The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-02-23


forth BY the New York Society for the
Prevention OF Cruelty TO Children Ihir-
ty-hve years ago this society came into
existence to meet the needs Of children
sorely oppressed. and since then the be
nevolent idea IL represents has grown and
gathered strength until not only every
large city in this country, but in other
civilized countries. has inaugurated ike
movement.
The New York society IS housed in a
great eight-story stone building on
Fourth avenue. The rooms and corridors,
the roof Fairgrounds. and the nursery
are always filed with children for whom
the society has become temporary guar
dian until they can be placed in homes II
dependents. in Institutions or hospitals i
detectives. and in refcrmatories or in
charge Of probation officers OF delin-
ouents. Cleanliness. sunshine. and order
radiate through the building. and gentle.
but firm. attendants give belated comfort
and mothering 20 the company OF waits
that form the floating population Of this
big rescue home.
IN one Of the reception rooms OF The
building hangs the picture Of the little
girl from whose sorrow and suffering
the great society was born. In fact there
are three pictures One shows the miser-
able, ragged Scared. bleeding little walt
as she looked when she came TO the So
ciety as its first ward. Another picture
shows her sturdy, well-kept, well-clothed
and content. and the third shows her a
matron grown. with The happiness OF
motherhood written on her face. On the
wall between the first two pictures hangs
pair OF big, rusty scissors. The rust
on the scissors was made by blood, for
this was the implement used 10 torture
the little orphan child by the woman
who had her in charge back IN the dark
DAYS Of the nation when none had thought
q protecting children
The little girl was named Mary Ellen,
and this is the story OF her life and OF
the Society for the Prevention OF Cruelty
TO Children. One summer. thirty-five
years ago. q woman lay dying Of tubercu-
losis In a dingy New York tenement
Charitable people went 10 see what could
be done for her Her request for help
WIS not for herself, but for child whose
cries she could hear continually from the
next room She said that the child was
daily beaten by an inhuman stepmotheT.
was always kept locked in the room and
that its pitifuI pleadings rang in her ears
so that she could not die IN peace. The
charity workers took Up the case They
went from official 10 official. from chart
table organization to charitable organiza-
ton. from influential citizen 70 influential
citizen, and always the same answer was
given; We can DO nothing unless the
child is brought TO Us legally and proof
ofecod than an ofense has been commit
ted"
There existed at the time a Society for
the Prevention OF Cruelty 20 Animals. To
this the charity workers turned with the
case OF little Mary Ellen. and in this big
enlightened nation the first legal protec-
ton given an abused child was under the
laws that protected dumb animals. Awak-
ened public sentiment called for the in
vestigation OF other children's cases, and
from Mary EIlens long months Of torture
with clubs and scissors came the rescue
work that has saved thousands Of little
ones from sickness. death. and lives Of
crime From her need and that q hun
dreds Of other children was born the New
York Society for the Prevention Of Cruel
y 10 Children, the first in all the world
leader Of the hundred OF more Ike or
CARNATIONS that are now offering pro-
lection 10 helpless little ones
Where Mary Ellen could have 10 pro-
lection under the law until guilt OF bel
prosecutor had been proved and success
sive legal steps taken. the act Of the New
York legislature that Incorporated thi!
society III 1910 delegated certain protect
ing powers TO IT, and to ike organizations
in the words Any society 50 inCor
pOrated may prefer q complaint before
a..
ton for the violation Of any law reiatin.
20 or affecting children, and may aid L
bringing the facts before such court o.
magistrate in any proceedings taken.
The law also provides that all officers D
rhe law be required 10 aid the society L.
lis good work
How well this law IS being enforced
may be seen from an afternoon spent fl
the building From room 70 room, from
group 70 group, the favored visitor ma.
pass and inquire concerning the hOtsau
and jetsam Of child life that the waves o
improved legislation have cast TEN
p0rarily on the hands OF the ever-read.
society. This child and that may be IN
der arrest for the violation OF some Law
A quarter Of a century ago they had bee
herded with criminals while awaiting tn
slow processes OF justice that woul
reach their case IN that brief interva
they had been well grounded in crime
and even If released would be more read
for sin than before They are now kCp
here free from communicating influences
Until the case Is tried or until they AT
sent 10 some reformatory, y the case
nou one for probation. In the matter O
minor offenses, the children are parole
On Saturday evening in the care OF par
ems OF guardians, who make oath befor
police officer, sent over for the pui
Tcse, that the offenders viii be brOugh
into the Juvenile Court at a specific
day and hour.
Witnesses in some important trial ar
found in the big building awaiting thei
call 70 the court. Il is wiser 10 kee
them here, that they may not be preju
diced or hectOred into giving false test
mOny. This f0rlOrn little group repre-
sents q broken home; they are transfer
guests in the building, while the societ
is making provision for their keep i
some Institution. IN the bath rooms new
corners in the hands OF competent en-
pioyes are getting a taste Of the cleanli
ness that the slums had never offere
them in all their pathetic little lives
the hospital on beds as white as snow
ana ministered TO by White-capped nurse;
are those whose childish complaint 0
suTerings from physical violence hav
made them patients for a day OF two
In she contagious disease ward prOvssio
S made for any case Of disease discoy
cred among the inmates II IS isolate
from every part OF the building Wit
cots, dispensary, diet kitchen, and nurse
Of its own
Here one may see a group OF foreigner:
Tor a large percentage Of the chiidre
who pass through the doors Of the hOte
ike building are aliens. To the 5000
children Of school age IN New York theT
S annually aided q foreign-b born popula