History of Child Saving in the United States; At the Twentieth National Conference of Charities and Correction in Chicago, June, 1893 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1893. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... STATEMENT FROM THE TRUSTEES OF THE STATE PRIMARY AND REFORM SCHOOLS. The State Primary School at Monson is an institution for the care of the dependent and neglected children of the State. Here, too, a number of little juvenile offenders, last year sixty eight boys and four girls, deemed by the court too young or too irresponsible to go to a reform school, * are cared for; also a few adults, chiefly women who have been allowed to accompany their children from the almshouse. The institution is situated upon a farm of one hundred and thirtyfour acres on a hillside overlooking the town of Palmer. The location is admirable; but the great barrack-like building, in which the superintendent and his family, the officers, and all the inmates live, has a most unhomelike aspect, and is regarded by the trustees as a mere makeshift, to be replaced, as they hope, before long by cottages. Meanwhile the arrangements of the building oblige the institution to be conducted upon the congregate plan. 'Ihe children sleep in dormitories, -there are ten of them, - and eat in a great dining hall. They play in yards enclosed on two sides by low fences, each with its playhouse attached. Three separate recreation yards are provided, -one for the older boys, one for the younger boys, and one for girls and little children. About one hundred and ninety-seven feet removed from the main building stands a hospital where the diseased and crippled children, 'The superintendent, when asked whether, in his opinion, it would be wise to make a distinct and separate provision for dealing with the two classes now received at Mon on, -- namely, these little delinquents and the simply dependent ch1ldren, - answered that of the latter class few literally innocent children come to the school, but that thu ...