The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-05-07

ThehHnual confersfco Of Charitiess art
Corrections oonveued In the Now Ceneur,
Club last night and the large attcndAnc,
showed the interest manifested. Judge j
Frank Bali presided and In making the
opening addle IS said, among other things
what more serious, interesting or bene
l ncial study can we engage In than the
study OF system that hos for its object
the uplifting Of fallen humanity and the
protection OF society from the criminal, the
tramp, the pauper and the children Of de-
fictitious parents.
Humanity cannot be helped nor society
protected from these classes by the use OF
our present jail system for the criminals,
by the indiscriminate alms-giving to the
tramps and paupers by our sympathetic
but misguided people or by permitting the
children of these classes to grow up under
their present surroundings.
None OF these methods helps character
building. None Of them either cures or
prevents crime or pauperlsm. The only
proper way Of protecting society from the
evil that threatens from these ever iu-
creesing classes Is either curing them, or
where this cannot be accomplished by
combining them in some place where they
cannot propagate their Species
This last method will. as recently said
by an eminent man in this line of work,
cut of the entail Of hereditary pauperism
and crime, and insanity and idiooy In u
very large degree. by keeping detectives
In institutions, which resemble heaven in
at least one particular, because there is
neither marrying nor giving in marriage
IN them. Pauperism increases and null
tiplies under misdirected aims giving.
Your tramp infests only those commu.
mules that offer him protection from labor.
Ciothe him, feed him and house him and
you will have him with you always. Com.
pei him to labor for his food and lodging
and the places that once knew him will
know him no moro forever.
Miss Catherine B. Davis, Of the College
settlement Of Philadelphia, was first in-
troduced and spoke on "Play Grounds for
children She advocated public play
grounds, with all kinds of amusements
and vacation schools to be opened one-half
OF each day. In tho grounds the children
could play under the care Of an athletic,
and thus DO benefited. In the vacation
school. music and other studies not In thu
regular course could be followed,
This plan has been successfully followed
In Boston. where the public schools are
now used for the purpose. Tho attend.
ance Is not compulsory, but more than SO
per cent. OF those who entered remained
for the term of six weeks. She also sug.
gested ground for larger and growing
Ooyo BaHltS W bublr lIkluR COulu
be played. Reading-rooms could also be
attached.
Miss Davis was questioned considerably
after her talk.
Rev. W. I. Nichols superintendent Of
tho Brooklyn Bureau of Charities. spoke
OF 1.-THE Cultivation of Vacant City Lots
Such has far.reaching advantages for good
he held, and told Of the plan of Mayor
Pingree Of Detroit and the beneficial re-
suits that had come to the town through
tho cultivation Of its lots. He also out
lined the work on the same line in Brook
Ign.
A committee was appointed and about
$l2O0 solicited. The first year but twenty
families availed themselves of the oppor-
tunity Of cultlvating one fourth of an acre
for their own use.
The next year. however, thirty-four took
advantage of the system and supplied
themselves with vegetables. Mr.. Nichols
said the work of cultivating had moral
effect upon the smen, and their willing |
ness to work often got them better jobs. |
He claimed that men committed to prison |
tor minor otfenses could be employed In |
,ultivating under the superintendency OF |
IN official. Mr.. Nichols talk was warmly |
spplauded
This afternoon reports will be read, and
o-night the work-house bill will be dis.
ussed