New-York tribune., 1900-04-02
AID FOR CRIPPLED CHILDREN
C.. LoRING BRACE SAYS A STATE HOSPITAL
WOULD TEND TO PAUPERIzE THEM.

To the Editor Of The Tribune -.
sir. II is reported in the Quarterly Record tha'
the State Board of Charities at a recent hieos
resolved THAT it is not expedient 10 recoiiiii M
the establishment of State hospital for the ctie
of crippled and deformed children. TO be suppof'e"
by State appropria tions
Permit me to say that this decision seems 10 me
wise With your permission 1 will state my ex-
norience IN this line of work Three years ago
the Chrdren's Aid Society established iii the he"-
rietta School In West Sixtythird-st' class io
crippled and deformed children VINO were Ao"4iu
to be living in the neghboring tenement hou'es'
Some of the children wear. braces OF p-asteE J".N
ets some cannot walk from weakness or ue
formity-au were chronic cases d-schlrSed IroIn
hospitals not beirg actual surgical cases oi'e
the children found to be in neglec'ea anu
filthy condition, their braces ana appliaii~
i'll fitting for the reason that the parents
were too careless or too shift.ess To take
them to the clinics. and II was 1ouho diso
that they growing up without Iaie
or education of any kind. Our waSonette oI4hs'
them to school and returns them to their homes
trained is in attendance. and II Is aes-S-ie"
to give the children an elementary education, anu
if pos sible. teach them a trade This schooi nus
grown IN numbers until there are row forty-hFe
in after dance The need of this kind OF beneVoieh'
effort has shown itself be great tnat our
society appealed for funds. and at once obtained
several responses. and are now opening two
more schools for crippled children These oaS
schools meet the needs OF these little ones
The parents perceive the improvement III tieH
condition and the fact that good u omen con-
nected with the school are interested in these
little unfortunates brings about strong oond OF
sympathy between the parent the child and the
school If able to carry out our ann
to teach t4e children handicrafts they will be-
come useful members of their families as wage
earners
If those who support the bill before the Leglsla-
ture aim establish a hospital for chronic o.
convalescent cases. where they may receive treat
ri, a xhar q .
training may be given. 1 would like to point out
a very serious harm which such an inautUtlon
will most certainly bring about When crippled
or deforned children removed from the care
of their parents for a length Of time. often the
parents will not receive the children back into
their families. The parents become accustomed
to the idea that the public will care for the child,
and, as a consequence, it becomes pub ic charge
through minority. and very likely paurer later
on This is a very serious danger. and 1t is for
this reason that l advocate day schools for such
children rather than removal from their homes.
The discussion of this subject has brought about
a great difference of opinion regarding the num-
ber of crippled and deformed children there are
in the community In the hospitals there are about
five hundred beds for such cases. and we have had
no difficulty in finding at the hospitals for
surgical cases of this kind. AS to the number of
crippled and deformed children who live in the
Schools. / think our experience at our Henristta
School will be of value in estimating the number
the district within reach of that school very
oughly in the limits of mile north and south
and have found but nifty crippled and deforIned
children. This proportion carried out for the city
i. e., the Borough of Manhattan. would amount t.
not far from six hundred children in all As To
the cost of this day school work. have found
it be $50 per capita To care for them in hos
pital institution, supply the appliances. nurses
would bring the expense TO four times as much
as in such schools ours, and, as have pointed
out. would have a tendency toward pauperizatto
in the end. For these reasons it seems to me that
the State might well leave this subject to private
initiative assisting where it can with small ap-
propriation toward the expense of such work
Hoping that these observations may be of some
little help TO you In considering this question
remain, very respectfully yours.
C. LORING BRACE.
Childrens Aid Society, No. los East Twenty-sec-
ond-st., March 21 1900.