New-York tribune., 1886-05-02
SUNDAY EDITION.
MAY 2, 1885.
NEGLECTED CHILDREN.
WORK IN THEIR BEHALF IL BOSTON.

iron An cc,sroSAL CORRESPONDENT or THE rRrBUSg1
| BosroN, May 1.-The Boston gamin. supcriluous
TO his parents and elected by his friends or IN
hardly more erievOus circumstances, a waf without
responsible relatives. has been the subject OF re-
| newed interest durrg the past week on account OK
new efforts made in hIs behalf President william
H. Baldwin. OF the Christian Union. Robert Treat
Paine DR.. Putnam. the Rev. Edward Osborne,
Miss Putnam. Mrs Anna b. Richardson. Mr.
+. B. Fay. Mr. Seuddcr. Mr.. Brtwel and ST. Wells
are among many others who feel that the canse OF
neglected children is of the greatest intcfes, 10
society and that the problem OF their education de-
serves constant and serious reflection. AT present
strong move is being made toward deprecIating
institutions for the care of children and advocating
that the greatest Efforts should bc made toward
keeping families together. Now, when Il man be-
comes discouraged at low wages family troubles,
he endeavors TO shirk his responsibility of pro-
vidlng for his children by placing the youngest in
one of the many institutions OF the city, knowing
that good care and safety will be given his little
one. The other day well-dres,ed young nan with
| n sweet-faced. wholesome child IN his aims ap-
pearcd at the Office of the Marcella Steect Home 20
give up his child to the institution. "Nhat is th,
matter that you can t keep her at home" asked
the surprised Official "Out OF work" laconically
answered the father. How old is your child y
" Two years and a half" The incident suggests tho
|
children to cause parents to give up their children
at insufficient pro, ocaiion and the belief OF many
seems reasonable that a family should be kept
together as long as possible and that, when sep
aration from home life occurs, IT should he very
brief Whist the desI ondcnt young father was
talking about disposing OF his child, two street
gamns of the unmi,takable type of neglected
children sat in corner contentediy swinging thelr
| bare legs until the officer should take them to tho
| srt- t..,r ,al auIt o.
| pendent manners showed that they were probably
well contented with street life, but would find tho
new life before them salutary and beneficial. Hav-
| ing no home from winch to be separated. existence
in an institution would form basis for useful lilo
! in new home provided by the agents and their
| needs would be exactly met.
| Much of the present interest IN the subject was
caused by an attack upon the Marcella street Homo
! by the Rev. H. II. HaddOn, an Episcopal clergyman
| OF London, visiting Boston. With piomlrent
member OF the Associated Charities he VISITED TINS
large city institution for neglected chllcren spent
an hour and half crltlcislng ITS nanaseileht ind
sent the resufs of his inspection before the puDic
| in a long letter advising better supervision. he
| Marcella Street Home Is under the contio oi the
| city and IS the larger growth oi the lhsIitu'lVh
| formerly at Deer Island known rs the Pahpcr
school for Children AZ Deer Island since lo'' 10
| has taken charge of 900 neglected children ana
| has now 100 inmates closely confined within us
| gates until country homes shall be provided or
| nuul parents and friends reclaim tine children.
Although the Institution Is 50 large aud Important.
few pcoI e in Boston understand ~ wOIk ana many
misconceptions exist upon ITS nature. Many p'"p'
class 1t with the reOrmatories, but it IL silhpy u
! temporary home tor neglected children. VISITORS
| are welcomed, and on bright day oi TINS Week i
party IN u wagoncttc decided To Vist Tic ih-
Tie nigh gate at the entrance of the erecn yard
/ rose and the wagonettc quickly pisscl lnr"uEn'
along the smooth drive TO the door ol lhe hyne'
The first impression. increased AT lOre careful IN
vestigatlon. thar OF extreme neasne,, ana pre-
| cislon. Tie brick exterior looked bright and the
ln1ls rh,,nf- H.
floors and hard wood finishing seemed NJ" as ia y
building just erected. The prucipal authorities
| were found to be much chagrlned AT some oi u?
