The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1897-02-05

ma some one now Is TtspOilSlpic
when he becomes living soul. 1t
$ due these children to go out into
ZONES as soon as it is thought best,
md home is open for them. 1t is
ust as human to place these little
,nes out in Christian families as 1t
IS to gather them in from the high
ways and by ways to our homes
provided by public charity. Every
child needs father and mother,
and when they are found they
should receive the benefit. The
placing out" is not simply saying
"you may have this child" but by
promises and signing oftheir names
to a legal document. The con-
tract should read "to feed, clothe
and educate the child; to send reg
ularly to school and church, f" and
last, though not least, "to treat
him as one Of your own" The home
manager is not expected to forever
ieliqnuish all responsibility at this
period of the work, but as promises
are sometimes made to be broken "
it may become duty to return
c.lild to the Home only to try again.
There are in the State OF Indiana
about thirty-six County Orphans
Homes, and about eighteen counties
provide in different ways for their
dependents. Various courses have
been pursued in regard to the re-
lation between the county and
homes. Some counties have bought
beautiful and valuable property,
while others rent ,and yet others re-
qure the matron to pay the rent OF
occupy her own property. In some
counties the matron is paid a salary
and the county commissioners pay
all bills of maintenance. In other
counties the management is in the
hands of an association, and the
commissioners pay the sum OF
twenty-five or thirty cents per day
per child, the management paying
all bills of maintenance.
Economy OF methods is being dis
cussed nowadays since finance is
ruler of all things. The law pro
vides for the payment of twenty-five
and thirty cents per day for eacf
child, out of which the child mus
be fed, clothed, all assistance ano
all house furnishings be paid. This
legal provision may seem very small
and is, but by the most strict econ
omy all obligations can be met.
Finally, is it wise to try to work
for Orphans Homes or homeless
children? There are 1900 de-
pendent children in county orphan
asylums, 500 in poor asy lums, 3,25C
adult paupers in poor asylums,
/ $50 criminals in State prisons, 20
boys and girls in reform schools
Would it not better to care for the
500 children before they join the
ranks of the 775 boys and girls, Oh
become the associates permanently
of $3.50 adult paupers, or later or
in life after having committed some
crime join the ranks of the l,15C
criminals in our State prisons?
Again, would it not be we'll to try
to remove some of the causes of oui
dependent children? Mr.. Bickneli
in his report made to the Legisla-
ture of Indiana for the year Novem-
Der lst, 1898 to October 31st, 1894
says that "the care of dependen,
children involves some OF the great
est problems of modern times. II
is inseparably connected with the
pulling questions which have to do
with crime and criminals. Back OF
both of the gigantic evils lie their
common source-the friendless, un-
trained child. This is not the only
source but is one of the most pro
life. ("
There are different causes for
child dependents, first, those who
are paupers by some ruling OF Di'
vine providence, death Of parents oil
sickness, others by unhappy mar
riage relations; but the greatest
source Of all the sources of depend
ent children is the liquor traffic, the
actual records in Orphans Homes
showing that these children are
there, nine-tenths of them, through
this our national curse. Knowing
this fact let us not fail in our duty
but work for the bettering of theil
condition by making homes fol
them, and stamp upon evils that
will destroy the innocence OF the
land, remembering: Take heed
that We despise not one of those lit
tie ones" but accept. "lt is not the
will of your Father in Heaven tina,
one of these little ones should per
ish" Wabash, Ind.
The man who laughs when he il
not happy either has something tc
sell or something to conceal. .-Ex.