Evening star., 1893-11-22
HOME SCHOOL.
Annual Report Of the Board of Managers
to the Commissioners.
The Plan of the Institution Defended
as Against the Placing of Children
in Private Families.


were admitted and 81 were discharged. OF
those discharged "a were returned to their
parents and were given homes in other
families. Fifteen were placed in situations
Where they earn their own living and
were put to trades. The health of the in
sttutlon has been exceptionally good
Whlch Is due. the managers think, to the
open air work given the inmates every day
Inc institution, the report states, has a
broader and more diversified scope of ac-
tlon than any organization in the District
Ii does not simply provide place of refuge
Ior dependent children, but besides giving
them shelter, food and raiment, every eff
Tort is made to train them to become ac-
ceptable citizens when arriving at maturity
common school educa ton is given them
accompanied with moral and religious cul-
ture. instruction in manual labor is i'm
parted to inmates of suitable age and ca
pacsty. and the results are exceedingly
gratifying. Many of the wards have been
SO educated m these branches that, on be-
ing discharged, they have been able to pro-
cure employment and fight the battle of
life without assistance.
The Board of Guardians.
AT the last session of Congress-" SAYS
the report, "a measure was adopted which
which the home has received from the Dis
trict of Columbia and thus lead to its sum-
preston. At the previous session, by an
act approved 26th July, 1892. a hoard of
children's guardians was created and to il
was committed the care Of dependent desti-
tute, neglected, i'll treated and vicious chill
dren, and at the last session of Congress a
considerable appropriation was made for
tiN the use OF this board, while our appropria-
vision in the act seems to refer MS to the
board for aid in case of a deficiency in our
fund. The board of guardians in a report
na4e feW months ago, Intimate that they
VIII De able to provide for all children that
may reed assistance, and that IL will he
unnecessary henceforth to make other pro-
vision for them: that Is to say IT will he
unnecessary to make any appropriation for
our nome school or other similar institu-
tions. The adoption of this recommenda-
ton would involve the total suppression of
the nome school, and we hope the Commits
sloners Will consider the matter seriously
peiore adopting 1t. In conclusion the re-
port says
The Placing I'm Private Families.
VI late years many states of our Union
as well as foreign countries, have fallen
upon the plan of placing destitute and
abandoned children in private families
when moderate payment will compensate
Tor their keep while very young and where
be the equivalent for their support. The
economy of this plan as compared with
that OF collecting them in large institu-
tlons, supported by the state is really er
roneous. 1t is indeed no new discovery
.ial !he services of child during its
minority are fully worth its support even
from the day it leaves it's mothers breast
out II was a question whether the en-
pioyer OF such child could afford to give
II not only proper food, clothes and shelter
md int.
would prepare II for the duties of life and
~ was apparently delightful surprise to
!hose having the subject in charge to find
tnat reputable families stand ready to take
all disposable children and treat them and
prinS them up in every respect like their
own.
this manner in the northern and western
states with minimum of cost to their
treasures, and for time without the dis
covery of any drawback
But latterly some feeling has been ex-
cited in certain cases by the necessity of
separating families. parting brothers and
sisters from each other and from their
parents, for 1t is rare that more than one
or two can be placed together in the same
family.
The Separation of Families.
children, of course. recover readily from
the pain of separation. Fortunately their
griefs are evanescent. But the tie that
binds mother to her offspring is the
toned and strengthened as it is by divine
law We must believe it was intended by
the Creator for the good of his creatures
and consequently should not be severed
but in the last extremity.
our experience lends corroboration to
this view. The cases we have mostly dealt
with have been those technically known as
dependent children that is, children neth-
er destitute. neglected. nor vicious. but hav-
ing good mothers who would gladly support
them, If able to do SO, but cannot in con-
sequence. often of some sudden calamity
the death or desertion of the husband, or
of his drunkenness or utter worthlessness
In such cases it often happens that the
necessity is only temporary; the mother
can, in time, obtain remunerative employ
ment, and keep her family together. or, If
may support the rest: and the elder chill
dren, If kept awhile in our institu-
ton may obtain situations, and earn
wages. A majority of our chill
and others recorded placed in situations
to earn wages, have. we know. rejoined
their families. Our principal work has been
to tide over temporary difficulties and pre-
serve the union of families.
The Mothers Tie.
'It has been urged that this arrange
ment enables worthless fathers to have
their children supported by the public while
young and useless, and to reclaim them
when old enough to be profitable. This may
be the case sometimes, and with fathers
but we doubt that it ever occurs with moth
ers. The younger and more helpless the
child, the more loath the mother is to part
with 1t. Our experience assures us that
mothers never part with their children
except when compelled to do So and that
the prospect Of recovering them is IA power
full incentive to industry, economy, and
good conduct on the port of the mothers
And on the other hand they regard with
horror. the prospect of having their chill
dren separated from them by a judicial
decree that places the little ones in charge
of government agency which may send
them to any distance and any place, and
is not bound even to tell the mother where
her children are. how they fare. or indeed
whether they be living or dead. Such a
proSpecI is indeed to the mother a power
full motive to labor to Keep her children
to herself, but we cannot believe it neces-
sary, nor can it be always effective. And
we doubt not that many mother de-
prived of her children by judicial decree
IS final as death itself, and really more
dreadful to her, since ii leaves them still
subject to the peris and pains of earthly
eXistence-withoGt her Care-many a moth
er in such a case would sink into despon-
dency, which would destroy her energy and
usefulness, as well happiness.
This view has induced certain staue; to
require their officials having the care of
destitute children to endeavor to return
them to their parents whenever this can
be properly done.
TT must, however be rarely possible to