late misconceptions in regard 20 the INSTITUTION ah
were inclined to attribute them 10 pfccph'elfeu
desire to effect change IN the az ihiihistla'lon;
| Come and investigate our Work ana rooms, 'aIu
| Dr. Heath. leading the way through the building:
| system of isolation IN probationary wards Delolo
| the inmates are transferred 10 the D9Iy "i tho
| school. Ii the critic had Investigatei sald the
! officer, he would have Iound tiihl we nave q VA"
! where ch lren are quaVantined for two weeks he
! fore bec0ning members OF the school ne diiHculV
| of keeping disease from the home IS a ,er0hs
| problem. We take all children "ho apply no,
having the power of restriction winch !, the ptiViJ
ege of private Institutions, and many are victims
of their parents care'essneSS or cruelty Nomt are
| predispo-ed 10 disease visit 10 the hospital
| showed that there are on v three patients AZ 'ulS
time and the room looked pleasant aud seem d com
Portable. III spite OF the criticism tudt nc ''iu,v'
| ture OF the ward stood at : - III i lile tIlo
| ophthalma is prevalent. but only among ih' gI'H
and, according 20 the physician, II II recent pio-
| duct, pitfu indeed, II was 10 see the suffering,
! soreeyed pirs with shades over their eyes. Yet
| opnthalna As an epidemic often attacks inc
chi .dren OF the poor and your cotrrsPph TENT l;-
mem mDers particularly the number OF cnIdr'h WIN
sore eyes ut the Gray Nunnery IN Montreal mo
little waits there being paleiicci as wei ds iet-
eyed in distinction from the children at tllc 'lir-
celia Street Home, who are Tor the most part rosy.
| checked SIR. Iaddon mentions the coiIseless or
the towels as a cause of pr0pagatlns disease "i tlo
| ewes. he towels are made OF ordinary Di"ND cidsh
and are kept scrnpu0usy clean. since t"e chi.aien
| are directed each TO use fresh towel ana throw
| ui uSnl l.,jV
| laundred each day ia the INST tuition; he lows
| for hosptal use are necessarily much finer. Tho
SUPERINTENDENT took much pride N SHOWN mo
| visitors his unique rraUgemcnt for hEafOry pur-
poses. In the basement is a long, nAtrow COPPER
| tin-lined wash trough supplied hy water l"l
numerous sets OF iahcetS each SCI s''1lUG pi VI os
and cold water. As the children ic aOh3 tll' s'e'
catch the streams of water from the anc"ts "lthoht
| being allowed to dip up water from thc bottom ~
the tank. The Arrangement Is oo"N@n,sn' ahn h
| UNIQUE and in athroOnls large tHos iuih7 III tno
necessary opportunities for more elaborate
4 grieyous charge against the sanitary conditions
of lie Home was the Immediate vicinity oi the yAtd
| where the city oiial carts deposit their nnsaNoTy
| cargoes" The b Dard OF liedlth Is responsible Tor
this state of affairs since at different times II has
been shown and asked to correct the nuisance. ihe
| following criticism real led to the hyglc ME con-
ditiOns: "IhroughOnt the boys department. mo
| clothing was untidy. dirty and defective sad tho
critic illustrating his sta einent by examples Oh totn
| clothing aud cheap and nasty boots As INC cilt
dren assemble IN the chapel Oh SUNDAY Oh 10, co
pecal exercise on any occasion. they are spotless
| and fresh as il clothes were provided Tor e'cn
| dav The girls in plaid gowns ani broad whitc
| collars and the boys in blue suits with brass
| buttons make a strangely interesting uniformed
army. All seem of the same age ana tlc Sal, N'Ao
from the ,ieception produced by similarity 0: dress
| There il a great happiness of new boots. ave give
| them new boots once month. eAp'ahvH mo
| snpcrnten,ent. and Que can see that We aio
! careful to give them suiicitLt clothing nom tho
fact that the item OF expense for clothing IS Slo"oo
| n year" A regular dietary system lnoIndes cocoa
and bread for breakfast. stew or beef ol mutton Tor
dinner and cocoa bread and gingerbread for supper.
At Easter were added to the breakfast and ono
small boy bonsted that he had eaten eight eggs at
| that meal Baked beans once week ar con-
| sidered "A special luxury The dormitorIe, ior gris
at one part of the building and twice as large Tor
| bows at the other looked clean and white aud