The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-26
Aged inmates summing themselves OH porch

not reported to anybody until rr.'..N
That Is unfortunate enouch, wt siI
more unfortunate is the case of deepen.
dent children.
Here at Eastvew we receive babies
up to . years, with their mothers, but
we do not care for children under The
age Of IL. Those between = years and
16 are sent 10y the local cumm.ttnr
officer directly from the community They
live In to some Of the forty "F more
institutions, where they ar" taken H.
Large number Of children bong sent
thus to institutions In New NoIn city.
There they go, with property made
out papers signed by som" ON" II o."
100 committing officers. many of whom
never took the trouble 10 n"''H ''
superintendent of he poor here at F,as'.
view. And in certain cases he "r
learned that such children had l.'.
committed when he received h.| iN'
maintaining them in this institution "r
that: and he paid the hill, a. y" Wa
compelled to under the archaic DO"
which still obtains.
"To maintain each child in such 40
institution costs the county $50 per
year At the present time more than
dNN CllluTtn OF TINS ''hIl hI' ~ 'H- ~
committed each year"
How long do they stay in the inSu-
tutions?"
THAT can only he answered IN a gen
cral way" Mr.. Macy replied. I've have
tried to keep track Of the children since
| took hold here on January ! and l2l
discharged since then averaged tw'
years in the Institutions"
You say that some 900 are now being
committed every year," Mr.. Macy
nodded assent and the visitor went on:
How many are now, at this present
time. in all of these forty or more in
stitutions?"
IL is impossible to say definitely. ~
far as we have been able to trace them
| however it appears that about 500 boys
| and girls are being thus cared for az
| the expense Of Westchester county"
What happens to those poor lu'e
| dependents when they are discharr'
| from the institution"
Sometimes charitable or phi ~
thropic agencies" said Mr.. Macy; "sonl .-
| times relatives or friends take them ont
In other cases they may have To shin
for themselves as best they can. :
don't know. | suppose the institutions
know. But one thing ! am convin.'
or II a decent home, even the mo-
simple. can he found, a child of norma
| health should not he committed to
public institution.
"In those homes, or asylums, or or'
phanages, no matter how admirably cor
Quoted, no matter how much tend 70
ness and sympathy is shown, the lltt +
inmate is in great danger Of CROWNS
up deprived of the power of in.tnt'.
and especially Of judgment. Evcryih
is done for him by routine. lie Is elN.l
certain food to eat, and eats II Wl'h'. Il
thinking whether it Is what h" Nl.''
and needs. He is provided with ".''h0
articles Of clothing. in some cases ~
actly like those worn by hundreds ~
other children all around him. IT, bias
no choice in selection. He is given ''''
tain duties to perform and does th''
I'm no way is he allowed To ~. 80
personal preference or to devrlu" 'h'
ability Ia Judge Of this or that N0''
boys or girls. brought UP under ,l'h
routine, emerge into the world o. M
age of l6 or a little over. they are under
a handicap so heavy that 1t holds 'l'H
back in their journey all throusN ne
"Self-control they may learn IN sn'
Of the best institutions, but OF mex M
portance to this is sound judgm'' ~
matters OF everyday, common e>i''
ence. This they do not develop me
cannot. where they live by street r"'
tine, where everything they have .' i.'
vided for them on "A basis of uni"n. ny
where they have no voice in what '''
shall eat, wear or do; and " ''' '''
never know the freedom OF i'' ''
found in a private household,
Il do not for one moment WISH
criticise the noble men and W"N
by self sacrifice and often 10y
NAL have established and mA''' '''
charitable institutions which
cared for So many thousand .'i
children. hut when an instiul"' BIS
ing for from 500 to $500 'h.ld''".
difficult to see how much 'h"' or
tiative can be allowed each en-
, | do wish to emphasize my he '''
, The Institution does not ana c"N'"'
; the place Of good home, y" H'.
how humble, how plainly I"'"'''
e how simple the life therein