Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-08-31
Superintendent of Charities Tracy's
Letter on the Subject.
HOW LITTLE ONES ARE CARED FOR
Institutions Supported by Appro-
priations by Congress.
AN EXCELLENT SHOWN

zen. ltuSSel "A. Anger, pFeSlueHl VI the
Waif Saving Association of America that
is now holding convention at Detroit, re-
Gently suggested the appointment of five
dele gates to represent Washington at the
convention. Mr.. Tracy, the superintendent
of charities of the District, has replied to
Gen. Ayers communication, regretting his
inability to attend in person, and adding
that lowing to the absence al this season
of citizens prominent In works of benevo-
lerce II has not been found practicable to
secure the attendance of unofficial dele
gates who would adequately represent the
extensive child-saving work Of the federal
capital city"
In lieu, however, of such representation,
he sent statement of current operations
of child-saviEg work in the District, and
expressed the hope that next year the Dis
trict might be personally represented.
appropriations for Child-Saving
Work.
The statement forwarded to Gen. Alger
says that congressional appropriations for
the care of juvenile dependents of the Dis
trict of Columbia now amount to s126,36I
per year. The average number of depend
ents supported. aided, by this money is
1,S2G. Eighteen institutions and agencies
participate in the distribution of the fund
anG in the care of these dependents. Four
teer of these child-caring establishments
are located within the District, and occupy
public property worth S4DS.tUo, and private
property valued at $S99,0OO, all exempt
from taxation.
-Four of these Institutions are reforma-
tories, namely. the reform school of the
District of Columbia for boys). the reform
school for girls. the House of the Good
Shepherd and the Home of the Association
for W orks of Mercy. The reform schools
are purely official institutions, the House
Roman Catholic sisterhood and the House
of Mercy by sisterhood of the Protestant
Episcopal Church. The reform school for
boys, with 2lO inmates. receives S39,152.
against which it turns into the treasury
about $500 from safe of products: the re-
form school for girls. with thirty-five in
mates, receives 1915; the House of the
Good Shepherd, with eighty-nine inmates,
ty inmates. Sl,S0O. The unofficial reforma-
tories depend largely on private contrbu-
tions for maintenance. The most valuable
of the reformatory properties is the large
tract occupied by the boys reform school,
estimated at 100000, the real estate of the
reform school for girls being rated at 49,
900. that of the House of the Good Shep-
herd at s7i.OU0, of which $4,000 is from
public funds. and that of the House of
Mercy at $4,000 of which $4,000 was sup
piled from public funds The per capita
reformatories is. respectively: Boys re-
form school. s1S9.62; reform school for
girls, 500: House of the Good Shepherd,
5000. and the House of Mercy, $50. The
calcu lations for the reform schools include
expe mixtures for repairs and improvements
during the year, as well as current OUTLAWS
strictly for the support and instruction of
inmates.
To the official reformatories juvenile de-
l:rquents are committed by sentence of
courts, and for incorrigibility by the presi-
dents Of the institutions.
Two Founding AsyIums.
There are two founding asylums, both
specially incorporated by act Of Congress,
and having powers of indenture and super
vision during minority. They are the st.
AIMS Infant Asylum. chartered in 1863,
and the Washington Hospital for Found
lings, a private corporation, founded in 1885
through the munificence of Joshua Pierce,
phlanthropic resident of Washington.
st. AIMS, with an average of $50 inmates,
receives public aid to the extent of $500 a
year, a per capita public cost of s41.5S. and
occupies private property estimated at
Sl50.OO0. The Washington Hospital for
Foundlings, on private property valued at
100000, has an average Of 50 inmates, well
cared for by trained nurses, graduates of
Bellevue CT other leading nursing schools,
and receives government aid at a per cap
ita rate of Si71.45, to the extent of 5000
per year. 1t accepts only white children,
while St AIMS receives colored children as
well. and, since the discontinuance of the
Colored Founding Asylum, many colored
infant dependents are cared for by the
board of children's guardians.
AsyIums for Destitute Children.
The asylums for destitute children be-
yond the age of infancy. receiving public
funds, are four in number. The church
orphanage of st. Johns Episcopal Church
receives 1900 for the support of 80 chill
dren, on property worth 100000, of which
10000 was appropriated by Congress. its
annual per capita public cost being $40.
The German Orphan Asylum has 81 .S0O of
public funds for an average of 40 inmates,
supported on property worth $4,000.
towards which the taxpayers contributed
$4,000, it's annual per capita public cost be
ing $40. st. Joseph's Asylum has 81 800 to
assist in maintaining lis children, on pri-
vate property worth s12O.0OO. Its annual
Per capita public cost is $3.50. The Ma
tional Colored Home of the Association for
the Relief of Destitute Colored Women and
Children has an appropriation of $500 for
the support of 100 colored children, with a
property estimated at $4,000, two-thirds of
public and one-third of private origin. This
institution has among its inmates II wards
of the board of children's guardians, VINO
are paid at the rate of IS per month by
public funds, through that board, in addf-
ton to it's appropriation. Exclusive of such
payments, its annual per capita public cost
is 500, the revenue from private contribu-
tons being light st. Johns Orphanage re-
Ceives no payments from friends or rela-
tives for the support of inmate while the
other institutions of this group derive small
revenues from boarding half-orphans.
Two Industrial Schools.
There are two Industrial schools In re-
ceipt of public funds, at which, as well as
at the reformatories, instruction is given
in industries and useful arts. They are the
Industrial Home School, which receives
both boys and girls, and teaches pupils
chiefly to be florists, woodworkers, seam
stresses and cooks, admitting only needy
children resident in the District of Column
hia, and st. Roses Industrial School,
which teaches dressmaking and fine sew
ing to girls graduated from St. Vincent's
Female Orphan Asylum, large institution
that has no government support. These
industrial schools each occupy property
of value of about $4,000, the former on
public ard the latter on private ground.
The Home school. except in manner of in
is virtually public institu-
ton, having very little other income than
its annual appropriation of $4,000. It's pay
ment through the board of guardians for
the support of twelve wards, and receipts
from sale of the products of it's farm and
work house. Its per capita public cost, on
the basis of the annual appropriation. is
S110, the average number of it's inmates
being ninety. The st. Roses Industrial
School receives S4.500. an annual per anita