The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1909-05-05
UP FROM CITY SLUMS.
Waits from the Gutter Who Have
Risen to Honor and Power.
TWO OF THEM GOVERNORS

Remarkable Record of a Society
That Has Cared for %, 263 Or
phans, 81 Per Cent. of Whom Have
Made Good. Many of Them Are
in Public Life, and Hold Positions
of Honor.
What child has the best chance
of success in life? Is it the waif
picked up in the city streets, the
orphan assisted by philanthropy or
kind foster parents, the child of the
family prosperous middle class, or
the one born in a home of wealth
and high social position?
Perhaps the best answer to the
query is found in recent reports of
the Children's Aid Society of New
York. These show that of the 60
263 orphans and waits cared for by
the society since its organization
virtually 81 per cent. have made a
success of life.
When President Roosevelt called
a conference in January on the well
fare of destitute and neglected chill
dren c. Loring Brace, secretary of
the Children's Aid Society of New
York, presented a report, based on
actual records since 1853, showing
that 81 per cent of the waits cared
for had made a success in life. TWO
had been governors, two members of
congress, seven members of legisla-
lures and many others had achieved
distinction in other professions,
According to the report of the CEN
sus bureau there are in Orphanages
and children's homes $4,000 depend
ent children; that there are proba-
bly, $4,000 more in private homes,
with $4,000 children in institutions
for juvenile delinquents.
From the Slums to Governor.
The rise OF some of these waits
to positions of power and honor is
remarkable. When Andy" Burke
was held at the house of refuge on
Randall's Island, New York, 48 years
ago, he met Johnny" Brady. John
ny" had been one of the terrors of
Roosevelt street. He grew up prac-
tically from the cutters. There was
no more ragged and unkempt urchin
than he.
"Johnny's' mother had died when
he was a wee child. His father
drank continually, and in his drunk
en- delirium beat the boy. So
Johnny" rarely went home. By
night he sold newspapers on the
street. He slept in barrels, in empty
boxes, on piles of debris in back
yards. He gathered meager offal
upon which to live. During the win
ter months he nearly froze His
clothing was thin and tattered.
One night, his teeth chattering,
his hands nearly frozen, he timidly
approached a big policeman and
asked for help. He was sent to
Randall's Island, and some time af-
terward was given over to the Chill
dren's Aid Society. In 1859, with
q other children, he was shipped
west. His was trip of sorrow, too.
While Andy" BuTke-nOw known
to the world as Andrew H. Burke,
governor of North Dakota-on an
other train was put off at Nobles-
vile, little Brady was left at Upton,
Ind. He was the raggedest young
ster of the lot. His misery touched
the heart of Judge John Greene, who
took him in.
Johnny grew up He wanted to
become a minister; his protector
wanted to make a lawyer of him.
but Johnny" preferred to have his
own way; and went off to fight for
himself. He finally got to Yale.
There he worked his way through
college, serving as waiter in the din
ing room, sweeping buildings, MAX
ing fires, doing mental service of all
kinds. But he had the stamina. He
graduated and went to the Union
Theological Seminary. His educa-
tion there was earned as he went
along.
Then Brady went to Texas. Say
ing money, he bought 500 acres of
land He remembered his struggles
in New York. He wanted to help
other unfortunate waits. So he
started an industrial reform college.
AF