New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-02
Mission on Staten Island,
with Brooklyn Refuge,
Raped by DOherty.
STATE BOARD SEEMED
TO IGNORE REPORT
improvements Made, Priest De-
Clarcs Children Lived
Amid SqualOr.


into healthy, wholesome citizens. But
the inspector suddenly paused on the
threshold. gaspcd and rubbed his eyes
before proceeding.
lie had dropped back half century
and found himself viewing IN real me
the crumbling interior Of the old YORK
shire boarding school in which Dickens
had discovered Smike, pinched checked,
trembling and hungry. All the squaior,
the dirt, the misery and even the
coarse pictures. drawn upon grimy
walls. were there IN painful reality.
As for the reproduction Of Smike, one
might have found him az almost any
plate. gurglng thin soup without the
aid of spoon 4 count showed lZO
boys and only sixty spoons. Tho un-
fortunate ones who had soup and no
spoons used their own inventive genus
in transferring the liquid 10 th"lr
mouths sleeves were used 20 perform
the functions Of napkins. Ragged. dark
substances that once had been cal led
oilcloths covered portions OF the tables
in lieu Of tablecloths.
The visitor was William II. Doherty,
Second Deputy Charities Commission
or. and the object Of his surprise visit
Virgin. Mount LOrettO. Staten Island.
The picture was reproduced verbally by
the charity official yesterday as "A wit
ness before Governor Whitmsn's spe-
cial commissioner. Charles II. Strong.
Later it developed that the visit had
been followed by marked reforms that
had transformed the mission and the
lives Of its inmates. but those WHO
90 20
pressed Amusement and indignation
that such a condition could have ex-
listed for even p short time.
Commissioner Strong present pur-
pose is 20 learn whether the state
BOARD OF Charities is doing its full
duty in the way Of inspecting and re
porting conditions in institutions 20
which the state contributes cash.
Conditions Found in Brooklyn.
Practically the same conditions were
described rs existing az that time ar
the Brooklyn Industrial School and
Home for Destitute Children. Whether
the same reforming influences have
worked an improvement az the Brook
Ism Institution could not be learned
bv The Tribune reporter who called
there last evening. as Miss K. a
Matthews. it's superintendent, indig-
nantly refused TO make any comment
on conditions there. Likewise Mrs.
Eliza Il. Zabriskie. its president. who
said she would prefer to have her law
yer talk about the place
"They were both like institutions
that existed in the Middle Ages SAID
Doherty.
The dining hall OF the Richmond
home looked more like pigpcn than
ANYTHING else when meal which Mr.
Dohertv saw served was over, he de-
clared. In tho mess room az the Brook
lvn home the children were forbidden
TO speak on penalty of going hungry.
Mr.. Doherty declared that after his
inspection and the publication Of his
repor, the conditions were not mate
rally altered by the State Board Of
Charities ], vas only when Commits
sioner John l. Kingsbury Of the Char
'ties Department refused 20 permit the
entrance Of more children 10 the home
-or A year that conditions improved
when / inspected the Mission Of
the Immaculate Virgins boys depart
ment in April. 1914. the walls OF the
halls were covered with indecent draw
lncs and words. the Railways were
dirty. the play halls filthy, and sanitary
conditions throughout the building ter
rible." declared Deputy Commissioner
Doherty.
"ln the dining room were long tables
and backless benches. The food was
served in dirty. greasy pals. The boys
did not wash their hands. Some Tapped
soup from the plates. because sixty out
OF 100 boys had no spoons
Regarding the Brooklyn Industrial
School and Home for Destitute Chill
dren. q Protestant institution, Mr. Do
horty said:
Conditions we're most distressing.
The children were weak, pale and
anamic The small ones had closely
cropped hair. but that did not prevent
the prevalence of vermn IN shocking
quantities. The superintendent, |
found. was little more than figure
head. She confined herself largely 10
books and records, which were poorly
kept The caretakers IN immediate
charge Of the $50 children were of a
low type, little removed from the ser
want girl class.
The condition of the buildings was
deficient, and despite the fact that the
chlldren's hair was cut close yermln
abounded. We found twelve cases Of
rngworm and other forms Of head and
scalp diseases. Many of the children
were afflicted with ear and scalp
trouble The bathing system was one
of the crudest ! ever saw. Eighteen 10
twenty-five children bathed at once IN
tank containing water six inches
deep. There was no privacy for the
older children. Roller towels were used
by dozens. including those with eczema
and ringworm."
The beds and frames he said were
dirty. A second inspection revealed
the presence Of yermin. The dining
room he described as bleak, bare and
forbiddlng. Grim silence was pre-
served throughout meals.
Although the Brooklyn institution
purported 10 be a vocational training
school Doherty said there was one
class Of sixteen boys employed in the
cobbler's shop. at work constantly on
shoes of the inmates: four boys worked
in the schools bake shop, and that
two sections of six boys each reported
twice a week 20 the handy man for
instruction in carpentry. There were
unpretentious classes for girls in cook
ing and sewing, but only a few chill
dren attended either
Commissioner kingsbury refused TO
send more children 10 the institution
for year. The State Board OF Chart
ties inspectors visited the home a few
days after the Doherty committees
inspection, and not only gave the usual
certification without which public funds
are withheld. but commended certain
features. such as the discipline during
meals.