New-York tribune., 1909-03-27
CHILD PLACING.
COIony Club Hears about EUiIs Of
Institutional Life.

Much that is said in favor Of bringing up chill
dren in institutions is plausible said Dr. hastings
H Hart of Chicago, in a talk or Ihe Extent ana
Results of Placing Dependent Children In private
Homes" at the Colony Club yesterday morning.
.s1+ e said r1Ilv that institutions sanitary
than most homes; that children in institutions can
be well taught, perfectly managed You can almost
ordain what they are to think about from morning
until night.
..Fpt am reminded Of a woman I met at a
convention once. She was immensely enthusiastic
over q home she and others We're starting in Kan
sas-a home for girls They were going to have
beds for five thousand girls. That is the way TO
hiring ,1n children she said. Why, the ordinary
mother doesn't know how to bring up child we
shall hire experts in child training, and youh see
what We'll do.
"A year or so afterward had letter from that
woman. She managing home for OLD laoles
in Texas.
thousand beds The children are well FED nicely
sheltered they are given trades they use out IN
tbe world But I think any candid person walking
through that place would receive a very painful I'M
,,,assion I remember over in the House of Refuge
hearin, an instructor yell to a boy, Here you
81. what are you doing?' Now, when boy loses
his individuality ike that, he loses something he
has q right to.
In the Catholic Protectory two hundred girls
sIeep in one dormitory. 1t IS necessary but wheh
7 saw those dormitories l thought, What pity!
her own room and a little privacy, is robbed or
what she needs for her normal development
.T went across to the PrOtectory kindergarten
Thirty little ones were out the grass, IN care OF
a MN They locked clean and healthy, out
o,,15n,- helm noticing how they clung TO the vsi-
tors, knees and begged TO be cuddled. They were
hungry for petting which the nuns hadn't time to
give them.
..T said TO the matron Of one orphan asylum
visited your children never cry. 'Of course not
she said They've no one to cry to- That's H. we
feel that they ought 10 have some one to cry TO-
.Tbe evils of institution life are inseparable from
the system. It's an artificial life There is always
the hell It rings for him TO get up, it rings him
to his meals it rings him TO study, il rings MIN 10
play and it rings him to bed. Which means that
some one else does his thinking for him; he cant
acorire independence; he isn't prepared TO cope
with real life"
Or. Hart described the methods of the Child
Placing Institution In Chicago, with which he Is
connected When an agent goes TO find out about
family that has asked for child" he said' l
tell him. Use your eyes and your ears If the
mans horse cringcs when he comes near don
let that man have a child; the man who Is crueI
TO a horse won't be good to child. Talk with the
woman; notice how she is with children II there
are any about. See how the house is kept; note
what kind of books are about, and if you see a lot
of trashy detective fiction filing the cases, hesitate
before sending a child there.
Dr. Hart though he is in favor Of placing de-
pendent children in private families. said that
some families certainly asked for children with
selfish motives 1T is astonishing how many peo-
pie want a strong girl of thirteen or fourteen with
a willing disposition. When investigate we
usually find several small children in that famlly
and maid.