New-York tribune., 1906-07-14
BREAKING UP FAMILIES.
Mr. BirtweIl Deplores Custom Of Separating
Parents and Children.

Discussing THE Family and Natural Ties in
Work for Children az the Summer School, OF
Philanthropy yesterday Charles ". Brtweh. su-
perintendent OF the Boston Chidren's asa Society,
took a strong stand against the custom OF break
ing I'D families by sending children 20 institutions
THE fundamental family relations constitute the
food Of Mfe" said Mr. Birtwell. 'and in every way
one should seek 20 strengthen them II is aston
ishing how good people who want to help others
forget the chief staple Of human nature In The
people before them"
Then he tod Of instances that had coEne before
his society where the easy. obvious thing would
have 5een to separate parents and cnioFen OK
mother and child. and where. by insisting on 'tfis
sacredness of the natural ties. only good had re-
suited TO all concerned
..one day. he said, "a father and four children
came 10 u.s. OF course, We could have sent ths
children away, one in one direction, another IN
another; but instead, found place within
trolleying distance OF the mans work where they
could al live together.
Recently an Italian. with eight children. whose
wife had died. applied 10 The old-fashioned
way would have been 10 break up that family aile
srread il round We found the man was a gooa
father to his children; in fact. he was favoFi'e
with ell the children Of his >neighborhooo, SO We
decided we would pay him s. 80 month Io"afu
keeping the family together. Us did that Ior
wear nv which time one TIVE OF the cnildreh
had reached the wage earning age. and ne having
caught up with debt TWO. was On ms 1eet.
II cost us only sso-less than the ooafu Oh one OA
the children for a year.
st1,rdUy following the line OF red Dlooo as ~
exists in parent and child is not 70 os pu' - ..e
80 dicttonarv with our easy. philanthropic meth
o5s of cbiid transference'' &r. BirtWeH went On
= - o,ro,os of several cases OF unnlaFIIsea re-
1otbers and their babies The sun herlns en- en- sra
r1race deeply as those involved H1as ,asss Ts
81 nsrt ~ the warp and wOof OF sycn case s IN
~. sTar hit but Just plunge right IN anu III
SIe+ On The natural blood relationships. ,.. .,,ss
ssriri OF eighteen, honest loOhILls o,sjtr
creature: AasaIssod Sss baby we told her al once
ftsY the only thing for her 10 90 We ~ SSos Fer
rrorbe- and tell her everything 5ne .leu So or
mother obstinately refusing 10 FeIust t,s~ ~ Toux
~ ne communicate with her. until aftet !Us,
49, +,seIa she broke down. and we sent tOt 10 -
r1otber That night the girl ana nsr NS SaoS p.1,
J 5eebSorhood 10 face the world Inc sFoeAtSSS ~
e 80 2ao+her and girl and the cohlqelcs e.. &C.
couraee that came 20 the latter from uO'ie ~
thing we're truly reTnar Aaoie ,-,a, whose niece
ae in maternity hospital, insisted a.. ,snoY
t, Sonfe6 SQUARE jawed, oeternlllle1 no,S-s
ing intelligent. fine minded. shs he sfsoi,itey of,
.-Sng 10 get US 10 take the paDy ~ svitai
~ SSiaces hands. We stood firm on .ae ase,,,5g iS
is,s nsr In the end she yielded and after ta'nes IA @
twice on the way 70 get neT I,d sn rom that day
ms .a aunt and the grandmother OF me ~
,ootl7er have never sought 70 eVaoSs 9le Na -
eAS&l.s ,1oI1gh OS this done, continued alE
-, 's Sa Conclusion. "I wish Win uul.ssgss
tIa sS re could blow down the vans OF s tHe a,,f'
tions and recall all the cnlloTeh ae hovs many
alo 1ssv 10 have been sent away al AZ! = s' H.
% come Then the Gerry society VII PAT S S1i. I
own traditions; It's got 10, 70 ms Tss,,raI les we
S s-o+ 10 accustonl ourselves % ne 5iif -
~ esTSiyitnsI forces-t only we nave thS sA'' ~
,Ise those sharp edged toOis'