Monographs on American Social Economics

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1900 edition. Excerpt: ...The workings of the children's law, however, went to the other extreme and arrayed that strongest of influences, sectarian zeal, on the side of the upbuilding of institutions, and brought to its support the strong arm of the law and the ample resources of the public purse. New institutions were incorporated for the purpose of receiving these allowances of public funds, and there grew up what can be described only as a rivalry on the part of various institutions to secure the commitment of large numbers of children to their care. The result was inevitable; children's institutions, of a size hitherto unknown, were developed and the number of dependent children increased out of all proportion to the population. From 1875 to 1892 the general population of the State increased thirty-eight per cent; the number of children in institutions, ninety-six per cent. Comparatively few of the children were placed in families, the great majority of them being returned to their parents or relatives upon reaching a self-supporting age. Little or no supervision was exercised over the few children placed in families, and none whatever over children returned to relatives, so that it is impossible to speak with any authority as to the essential character of the product of the institutional training. Extravagant statements have been made both for and against--the simple fact is that we do not certainly know. Such in general is the New York system, whose features were most strongly emphasized in the larger cities. Certain exceptions should be noted. Richmond county adopted the system of boarding children in families until free homes could be found, and in this way kept the numbers at a minimum. Erie county, alarmed by the growing expense for this purpose has, since...