New-York tribune., 1909-06-20
CHILDHOOD TRAGEDIES
M4NY SAD STORIES.
Thousands Of Little Ones Cared for
bv 5. Z. c. c. During the Year.

EVERYBODY knows what the Children's Society is
everybody who has passed the big building on "a
street and Fourth avenue has seen the squads OF
children arriving from the Chdrens Court. from the
police stations from Blackwell's Island But prob
ably il would be d great surprise 10 many Of the
thousands Of persons who pass there daily II that
grim, gray front were side aside and reveal the
domestic arrangements inside Barring the officers
on the first floor every Of the eight stories Is
given over to playrooms, doritories, dining rooms
kitchens and laundries. There is . housekeeper,
there is z nurse, there women TO play with the
children and feed them In scores Of little white
beds CT children sleep every night, there in
the heart Of the business district Not the same
children, q rule, for many nights. for about
twelve thousand children pass through this building
IL a year
Painfully precocious some Of these children are
some OF the smallest even 4 physician who goes
often 10 the Children's Society building told the
housekeeper Mrs. Helen Clunu. that some Of them
seemed good deal brighter than his chill
dreu.
Honestly. my children seem stupid 10 me after
talking 20 some Of these boys and girls, he said.
Street and tenement life sharpens chidren's wits,
that Is certain
But you wouldn't your children have
the sort OF knowledge some Of these children
have?' Mrs. Clunn said; and he admitted that he
wouldn't
Consider. for example. the experience OF small
Irish girl, not more than five years cid, who was
brought in last week:
Mrs. Clunn spoke TO her -Yesn she had 10. Ny
father was fghtin' dreadful. He's drinkin' again
They will drink, some Of them,' Mrs. Clunn
said. It's too bad
Have you got papa? Say, you don't look ike
woman that 'ud have a drinkin' husband.
They're awful when they drink" said the mite.
When you grow up. il you marry. you must be
careful not 10 marry drUnkard' Mrs. Clunn told
her.
oh. I've get a feIler." said Miss Ffve-Year-old-
an she cd
proudly. he don't drink drop
Up in OF the playrooIns, that same day.
& number CT tiny girls under the care Of q
one dsrk-haired child sat dropping in
She was just brought in," the housekeeper said
in a low voice. Those dark marks on her face
where her father struck her. When the doctor
was examining her he found curious wounds on her
arms. and he couldn't make what instrument
they inflicted with, he asked her.
'' My father bit me, she said"
One scre-eyed little creature in the room was an
island baby'-sent 10 BlackweTs Island for treat
nent, and sent hack as cured, which It certainly
not: it going TO be returned again. An
other r7ite. three years Old though from lack OF
right feeding II didn't look mere than eighteen
months, up with mute appeal for notice,
and blssfuliy happy as long of the
visitors mad a finger for il 10 hold Over In the
older girls playroom were several girls who had
figured IN the Children's Court that morning. One
was enterprising young woman who had
away from her home New York and got as far
Texas. where she captured brought
back Though she only fourteen she had an
nexed rife somehow, and divided skirt and she
had set out TO have z beautiful time in Texas. It
must have been come-down to be faced by the
New York Training School for Girls, which was
where the Court had sent her.
How many Of the girls in this have
shaved heads" said Of the visitors innocenty.
'Its necessary" said Mrs. Clunn Those two
girls over there noW-when they arrived their hair
wss matted that 4 comb couldn't be got through
81. And-~e-for other reasons. too. their heads
had 70 be shaved
Every child who comes there gets a bath the
first thing. There thirteen bathrooms in the
house, and two bathers-women-and both bath
rooms and bathers are kept busy. Some Of The
children don't take az all kindly the notion OF a
bath One chap protested wildly when introduced
20 the Tub
- amt oeaderl 1 amt deaderi' he cried
Probably he had never seen bathtub before and
connected * in his mind with q coffin.
Some Of the children whisked away before
there IS time for a bath. They are brought in
crowds from the Children's Court every afternoon