Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-09-27
MAKES PLEA FOR
FAMILY SYSTEM
CHILDREN'S HOME FINDING
AGENT TALKS
INSTITUTIONAL SYSTEM PASS
ING OUT
New York and California Still Cling
Ing to the oId-FashIoned
Way Of Caring for
Wallis

DR.. H. II. Hart of Chicago, secretary
of the National Childrens Home So
ciety and an agent of the Sage Founda-
ton, addressed the City club yesterday
on the homeless children problem.
DR.. Hart is on his way to attend the
charity conferences In Oakland and
Seattle, and showed how modern
methods had entirely changed the old
less young folks.
For fifty years, the speaker said, a
vigorous controversy has waged be-
tween the institutional system and the
placing out system.
"PIacing Out" Advantages
The former urged 1Ahe advantage OF
controlling the environment OF the child.
They said: 1--WE can assure the most
careful and efficient training. The child
will never play truant, he will never
run the streets at night, he will not
associate with the gang; we can assure
proper feeding, perfect sanitation; we
can control the religious and moral
training of the child and can give him
a thorough industrial training
They pointed to the looseness OF the
placing out system and the cruelties
practiced upon the bound boy and I'M
paid serving maid.
The advocates of the placing out
system pointed to the great expense
of the orphan asylum system, the evils
of institutionalism, the lack OF 1nitia-
tive and efficiency of institutional chill
dren.
They urged the Importance of the
natural conditions of home life and the
advantage of the child's growing up
In the same conditions with the or
binary children of the community.
Coming Together Now
This long and sometimes bitter con-
troversy finally was closed at the ma
tional conference of charities and cor
rections In Cincinnati in 1899. For sew
eral years there had been gradual
coming together of the parties.
The advocates of the institutional
system conceded the evils of institu-
tionalism and the advantages of family
life.
The advocates of the placing-out sys-
tenn admitted the uses of the institu-
lions for the temporary care OF chill
dren and for the permanent care of
cripples, epileptic and feeble-minded
children.
ut is now generally agreed" said DR..
Hart, that the placing-out system,
properly guarded, is the most desirable
method of caring for homeless children;
not only on account OIL lte 6CodOAuys .Dui
also because of its effect upon the child.
CALIFORNIA; Opportunity
TIN Southern California, the Chit
dren's Home society, with headquarters
In Los Angeles, has been gradually de-
veloping.
AFTER ten years experience and six
months study of the placing-out sys-
tenn am convinced that the next thing
which Won have to do in California is
to develop g. system of placing out In
this state.
There are special difficulties arising
from the social conditions in California
and the long prevalence of the subsidy
system, but with careful study and
competent leadership this problem can
be worked out"
Because of the open-air life which
Californians live this state is peculiarly
we'll adapted to the placing-out system,
and guests at the club remarked that
they would do all they could to urge
the adoption of this system for the
good of the children and of the COM