during
the year ended May 81. 1885, to put food on the
table at cost of 12A cents per day per pupil, or
q trifie over cents per meal At Chester
Springs the former proprietor paid to his stew
ara 81 ~ per week per pupil, or nearly 20 cents
per day. When the sale to Wright Paul & Co.
was consummated, Wright said that his steward
had been absorbing all the profits of the school
by his excessive charges, and that the new
owners would make their income by their
omies in the food. As further illustration of
the correctness of their assertion, they alleged
that In fourteen years the former steward had
made $40 600 from his profits on the food con-
tract. 1t is probable that if the methods en-
ployed at Mount JOY and Mercer Rave been
adopted at Chester Springs, there has been
large profit the supply of food. The -four
OIL at Mercer for the quarter ending Dec.
81, 1885, and including the feed for cattle,
well as extras for officers. amounted to 1881. 95,
which for 200 pupils would be at the rate of less
that one cent per pupil per meal. The flour bill
at Mount Joy runs in the same proportion. and
the meat bill at the same place at one time aver
aged twothirds of one cent per meal per pupil.
1t is intimated that condemned canned goods,
which could not be sold to ordinary trade, have
been delivered to some of these institutions for
the relish OF the little Ones One inspector, in
the inspection reports. declares that the quality
of the food is livery good" and the other in
spector comedies with the statement in
80 far as Chester Springs, Mercer and the
Soldiers Orphans Institute. of Philadelphia are
concerned. The others he rates as good" He
also reports that the excellence and abundance
OF the food are still continued. Superintendent
Hiebee is apparently satisfied that the children
get what the regulations call for-that is, the
same food that is put on the table of well-regu-
lated family-because he said the children
get more than they would receive at home. In
this connection an interesting letter comes to
hand 1t was written by the head of the syndi-
principal of the Mount Joy school. 1t reads as
follows:
MERCER, Pa Jan. 80 1884.
II find the last coffee bought very poor. and
have this day ordered other to Mount JOY. While
do not want the poor thrown out do not want
You to use it next week See that it is put out
of the way, sure. 1t is net fair sample of what
We usually use by any means. You will likely
have some visitors from the G. A. r. Encamp
ment, which meets at Lancaster City next
U.
prised if members drop in on their way
to and from the encampment l need not
say more, only the cook and ali other depart
ments. and have no mistakes anywhere. / much
fear trouble from this eneampment for Mount
Joy. Ii frozen feet, toe nails dropping off, itch
etc., with your four months record OF deaths
etc, do not warm up our G.. A. r. friends shall
feel that am no prophet All these matters are
sure to be investigated and brought up at the
encampment; SO get in shape to meet charges
and yvicIfp / IN Shov-
bin in writing him yesterday about next week.
Talk it over with him and matron aud get to
work and in shape"
Itwould seem to be sufficiently trying to the
youngsters to content themselves with the diet
that is prepared for them, but when at the head
of each table officer is seated, eating other
and better food reveling in meat vegetables
and pie. while the youngsters are limited to DO
tato soup, with bread and moiasses dipped into
WATER the sight of the officers plate aggra-
Yates the little ones 1t puts them in much the
same plight that Wackford S9ueers Esq. of
Dotheboy's Hall, puts his unfortunate pupils
when he breakfasted on chops and delicious ct
ceteras, while the hungry lads seated deposited
waited for the signal from him to begin.
The State requires that one-sixth of the
amount paid for each pupil shall be expended on
clothing. Hence, every child over ten years of
age would require $25 worth of clothing in a
year, and every child under that age would re-
qure an expenditure of 1913 1t was the con-
temptation of the Legislature that the children
should be comfortably clad and their clothing
kept in good repair. This is not done In all
of the institutions, with two exceptions,
the boys wear the same suit in winter as in
summer, excepting that for a cotton shirt in
summer a thin wooden shirt is substituted in
winter. The boys wear underearments I'M
less their parents provide these articles for them
The founders of the system contemplated that
boys would wear overcoats in winter and girls
would wear cloaks but the boys only have
their jackets in winter, and in some of the
schools very few of the girls have any head
coverings, SO that only attachments of them
can on Sundays to church. At McAiister-
vile there were dozen new hats for ninety
nine girls, though it must be said just here that
the girls at that school were more tidy and neat
than at any other institution which was visited.
The issue roll. which formerly showed how many
garments were given out every year to each
pupil, had for some reason been abolished re-
Gently at the suggestion of the department. Of
fcials. destroying the only satisfactory method
that existed for determining the quantity of
clothing issued.