The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-12-16
GAVE SEQ 900 Nv SMALL COIN.
Peculiar Features Of school Chiidren's Con-
tTibution 20 Galveston.

The school authorities for the boroughs
OF Manhattan and The Bronx have Just COM
rleJed the taking up Of n collection from
the school children for the aid Of the school
children Of tho stricken city of Galveston.
Only once before has such a thing been at
tempted. and that was when there were just
about half as many children in the schools
as there are to-day. This was In 1871. Just
after tho Chicago fire. The project of rails
ing a fund then was not decided upon without
I opposition. for such a thing was without
precedent and many fc.; that 1t was n danger
ous departure. This same opposition APP
peared when The project was formed by maxi
ing a similar collection for the Galveston
children But the Texas disaster was Of such
magnitude that the School Board felt that it
would he justified in taking action whereby
those children who were able might 10 per-
II tied to help in relieving the suffering Of
children deprived, not only Of schools, but Of
parents and homes NJ well. There were
many children who did not contribute and
this had been expected by the school authori-
tics. who took particular pains TO see that
II was impressed on the minds OF tho children
that contributions were purely voluntary and
that no one should give who could not AFFORD
1t.
Only n little OF the money collected remains
to be counted and Supt jasper said the other
day That the total would not he far from .2o.-
oc. Roughly estimated there are about
?5o.cco children in the schools Of Manhattan
and The Bronx. which would mean an average
Of about nine cents contributed by each. In
order that the contributions should he known
only 70 those who made them the system often
used by churches was rosorted to. Each child
received an envelope into which to put his
or her contribution and tho instruction. wero
that all the envelopes should 10 handed in,
even in cases where tho children could not
give ANYTHING II has taken nen riy two
months 20 count what the envelopes com
tsined and ,his required the services Of from
we're counted. hut this soon proved too slow
a method 50 they were weighed There was
G Gea, pi e t%n o, pe snnn ga and a ae 9aTTel Of nyc-
Ms XSo, T% am, w inc Mercy was taken to The
was sent to the Assay once About $40
In coin was returned from there as either
oompterfeit. or worthless
The most Interesting thing ~ all, however.
nearly every coyyplTy vas REPRESENTED. There
piece and Of tho other countries GERMANY
end Russia had tie. most. Most Of these
exceeding tie value Il Ave cents in hnorin,
can money. There were, however. a rumb,r
of ioreisn coins Of the value of 90 cents or
1t i ROT the intention Of the school NIL
thorities 10 turn oil the foi aign coins over
70 tie Assay once, for the reason that they
have q much larger value ss souvenirs. They
have In consequence boon replaced by Amerf-
can money ana tho foreign coins will be kent
TO form a collection which tho school authorI.
ties will probably keep along with a lot Of Other
exhibits which tho schools have PRODUCED
Money was not oil the envelopes contained
for some Of them furnished not only hunor |
but pathos Il was suggested in many |
should put In tholr envelopes n sin Of poner
OH whI0h should be written an anpronr,s,a
verse from tie bible. In a majority of cases
Ills was Gone. but in others the Suggestion !
was THO means ~ giving children another
Idea, les was to nut a variety Of uncl s.
which by their size and shape gave tbe
envelopes tie appearance II contsinine
coins For the most these things calcWintaa
TO deceive. consisted Of buttons and lozenrcs
All varieties OF campaign buttons were rep
Resented,
1t was In the notes that some Of the chill
drsn wrote that the pathos was found show-
ing in rlany cases what a strurcle Ind sopa
on in TIE breast 81 sous who felt ,hey couIJ
not contribute but who nevertheless rantod
t.. IN one envelope, which contained three
cents, was a slip bearing this "Ioan't AFFORD
mead moro rcrhaps ! can get it." THIS Was
CHARACTERISTIC u many others.
Within week. or two the money contrib
uted 10y tue children and perhaps some OF
tie notes VIII be sent on 10 those for whom
they We're intended That 1t will be aid OF
Gan be no, doubt. and this VIII not be lessened
by knowledge OF the fact that theirs was
In Whom an exoeption was made and an
OPPORTUNITY Ioy Charity Afforded which was
he children and people os these tive IorousLs,