The evening times., 1898-11-05

temporary one, by (Which she would be
known in the house. Visitors are infre-
puent, the house is cloistered, and there
would be no possible means by which
such a wrong would become known.
Inmates Names Kept secret.
The superioress of the institution de-
clined to report to me the true names of
the inmates (the true names of these
girls was desired for official information
not for publication) or the names and
addresses of persons from whom they
have been received, and learned on the
occasion of a subsequent personal inter-
view that she could not do so without
violating the oaths and rules of her or
der; and that no consideration of obliga-
ton to the Government on account of
partnership in the support of the institu-
tion can make any difference in this re-
gard.
Thus, the District of Columbia has
gone on allowing the expenditure of its
money in the prosecution of the work of
the House of the Good Shepherd, expect
ing to receive value for value in the ref
ormation of female offenders and the
preservation of young girls from falling
into evil ways, but it has no voice in the
selection of those who become its benefi-
ciaries; has known nothing about the cir
cumstances which, in the judgment of
Others justify the reception of any ins
mate; has had no opportunity to observe
and judge the effect of the work done at
public expense. and has been denied the
right to know who it's beneficiaries are.
This is a policy which should not be con-
tinued without being considered and
which could not be considered unless
brought TO the attention of the Commis-
sioners and the Congress.
Il here present a description of the ed
ucational and religious work done in the
child-carlns institutions receiving as
sistance from Congress-
"Newsboys' and Children's Aid Soci-
ety-The children attend several different
city churches. among them the Peoples
Church, Metropolitan Methodist and AS
sembly Presbyterian. In the institution
no religious or devotional exercises are
conducted. The teacher and superintend-
ent read the Bible with the children, and
try to teach them from it truths about
which there is no controversy.
industrial Home Schooi-From this
institution all the children attend the
church which is nearest which is st.
Albaa's Episcopal Church, on the Tenley-
town Road q. short distance from the
school.
THE German Orphan AsyIum-Sunday
school is conducted. to which Sunday
school teachers from all the religious de-
nominations are invited TO take part.
National Colored Home-On each
week day is held praise service No
effort is made to influence the children
toward belief in the doctrines peculiar
to any particular church.
House of Mercy-Is under the supern-
tendence of Sister Dorothea. a member
OF an Episcopal sisterhood At all serv-
ices the Episcopal prayerbook, hymns and
forms are used
At the church orphanage of st. Johns
parish the schools are practically uniform
with the city public schools. Religious
exercises are held three times a day, and
are according TO the forms of the Protest
ant Episcopal Church
AT the House of the Good Shepherd all
forms OF worship are those of the Roman
Catholic Church.
AT St Roses Industrial School the ed
ucational advantages are furnished by
two hours session. devoted to study and
/ recitation daily. Religious instruction is
! given daily in various services or exercis-
! es. using the forms and ceremonies of the
Roman Catholic Church.
st Joseph's male orphan asylum.-This
institution is administered by the Sisters
of Charity, its board of trustees being d
| private corpora ton"
Operations in the Schools.
| The superintendent mentions the need
of school books for the children in the
various charitable institutions and refers
| to the Catholic teachings in some OF the
/ institutions. In the estimate of money
| required for the proper care of all classes
of public dependents three private insti-
| tutions have been dropped. These are the
! Church Orphanage of St Johns Parish.
the Association for Works of Mercy and
st. Rose Industrial School. One reason,
! he says for dropping these lis that they
! are under 'sectarian and ecclesiastical
! control and the declared policy of the
I Congress is to discontinue all appropria-
tions TO such institutions.
The estimate of money required for all
classes of public dependents is given at
an aggregate of $62S. 259. The cost of the
! insane and feeble minded he says. lis
| increasing from year to year and there
Is no prospect that ii will be possible to
avoid increasing appropriations for these
purposes" For the Washington Asylum
the estimate is placed at $4,000.
Concerning wards outside the city boun-
daries the superintendent is not able 10
speak from personal knowledge. The fee
BILE minded children of the District are
maintained in institutions elsewhere,
principally in Pennsylvania. If the chill
dren placed out from private inst 'tutions
| in Washington, no one knows how large
their number is or where they are.
| Conclusion of Report.
~In concluding his report, Superintend-
ent Lewis says:
1T appears both from the agitation
which led up to the creation of the Of
flee of superintendent of charities. as well
as from the language of the act by which
it was created. that there has long been
recognition of the failure of the present
system to promote economical efficiency
and a determination to place these mat
ters in a more harmonious and reasonable
| relation to the Government. If anything
had been wanting in order TO make per-
| fectly plain the need of different rela-
| tions between the Government and the
private charities of the District, that
need was supplied by the reports of the
| first superintendent of charities. But il
! was no more true of him than il mas been
true of any other superintendent that he
| sought to destroy or strike down the
| private charities. What he insisted upon
and what is now insisted upon. is that if
the Government must support institutions
| it must also control them. But there are
many useful Institutions which the Gov
| ernment cannot or should not control;
therefore, there are many which the Gov
ernment cannot support. But it is claimed
| that since the private institutions per-
| form a service for the poor ands injured
| which otherwise would necessarily be
performed by public agencies at greater
| expense; therefore, the policy of assist
| ing them is a good business proposition.
1.-THE appropriations for their support
are held to be compensation for service;
but when one asks what service, and how
much, and at what rate, one is met by a
han nf t;,,oa, ta1i