The record-union., 1899-12-19
MAYNARD BOYS AND GIRLS.
THE CITY NEEDS A HOME FOR
THEM.
A. It Is Now, and Has Been. they
Are Cared For by Other
Communities

officer Healy of the. Society Ior eue
Prevention of Cruelty to Children ielt
for San Rafael yesterday afternoon 70
take to an institution there Emil Bovln
aged 10 years. The case is a type Oh
many the society is confronted Wltn'
calling rather for charity than the OF
fees of the society, which are to pre-
vent cruelty and defend the lawful
rights of children against vice, lnJus-
tice and wrong.
But a host of cases are forced upon
it which it cannot well avoid treating
in some way. These are cases In Whlcn
the child can be received neither IN
the Foundlings' Home nor the Orphan
Asylum, and for whom there Is no
place in the County Hospital Whie
the Towards relieve, as far as tney
can, women and children applicants,
they are not equipped to look up ana
take care Of cases that need personal
attention, and where it is necessary
to find homes and proper personal dl-
rection for children or to secure their
commitment to institutions.
Into this business, therefore, the
Children's Society is drifting, despite
itself, and the fact emphasizes the ne
cessity for some organization which
will relieve It of the burden. In want
of such, however, it does it's best, say
its officials, but it is not equipped Tor
the dispensation Of charity, has no
fund for such purpose, and no agents
working in that special field. To pre-
vent charges coming upon the county
the society removes children who would
be liable to take on that chaYacter to
institutions to which they may be adj
mitted, as well as takes others to the
reform schools when committed by the
courts. For the latter the county has
to pay $3.50 month per capita
AS it is deemed, therefore, to be wise
economy on the part of the county to
provide waits with homes, private or
institutional, who would else become
public charges and enter the criminal
ranks, the Supervisors have arranged
to allow the expenses actually incurred
in such removal. The society is re-
quired to fill out a blank provided, set
ting forth the facts fully. This must
be signed by an executive officer of the
society, and is the authorization upon
which the special officer proceeds. The
delivery Of the child is receipted upon
this blank and with the items of ex-
pense of transportation, signed by the
officer, it is returned to the Super
yisors, who, if they find the case to be
prima facie sound, allow the bill.
In no case does the officer receive
any fee for his services, but usually
is out Of pocket on account of his trip,
but the city and the county each con-
tribute to the society a stated sum to
aid it in paying his salary In every
doubtful case one of the Supervisors
is consulted by the society before ac-
ton is taken which will involve a
charge against the county. This sys-
tenn has not before been explained to
the public. 1t is a very carefully guard
ed and complete one, and the records
Of the cases are always open for in
spection.
The case of yesterday is a type of
many. The boy was found wandering
in the streets, freezing and starving,
and, TO satisfy his hunger, pilfering
here and there. His mother is sup
posed to be dead. Some six weeks ago
the father placed the boy and two older
sisters in a poor room, paying some
rent in advance, and furnishing them
with bedclothing. The two girls soon
took the bedclothing and sold it to
secondhand dealers, leaving the boy
but the bare room and some newspa-
pers upon which to lie. The father has
disappeared; gone, it is believed, not
to return. The girls have left the room
and abandoned the boy, and at least
one OF them the society now desires to