Charities, held at Cincinnati, to be, that at this Conference an opportunity should be given for woman to speak of her experience in this important work, and to present her views of it from her standpoint. By the request of the Committee, three papers will be presented, prepared by ladies who have had large experience in various fields of children's work, and whose labors in each case in this good cause have extended through years of steady effort.

The paper of Mrs. W. P. Lynde, of Wisconsin, treats of prevention in some of its aspects, and directs our thoughts to the necessity of adopting preventive measures in arresting pauperism and crime. The importance of effort in this direction cannot be over-estimated, and, it must be conceded, is based on the soundest principles of prudential wisdom.

The work of Mrs. Clara T. Leonard in Massachusetts, and the changes wrought in the Springfield Almshouse and Truant School of that city, which have attracted attention beyond her own State, have especially fitted her to speak upon the subject of family homes for dependent children.

Perhaps the most difficult branch of the subject, and the one on which most solicitous thought is now being bestowed, is that treated by Mrs. L. R. Wardner of Illinois, in her paper on the care of girls in reformatories. Her philanthropic labors in behalf of this class in her own State have prepared her to speak advisedly upon this subject.

In view of the practical knowledge possessed by these authors, and the study they have given to the topics upon which they speak, the Committee believe that the papers are worthy of careful consideration; and, while expressing their obligations to the writers, they at the same time congratulate the Conference upon the presentation of these contributions.

For the Committee,

W. P. LETCHWORTH, Chairman.

PREVENTION IN SOME OF ITS ASPECTS.

BY MRS. W. P. LYNDE, OF MILWAUKEE, WIS.

The failure of preventive measures to accomplish their humane intention; the uncertainty whether the dependent and delinquent classes are actually diminished by all the efforts made to do it; an inquiry into the causes of failure, and a search for some system that will secure better results, or some means by which the very

young may be taken early enough, and kept long enough, to prevent the formation of incurable habits of wrong-doing, and accomplish the formation of habits of well-doing, may perhaps wisely occupy for a little time the attention of workers and thinkers in these charitable and preventive departments of social science.

Must the children of criminals and drunkards, the illegitimates and foundlings, be considered hopelessly delinquent and depend ent? Is the hereditary taint too inherent in the constitution to be arrested, and healthy development secured? Or are the conditions of their existence such as renders their elevation into respectability or soundness impossible?

How can we reach the germ and prevent its development into self-perpetuating evil? Industrial education and training have seemed to promise most for the help of this class, and their success in a small degree fulfils the hopes raised, but falls so far short of the expectation as to justify inquiry into the cause of this disappointment. A late Cyclopedia, in the article Industrial Schools," says, 66 Attempts to ingraft an industrial feature upon voluntary schools have not been rewarded with much success, at least as regards their usefulness to the lower classes; and, in the British Revised Code, the grants formerly made to such schools were discontinued."

Such testimony is unfortunate and discouraging. For the most part, industrial schools have been State schools, in the sense of being supported and managed entirely by State authority. They have been established as measures demanded by the public after this fashion: a petition, more or less numerously signed, is sent to the State legislature, setting forth the need in general terms, and asking for the establishment of an industrial school. The legislature receives, hears, discusses, and debates; and if "the party" decides it will be popular, or if the influence is strong enough, the bill, containing an appropriation, is passed, and sent to the governor, who approves, and appoints commissioners to select a location. These commissioners, probably selected because of political influence, or as a reward for party services, proceed to visit different localities, and, as a rule, select the place where the donation to the State is largest. They, or some new appointees, are empowered to advertise, decide upon plans, build, and make ready for the purpose. In due time the governor is informed of the completion of the structure, which has been

erected with the view of improving the locality, where somebody has been so generous as to make a large donation of unimproved property.

The building- 66 an imposing structure, a credit to the munificence of the State" is a monument to the architect, who in all probability has made the convenience and health, physical and mental, of its occupants the last consideration in his plans, and whose memory will doubtless be perpetuated in the suffering of all who occupy the building, and regret that it is not the mausoleum of his labors in that line, or his own living tomb. After consultation with party leaders, the governor, "with due consideration," appoints some zealous political friend to the responsible position of superintendent of the new institution; and kindly suggesting that Mr. A or Mr. B would be valuable assistants, informs him, that, in order that the school may accomplish the good intentions of its founders, it is expected it will be conducted in harmony with the party. Advertisements, circulars, perhaps agents, are sent throughout the State to gather in facts and children, the new building is filled, and the industrial school inaugurated. Time passes: some are received who ought not to be; many are left out who should be in; some are benefited, some are made no better; and the beneficial influence of industrial schools is considered by the people doubtful, their management questionable. The truth is, nobody, or at least few except the managers and directors, know any thing about the actual conduct of the school, the condition of the children, their education, or training.

