The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-12-05
THE CH|LOREN'S SOCIETY.
IT'S PREVENTIVE ENERGY Is
TELLING FINELY.
Directors Adopt New Financial
System-Gratifying Outlook
for Next Year.

At the meeting of the Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Children held
last evening, President Van Norden re-
ported that he is now engaged for the
second time in soliciting from broad
minded and sympathetic citizens guar
antees for the support Of the society for
another year, that it may not be Grip
pied in it's work or hindered in it's be-
nef1cent and preventive purposes in
1900
He had, he said, already secured
guarantees amounting to $4O2.50. He
had every reason to hope that it would
reach 5000 or 500. This, with the dues
of the membership. the aid given by
the city and by the county for public
service done, by which both govern
ments are relieved of the cost due to
the schools for crime and cruelty and
of the burden of many dependents
would carry the society safely through
the coming year.
The President said that he had been
most cordially received, and in some
cases old contributors had voluntarily
increased their annual contributions
and but two had felt it necessary to
withdraw. The kindly spirit and
warmth with which he had been met
in this work, testified with emphasis to
the full and splendid appreciation OF
the value of the society by the commu-
nifty and led him to believe that in due
time the society will be able to trust the
people to outfit it with the needed cap
ital for still greater purpose.
The society adopted by a. vote of its
directorate a system for handling its
revenue to relieve the Treasurer of
much personal responsibility and to in
augurate better business method. The
system calls for all income to be paid
through the Secretaries to the Treas
urer, who will place all such money as
received in bank to the credit of the
society as a corporation.
Each month the aggregate OF expend-
lures will be expressed in Treasur-
er's check, eountersigned by the Presi-
dent, after audit of claims by the d.
Irectorate, and the bank is to recognize
no demand except SO made. The Treas
urer will thus draw the money 10 meet
warrants upon him monthly as issued
by the society. On making deposits he
will return to the Secretary a bank re-
ceipt therefor, which will be entered
to complete the record. The Treasurer
is to maintain a constant sundries fund
out of bank of $50 to meet sundrv de-
mands each month, the Items being
audited and checked back
1t is & system that will give conf
dence to guarantee contributions. and
to members that the society is follow
ing business methods and carefully pro-
noting economy of the funds given for
its support, and by a system of checks
and balances making it's books clear ex-
positions of its financial transactions.
The society's special officer, D. Healy
reported eight cases for November. the
smallest list he has ever given in, prov
ing he said in the report, which was
elaborate, that the society has put a
decided check upon wrong and crime,
and that its preventive character is
greatly more felt. a result he noted
as early as September last Six of the
cases were pitiable; two involved re-
moval of children to distant institu-
tons; in one a parent had been COM
PEELED to provide for his neglected child
in another remedies had been applied
for wrong, but he feared the case OF
child must be committed to a semi
penal institution. He reported an in
stance where a parent in far distant
British Columbia had sent money tc
reimburse the society for outlay in pro-
tecting the woman's child, and he paid
the money in. In another case a father
sent in part payment of money ad-
vanced by the society to care for his
child when it had been abandoned by
it's mother. There was one case OF
forcible rescue of a, girl from vicious
environment, and just in time, and an
other Of a hayward lad checked with
hope of saving him from the ranks of
crime.
The report was interesting, though
dealing with misery in part, cruelty in
part and criminal tendencies in part.
But it is the work of the society to
deal with unpleasant subjects.
The officer reported two trips made
to San Francisco and one to Folsom,
and that an old den and fostering Social
sore which the society had long been
fighting had at last been broken uD.
and its head had left the city for good.
1t was a place into which children had
long been enticed and corrupted
/ The officer said to reporters present
that his official NOTEBOOK showed very
many cases of complaints which did
not rise to the Importance of leases,
to be reported to the society," and that
this had been so from the beginning.
1t is the trivial and false complaint
that makes a humane officer weary and
lose faith in mankind
After usual dispatch of routine bust
ness the society adjourned until the
first TUESDAY, evening in January 1900