The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-20
STATE CARE OF CHILDREN.
JOSEPH III. cHoATE SAYS THE SYSTEM
rs An WRONG.

Says the Payment, Of So n Week to various
Institutions for Each Child Leads to n
Scramble for Business-Thcrc Are Too
Many Rich Curmudgeons in This city.
Joseph II. Choate spoke last night at n meet
ing held In the Church Of the Incarnation.
Madison avenue and Thirtv-nfth street. in the
interest OF the Berkshire Industrial Farm. an
institution for reforming bad boys. He con-
demned the system under which dependent
children are cared for in this State. The Berk-
shire Farm. whieh was formerly called The
Durham Farm. In honor OF its founder, con-
sists Of 600 acres Of land in this State and
Massachusetts,. where boys between six and
sixteen years can be sent by their parents or
the courts. They are disciplined and taught
n trade, and are finally put In a way to earn
their livings. The work OF the farm was de-
scribed by the Rev. William NJ. Grosvenor,
Dorman u Eaton. the Rev. Arthur Lawrence.
rector OF st. Paul's Church. Stockbridge. Mass,
and Frederick 4. Burnham. Mr.. ChQate said
in part:
The great question What shall we do
with our boysl' comes home to every man and
woman in every walk of life, for with no dis
arrangement to the girls. | do not think that
any person will deny that the greatest thing
that can como to any home is a fine boy with a
sound mind in a sound body. II concerns the
whole human scale. from the best to the
worst, I've heard it said that there were no
such chances for boys to-day as there we're for
their fathers and their Rrandfathers. and that
.heir opportunities had disappeared before the
grinding effect OF monopolies and trusts. l
don't believe any such nonsense as that. The
world is opening with more and better chances
Tor them than their predecessors ever enjoyed.
In every grade of society thet seems TO be
a number Of boys doomed to evil courses.
1hpf6 Will AlwAxN he bows win low nHSlreS
and evil predictions. which are not wholly
No one can tell how much Is chargeable to
them or to some accident of n father or n
mother. | think a large proportion Of them
used to be a theory that they should be sent to
sea. and in the glorious days when we had a
mTSereh nroisc marine az me it,, IT ssyg o, many man ,6 81 L mel :
promise OF as excellent results.
In this State there, are $4,000 dependent
ing the past twenty-five years an unfortunate
method of caring for them in institutions has
EE sPy rup %9ii arr rom fhf fSo are re 2 dl5tr IN Tario IN p paTf.
Of the State. Instead of finding something
like a homo and human and parental influence.
tions. managed by men Of every creed and
every faith, where they are subjected to a dis
best tendencies. The State or city allows So
a week for each child, and the system too often
results in a mere desire 70 get children In,
from such institutions as these and allow him
10 develop at such n place as the Burnham
farm.
One would think it would be necessary only
to WHISPER to the. people of this city that such
an institution existed to have it placed on a
firm and permanent foundation. However.
the habitually charitable people in this, city
are not the ones to whom the appeal should be
made. IL there is any set of oyercrowded and
o~verwoTked peSple il. is the habitually char
liable Of New York. 1t is said that to be sue
cessful a man must learn to save and invest
his earnings in early life. 1t Is no less true
that the habit OF charity must be acquired in
early life. Thai is the reason that we have So
many rich curmudgeons in this city any
where from thirty 10 eighty years old. The
OF giving in charity brings terror to
their minds and IA quaking TO their hearts.
know n good many of them. So does each of
you. If | had time before my prCphesied de-
from this country there is nothing |
would enjoy more than to squeeze something
out of them. The object is worth the effort.
for it Is the making of Il man out Of something
worse than useless. Ii appeals to the common