The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-09
TEACHING CRIPPLED CHILDREN
BOARD OF EDUCATION NOW HELL
ING ~ THE WORK.

ANU Nv THE VNM-
1000 Crippled Children IN Manhattan
AB0ne-Aid Given by Private Orsani-
Eatiens- Trsdes Taught Physical Jon
datIsns Hmproved-ManuaI Training.
The Board OF Education is slowly taking
mp the important work OF caring for the
10000 or more crippled children in the
Greater City, who have hitherto been de-
pc '"nt for instruction upon private charity.
The oldesta and largest o the schools, founded
by the Guild for Crippled Children. is now
st % Montgomery street. Since last Sep
TENDER teachers have been provided for
this school by the Board OF Education.
and similar aid is to be afforded the school
established Under the same auspices known
ss Auxiliary Ill, at 2llI Madison avenue.
Associate City Superintendent Andrew
Edson, who is in charge of special schools
for the Board OF Education, says that a
proposition 20 furnish teachers for the
three schools maintained by the Children's
Aid Society Ii also under consideration.
These schools are at $50 East Eighty-eighth
street, at pa West Sixty-third street and
at 535 East Sixteenth Street.
Teachers and school supplies. however,
are all that the Board OF Education will be
able to provide for some time to come.
and while a material reduction in expendi-
lures on the part OF the societies follows,
the impression has gotten out that the
school authorities are bearing the entire
expenses, and az a result, the Guild for
Crippled Children finds itself harnpered by
lack OF funds.
The cost Of supplying teachers and books
for these unfortunate little ones is rela-
lively a small item in caring for them.
They mus be conveyed from their homes
to school and lack again. They must
have medical attention, surgical appli-
ances, baths, proper food and the care OF
trained nurses. In the case of the guild.
all these things are provided for them
by the board of managers of each school.
The school at 20 Montgomery street.
soon To be moy ed into r new building on
Water street, is N once the oldest and larg-
eat Of the several controlled by the guild.
On Manhattan nlOne there are 1000 crippled
children Of school age. and of these 400
live below Fourteenth street. and 800
are crowded into the lower East Side. This
school was founded with two fundamental
ObjecIs; to give the children an elementary
education; to improve their physics con-
dition. Incidentally, the effort is made
TO render them disappearing through
courses of manual training.
The officers of the guild brought their
work to the attention of the Board Of Eduoa-
ton in order that when the condition of tho
~ngs permitted of their being rams
ferred to the public schools they should not
be far behind children OF their own age.
Work began in the Montgomery strees
school six years ago. Thousands have
restored to the control of their bodies. A
room has been established for the girls who
have passed schooldays but whose physical
infirmities are such that they cannot obtain
employment in the shops or factoriea.
Here eight or nine girls may be- found every
day doing n~eedlework and displaying a skIu
which speaks admirably for the training
Afforded in the school. All that Is needed
il more patronage to make this workroom
a complete success. A public exhibition
and sale of the work OF this school was held
last year at the Waldorf-Astoria, and on
the afternoon of December 10 another ex-
hibition and sale is TO be given.
To give the boys a trade which would
enable them to make their own ways in
the world has been a dicicult problem.
Only classes in basket weaving, chair can
ing and leather work can be manage at
present because OF the lack of room; but
the new building is TO have a comrlete
printing Office, and here the boys will be-
able TO earn more money.
But the guild does not rest with what
Il does for the crippled little folk during
schooldays. 1t maintains "a home at Long
Branch, and for three months of each year
the youngsters gain strength and vigor.
Here the scholars OF the Montgomery street
school enjoy sea baths and breezes An
other home at Barlow on-the-Sound affords
accommodations for the crippled scholars
of Auxiliary Ill.
"Will the Board of Education ever take
over the entire care and exrense of these
schools for crippled children" was the cues
ton put 60 Mrs. Henry Goldman. president
of the board of managers Of the Montgomery
street school.
1T is my opinion, said she. that It will
be a gerry long time before the Board OF
Education will dc more than it Is doing
right now, giving the teachers and school
supplies Thu expense attached 10 the
work is enormous, because Of the care these
little crippled bodies must receive.
In our new building on Water street We
are to nave elevators and every equipment
for caring for the children in the best pos
sible way. There are many who will never
he able to attend a public school. To those
we give a training III manua al work, and this
branch il TO be enlarged and improved.
All this will cost a great deal of money,
and il is 10 those interested in this important
work that we must look for the where
withal for a long time to come"