The National tribune., 1886-04-22
THE SOLDIERS ORPHANS.
Children Of Deceased Soldiers Treated Like Brutes.
The Governors RepOrt,

On the 18th Gov. Pattison completed and
promulgated, in the form Of series of letters,
the result of his investigation Of the Soldiers
Orphans Schools of Pennsylvania. The first
of these letters Is addressed to the Attorney
General. and gives q summary of the abuses
that have been perpetrated by the managers of
the schools. After giving the reasons that in
fiuenced the Governor to make the investiga-
ton, and the means employed to get at the facts,
the letter proceeds as follows:
The testimony shows most pitiful. cruel and
inhuman neglect of the children; want of the
commonest necessaries of decent living, insufficient
moral and religious training, well as suggestions
OF depravity and immoral practices in some of the
schools that are too vile for enumeration. If the
evidence WAS not SO overwhelming and undoubted,
In most instances confirmed by personal observa-
uon would be difficult believe that this age,
and in our own Commonwealth. such practices were
possible. In some schools, during the entire VIM
ter, the children were not supplied with Winter
clothing, but were compelled to endure the rigors
Of the season with Summer or at least, Fall gar
ments. Children-some sick, many frail, and most
of tender years-lived through the Winter without
any undergarments of any kind upon their per-
sons and, in pallation of this neglect the school
managers declared that they had not provided them
because the department regulations did not specify
undergarmens in the list of articles to be furnished
each child.
The buildings are entirely untitled for the pur-
poses for which they used. There was an alb
sence of the most ordinary conveniences of home.
Not chair not peg not piece of furniture other
than a bed was to be found in bedrooms.
While making the investigation at one school
ham, almost raw and entirely unit for human food,
was tax en- from the dinner table where the children
were eating. Without further specification of de-
fective food 10 sufficient state that figures
presented by the principal of one school showing
that the average cost of q meal per child was 2I2
cents. careful estimate also shows that some
breakfasts cost 4 cents per head. and some sup
pers IA cents per head.
After continuing the details through dozen
papers of toolscap, the Governor adds
che f,I nf< oil I,arof 70
human cruelty could not be exhibited Making
allowance for some overstatement or inaccuracy in
witnesses, and giving due consideration TO the pos
eibilty OF errors OF Judgment or abuse OF confluence
Ieposed, yet the weight of the facts Is such as to
leave doubt that the bounty of the State has
been wasted and nsappropciated; that the Com
monweGlth las been defrauded by dishonest and
crafty spectators, and that many OF the unfortu-
nate orphans have been In a worse condit ion than
If they had been left to the uncertain charity OF the
world
/ therefore deem it my duty to refer the test-
nony taken at the investigation to you for official
action. My own powers in the premises, either to
correct the evils or to punish the offenders, I'M
happily, very limited. Such as they are however,
shall exercise them. have removed the two in
spectors The Superintendent of Public instruction
is not subject 20 summary removal by me, but
have this day requested his resignation in order
plsled The General Assembly not being in ses-
sion. no Legislation can now be had. There is
nothing. therefore that can now do beyond what
have stated, except to request you 10 exhaust all
the power of your department to punish those who
have made themselves amenabe to the criminal
law, to enforce the rights of the State against those
who have defrauded her, and TO recover some of
their iil-got.cu gains if possible, from those who
have grown rich by dishonest dealings with the
State.
Another letter is addressed to DR.. Higbee,
the Superintendent of the schools. In that
the Governor says:
In view of the recent disclosures Of abuses, mis-
management, and neglect in the Department of
Soldiers Orphans Schools which have taken place
during your noumbcncy as Superintendent, Ideem
II for the best interests OF the State and the schools
that there should be change in the official direc-
ton OF that department. The circumstances appear
to me to demand your resignation as Superintend-
ent of the Soldiers Orphans Schools, and there
fore request that you will give me an opportunity
to appoint to the head of that department some one
who will assist me in the reorganization of the
schools and their superintendent in a way more
In accord with my views of duty and the require
ments OF the law, to which we evidently so rad-
caly differ, and as 20 which harmonious views and
action of such great Importance for the well
being OF the department.
Other letters are addressed TO the Rev. J. W.
Savers and Mrs Z. E. Hutter, inspectors, dis
missing them from the service, and the last is
addressed to Gen. Louis Wagner, of Philadel-
phia, appointing him inspector in place of the
deposed officials