Indeed, it is nobody's business except the trustees' or (where one exists) the State Board of Charities'; and their visits are so infrequent that they can become cognizant of very little that transpires. The people those whose interest lies nearest to these who are to have place in life among them, and who should be reared to take part in the world's work with them-actually have nothing to do with them, know nothing of them; and the children remain as truly outcast and friendless as before they were sent to the school. As those directors or trustees are supposed by the public to be best who maintain a given institution the cheapest, it is usually thought well to adopt the industry that will pay best. So all the hundreds of boys are taught, without any regard to their fitness for it, the same trade. All make shoes, or chairs, or boxes; and so the State sends out an army of shoemakers or tailors; and the young Ishmaelite goes forth with all the trades

unions in array against him, and his hand more emphatically against every man than before.

The use of money, economy, thrift, the value of small savings, individual responsibility, and self-reliance, or self-conduct, he has never learned, and had no opportunity to learn, in the systematized mechanical routine of a well-ordered institution. Any training adapted for the development of a peculiar talent, or no talent, of an individual, is almost impossible in an institution; and where hundreds are gathered, and taught by a few teachers, the system necessitates wholesale management, and admits of no variety in detail, or at least very little. Number one is known and taught as number one; and number one or ten thousand is trained as nearly like number one as the perfectibility of the system permits or renders possible. The human product is tolerably well finished off, and turned out; and, if he chances fortunately to get into the groove that fits him, he may run well for a season, or until some turn of fortune slips him out of the groove, when he is as helpless as the ditched engine, and but too often is returned to the school that trained him, or the house of correction, or the poorhouse, and ends life a dependent or a convict.

I would by no means be understood as implying that our State industrial schools are not doing good work: I believe many a young boy is saved from becoming a dependent or a criminal by the training he has received in them. But they do not seem to be doing all they ought, or what might reasonably be expected of them; and I believe the fault lies in the system or method of organization. To my thought, no State, under any system of government that we would accept as free, can commence early enough to prevent such children as we have mentioned from being reared in the condition of their birth, or continued long enough to prevent their following, in large measure, the course of life their parents do. The enginery of state is too cumbrous, too far removed from the individual, to be able to touch the small beginning, and bend the twig in time to save the wrong incline: indeed, it can scarcely be supposed to know the existence of the little germ, and only becomes cognizant of the developed monstrosity. We want something that will bring the outcast into closer relations with caste, some means whereby separation of classes shall be made less wide, and the differences between higher and lower, the known and unknown, lessened; something more like family-life, with its manysided development and varied interests and occupations, and

where the woman-element shall pervade the house, and soften its social atmosphere with motherly tenderness; something that shall bring the sympathy, charity, and help of private citizens into action, along with the force and form of legal strength and public support, and enlist the watchful interest of the community in these children as it is in those of other and ordinary public schools, and bring them out of the class of dependents and delinquents into the normal conditions of ordinary life.

Connecticut has one such school for girls in Middletown: private charity inaugurated and endowed it, and the State pays for the girls it sends there the same amount it pays for prisoners in the county jails. By the aid of private benevolence, this sum educates, clothes, and trains to habits of industry, and watches over until their majority is attained, those committed to its care; and for the most part gives back to society, out of the crude material sent, useful, valuable citizens. Each one of these has some guardian or friend who looks after her conduct and interests, and keeps her out of the class of friendless outcasts, and maintains her hold on society.

The legislature of my own State (Wisconsin), in 1875, passed an "Act authorizing Industrial Schools," that embodies more of these principles, and contains provisions more in accord with them, than any other I am familiar with. It provides that "any number (not less than twenty) of ladies, or ladies and gentlemen, may unite in organizing an industrial school" (Sect. 2). "They may make such rules and by-laws, elect or appoint such officers, agents, or committees, as may be deemed necessary for the management and conduct of the school for the accomplishment of its objects and purposes" (Sect. 5). The classes of children that may be sent by magistrates is defined, and includes all those usually embraced in the lists of dependent and delinquent, as well as destitute; and prescribes the duty of the "magistrate before whom any such shall be brought, if satisfied on inquiry of fact that the welfare of the child will be promoted thereby, to send it to any such industrial school" in its own county or some other, as the case may be, at the expense of the county where the child resides, until it arrives at the age of twenty-one years; unless otherwise discharged or provided for. It also provides that any such school may receive children from parents or guardians on similar terms. Section 8 requires the officers or managers to instrust such children in such branches as are suited to their years and capacities,