The sun., 1903-04-05
THE sun, SUNDAY, APRIL IS: 1909.


hymns end catch not q single breath Of
that other NE which In now 90 near them
on the Island. Wicked old women who
have not been respectable will have cottages
to themselves. II they desire to enter the
best cottages on the poor farm they Will
have to go through q probationary period
and demonstrate their worthiness Of sociai
Thus, by the cottage system, the paupers
can make their homes such a. they wish
then. just a. people do In the outside world.
The industrious and Intelligent will be
general level.
The respectable ones will find agreeable
tasks In caring for the cottages and the
cottage yards. Some Of the more feeble
will find plenty to do in beautifying the
out gardens and flower beds. Besides
this. Il is planned TO find work for them
which will not tax their feeble strength
and In which they will find pleasure.
This work will always be voluntary. No
tasks will be imposed. and each inmate VIII
enjoy all the extra comfort and enjoyment
TO be obtained from the profits OF his or her
work.
In England, the old men as well as the
old women are taught embroidery. In this
clumsy beginners. but eventually they
achieve q mastery OF the art and turn out
work Of such beauty and originality as to
bring high prioes.
The work, besides occupying the spare
time Of the old people. keeps them bright
money with which 70 buy little comforts
not at public expense. II h not tedious
and can be readily laid aside II the aged
workers prefer to gossip awhile or 30 out
for stroll In the sunshine.
/ Commissioner Folks hopes to be able TO
tho Cotta anna tiInA during the
summer. He has already asked for an
apprc priation Of 500 900 for the work.
The city owns leo acres OF fertile land
beautifully situated in the centre Of Staten
City Farm Colony. There 1t is proposed
TO build the cottages. number OF the
more able-b paupers now living there
produce every year large quantities OF
vegetables for the almshouse.
Mr. Folks's idea is eventually to move
the aged and infrm inmates Of the aims
house away from Blackwell's Island, 80
that the buildings now occupied by them
can be turned into hospital additions.
THE present almshouse Is not fit place
for the old people: said Mr. Folks Folks, IN s. ea
.ihns Bpishter a" and pEs pleasanter surToundinrs, %
plenty OF freeh air, the sight Of growing
things and room to move about In the sun
shine.
.The farm on Staten Island is just the
place My idea is not to make 1t great,
dreary institution. but to cover the land
with attractive homes. Each cottage In 70
be unlike any OF the others, 20 as to get as
far away as possible from the old fashioned
idea OF sameness In the buildings erected
for the accommodation OF pAupers.
'Blsckwell's Island Is too crowded for
any work on this line to be accomplished
there. although ! have made one improve
ment that pleases me very much. The
erection OF the new home for nurses left
| at my disposal the old building. This has
been fitted up for the accommodation of aged
| couples To my mind, there Is something
| inexpressibly heartless In separating OLD
people after they have lived together until
| too feeble longer to care for themselves.
The new system will not only make
the lives Of the paupers happier but II viii
be q more economic and humane method ol
dispensing charity
There are about 2.s0o inmates In th'
! Blackwell's Island almshouse. and Of thest
about 800 are women. II 10 said that there
are more than fifty couples compelled by
the rules of the institution to live apart.