New-York tribune., 1899-12-17
CARE OF POOR CHILDREN
COOPERATION HAS LEssENED THE
WORK OF INSTITUTIONS.
THE, CHARITIES ORGANIZATION SOCIETY AND THE
CITY DEPARTMENT WORKING TOGETHER
THE "pLAcING orT-' system.

THE PLACING OUT SYSTEM
,r,. ,,,,o, renort NJ the state Charities Assoca-
| ,t, hos been submitted to the State Board OF
charities and its findings support the theory ina.
| q 10 better for destitute children to be cominilteo
IN institutions by the Charities Department than
by magistrates ,,A..o,
The total number Of commitments In Manhattan
Borough during the first three quarters OF I''' wa
500 which Is 727 less than during the corresponding
period of 1898. ~,
The system of cooperation between the Chari'les
Organization Society and the Department OF fupIc
Charities under Commissioner Keller mas cohtiio
,tod not a little to this result. Under this system
all applications for the commitment OF destt"'e
children are first considered by the society anu
rhen II is found possible to prevent the comfm'-
,nent bv giving aid or counsel 10 the parents OF
friends of the child the society PROVIDES "na'eV,
IS necessary. The system has not WorKeu 80 wen
in Brooklyn. where there has been cohs"e'"
Increase in the number Of children becoming pDO"0
charges - 49,
The "placing out" OF children in families oy the
Chlldren's Aid Society, the State Charities Ala
Association and various church societies mas uT,l
much TO lessen the numbers on the lhstitu'ioi
and this work If carefully and JudlclouSS 49,
on is regarded the most nopelui so'u
Juvenile dependency problem oo,ol
Humanity now recognizes that there Is d 'C -,
as well as a parental responsibility towaro o',.'1
life Societies for the dependent chlldIeh arc 20
,hroo oeneral casses-wayward. defective anu
merely unfortunate: that Is. those VINO are "o
nr,yod bv death or wrongdoing or incompe'h0y
- noronts of their natural home care. Inc way
r,ard are cared for mostly in public lnsutu'io"s'
either reform schools Industrial schools, so caeu'
or denartments of the prison system Inc itad u.iied
five are now cared for In special scbools
20 their VARYING needs, deat-inule sC1'Vbto, 1bn
scbooIs for the blind the feeble mihdeu anu 'i0
crippled hud is abnormal says a
uriter = in "'The Woman's Journal 1t neeus cdie az
in some specialized institution, parucuaty parui tSr the
asioned in both discipline and instruction I0I .i'
condition OF that child; ana III PiuPo PiPany sort of
cbiid is normal in faculty and power any sb soIS U1
instutIon IL unsuited to It's nature, any =, ,he
but a home-a real. private hoH'e-"lh give - '
Character development II needs =, ,,s,,tu+ioraI
There are few plain reasons oI =" children must
care for normal nearly norma! cmt mn to do for
always even when It at It's best lai " ,op @ Ire
the child what is needed In order 10 III II i0' '
and llfes demands: . .ooob tho wavs of
First-The Institution cannot t%edCn % 'no nortroTy to
mo world because its ways are quite contrary ~
.hosa ~ the outside world. being arranged. arr
aciaIIv for special and not general ENDS OF o,d IRE,
Second-The institution cannot ieacn o Ip,cb
demanded in later life because the nstlnuuohh hh -
and must be a routine making HlachlnS' ~ ~ ,htob
The Individual is caught and held, ana IN wilcI
there may be rebellion or sweet ~ o,,or,,
motion but in which there can ne no cUI1es0o I oS
choice and no struggle to OBEY seI-Ihaue iu'e' %
Third-The Institution prevents the natural ue
a Home" spelled with big H, can can I9ve @ her
FORTY children in care as she could love four or
one! and no child who is part OF famlIy OF IIo
one to two hundred children can De as co,aSoS ~
private family, with its close ties and freer move
ment OF attraction.