Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-06-06

nj the home. Dean Davenport, OF the
| Illinois state university at Urbana, was
willing TO say that he knew Matthews
| and to cite instances 1ere he mad IN
vaati1ated the work done and Whlie
| NOT understanding the feeling that
nrompted Matthews in his Work, ne
| could see nothing but good results.
Mr.. Davenport and other officials nish
IN the state. knew of Kindness and per-
feet nourishment given the children
and of the devotion that Mr.. Matthew's
and his wife had given to them.
IA state aid for the Matthews nome
ia suggested, the Investigation was
thorough.
Mr.. Bowen visited the home. He
saws that It is big scantily furnished
house devoid of comforts, not overly
clean. 1t stands is the middle OF thirty
badly tended acres that match the
house in general decay. Matthews
himself looks and acts like fanatlc'
the writer said. He is unkempt, IN
shaven, dishevelled, untidy. So is his
house and his grounds. So are the 10
childres that were members OF the fam
fly. But despite the unpleasant sur
roundings. It is stated that the 1000
while very plain, Is plentiful and good
and the children look 1t. They are
hearty and healthy. They are appar-
entity content and say that they are
treated with affection and care.
The Idea Is Wierd.
Years ago Matthews was interested
in prison work. 1t became his idea
to visit prisons and to assist those
leaving at the end of their sentences.
For years he kept up with this work
and thousands of convicts were by MIN
taken from the doors of their prison to
their homes and thus given a chance
to start right after serving time. In
one of the states prisons one day
there was baby left there by its moth |
er. There was no place for it, and
Matthews asked to take 1t home. Since |
rhat time the care of homeless and des-
titute children has been part of his |
work. When there is no place else for
them Matthews takes them. They |
come in frightful condition sometimes
and he and his wife nurse and care
for them. Dean Davenport told Mr..
Bowen of child found in an alley on
a rubbish pile. 1t was found that its
parents were criminals and Matthews
asked for it. That child, nearly dead,
was nursed into rudy robustness. And \
this is but one instance. The idea 1
which lies back of the work is hard
for one to understand. There is some
thing erratic and vague about il. The
man has the idea that sub-normal child
may be built up into a normal healthy
mental being, by proper care and by
the careful exclusion of all knowledge
Of its tendencies inherited For this
reason, no child ever in his care has
been told of it's parents or of the con-
1itions under which it first came to
lie Institution.
Chapters of Incredible Conditions.
The investigation made by Mr.. Bow
IN were such that the charities board,
feeling convinced of the wei meaning
IF Matthews and of the unusual, but
correct methods which he uses and in
which he believes, will take steps to
ecure some regular aid for him. The
lone has been supplied by free will
donations of miscellaneous things, and
is believed that suitable yearly APP
'ropriation would relieve the condi- :
ions that make the home appear I'M
amy and give the man at the head
f it chance to better and more sane
Y work out the ideas that he has.