The Portland daily press., 1899-03-21
cmlLDRES,s PROTECTIVE BOARD.
One Appointed by the Associated
Charities Yesterday.

Interesting Paper onsthe subject by
Mrs. NJ $. Liliy-The Matter of a Fed
Grafton of Churches and Curfew Law
Discussed.
The monthly meeting of the Associated
Charities was held yesterday afternoon in
the common council chamber. The meet
ing was largely attended and was presided
over by the Rev. h. II. Purdy.
A committee consisting of Rev. DIR.
Libby, ksq.. was appointed to inquire In
to the feasibility of forming q federation
| OF churches in Portland to cooperate
with the Associated Charities In the re.
lief of the suffering. 1t was stated that
in Cambridge fedsrati OH OF churches
had been formed and the city had been
divided into districts. Each district il
looked after by some church society who
thus aid the Associated Charities In the
work.
Another committee consisting Of Mrs.
A. b. Cole. Raw. Mir. Southworth and
Rev. L. X. Purdy was appointed to In
quire into the advisability Of asking the
in Portland similar to that which is re-
ported to be working most satisfactorily
In Bangor. The committee will report at
| the next meeting OF the association.
A Children's Protective Board was ap.
pointed consisting Of the following. Rev.
X. I. Hack, DIR. Henry Blanchard, Rev.
W. L. Phelon, Rev. K. II. Purdy, MIR. j.
p. Baxter, MIR. Charles 5. Fobes, Mr.. f..
G. Jordan, Mr.. Lyman NJ. Cousens, Mr..
Ienas Thompson. MIR. W. NJ. Marks, W.
II. Looney, ESQ.,, W. *. Neal, Esq.,. Mr..
John Cousens, DIR. +. q. Small, George
Libby, ESQ.,. Mr.. Merritt b. Coolidge,
Mrs. J. p. Baxter. Mrs. Il. G. Jordan,
DR.. Florence Dyer, Mrs zenas Thomp.
| son, Mrs. Charles s. Fobes, Mrs. Merritt
| b. Coolidge, MIR. j. &. Roberts, Miss
Octavia M. Beckett Mrs. Henry l.. lay
lor, Mrs. T.. d. Cole. Mrs. NJ. J. Lilly
and Mrs. III. II. Moore.
The following paper was read by Mrs.
M. ]. Lilly:
| Without time or strength to arrange
attractively the matter have to present
|, 1t is in itself so full of interest and pur
rose that / venture to ask for IL your
earnest attention. | hope at least to
Danish from every mind the last vcstige
of fear that the association is doing "A
needless thing in forming this Protective
Board for Children.
mo one, think, can be beyond me in
recognition of the Fraternity's beneficent
labors nor of the faithful. effective work
for children at Preble chapel Have we
not all had our holiday at Riverton made
happier by the glimpse on the way of
the beautiful Home for Boys, no longer
friendless ones. We oil honor the kinder
garten associations. Organizations and
individuals far too many to mention have
united philanthrophic with charitable
work to some extent. think it will be
well for me to say that active workers in
all these lines are now and then met by
problems beyond their uuaided ability to
solve and that the necessary help has
been obtained with difficulty. II at ALL
"In this board we n ope to find the wis
dom and force that will secure action in
these cases where children ara subjected
to actively cruel treatment. to extreme
neglect or restitution, or to vicious in
huences, either effecting a change in sur
roundings or securing removal.
"At once the question will be asked,
Where will. they be sent:' The answer is
squareIy. Not one child over two years Of
age to the almshouse Each child
eventually to he placed in private home,
temporarily in places suited to such
emergencies II we have not enough of
those we will establish more. Why should
we not do in this ohild-ss,ing work all
that a1y other state and city In the
union is doing? They have lots of
money In Massachusetts, o lady said to
ms. We have lots of money in Maine and
mea and women to use il nobly.
"This brave old state of Maine, this
dear old town by the sea, have in them
every element necessary to lead in this
most promising effort yet made to solve
the terrible problems OF lite in the very
unfortunate and criminal classes.
''If We have Jagged little here we
field We shall do good work. In the re-
cent rapid increase in our population we
have great cause for encouragement In
that it brings us a strong working force
for good and minimum of the undesirable
element.
"Perhaps it would be we'll to look for a
moment at the methods employed else
where Miss Leavitt told you last month
how we'll Massachusetts, is doing her
cnild-saving work, placing her children
in homes and still giving them constant
care, in short accepting as wards by ip-
herent right all children deprived of other
suitable guardians.
'Ten years ago the state of Indiana
passed law requiring the establishment
OF board OF children's guardians in
every county having.a population of 75,-
90.
81 have q late report and an enthusiasts
tic letter from the secretary of the Marion