Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-03

class 1t receives. above the age Of infancy.
II IL true. there are other, larger and older
asylums supported by private or denomina-
tional means. but which receive no colored
children; 50 this institution stands alone Of
It's kind, which Is alike true of the DEPART
ment for aged and INDECENT women" ex-
cept the one called the Little Sisters Of the
Poor" Having carried on this institution
from its infancy to its present status of sue
cess, we had hoped. at no distant day, to
have given II over to the colored people, as
their charge. free from government expense
as so many OF them have now attained posi-
tons of wealth, influence and respectability
We had anticipated that the board of chill
dren's guardians would have co-operatsd
with US. and so be an assistance but the re-
suit Is different. The harmony of the fam
lily life has been broken, as the children, in
many cases, sent to the home, with but a
street training, have exerted a bad influence
upon the children, easy to see and under
stand. Is 1t not a grave question, then
whether the discipline and good order of this
long and well-established home by the intro
duction Of this element shall be interfered
with, and the object of this association set
aside by this doubtful and experimental de-
parture of the board of children's guard
ians?
In view Of all this, may we not reasonably
ask, with some assurance of success, that
this association be restored to It's former
status by receiving the appropriation of
10000 (sn thousand dollars) rather than
give this amount to a board whose existence
is but that of a few months duration, and
which has only proved by theory and not
prectice, that 1t Is commendable?
st. AIMS Infant Asylum.
James r. O'Beirne writes as follows:
81 desire to say a few words about ST.
AIMS Infant Asylum, one of the excellent
| institutions of this city, which has done so
much-nobly and charitably-for suffering
humanity in this District since 1861 Re-
cent inimical publications, calculated TO in
| jure this and kindred institutions, in their
great mission of mercy and well-dolng, de-
mand this, in the interest of truth and cor
rect public opinion. The origin of st. Ann s
Infant Asylum was for the purpose of ten
derby caring for little waits and infant
I orphan children, deprived of their natural
guardian, or whose parents could not care
/ for them. 1t was established in 1860 and
/ by act of Congress, March 3, 1868, was
| granted a charter, approved by President
Lincoln. 1t was started in private benef-
icence. and supported by donations and
aims OF the charitably disposed. Its charter
/ rights, under the law of Congress, are as
| full as those of any other institution, the
| Washington Founding Asylum, and the
| board OF guardians included, with respect
| to adoption and indenture. 1t deals wholly
| with those necessarily who are public
| charges, and receives very small compeusa-
| ton from the government, in proportion to
| the number cared for. Although willing
/ and anxious to receive from the board of
| guardians. 1t has gotten practically nothing,
while deprived of the 40 per cent allowance.
| The stoppage of all direct appropriat ton
would fatally cripple the only infant asylum
| In " Washington that cares for all abandoned
and unprotected infants, without distinction
| of color, race or antecedents, and does for
| them all that the board of guardians claims
to do, including putting them out 10 nurse
when requisite, and when good nurses can
/ be found 1t cares for 100 infants in the
asylum. and about thirty are out to nurse.
| The deaths are very few, having been
/ for the quarter ending March 81, 1894, only
nine in number, of whom three died of natal
/ injuries. 1t is under charge of Sister Agnes,
assisted by the Sisters of Charity of the
I order of st. Vincent who do not seek, and
| never have sought. to antagoniZe any other
| charitable institution or organization, but
| the sisters aim only to do their own work
silently, heroically and industriously.
| l ask. in the interest of justice and
| fairmindedness, that the appropriation al
| lowed St. AIMS be distinct and definite as
! heretofore, in order that the good work of
/ the sisters may go on in peace and charity.
The appropriation now received by the in
/ stitution amounts only to about $50 per
| year per child, or 81 80 per month, whereas
\ foundlings in charge of board of children 8
guardians and other institutions cost the
| public five times as much. The board of
/ childrens guardians coolly want the entire
| appropriation for children of all classes in
| nine institutions. which have nearly 1000
| ir mates, while the board of guardians has
| only about fifty children in the institution
| only through the criminal courts, by the
/ judges of which its members are appointed,
Upon the absolute surrender of the children
/ until they become of age. The total number
| OF such juvenile dependents is less than ~
per year. If the plan of the Mcmillan
| amendments be adopted. four-ffths of the
J children requiring Institutional care will
be absolutely unprovided for. The board of
/ guardians has sent only three children to
| st. AIMS Asylum in ten months.
| claim for st. AIMS Asylum the same ex-
emption from the control of the children s
/ guardians as is conceded to the Washing
! ton" Foundlins Institution on charter
\ grounds. The 21-year-old charter of st.
AIMS, by fourteen years the elder, provides,
| regarding male and female children under its
| charge: said corporation shall have power
| to bind them out for time not to exceed
| twenty-one and eighteen years, respect
| lively, as apprentices, to learn any trade or
business or to learn to be useful in house
keeping, or may under terms proper, in
view of said corporation, place them for
| adoption, or as inmates, with any families
| or persons. The same statute gives the
| asylum authority over children ''as fully
and completely to all intents and purposes
as If they were regularly indentured and
bound apprentices to said institution" AS
! a minor cannot be at the same time exclu-
sively the ward of each of two qua r1ians,
/ Ii follows that the claim of the board of
! childrens guardians to exclusive guardian
7 ship under the act of 1892 is entirely in
| consistent with the older and more specific
1 u ..
| founding asylums of this city can prop
| erly be placed by appropriation bill UNI
/ der the unrestricted domination of the board
| of child-en's guardians. The benefaction
! of st. AIMS are not limited to kinless waits
] nor dependent upon the severance of pa
| rental ties. 1t cares for the half orphan rs
well the founding and for the child of
| the impoverished mother. who is not forced
| to disown and abandon her offspring in or
| der to save 1t, but who can take the little
| one home again when able to provide for
| 1t. OF the property of st. AIMS devoted
| to public service. today worth more than
slJO,OOO, not one cent was contributed from
/ public funds 1t has received considerable
! sums in donations and for part support of
| children of poor parents. 1t pays no sala-
I ries, and hence makes to the public the
/ largest possible return for the small appro-
/ priation given 1t. 1t supports 100 children
| at less cost to the government than other
| establishments are allowed for thirty chill
! dren of the same unfortunate class 1t
asks only to be given as much as the others
and that the appropriation of S. 500 may be
! direct and specific heretofore
| st. JOseph's Orphan Asylum.
| Mr.. Lawrence Gardner writes to The
Star for the Sisters of st. Joseph's Orphan
Asylum as follows:
For the Sisters of ST. Joseph's Orphan
Asylum and for the orphans under their
charge 1 desire to enter protest again st
! the passage OF an amendment to the Dis