The San Francisco call., 1909-09-05

"A OF for one moment do I hold
that the right kind OF home
is not the best place for de-
pendent children. but the ex-
perience of many years has taught me
how difficult il IS TO get that right kind
Of a home for children from TO IA
years OF age"
= This statement made by Sister Hell
tena. the well known executive OF the
Roman Catholic orphan asylum, Is sig
zineent testimony in the case Of the big
question OF institutional life.- which
fs now on trial IN this and every other
country before the specialized thinkers,
as well as the people at large It is
the pith OF Sister Helena's argument as
% the value OF institutions as factors
fn the care OF dependent children, an
Issue which is being brought TO public
notice and analysis by The Calls pres
entation Of the life OF local orphan
ages Radicals here and everywhere
would close all Institutions Serious.
logical thinkers say that Institutions
have q definite and important place in
the perplexing problem OF the children
of misfortune Father Crowley, who
wrote the foreword 10 the present Sc
ries, OF which this article IS the second.
is one OF the serious. logical thinkers.
EEe sits IN the national as well as in the
state conventions ef charities and cor
reotions. He is q firm believer in the
conscientious placing Of young depend
ent children in homes but he also holds
2 brief for the institutions, without
which he does not see how the majority
Of dependent children from TO IA
years OF age could be cared for. He
repeats. and with emphasis. that the
public has a most meager understand
ing OF the good work that is being done
in the institutions Of all denominations
and IS sure that while the world is
moving on 10 ideal conditions the de-
pendent children are not being neg
lected in the best institutions" He
would have the world know what a
tremendous amount OF self-sacrihce on
Ithe part OF women, both in and out of
afaurch orders. is going into the solving
OF the problem OF institutional children.
Life as 81 is lived at the Roman Cath
clio orphan asylum under the direction
OF Sister Helena presents most con-
vincing argument as TO the excellent
conditions that can be brought about
IN q well ordered institution,
Sister HeIena's Family
Sister Helena'k family" numbers at
present 400 composed OF girls from 7
70 il years Of age. and some older ones
who will. in due time. be placed in
homes or in the technical school. that
splendid development of the Roman
Catholic orphan asylum The babies"
under years have their home quite TO
themselves in the Mount ST. Joseph in
fant orphan asylum They will be con-
Eidered in g later article. Sister Hell
enas charges are orphans, half or
phans, abandoned children and those
who have been committed from the Ju-
venile court They are healthy, happy
lot, positive little individuals" chill
crsn OF every cline and Of many re-
Egions and do not look IN need OF the
sympathy which is always gratuitously
bestowed on the institution" child
Truth TO tell, they are often very
homesick when they are away. taken
from this institution where fate has
placed them. After Z. they seem to
think most Of the companionship of
their many plsymates. and most often
when they go to isolated homes they
are lonely ct least for a while.
After looking over the Roman Catholic
orphan asylum 10 its uttermost corner
and over the Mckinley orphanage, con-
Eidered last Sunday. the conviction
grows that the best Institutions have not
been asleep while the students OF chart
lies and corrections have been trying TO
solve the problem Of the dependent
children. They have wrestled with the
actual question while many on the out
side have been theorizing. But the
leaven of the agitation, with all its