The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-04-28
H0VV MASS. CARES
 FOR THE ORPHANS
nFaCUssTON ON BElPENDENT E f 6Hff1DR
By flames E. Fee, Boston.

:
 The Massachusetts system or poard- ing or placing out children did not orfEfnate in Massachusetts, but had existed for many years m E1rppean countries under public and pT1vaIe ss1is5fces It was first adopted by the Common wealth and later developed by it so that in this country the system is Identified with the name of the state s.
 Prior to the estabIishnent cf the State Primary School tt Monson In 1ssS children were placed in the sew era1 zlinshouses and min gled with the older and more hopeless eases of de- tendency, much to their harm Even then few children were placed out in private families as records of such placing were found at Tewksbury aitnsh0use As early as 1855 and at Bridgewater two years later
 MeaIsvg5 He association in aITnsh ouses with ths physical and moral erelzcts cohtinusd to work great injury to the children who are so readily responsive 10 tfie influence of enVifonments and this condition began to impress itself upon people in the commonwealth in- fers5ted in this and other phases of char5fabIs work. One of the results of the agitation. thus stimulated was the establishment by statute in 1863 of the Board of State Charities.
 MAssACHUSEuTTS LAWS.
 y sffingefit laws protecting infants. No one may have in his custody or control at one tin1e two or more infants un- attended by parent or guardian, ex- cept they be related to him by blood or marriage, for the purpose of pro- vfdfng them with care, food and 1odg- ing, without coming under the pro vision of the law governing boarding- Houses for infants.a The. licensing Of saeh boarding houses is placed in the hands of the State Board of Charity which, through its agents, investigates ali applications after they have first been approved by the local board of health. Those who maintain board 1ng-houses without a Lcense are liable to a fine of $1oo, or Imprisonment for There is also provision requiring re- ports to the State Board of Charity of the placing and taking of such in faufS, and neglect or refusal is penal dzed by fine and Imprisonment. The enforcement of this law has broken up the baby farm industry with it's cruel and revolting history.
 Except for the children in the schools for delinquents and the mental and physical defectives, the Ntruants and school offenders maintained in county training schools and such chfI- and towns of whom there were about s;G fh the last official year, all the children who. become public charges are maintained under the immediate direction of the State Board of Char <y- These children are of three claFses-dependent Gncluding found Iings)s neglected and delinquent.
 APPLICATIONS AND EXAMS.
 Dependents are received through ap- plieafion by parent, guardian, friend or overseers of .ne poor. Each ap- pifcation is Investigated as to the matter of settlement to determine whether the responsibility for care lies with the commonwealth or with the city or town. A careful examination Of each application is made to ascer- tain if it Is not possible to prevent children from becoming public charges. Very often 1t is found that parents who are inzfenporary distress apply tc have their children taken when relief could be found through other agencies. Great effort is made to stimulate re- EpensihI1Ify on the part of relatives,