The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-06-12
CHILD SAVING
HISTORY OF THIS BRANCH OF HAIR
TABLE WORK.
Increased Local Interest I'm Placing
the Children in Fam.
HES.

Nool1o efC Aho
the State institutions and the cost of MAIN
tenance. Besides there is an article on
State Care of Dependent Children in Indi-
ana" 1t covers the history of this branch
of charitable work in Indiana, and COM
ments on the working of the law passed by
the Legislature of 1897. 1t is, in part. as
follows:
"The care of dependent children In 1ndi-
ana. outside of poor asylums, may be di-
vided into three periods: First. that of vol
untary care: second, that in which care was
given by authority OF law: third. that in
which care of children is required by law.
under state supef vision.
THE first prevailed prior to 1881. BEFORE
that time the only provision for the care OF
children who became public dependents was
in the poor asylums or through the volun
tary efforts of associations of private citi-
zens. In 1881 the Legislature gave authority
for county commissioners TO establish or
phans' homes. and to receive all pauper
children OF sound mind between the ages of
one and sixteen years. These were to be
placed under the control of a matron. who
was authorized TO seek homes for the chill
dren under her care. The board of county
commissioners was required to appoint a
hoard of three visitors. two of them women
of experience. to visit such orphans homes
every three months and report its condition.
Such amendments as would improve the law
were made from time to time. and under its
provisions several counties established or
phans' homes and some of them purchased
farm and erected buildings.
REARING THEM IN ASYLUMS.
with the upbuilding of these institutions
was created. in many localities. a strong
sentiment for the care of dependent chill
dren. This sentiment led out in two direc-
tions: One, that the orphans home should
be the home Of the child; therein it should
be reared. educated and trained. and from
it go forth to s~elf-support. The natural
outgrowth. where this feeling prevailed. was
against placing children in homes. This
was voiced by the utterance Of one matron
when she said that she did not believe that
any person who would apply for a child was
mt 10 have one: that the best place to rear
them was in the orphans home. The other
expression was that the way to make these
institutions useful was to have as many
children as possible maintained in them
the greater the number of children. the
larger its usefulness; and in some counties
inducements seem to have been offered TO
increase the population. The law was not
enforced regarding relinquishment of chill
dren, and in consequence there were many
whose parents and friends were able to sup
port them who were being maintained at
public expense. At the end OF fifteen years
there were forty-three institutions receiving
county wards.
The third step in this movement was
taken By the Legislature in 1897. Those who
had given the subject thought had looked
with favor upon a plan for establishing Il
state school for the care of these children.
1t was realized that TO embark In this I'M
dertaking would necessitate a considerable
expenditure of money, and would render
useless much valuable property that had
been acquired by counties or associations.
and would in consequence arouse much an
tagonism from those who were interested
In existing institutions. Therefore. 1t was
decided to adopt a plan based upon State
supervision, which seemed to promise to
meet the conditions existing in Indiana.
This Is what ii was:
maintain those children who are proper de-
pendents upon their respective counties out
side the poor asylum. After the first day of
January, 1898, they were prohibited from
maintaining any child between the ages Of
three and seventeen years in that institu-
ton. They may provide for these children
In one Of three ways: by erecting orphans
homes. by contracting with existing organ
izations for the care of such wards, for
whom they are given authority to purchase
ing such children in the care of the agent of
the Board Of State Charities.
THE NEW METHOD.
en- a little while the various forces in
terested were. almost without exception.
united in the new method of work. Institu-
tons that had not been placing children be-
gan to find them homes. Children who were
not released were removed from the orphans
homes. Those who were inmates of the poor
asylums. for whom provision must be made.
were cared for elsewhere. County officials,
when they saw the lessening of expense in
some counties. and the tendency to still far
caring for children la pup became M int intere stain and
desired to advance the work in any way
they could. The newspapers were interested
of them were pleased to publish notices call
ing attention TO the fact that homes were
desired for children In this way. and
trustees. applications came in freely.
Besides, one of the difficulties with which
those. engaged in child-saving in Indiana
have had to contend, In years past, has been
the fact that Indiana has. In a certain
sense, been made the dumping ground for
the dependent children of other States. 1t
has been estimated that the average num-
Der Of children placed in the State from
elsewhere In the past forty years has been
three hundred per year, While some of these
honor them, by far the larger number OF
them do not. Many become dependents. and
In our poor asylums, our insane hospitals,
nothing of outdoor dependence. they be-
come a burden upon the State. One man /
found in one OF the insane hospitals in In
diana, who. thirty years ago. was brought
with a shipment of dependent children from
an Eastern city. has during almost all that
time been an inmate of some one of the
public institutions of the State. He has cost
the taxpayers not less than 5000 and
promises TO live yet many years and be a
continuing burden. This is but one %illustra-
ton of many that might be given. The Leg
islature last year passed a law regulating
the Importation of dependent children into
the Slate, prOnlDltlng the Placement or any
who are detectives or liable to become public
charges. and requiring a heavy bond TO in
sure the care. by the placing agency. OF
any who may. In the immediate future, be-
come dependent or delinquent.
Then the more important results that
have attended Indiana's efforts at State
supervision Of dependent children are the
following: Increased local interest and the
attention OF the public more generally at
tracted to child saving: the removal of the
children from the poor asylums: the utiliza-
ton OF the local orphans homes. whereby
they are all united in the work and cooper
ating for the advancement Of the cause of
child saving; the possibility of conducting
a home to suit local conditions and yet ele-
waiting its standard: the release 10 the
States care OF the children whom she MAIN
tains. resulting in the removal of many
children from public support and the great
lessening of county expense: placement OF
children In approved family homes, the
orphans home being used simply 10 train
and fit them for such conditions rather than
for a permanent home: homes approved
only after personal visitation: reports re-
ceived three times a year. twice by visits;
a complete -csord of each child kept; chill.
dren often removed 10 a distance from
former homes and associations greatly to
their advantage: securing the cooperation
OF all institutions under a central authority
in the care and placing out OF children.
AL in all. We. in Indiana. are pleased
with the result of our two years expert
ment. We believe that the results In that
time have shown that the plan that was
adopted by the Legislature of 1897 Is that