The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-09-19
GOOD OUT OF sioux FALLS.

It is perhaps fitting that Sioux Falls,
s. D.. which has established a record as
one Of the most famous divorce factory
centers of the country, should also be
engaged in the work of multiplying or
overcoming one of the baneful results
of divorces, abandoned and homeless
children.
Sioux Falls is the headquarters of
the superintendent of the National
Children's Home society. an organiza-
ton made up by a federation of twen-
ty-seven state societies, of which Kan
sas has one.
1t is needless to tell anyone acquaint-
ed with the work of this organization
Of the good it is doing, but the society
appeals to the press to spread to The
public an article written about it by
Ella Wheeler Wilcox. Among other
things Mrs. Wilcox says:
1.-THE society is organized to seek
and save the unfortunate children of
the land, and to find desirable homes
for them. Not only to find homes. but
to watch over these children after
they are sent to new homes, and to see
that they are properly treated.
There are twenty-seven branches
Of this society, but, oddly enough, not
one in any New England state.
There is not a city in the land hav-
ing a population of 5000 or more but
has its quota of young hoodlums who
are a menace to the peace and welfare
of the public as we'll as a heavy bur-
den on the taxpayers, by reason of the
large police force needed to keep them
under control. In the large cities they
number several thousand. A few years
ago the police department of Chicago
reported over 1900 arrests of this
class in one year. If the Children s
Home society had sufficient means at
its com ands so as to be able to trans
plant these lawbreakers while in en-
bryO into the pure atmosphere Of the
country. this undesirable element in
the citizenship of the nation would in
fifteen years be wholly eliminated, and
in their places would be honorable. in
dustrious young men and women, a
blessing and profit to society.
''Ninety-five per cent. of the chill
dren taken by this society turn out well.
The stories told by those engaged in
/ the work are more marvellous than any
tales Of fiction.
'Does it pay2 Put your ear to the
/ phone and let the field workers an
swer. Let superintendent Q. S. Nor
row, of Kansas, have the line; his an
swer to the inquiry is: A prof1igate
woman of no reputation abandoned n
little f1ve-year-old girl at one of the
inland county seats Of Kansas The
child was turned over to public author
/ ity and placed in the county poOrhouse.
Here the associations were so pad that
nothing but a life of ignorance, impur-
/ ity and crime was before her.
The authorities gave her to the
/ Children's Home society. and she was
/ placed N family of superior adyan-
tages and plenty of wealth. but the
child was so high-tempered and abso-
/ lutely uncomfortable that this family,
after more than a years trial, gave
her up and said it was no use; they
never saw such ungOvernable temper.
/ Then another family tried her, but she
was too much for them, and she was
returned again to US
g Then she went to the third family.
who were more fully equal to the task.
and our girl improved so fast that
within a year she was practically be-
yond my knowledge. The progress was
/ continued until now she is a young
lady eighteen years Of age, beautiful in
/ features and more beautiful in charac-
ter. a sunshine and daily benediction
to her foster parents universal favor
tie and a blessing to all her compan-
! ions
An ounce Of prevention IS worth a
pound of cure. It ought to be easier
and cheaper for society to take a street
waif and prevent him from being a
criminal than it is to punish and re-
form him after he has fallen into
crime.