The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-23
TO DISPOSE OF DEPENDENT CHILL
DREN.

The Journal has on several occasions
favorably mentioned the proposition of
the State Board of Charities for the es-
Enlistment of State school for de-
pendent and neglected children. If it
were to be simply an immense home.
into which such children would be col
lected and retained until sixteen years
of age the Journal would oppose the
scheme. because it believes that such
bringing uD units for the battle of life.
1t is not designed to make the school an
asylum. but rather center of distribu-
ton. where the children will be retained
a brief period on their way from the
poor houses and orphan asylums, to be
physically and morally cleaned up be-
fore being sent to homes in private fam
lilies. 1t is believed that such a school
will greatly expedite the process of re-
lieving the taxpayer of the support of
hundreds of children who. under exist
ing conditions, must spend several years
of the most impossible and plastic pc
riod of their lives in county or local in
situations, where more of evil than of
good is usually found. No public insti-
tuition can ever be so good as the pri-
vate home for the bringing up of the
young, and no place can be so evil as
are poor houses, where contact with the
idle and vicious cannot be prevented.
No ignorance can be so deplorable as
the education received where these
waits are put under the control of those
who are the lowest bidders for their
maintenance. From these neglected and
dependent children. as they advance in
life, come large part of the wayward.
the shiftless and the vicious who burden
and contaminate society. So long as the
present system prevails these people
will furnish the larger part of the re-
cruits who crowd the reform schools.
the reformatories. the warehouses and
the penitentiaries.
1t is proposed to keep those who are
now poorhouse children and a burden
out of the poorhouses, and from being a
prolonged public charge, by taking them
to the State school. where they will be
given a course Of training which will
fit them to enter respectable homes-to
take them out Of the bad environment
and place them where they will be well
brought up. Such a school is not an ex-
pertinent. Several States have tried it,
and the trial has been most satisfactory.
While the State home has been open in
Michigan the number of children sup
ported by taxation has been reduced so
per cent, while the population of the
State has increased 60 per cent. With
substantially the same population as In
diana, Michigan supported less than 500
children by taxation last year, the cost
being less than $4,000. Last year In
diana supported about 1900 children bv
taxation at total cost of $173,000
The bill which has been presented to
the Legislature calls for quite an outlay
at the outset-$150, 900 for equipment and
$4,000 for grounds. This is for the plant
to make saving to the counties of
large part of the present outlay, which.
under the system in vogue, does little
more than pay for their maintenance.
while the workhouse children are adj
vanced from helolessness to worthless
viciousness. The aim of this plan is to
take them away out of such conditions
in early life and make them self-sup-
porting and decent