The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-10
Work of the Indiana
Children's Home Society
An Institution Which
Places Orphans y
and Deserted Little
Ones in F antilles

been estimated that il costs about $50 to
place each child In n permanent home.
Some times one child will have to be placed
Eve or six times before its home is decided
on. The frequent changing of the home Of
one of these children does not necessarily
denote that the child is incorrigible. for
often the people with whom it is placed de-
eide that they do not want a child after
they have taken one. and often the one
they get doesn't suit them because IT is
not their ideal So there are numerous rea-
sons why a child has to be transferred from
one home to another before 1t Is perma-
nentIy located The $50 that is the esti-
mated cost for each child includes poaro'
clothing railroad fare, etc.
The homes in which these unfortunate
children are placed are thoroughly Inspected
before the little ones are allowed to go INTO
them The character of the people VINO
make application for a youngster is looked
into. and If there is anything about them
which IL seems might be hindrance to the
childs further advancement 1t is not al
lowed to go under their charge. When
child is put into a home 1t is put there on a
ninety days trial. During this time the
family to whom IL is given can return 1t to
the society or the society can take IL from
the family If 1T deems 1t advisable After
the probation time has passed the family
can adopt the child and treat IL as It's own.
This is frequently done. but it is not COM
puleory. The Chidren's Home Society, now
ever does not lose track of the youngster'
and they know exactly how IL is being treat
ed by its foster parents. There are four
district superintendents who travel over the
State and not only find new homes for the
children, but look after those who have al
ready been placed. Indianapolis comprises
one district in itself. and the rest of the
State is divided into three remaining dis
tricts The advisory board and these super
intendents work in harmony, so that 1T
makes a very complete working system, be-
cause the society here can at all times keep
informed about the children that have been
placed and the new cases of restitution or
children can be reported to the officer with
out trouble.
A HOME AT wESTFIELD.
This society has a receiving home located
at westfield. where the children are taken
while they are waiting for homes to be
found for them. This place Is in charge of
a matron and a governess; the former is
Miss Margaret Dickey and the latter is Miss
Margaret Gray. The home is in comfort
able, roomy well-heated frame building.
built similar to large cottage. 1t Is 10
Gated on ten acres of ground, and during the
summer months is an admirable place for
the little tots to play and receive all the
fresh air necessary for their constitutions.
In the winter a scnool is conducted here.
but the children that are old enough attend
the town schools. They only put in this
home temporarily, and. therefore, do not re-
main there long. The building has accom-
modations for seventy-five children.
The officers of this institution believe that
IL is the environments of a child's life that
make 1t either good or bad. They contend
that they have tested this time and again,
and find in all instances that child may
come from most degenerate parents. but IL
taken and put in a home where the sur
roundings are of the best, and where 1t will
receive an education, the child will make
good man or woman. Superintendent Rea-
gin. in speaking of this said:
1--WE do not believe in fastening the sins
of the parents on the children. 1t is our
belief that blood has nothing to do with
childs moral side, for have seen the case