The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-03-06
Kansas Families to Be Asked to
Adopt Them.
HORNADAY'S PLAN.
Chairman Board of Charities
Makes Some Suggestions
Which He Believes Worthy of
Trial.

Grant Hornaday of Fort Scott, who
will become chairman of the board of
charities April 1, has plan TO have the
soldiers orphans of Kansas adopted by
Kansas families. This is an idea new
in the management of the state SOL
diers' orphans home at Atchison.
That home has always been run after
the fashion of an asylum. That is, the
orphan children have been received
there and taken care of on the same
plan on which an insane or idiotic asy-
lum is run. Hornaday thinks this Is
the wrong principle on which to run
that institution. His plan is to make
the orphans home a sort of temporary
home for the orphans; a place where
they can be kept while the agents of
the state are finding them permanent
homes.
There are 200 children at the home.
Mr. Hornaday says of his scheme:
Il believe that my idea concerning
the management of the orphans insti-
tuition is the correct one. These chill
dren are as bright and intelligent set
Of children as you will find anywhere.
Homes should be found for them out
the farm or in the little towns
throughout the state instead Of them
being brought up in an orphans home.
You would be surprised at the great
number of families in the state that
where to get them. Just look at the
number of New York waits that are
brought out here annually and quar-
tered upon our people. Kansas people
should shut off adopting New YOrk's
poor and begin taking care of their own
in proper fashion. There is no doubt
that they will do it if given an oppor-
tunity. Down at Fort Scott we have
a preacher who makes a speciality of
finding homes for homeless children.
He first gets the child and then keeps
him until he gets a good home for him.
During the past year he has found
homes for over forty children. He has.
done it on his own resources, too. No
body has staked him to a cent He
breaches on Sundays and makes his
usual salary and then spends it finding
homes for the homeless. Such man as
that is worth a dozen orphans homes
IF the state auditor will permit it,
and 1 believe he will" continued Mr.
Hornaday, II will urge the board to
employ one or two expert home finders
and start them out over the state to
find permanent homes for the orphans
now at the home. 1t will be great
saving to the state in the long run
1t will not have to keep those 100 chill
dren there ten to twelve years at state
expense. Then, besides, look what it
will do for the children. 1t will give
them family homes and put them in
position where they can become some
body. They will not be handicapped by
being state wards.
I'm my opinion there are at least 1000
families in Kansas that would be glad
TO adopt children, but now they don't
know where to look for them. If the
board will adopt the policy 1 suggest
at the orphans home, and it becomes
generally known over the state, it will
not be a question, 1 believe, of finding
homes for the little ones. 1t will be
simply selection as to the proper per
sons to give the children to. Applica-
tions for children will come in as rap
idly as applications for the admission of
children. 1t is an experiment that might
be tested, at any rate, and I will urge
its trial.