The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1906-11-22
APPEAL FROM BOYS
and GIRLS SOCIETY

A little over 2l years ago a few oI
our representative citizens saw the
great need of some organization fol
the care aud protection OF dependent
children aud also to aid children who
had committed their first offense
against the laws, hence the organiza.
tion OF the Boys and Girls Aid SO.
ciety OF Oregon. At that time it wal
charitable organization, dependon,
entirely upon the generosity OF the
pubic for its support. Since that
time, however, it has grown rapidly
and Its work has commended itself tC
the charitable pui lie and to the state
ofhciais, and today it lie rot only as.
sisted by private subscriptions but by
the state and county appropriations,
IL Ia, however, conducted on very
economical basis and its total expen.
ditures each year do not exceed $40,
oOo. Its methods are to place depend
ent and neglected children In family
homes where they will receive a par
ent's care and pi election, and in or.
der to insure this, visitors are kept
on the road the entire time, and be.
sides which at this time there is orga.
nlzed at many of the county seats an
advisory board composed of repre-.
sentative citizens who assist the so.
ciety In its work of aid and superyis
ion over its wards placed out in
homes. In this county Mr.. A. f.
Crosby Is the president and Mr.. Ed
Hostetler, secretary.
From January lst to November lst,
1910, a period of ten months, the SO.
ciety has received 326 children, or on
an average of about 81 per month.
these children we're received from
the following counties: Baker, Ben
ton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Crook,
Douglag, Grant, Lane, Marion, Multi
nomah, Umatilla, Union. Wasco,
Washington, Wallowa and Yamhill.
Many of the children committed
have indeed sad histol les. In a very
recent case from an outside county q
terribly immoral and depraved con-
dltlon OF parental care was unearth-
ed. Five children we're living alone
with their father in extreme filth,
poverty and vice. The oldest Of this
numfer was boy of IA, and the
youngest baby of about l6 months.
The second In age was a girl aged 13,
and the next girl of about IL.
lt was reported by ladies of the vi
cinity to the superintendent of the
society that the two girls had COM
planned to them that their father was
behaving in an immoral and inhuman
manner toward them. After An inve j.
hu hn s.x&4 L.
father was arrested and the children
awarded to this society; the baby,
however, going to the Baby Home.
The inhuman father Is now awaiting
his trial in the county Jail. Some of
the chill Ten have already found de-
sirable bmes and seem pleased with
their new surroundings.
A short time ago family was COM
mitted to the Boys and Girls Aid
society through the Juvenile court of
Multnomah county. This family con-
sisted of six children. The parents
were bringing the family up in idle
ness and vice. The father utterly re-
fused to work and the mother was
mentally irresponsible. The entire
family had been charges ON the coun-
~ Tor many years. AT one time they
we're sent at the expense of the coun-
ty to relatives In Kansas, but the au-
thorities there Immediately returned
them to Oregon. 1t was necessary
that some measure should be taken to
break up the family for the sake of
the children. Therefore, officers went
to the house and took charge Of the
entire family. The children we're sent
to the Boys and Girls Aid society,
the father to Jail and the mother to
the roor farm. Most of the children
are somewhat feeble minded and they
may be foi long time charges of the
state. Thus, every child that is COM
mitte1 to the care of the society has
sad history, and If there is any
worthy cause for charity the Boys
aud Girls Aid society should certain
ly appeal to every person who has the
welfare of little children at heart.