The record-union., 1897-10-27
THE CHILDREh'S FRIENDS.
THEIR WORK is PRODUCING
GOOD RESULTS.
Lack of Resources Still Hampers
the Society-District Sys-
tenn Progressing.

During the early part of last evening
Mrs. c. H. Hubbard one of the Vice
Presidents of the Society for the Pre-
vention of Cruelty TO Children, presld-
ed at the monthly meeting of the So
ciety, but later DR. Van Norden ar
rived from out of the city, and assumed
the chair.
Special officer Healy made an inter-
esting report of fifteen cases for the
month One or two Of these We're taken
up and evolved an interesting debate
that hinged on the question, What
shall we do with children we rescued" ?"
A strong number in the society "a
vored taking steps to establish tenn
porary home of detention for children
rescued or taken in charge pending
their location in a permanent home.
But this urgency is opposed oy
quite as large a number, who hold that
the society is not yet able to stand the
expense, which would involve surely
not less than from $3.50 to 500 a
month for even a small place, exclu-
siye of equipment. On the other hand.
it is urged that Sacramento cannot
much longer expect institutions in San
Francisco and Oakland TO care for her
dependents sent from here without any
contribution from this place to support
such refugees and training schools.
Opposed to this is the party that con-
tends that the society must first call
upon the public of this city to guaran-
tee support of a temporary home before
any step is taken to found one, ana
this party believes that on proper rep
resentations the guarantee can be Sc
cured.
Many are the cases the society has
in hand which but for the Kindness Oh
foreign societies nothing could nave
been done with the children but con-
fine them in jails or board them IN asy-
lums. or let them run upon the streets
to swell the criminal class.
Last night the society was hard put
to know what to do with girl VINO
has for some months been kindly careu
for by a benevolent household, out
which is unable longer to controi the
child. who needs strong discipline ana
close watching.
The society was greatly pleased to re-
ceive reports that several children II
took charge of a year and more ago
and some six months ago, and even
more recently, are doing well, ana
promising finely One was the case OF
a girl that the police had been unable
to deal with, though they tried nara
to do so. The girl is now under such
care that her whole character is chang-
ing. and she is in all probability saved
from the criminal class into which she
was drifting.
Another rescued child herself wrote
to express her thankfullness to the So
ciety. The boys the society have
taken in hand were reported generally
as doing well, though some of them
were very hard characters for mere
children.
Abandoned children occasion the So
odety mcst trouble. They are those who
are not vicious, and who are cast upon
the charity of the public with only the
street for home. A large group of
these is on the hands of the society
now, and it was this class that brought
on the discussion of last night, What
Can We Do With Them?"
The society has been paying out
money to clothe some children cast
upon it. who had not clothing in which
to be taken to homes. 1t was agreed
that it cannot longer continue the prac-
tice. It. therefore, appointed a kindly
woman to receive donations of cloth
ing for children in order to keep a stock
on hand ready for any emergency.
Mrs Hubbard reported the prepara-
tions for the district system as favor
ably progressing. 1t was resolved TO
authorize President Van Norden and
Secretary Simon TO issued an annual
report copy to be given to each MEM
ber, md copies to be sent to kindred
societies in exchange for similar re-
ports.