New-York tribune., 1907-06-27
OVERLOOKING ASYLUMS
Justice OLmsted Puts a Fec Pertl-
nent Questions to Taxpayers.

What becomes of the children committed to IN
s,,,utions? Do they never die? Do they never re-
form? Are they never fit 10 return to their fam
fes? Does no one ever wish to adopt them?"
Justice Olnasted of the Chdren's Court IS anx-
ious TO have these questions answered, because
every day the task of finding suitable homes to
which to commit children becomes more perplex-
ing and unless none of these things ever happen
he is al loss TO understand the continual report
OF mo vacancies from the majority OF the avail
able institutions. Looking over list OF these IN,
stitutons after the Chiidren's Court aoJouiileu l
Yesterday morning. Justice Olmsted pointed OUT
some Of the difficulties he has to contend win at
present The American Female Guardian society
headed the list
THAT is so invariably full" said the justice, that
they have given up sending us q daily census Be
sides It fl In quarantine just now The New York
Juvenile Asylum hasn't reported vacancy lot
week or two. The Five Points House OF Industry
isn't quite full, but in this weather one would
rather send child TO the Guardian society, peyoio
Harlem or the Juvenile Asylum back of Dobbs
Ferry than TO Five Points. The Protestant Epis-
copai House Of Mercy at Inwood receives only glIs
who have been guilty Of sexual immoralty ana
has had no vacancies for q long time. The only
other place 10 which can send a protestant
tri of that class is the State Training School ior
Girls at Hudson, and they have hao no vacancies
sor months For Protestant girls who have not
been guilty OF serious immortality there Is almost
no provision and for Jewish girls there Is pracu-
cally none. CO.. ,,.,, :,
s'Father Drumgooles mission on Staten Island Is
without vacancies, and I don't know when 81.
Hebrew Infant Asylum is in quarantine. put Is
full The Hebrew institutions are always ~:
One might as well never attempt 10 get a child
into them. and they don't mind spHtuhg lalil4-
lies. .,
IF an institution is not full or in quarantine.
the chances are its rules won't permit 1t 10 take
the particular child that you want 10 commit II
takes only girls or only boys. and takes them only
between certain ages II whole family mas 10
be committed. it usually has 10 oe spit up. Inc
ouiv place that will take Il family Is -. 10
sephs Home for Destitute Children at Peeksklli,
maintained by the missionary sisters OF the tHIEu
Order Of ST. Francis. The Institution or Mercy
takes boys and girls. but it sends the boys 10
Tarrytown and the girls are in quarantine Other
Institutions that receive both sexes frequently
separate them. The Catholic Protectory is about
the only institution that always has vacancies and
the court is obliged 10 commit children to It. re-
gardless of their faith, because there is no other
place to send them"
Justice OITnsted does not recommend more insti-
tutons 20 the present difficulty, but more va
cancies in existing institutions. He often has ap-
plications from individuals who want 20 adopt chill
drer who have appeared in court. The court can
not take advantage of these offers because IT can
not commit children to individuals but Justice
Oirnste6 argues from the frequency Of these ap-
peals that there must be many families ready TO
provide homes for children who need them. ana
that the institutions ought TO find these homes.
The institution" he said. "ought properly 10 be
only the temporary guardian of the child AS soon
rs possible II should be placed in family environ
rnent Thus the taxpayers would be relieved OF us
support il would have better opportunity 10 pc
come q good citizen and vacancies would be created
In the institutions for other children"