The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1893-10-28
ORPHANS IN AUSTRIA
THE STIGMA or PAUPERlsM NEVER
CROWNS ITS HELPLESS TOTS.


It Is the oniy Country In the world where
Fouudilngs Are Dcbarred From tho
worthouso Their Care Entrusted to the
Ronned and wealthy.
There is only one country in the world
whore orphan children aud foundlings
are debarred from admission to the work
house. It lin Austria. which maintains
that TO place the stigma Of pauperism
upon the poor little things is to handi-
cap them later on in the race for life and
bread, and thus to lessen their chance Of
ever becoming self supporting and self
Z respecting citizens That their reason
ing is just is shown by the results.
Whereas in Paris, London and Berlin
the majority of children born in work
I houses return years afterward 10 die
/ there. In Vienna it is most unusual
occurrence for a founding or an orphan
| dependent upon public charity to be
come in old age charge upon the com
/ muuity.
IN Austrian cities children Of this class
are boarded out in the families Of work
men living in the suburbs at the expense
Of the municipality. But their care is
1 intrusted, not to tho workhouse authori-
/ ties, but to gentlemen and ladies of
leisure, fortune and respectability, who
practically become the guardians Of the
little ones.
Their charge is a purely honorary one,
and they are chosen as a rule by the
burgomaster Of the city or town from
among the nobility, the retired magis-
rates, the half pay of GERS, the rich
childless widows and wealthy old maids.
They bear the title Of orphan fathers
and orphan mothers, and so honorable
IS the position regarded by the popula-
ton that the mayor never experiences
any difficulty in securing the services OF
a sufficient number Of such official par.
euts.
During the early youth of their ward:
the duties Of these orphan parents are
confined TO visiting them at unexpected
times and to keeping the people with
whom they board up to the mark by
showing them that the children have
powerful protectors. Upon the official
parent devolves the responsibility of de
Gliding the special calling in life fol
which the Youngsters show the most apt
itude, the only stipulation made by the
municipal authorities being that the boy:
should be taAght some skilled labor OF
profession calculated to give them latel
on chance Of being able to support q
wife and family and to lay by provision
Tor old age. When these lads go out into
the world, it is to their official parents
that they turn for a character, and il
evil days come to them they appeal t
their official protectors for help.
It is an incalculable benefit for boy
who is just starting out in life to have &
man of position to stand by him and Il
speak to the world in his favor, nor il
there anything In connection between
the two to ruftle the eindependence of tht
younger, for when once launched in if,
the elder stands to him simply in the re
lation Of an old and tried friend, whOst
advice he may follow or not as he pleases
With regard to the orphan or found
ling girls, they are mostly trained fol
domestic service, which, however, they
are not permitted to enter before tht
age Of IA, and then it becomes the or
phan mothers duty to investigate tn,
character of the persons who propose K
/ employ her, to see that she is well treat
ed and eventually, when she marries. II
find out about the mans reputation anC
as to whether he has the means of keep
ing wife.
Usually it is from her own house thai
the marriage takes place, and at every
turn the girl is made to feel the advan
tage of having lady of rank to whom
she can always appeal, who is bound t.
protect her, to defend her when wrong
fully accused and to guard her as far a!
possible from evil.
Thanks to these orphan parents, heredi
tary pauperism in Austria has beer
practically stamped out, and there il
much in the system that may commend
itself to people on this side of the Allan
tic. The condition Of the pauper orphans
and Of the foundhngs now dependent
upon the public charity Of this great
metropolis would certainly be vastly i'm
proved and the future prospects Of the lit
tie unfortunates rendered more promis
ing were our leading citizens and theii
wives to follow the example Of the people
in similar standing In Austria, and to ado
q new and useful interest to their live
by assuming the honorary and honorable
Office Of orphan parents.-New Yorl
| Tribune