The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-08-23


TOLL privation and self-sacrifice. But
few women or men have accomplished
so much for their fellows. She was born
in 1902, and her early life was bleak,
humiliating and painful. Her father
not being able 10 take care of her. she
soon left his roof and found an abiding
place. but scarcely a home. with her
grandmother in Boston. Possessed Of
exceptional energy and ambition, she
early determined TO ft herself for
teacher. While one side of her char
acter seemed that OF an earnest, unen-
thusiastic worker. the other was excep-
tionally sensitive and full OF beautiful
ideals. She reveled in poetry and wor-
SHIPPED intellectual greatness, but pow
erty and ignorance appealed TO her
strongly, and she early began TO work
for poor and neglected children. For
these she opened a school in the barn
OF her grandmother's house which was
the beginning of the beneficent work
afterward carried on at Warren-st.
chapel-now the Barnard memorial on
Warrenton-st.
Miss Dix also had small day school.
which afterward developed into a large
combined boarding and day school.
While she had charge OF this school,
which required the most assiduous labor
and executive ability, she wrote a book
that became a familiar friend TO many
families a generation ago. IL was called
the Science OF Common Things" and
I'm a comprehensive, easy manner gave
valuable information about ordinary
things used in the household. IL had
a place in almost every home and was
standard reference. one could find in
10 information about everything from a
needle to a nutmeg. and in any per-
pleXity Common Things" was con-
suited as an oracle This little book
passed through sixty editions. other
later books We're Garland OF Flora
Private Hours" "Alice and Ruth"
prisons and Prison Discipline"
At last, on account of poor health. the
school was relinquished. and she be-
came governess in the family Of DR..
W. f. Claiming. While member Of this
family she went to the island Of St
Croix and obtained. her first glimpse OF
the evils of slavery.
After her return to Boston. being in
better hsalth. she again took up school
work until 1886. when she again broke
down. and accompanied by friends went
abroad for rest and change. She had
saved money enough TO afford her a
modest income.
1t was not until 1871 that Miss Dix
was brought face TO face with the horri-
bic condition that existed in the prisons
and almshouses Of Massachusetts. She
visited the jail at East Cambridge and
found terrible overcrowding Of inno-
cent. guilty and insane prisoners. She
then visited all the other prisons Of the
state, nnding such a horrible condition
of affairs that she addressed a memorial
TO the legislature on the subject, giving
graphic description Of the abuses suf-
feder by the insane poor. Her enthusi-
asm enlisted the attention of DIR. s. g.
Howe. Charles Sumner and others Pub
lie opinion was aroused by the horrors
unveiled, politicians We're overwhelmed,
a bill for relief carried and an order
passed TO provide state Accommodations
for 200 insane people
Then the conviction came to her that
all over the United States the same
appalling story was true of the wretched
fate of the pauper insane. She felt
that she must visit state after state
collect facts. besiege legislatures and
arouse public opinion. 1t was a stu
pendous work, but this frail woman.
with a grasp Of intellect worthy a
statesman, accomplished It, Massashu-
sets, Rhode Island and New Jersey all
show her work today. PENNSYLVANIA
followed. She made long journeys north
and south, east and west always car
rying hope for the unfortunate In nine
years she had carried for reforms the
legislatures Of Indiana. Illinois Ken
lucky, Tennessee, Missouri. Mississippi
Louisiana, Alabama. South and North
Carolina and Maryland, besides estab-
fishing an asylum at Halifax and St
John. y. p.
Miss Dix, on her return. became inter
ested in the work of saving shin
wrecked mariners on Sable island. which
had long been called the graveyard Of
seamen While visiting the place a
wreck occurred, and she. saw how in
adequate to save life were the means ar
hand. Through the cooperation Of sew
eral citizens Of Boston, Miss Dix sent
hfeooats and other life-saving para
phernalia. The day after these arrived
a large ship was wrecked on the island,
and by means of this apparatus $50
souls were saved
In 1915 she investigated, not without
opposition, the condition of insane hos
pitfalls in Scotland and found i'm them
a repetition of what she had seen here.
She at once began moving the great
and cumbrous engine of English law to
reform these abuses. but it was not
until 1851, after years of labor and op-
position. that the object was accom-
plished. Her attention was then called
10 similar abuses on the channel islands
After thirteen years Of agitation a
large public asylum for the humane and
scientific treatment of the demented was
built She also inspected the asylums in
Rome, finding so much TO condemn that
she obtained an audience with Pope
Plus TX She was received with great
kindness and her revelations listened TO.
Later the pope visited the asylum and
found so many shocking things that at
second audience he thanked Miss Dix
that she. "a woman and a protestant.
had crossed the seas to call his atten-
ton TO these cruelty treated members
of his flock
On her return to America until the
breaking out OF the civil war in 1861.
Miss Dix devoted herself to hospital
work. aiding new institutions and direct
ing older ones In all she founded thir-
ty-twO hospitals, beside two in Japan
that owe their inception to her influence.
During he war she devoted herself to
hospital work She was superintendent
Of nureses, having entire control of
their appointment and assignment To
duty. At the close of the war she was
instrumental in raising funds for the
great national monument for dead SOL
diers at Fort MonrOe.-BOston Herald.
Glass Curtains.
cYrrfoirc