Environment and Efficiency; A Study in the Records of Industrial Schools and Orphanages (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1912 edition. Excerpt: ... may perhaps possess points in common with the Poor Law Scattered Home, yet it differs considerably, as in this case the foster mother or superintendent is a woman of culture, having a very varied experience of social work. The lady superintendent is assisted by a matron who is a trained nurse, and an assistant matron. Those of the children who are old enough attend the nearest council and church school. It is particularly desired that a child should be admitted at as early an age as possible, and at the time of my visit the youngest boy was two years old. On admission to the home, the parents of the child, if alive, agree to renounce all claim to determine its future. Of records I have 10. They are not entered in any casebook, but were given to me verbally by the lady superintendent. As far as she could remember, these were all the children who had passed out of her hands since the Home was started. I have already mentioned in section II (page 12, above) that I do not consider these records of any value as records in themselves. Two only have been kept for five and six years, and of 4 the length of record is not given, but I imagine they were kept only for very short periods. But the histories of some of these children are especially interesting, as showing what may be made of the slum-child in a better environment. Most of the children were sent to the Home from London slums. Remarks. The record of No. I (W. B.) is a good illustration of the latent possibilities for good of the ordinary slum child, from which, by means of careful training and encouragement, such satisfactory results may be produced, and which, on the other hand, meeting with no appropriate stimulus in the external environment, must inevitably die away through disuse....