The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1906-08-02
CARE NEW YORK FoUNDLINGs.
Factors Determining the Religion OF
the Waits.

the Waits.
The foundlings in our city are cared
for in most systematic way, and
as a result large percentage of these
little waits grow up to be useful clti-
zens. says the New York Herald. Any
child found in this city is taken at
once to Bellevue Hospital and placed
in the children's ward. Every morning
a representative Of the State Charities
Aid Association aud the Guild or the
Infant Saviour call at the hospital for
the foundlings. The first association
is Protestant and the latter Roman
Catholic. There are usually about
four foundlings a week. The system IN
both cases is the same-each child is
carried away in the superintendent
arms the morning after it is found
so that no founding remains in Beit--
vue as long as twenty-four hours.
1t is first baptized in the hospital
ward either by the Protestant clergy
Catholic priest whose parish includes
Bellevue, SO that half Of the little
ones which are found are made Prot.
estants and half Catholics, no matter
what their race or color, unless there
is some indication of an expressed
preference by some one who had a
right to decide The founding when
it is taken from the hospital goes at
once to a mother who mas just lost
her own child For this she is paid
from $40 to $12 a month until the
child is old enough to be weaned. Then
it is taken into another home, wnere
it is fed by another mother until il
is ready for adoption.
The great majority of foster moth
is the high mortality among theI
own infants at birth, brought about
by a prejudice which exists among
the ignorant OF this nationality
against the presence of a doctor al
such times. There is a health and
physical vigor and a warmth of ma
ture in the Italian mother that makes
her a most desirable foster parent
The founding becomes one of nei
family. and it's place is assured be
cause it contributes in a substantial
way to the family's support.
The superintendent who has PLACED
the child in it's temporary home Wis
its it every week, sometimes oftener.
and if the child is i'll a physician from
the institution which has it in charge
is sent for. When the infant is old
enough to leave there is usually pa
thetic scene in the Italian home Ths
foster mother has learned to love the
little bambino for whom she has cared.
love the strength of which she does
not appreciate until the parting ltal-
ian mothers with half dozen chill
dren of their own, and depending
sometimes on the wages of a day Ia
borer for support, plead fervently to
be permitted to keep the child as thelI
own, out the plea must De refused
and the system moves on. These first
homes of the foundlings are far up
town or, in the suburbs, where there
are free air and green grass. In the
second home the foundlings are no
longer nursed, but are fed as BELTS
children of their age. and those who
care for them receive the same pay
from the city as the foster mothers
$3.50 a week.
Those whose work it is to find
MONIES for children have learned. that
there are more childless homes IN
America than there are children to lie
adopted. Not one of these found.
lings in good health has reached tn
age of two years before it has been
placed in permanent home. 1t can
not be legally adopted till year later
when the foster parents have had time
| to realize the magnitude of their re-
| spOnsibility. The character of these
| families and their circumstances are
investigated before they are allowed tC
adopt. child.